Monday, 7/27

You should know that it has a real name, if only to honor the person who gave it to us.

Loraine and I did a lot this weekend, including (but not limited to) checking out all the outdoor art shows in Marquette. One of them was the Outback Art Fair, and while we were there I overheard two artists discussing how “Picnic Rocks Park” is such a great setting for the show. There's just one problem with that, though--

There is no such thing as “Picnic Rocks Park” in Marquette.

As evidence, I present the following picture--

There is a park on the land called Shiras Park. There are rocks in the water called Picnic Rocks. There is, however, nothing at all in the city called Picnic Rocks Park, despite what people think. In fact, when my lovely wife actually had to call the police about something a year or two ago, the officer on the other end of the phone had no idea where Shiras Park was. However, when she said “the park by Picnic Rocks”, he knew exactly of what she was speaking.

Now, I realize people don't pay attention to things. I realize that every single person in Marquette knows about Picnic Rocks, and knows there's a park on land right near those rocks. I also realize people tend to do the easiest thing possible; hence, calling the park by Picnic Rocks “Picnic Rocks Park”. But that does a disservice to an amazing individual who helped make Marquette the place it is today, this guy--

George Shiras the Third, the guy who invented nighttime wildlife photography and hung out with friends like Teddy Roosevelt, did an incredible amount for the city of Marquette, even though he only lived here a few months out of the year. His foundation gave us things like Shiras Planetarium, and he himself donated the land upon which Shiras Park now sits. Back in those days, there was actually a sand bar that allowed people to walk out and bring a picnic lunch out to Picnic Rocks—that's how they got their name—and Mr. Shiras decided that it's be nice if the community had a park near there where people could play and enjoy the lake. So he bought the land and gave it to the city free of charge, where residents have enjoyed it ever since.

That's why the park is called Shiras Park, and not Picnic Rocks Park. I realize it may sound like I'm splitting hairs here, but there wouldn't be a park at Picnic Rocks at all if it wasn't for George Shiras. Maybe it's just the history nerd in me, but I think people should call it by its correct name.

I mean, I'm smart enough to know they won't, but a boy can dream, right?

(jim@wmqt.com), once again tilting at obscure windmills.