Second Chances

Spicer Orchards Winery

Date Visited:  June 23, 2019

Stop:  #16

We left Old Prospect Hill Cemetery excited about the prospect of drinking some more wine, so we got back onto W. Shiawassee Ave. and headed west, bearing right onto Owen Road.  After a quick stop to gas up, we jumped onto US-23 and headed south to Exit 70.  We headed east on Clyde Road for about 0.4 miles and on the north side, we easily spotted Spicer Orchards.  This place was enormous and, on this day, was teeming with activity.  With the weather being so nice, there were hundreds of people swarming throughout the place.  Finding a parking spot proved to be a challenge, but after a few minutes, we were lucky to find someone leaving so we pulled into their vacated space.

It is overwhelming how much there is to do at Spicer’s.  On this particular day, a lot of people were there with the intentions of picking their own strawberries, so wagons loaded with people either going to or coming back from the fields were plentiful.  Kids were running all about, interacting with the array of farm animals populating the barnyard, or enjoying the train ride, bounce houses, zip line, sand art, face painting, pony rides, climbing structures, and more.  You could easily spend a day here, and from what I could see, many people were doing just that.

The Spicer family has been growing fruit in southeastern Michigan for five generations, and have had many markets in the area throughout the years.  Their present location was opened in 1980, and the winery was opened in 2009.  You can learn a little bit more about the history of the Spicer family at  http://www.spicerorchards.com/history.html.   History aside, we were there for one thing only – to sample some wine.  We were excited to visit their tasting room, and based on how many people we saw running about the grounds, were not surprised to walk in and find the room packed.  The tasting room is fairly large room, but there was no room at the bar to stand, and most of the tables were occupied.  There were only two people working, and both were behind the bar, so sitting at a table did not look like an option.  So, we patiently stood around waiting for a spot to open up at the bar.  In the meantime, we got our hands on their wine list and started the process of picking out our selections.  They had a very large selection of wines and hard ciders to choose from – in total, 23 different wines, and 8 different hard ciders.  They had 4 dry wines, 2 semi-dry wines, 2 semi-sweet wines, 6 sweet wines, 8 fruit wines, 1 ice wine, 4 hard ciders, and 4 limited edition hard ciders.  Choosing what we wanted would not be easy!!!

After about 10 minutes, we were able to squeeze into a rather small section of the bar and tried to get someone to come over and get us started with our wine selections.  The crowd at the bar seemed to overwhelm the workers who were trying to serve everyone in the place as well as act as cashier when patrons made purchases.  As a result, it took forever for someone to free up and come over to take our order.  Then, much to our aggravation, they would not take our order until we paid first!!  Now, we have been to many wineries and tasting rooms over the past several years and regardless of where we’ve been (Traverse City, Grand Haven, or the Niagara wine regions in Ontario, Canada), we have NEVER been to a winery or tasting room that required their patrons to pay first before being served.  This policy just did not seem very customer friendly – like they didn’t trust their clientele - and really set a bad tone for our visit.  I only want to pull out my wallet once and pay for everything when I am done and ready to leave – not have to pay multiple times every time I want to buy something.   

Spicer’s was offering seven 1-once pours for $7, so I paid our $14 and asked for our first selections.  It took quite some time for us to finish our 7 pours, mostly because it took an inordinate amount of time in between pours to get service.  Because the two gentlemen working the bar were so busy, there was virtually no interaction with them beyond them pouring our next ounce.  We learned nothing of the wines or ciders we were drinking, which was disappointing.  Kathy tried the following wines and ciders:  Traminette, the Reserve Cider, the House Blush, the Soft Red, the Cherry wine, the Dessert Apple, and the Honey & White.  I tried the Sweet Riesling, the Raspberry hard cider, the Catawba Blush, the Soft White, the Blueberry wine, the Cranberry Wine, and the Sparkling Peach.  The wines and ciders were mostly OK to good, but nothing really stuck out.  Kathy usually has all kind of notes scratched out on the wine list with stars next to bottles we have to buy.  But, none of that this time around.  We have never left a winery without buying at least one bottle of something, but there is always a first time, and this was going to be it for us (although at the last minute we decided to get the Catawba, which was something we hadn't had elsewhere in Michigan).  Maybe it was the crowds.  Maybe it was the poor service or the lack of a personal connection to the winery.  I know that their pay-as-you-go policy put a sour taste in my mouth, so maybe I wasn’t giving them a fair shake.  Whatever the reason, I want to chalk our disappointing visit up to it being an anomaly, and not the norm.  I could see by the fun that everyone was having at the orchard that this is a magical place, so I believe that the winery was just having a bad day.  In any event, our quest on this day included 3 wineries – one that was great, one that was closed, and one that was disappointing.  Not the formula for a successful trip, but I am sure Kathy and I will head back to Spicer’s again in the future and give it a second chance.

