Mears State Park

{{Infobox park

| name = Charles Mears State Park

| photo = Pentwater Navigation Project.jpg

| photo_caption = Pentwater Lake Channel,
the park's southern boundary

| photo_width = 280

| photo_alt = Channel

| map = USA Michigan#USA

| map_caption = Location in Michigan

| map_width = 280

| relief = 1

| location = Pentwater, Michigan, United States

| coordinates = {{coord|43|47|00|N|86|26|26|W|display=inline,title}}

| coords_ref =

| elevation = {{convert|610|ft}}

| area = {{convert|50|acre}}

| designation = Michigan state park

| established = 1920

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| administrator = Michigan Department of Natural Resources

| website = {{Official website}}

}}

Charles Mears State Park is a public recreation area in the village of Pentwater, Oceana County, Michigan. The state park encompasses {{convert|50|acre}} on the north side of the channel that connects Lake Michigan and Pentwater Lake.

History

Mears State Park was among 13 parks established in 1920 following the creation of the Michigan State Parks Commission a year earlier. The park land, which was once owned by lumber baron Charles Mears, was donated to the state by his daughter Carrie Mears. The park originally comprised only 16 acres "strictly made up of lake sand." In 1921, the vegetation that held the sand in place was disturbed during a grading process, resulting in a loss of sand to the winds, much to the annoyance of neighboring dwellers. To cure the man-made problem, five tons of marsh hay were "evenly distributed and disked in." A toilet and fireplaces were also constructed.

Activities and amenities

In addition to fishing, swimming, camping, and picnicking, the park offers a one-mile (1.6 km) hiking trail that ascends the Old Baldy sand dune.

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web |url=https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=470&type=SPRK |title=Mears State Park |publisher=Michigan Department of Natural Resources |access-date=November 18, 2024}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Greenville_Daily_News_655881_7.pdf |title=Michigan DNR celebrates 100 years of state parks |publisher=Michigan Department of Natural Resources |pages=10–11 |access-date=April 27, 2020}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/DatesEstablished_650313_7.pdf |title=When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established? |publisher=Michigan Department of Natural Resources |access-date=April 27, 2020}}

{{cite web |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071124260&view=1up&seq=241 |title=The Biennial Report of the Department of Conservation of the State of Michigan 1921–1922 |editor=Albert Stoll, Jr. |page=231 |access-date=April 27, 2018}}

{{cite web |url=https://wmsrdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Oceana-County-Master-Plan_adopted-4-28-16.pdf |title=Oceana County Master Plan |publisher=Oceana County Planning Commission |date=April 28, 2016|access-date=March 8, 2018}}

}}

External links

[https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=470&type=SPRK Mears State Park] Michigan Department of Natural Resources
[http://www.michigandnr.com/Publications/PDFS/RecreationCamping/mears_map.pdf Mears State Park Map] Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Category:State parks of Michigan

Category:Protected areas of Oceana County, Michigan

Category:Protected areas established in 1920

Category:1920 establishments in Michigan

Category:Beaches of Michigan