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Herr Gessler
On the corner of Main Street and Otsego Avenue in Gaylord, Michigan, stands a statue of Herr Gessler -- the evil 14th century Swiss ruler assassinated by William Tell.
According to legend, Gessler hung his hat in the town square and demanded that the townsfolk bow before the hat. William Tell and his young son refused to bow to the hat, and were arrested. Gessler told Tell that he and his son would be spared from execution if Tell would shoot an apple off the head of his son. Tell accepted the challenge and split the apple with an arrow from his crossbow.
The legend claims that Tell later killed Gessler and took his place as ruler. However, the townfolk of Gaylord, Michigan, disagree. They claim that Gessler escaped to Gaylord and now tries to ruin their annual Alpenfest by demanding people bow to his hat.
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| A 1500 pound statue of Gessler carved from a cottonwood tree |
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| Ben and Sophia refuse to bow to the hat |
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| Herr Gessler refused to smile for a photo |
Sea Shell City
Seashells in Northern Michigan? You betcha!
Sea Shell City sits alongside Interstate 75 about 8 miles west of Cheboygan, and offers travelers all the seashell and nautical gifts their hearts desire.
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
The Mackinac Point Lighthouse served as a navigational beacon to boats traveling through the Straights of Mackinac from 1890 until it was replaced by instrumentation on the new Mackinac Bridge in 1957. Today, the restored lighthouse is open to the public.
Admission includes a guided tour of the lighthouse tower (as space is available), viewing of the keepers' quarters, a movie about shipwrecks in the straights, and a shipwreck museum to complement the movie.
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| Fresnel Lens |
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge spans 26,372 feet across the Straights of Mackinac to connect Michigan's Upper and Downer peninsulas. That's about 1 RV short of 5 miles. The suspension part of the bridge is 8,614 feet; currently making it the 5th longest suspension bridge in the world.
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| Live Bridge Cams | |
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| A memorial to the 5 men who lost their lives building the bridge |
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| $4 per car to cross the bridge |