#michiganwinesandsigns #michigan #history #michiganhistory #wine #michiganwine #winetasting #historyisbetterwithwine

Oh Where, Oh Where is the Cemetery?

Old Prospect Hill Cemetery

Date Visited:  June 23, 2019

Stop:  #15

By now, Kathy and I had learned that our Gold Source for the Michigan historical markers was inaccurate in many cases.  Many of the coordinates turn out to be off just enough to make finding the actual location challenging, but we had never encountered a circumstance quite this challenging.  According to our Gold Source, the marker for our next destination was supposed to be at the exact same location as the marker for Dibbleville.  Well, we already knew the location of the Dibbleville marker was wrong, so things were not looking promising for finding our next target.  With the coordinates now suspect, we went to the address that was posted in our Gold Source.  That took us to the police station at 301 S. Leroy St.  Since we were looking for a cemetery, obviously this raised eyebrows, but we decided to walk around the police station and the City Hall (which was next door) just to make sure there was no sign.  There wasn’t.  Strike two.  We tried to do a Google search on our phones but could not get a signal.  We were running out of options.  Would we be forced to go retro and actually have to ask a LIVE person for directions???  As a last resort, I went back to our Gold Source to look for any more clues.  Luckily, under the title “Additional Information,” there was another clue.  A reference to the cemetery being located on Davis Street.  So, we walked back to our car, accessed our Google maps, and found that Davis Street was about a half mile away. 

We headed south on Leroy Street and made a right-hand turn onto W. Shiawassee Ave.  Davis St. was about 0.42 miles west of Leroy Street on the south side of W. Shiawassee Ave.  On the southwest corner was a sign pointing us in the direction of Oakwood Cemetery, and under that sign, a smaller one referencing Old Prospect Hill Cemetery, our intended destination.  We turned left onto Davis Street and it ended about 0.1 miles at the entrance to Oakwood Cemetery.  Once we entered the cemetery, we noticed a small sign off to the left that referenced Old Prospect Hill with an arrow pointing us in the right direction.  So, we followed the sign, which took us around a couple of curves, down a hill and then back up a larger hill.  Another sign and another curve and we came to an intersection and a sign telling us to make a left.  By this time, however, we had seen the cemetery we were seeking off to the left, encompassed by an old wrought iron fence.  The Old Prospect Hill Cemetery is located in the northeast corner of the Oakwood Cemetery.  The historical marker is located on the outside of the wrought iron fence enclosure, and to the right of the entrance to the cemetery.  Total distance from where my Gold Source said the cemetery was located – nearly one mile away.

Just inside the entrance to Old Prospect Hill Cemetery, located to your left, is a map which identifies some of the major landmarks within the cemetery as well as the burial site locations and names of each person buried there.  Using this map, you can try to find the gravesites of some of the earliest settlers of Fenton, and some of its most historical figures as well.  Among them are: 

• Clark Dibble, the first settler and after whom Dibbleville was named
• Dustin Cheney, who accompanied Clark Dibble to this area and co-founded Dibbleville and who build the first log cabin in Dibbleville
• Phillip McOmber, Sr., the first Genesee County prosecutor
• Daniel LeRoy, Michigan’s first attorney general

These names are included on the historical marker, so needless to say, we were determined to find their gravesites.  You will also learn that this cemetery was established in 1834. 

