Wells State Park (Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids J.W. Wells State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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Sunset at Wells State Park
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 J.W. Wells State Park
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Cedarville Township, Menominee County, Michigan, United States |
| Nearest city | Menominee, Michigan |
| Area | 678 acres (274 ha) |
| Elevation | 591 feet (180 m) |
| Designation | Michigan state park |
| Established | 1925 |
| Administrator | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Wells State Park |
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J. W. Wells State Park
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| Built | 1927 |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000040 |
| Added to NRHP | February 25, 2002 |
J.W. Wells State Park, also called Wells State Park, is a fun place to visit in Michigan. It's a state park covering about 678 acres (2.7 square kilometers). You can find it in Menominee County, right on the beautiful Green Bay part of Lake Michigan.
The park is located just south of Cedar River. It sits along M-35, about halfway between the cities of Menominee and Escanaba. J.W. Wells State Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 because of its important history.
Contents
Park History
In 1898, a man named Sam Crawford bought a large area of land near Menominee. This land had been logged, but about 500 acres (2 square kilometers) of it still had untouched, old-growth trees. Crawford made sure to protect these special trees.
Later, John Walter Wells, who owned part of the Bird-Wells Lumber Company, bought this land. When Wells passed away in 1921, his children decided to do something wonderful. In 1925, they gave 335 acres (1.3 square kilometers) of this untouched forest to the state of Michigan. This gift included 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of Lake Michigan shoreline. This is how J.W. Wells State Park was created. The Menominee County Road Commission also added another 131 acres (0.5 square kilometers) to the park.
Building the Park
Work on the park began in 1927 and 1928. New trees were planted, and useful things like stoves, toilets, and a water well were added. Play equipment was also installed for visitors. In 1929, a log bathhouse was built.
Much of the park's development was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was a program during the Great Depression that gave young men jobs. In 1933, a camp for 200 CCC workers was set up at the park. For the next 10 years, these workers helped build many parts of the park.
They created five main areas:
- The day-use (picnic) area.
- The residence area.
- The group camp area.
- The campground area.
- The trails and trailside shelters area.
The CCC also planted many trees to help the forest grow back. They built three miles (4.8 kilometers) of walking trails, a parking lot, sports fields, and restrooms.
What You'll Find at the Park
J.W. Wells State Park covers 678 acres (2.7 square kilometers). The original 335 acres (1.3 square kilometers) that were donated still have untouched, old-growth trees. The park is divided into five main sections.
Park Sections
- Day-Use Area: This area has signs, an information stand, and a parking lot. You'll find baseball and softball fields here, along with a building that has picnic shelters and restrooms. There's also a pump house for water.
- Residence Area: This section includes the park superintendent's house and an icehouse.
- Group Camp Area: Here you'll find rustic cabins built by the CCC. There's also a play area, an information stand, and a fire pit for campfires.
- Campground Area: This part of the park has entry posts, a building with toilets, showers, and laundry facilities. It also has a pump house, an information stand, and pit toilets.
- Trails Area: This area includes the Bayshore Trail, now called the Cedar River Trail, which has two shelters. There's also the Ridgewood Trail with a third shelter.
Building Style
Many of the buildings and structures in the park were built by the CCC. They used local materials like limestone, granite, and wood from the area. Many buildings share similar designs. They often have uneven shapes, stone foundations and walls, windows with many small panes, and roofs made of wood shingles. You can also see exposed log beams inside some buildings.
Things to Do
J.W. Wells State Park offers many fun activities for visitors.
- You can go swimming in Lake Michigan.
- There are great spots for picnicking.
- Fishing is a popular activity.
- The park has a campground with 150 sites and cabins you can rent.
- There are seven miles (11 kilometers) of hiking trails to explore.
