The sky was dark. Massive clouds bulged; at any second rain could pour down on us. Strong winds buffeted the car about as we drove up the deserted east Michigan coast.
It felt as though we had reached the ends of the earth. I found it hard to believe that anything, let alone the world's largest weather vane, could be near here.
Over one hundred years ago the Ella Ellenwood, a schooner captained by Thomas Flagstad, had set sail from Montague, Michigan for Milwaukie on the other side of Lake Michigan. That night, the storm had broken. Northerly winds threw the ship over the unquiet sea, waves battering at the hull.
What began as a routine journey had descended into a life-threatening nightmare. There was nothing Flagstad could do in the face of the weather's onslaught. Unable to make harbor, the Ellenwood ran aground eight miles north of Milwaukie.
Faced with a schooner breaking up beneath him, Flagstad gave the order to abandon ship.
The following day, the storm calmed. Everyone had survived but the ship was ruined, fragments were being washed away with each swell of the sea. They attempted to recover the cargo--but they were only able to recover about half before being forced to abandon the Ella Ellenwood to the elements.
Six months later, in spring 1902, a piece of wood was found floating in the White Lake Channel by Montague. It had one word painted on it: Ellenwood. Given all of Lake Michigan to drift through, this one piece of Flagstad's schooner had found its way back home.
Getting out of the car in Montague, we were greeted with an icy wind. The air was fresh and bracing, but bitterly cold. This was a no-nonsense kind of a place. Tough. Built to withstand anything.
The 48-foot weather vane loomed over us. On its top stands a replica of the Ella Ellenwood. The Ellenwood was chosen to celebrate Montague's trading history, but also its toughness.
Thomas Pletcher, president of the local business Whitehall Metal Studios, developed the idea of building the world's largest weather vane in the early 1980s. The whole community chipped in and the 3,500lb weather vane was unveiled in 1984.
Unfortunately, the Montague weather vane is not recognized as the world's largest by Guinness. That honor goes to the one at Whitehorse Airport, Yukon Territory in Canada. The Whitehorse weather vane is a restored Douglas DC-3 which pivots on a pole in the wind. It was put there in 1981, and so predates the Montague's vane.
However, is a Douglas DC-3 (aka the "Dakota") really a weather vane? I mean, anyone can stick an airplane on a pole and call it "the world's largest weather vane"! Here in Montague what you find is the real deal. Not only is it truly magnificent but it also tells the story of the town. The hardy, stolid construction sums up the tough life here: there's pride and love, but there's also a doughty dependability.
Both the town and the weather vane are here to stay, no matter how harsh the conditions.
Finally, the sky opened and the rain began to fall. No one around us batted an eyelid. Full of awe, I pulled my jacket collar tight around my neck to keep out the wind and rain and we made our way slowly back to the car.
The World's (Second) Largest Weather Vane
Address: Intersection of Dowling & Water Street, Montague, Michigan 49437
Hours: 24/7
Admission: Free
Parking: There's plentiful parking in the adjacent; supermarket parking lot.
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Text: Richard Peevers; Photographs: Natalie Phillips
2 comments:
I would definitely say that this is literally the world's largest weathervane--you're right, just about ANYBODY could stick an airplane on a pole (LOL LOL LOL) and call it a weathervane. Or a popsicle for that matter. Jeez, those Canadians . . .
November 11, 2009 6:22 AMChristine! Tell me about it! A Douglas DC3 isn't a weather vane! It's a DC3!
November 11, 2009 9:11 PMAs we're getting close to the holidays, I've been wondering if they decorate it for Christmas. Maybe put a Santa hat on it and some tinsel.
I'm sure that would represent a bit of a hazard (random tinsel would fly into people's faces every time it goet windy) but it'd look pretty cool! :)
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