Kathy and I spent quite awhile exploring this cemetery.  We found many of the headstones mentioned above and took photos of them.  The McOmber family plot is located at in the extreme northeast corner of Old Prospect Hill, at the top of a very large hill that overlooks the rest of the cemetery.  Dustin Cheney’s gravesite is located just to the right of the entrance and is marked by a very tall gravestone and the family name carved at the base (see photo below).  Clark Dibble’s gravesite is located a few feet northeast of Dustin Cheney’s gravesite.  Dibble’s gravestone is a tall spire in the shape of the Washington Monument (also see photo below).  Under Clark Dibble’s name is the word “Cockawasaw.”  This is the name that the Native Americans called Dibble, and the meaning of the name is said to have something to do with the wind.  Clark only lived to be 41 years old, and died 8 years after settling in Dibbleville, and only 8 months after his friend, Dustin Cheney, had passed.

This marked the end of our visit to Fenton.  We really enjoyed the short time we spent there, especially feeling fortunate to have been there on the day of their River Fest.  If we had not planned to visit so many additional places, we may have just made a whole day of it and enjoyed some more great music in the park.  But it was nearly mid-afternoon now, and we had several more stops we wanted to make, the next being our second (or, technically, third) winery of the day.

#michiganwinesandsigns #michigan #history #michiganhistory #wine #michiganwine #winetasting #historyisbetterwithwine

A Connection to the Church of England

Saint Jude´s Episcopal Church

Date Visited:  June 23, 2019

Stop:  #14

Our next stop was just a short walk further south on Leroy Street.  Kathy and I noticed that many of the buildings we walked by had historical markers attached to them, noting them as a City of Fenton Historic Site, paid for by the Fenton Community Fund and Community Foundation of Greater Flint.  Some of the signs recognized several buildings at a time.  Alas, our quest does not include these types of signs, because, otherwise, we would never successfully complete our quest!!!  But it was interesting, just the same, to read them as well.

At the southern end of the business district of Fenton, located on the southeast corner of South Leroy Street and East Elizabeth Street, stood our next objective – the Saint Jude’s Episcopal Church.  This church is recognized by its majestic steeple that contains the main entrance to the church and has a white cross mounted on its peak.  The marker is located to the left of the main entrance.  From this sign, we learned about the early history of this church.  The first Episcopal service in Fenton was held on May 3, 1858.  The society for which the service was held (the Ladies Mite Society) formally organized as the St. Jude’s Episcopal Church on July 18, 1859.  The first church was built on this site in 1860, and the current church was completed in 1893.  The church’s website contains a more detailed history of the church (http://www.stjudesfenton.com/?page_id=2).  I found the story behind the ivy that grows on the north face of the church to be particularly interesting.  According to records, the ivy was brought to St. Jude’s from a cathedral in England by the Rev. Reasoner, who was a rector at the cathedral.  This served to create a special bond between St. Jude’s and the Church of England.  The history includes several references to decisions made by the vestry, the leadership team of lay people in an Episcopal church.  Many of the decisions focused on the rectory (the house owned by the church in which the priest, or rector, resides), expansion plans, and other important issues of the time.  It was interesting to read about more of the history of this church.

Now we had to turn our attention to our last destination in Fenton.  The difficult part was finding it.  Read my next blog to find out why.

#michiganwinesandsigns #michigan #history #michiganhistory #wine #michiganwine #winetasting #historyisbetterwithwine

A Volcano in Dibbleville?

Dibbleville

Date Visited:  June 23, 2019

Stop:  #13

With all the activity going on in Fenton, parking was at a premium, so as we crossed the Shiawassee River heading towards our next historical marker, it didn’t look good that we would find a convenient place to park.  We didn’t even have a good idea where the marker was located, so after driving around a couple of minutes, we pulled into a very small public parking lot next to the AJ Phillips Building, which is home to the Fenton Museum, and got lucky – one last parking spot that I was able to gingerly maneuver into.  And what was the first thing Kathy and I would see?  A smoking volcano.  Yes, a VOLCANO.  I thought I was having a brain cloud.  There was an empty lot between the parking lot and a house (or maybe it was part of the house’s backyard – it wasn’t really obvious), and there in the middle of it was a five-foot-tall volcano with smoke spewing from its crater.  There were lava formations down the side of the volcano, and bright red flowers growing out of the cooled lava flows.  I would have to say, this was probably one of the most unusual sites I would have ever expected to have seen in downtown Fenton. 

After gawking at the volcano for a few minutes, we turned our attention to locating the historical marker.  Lo and behold, it happened to be right at the entrance of the parking lot we just pulled into.  The map I was using had the location of the marker across the street.  It was by luck that we spotted it, especially since a nearby tree was obscuring most of it from sight as well.  Again, the coordinates shown in the data sheet below are accurate, so please use them if you desire to visit this sign and disregard any of the other sources currently on the web.

Now, the name of this sign was Dibbleville.  Turns out, Dibbleville was the first name given to the 40 acres of government land that Clark Dibble laid claim to in 1834.  The sign describes the original business district that made up Dibbleville, with many of the original structures still standing today.  In 1837, Dibbleville was purchased by William Fenton and Robert Le Roy and renamed Fentonville.  This settlement was incorporated as a village in 1863 and renamed Fenton.  Fenton went through a major urban renewal project during the 1970’s, with all of the downtown area being leveled and Leroy Street being completely closed.  In August, 2007, Fenton was hit by an E2 tornado that damaged many buildings, homes, and a school, as well as completely destroying the new Tractor Supply Company.  Fortunately, there were no fatalities or serious injuries, but it was another setback for a city trying to restore itself.  Today, Fenton boasts a population of 11,286 (as of 2017) and is a vibrant community with impressive new buildings and many renovated historical buildings and repurposed landmark buildings (like the Fenton Fire Hall restaurant mentioned in my previous blog and the Fenton Grain Elevator mentioned in my Fenton House blog).  Although we still had two more historical markers in Fenton to visit, I already knew that our day spent in “Dibbleville” was one of those unexpected gems that makes this quest we are on so exciting.

#michiganwinesandsigns #michigan #history #michiganhistory #wine #michiganwine #winetasting #historyisbetterwithwine

Deal Me In

Fenton United Methodist Church

Date Visited:  June 23, 2019

Stop:  #12

After visiting the Fenton House, we walked back to our car and drove a short distance to our next destination, the Fenton United Methodist Church (about 0.2 miles south of the Fenton House).  The further south we drove, the more crowded the streets seemed to get.  We noticed families and groups of people walking around, many congregating down by the river.  The Fenton Fire Hall (the former firehouse converted into a trendy restaurant) was abuzz with people eating and drinking on the roof.  We didn’t know what exactly was going on, so we parked in the church parking lot and got out to visit the historical marker, figuring at some point, we would find out what was happening in Fenton this perfect Summer day.

The Fenton United Methodist Church is an enormous brick structure easily identifiable in downtown Fenton.  From the historical marker, we learned that the church was built in 1853, 16 years after Reverend Washington Jackson formed a Methodist congregation, and on land donated by Levi Warren.  A new brick church was built in 1869 after the walls of the original church collapsed while a basement was being added.  The new church burned to the ground in 1929, so for the third time, the congregation began construction of a new church (in 1930).  Because of numerous delays caused by the Great Depression of the 30’s, the church was not dedicated until 1939.  Kathy and I have noticed a very common theme to all the historical churches we have visited around the world, whether they are in Germany, Ireland, Philadelphia, or in our home state – their history always seems to include a series of fires or other catastrophes that have resulted in the church being rebuilt over and over again.  The Fenton United Methodist Church followed this same theme.

We walked around the grounds and took various pictures, and I ultimately ended up across the street in order to get pictures that included the whole church.  There was a small plaza in front of the Fenton Community and Cultural Center that had three gentlemen sitting at a table playing cards.  There was an open chair, so I took a seat and prepared to play a couple of hands.   Kathy took advantage of the photo op and snapped a couple of pics, one of which is shown below.  Even though I had been dealt in, there was very little action and no conversation, so I took the hint and excused myself from the table.  We stood around long enough to see other prospective players get the same treatment, so at least I walked away assured that I wasn’t the only person shunned after being dealt in.

Kathy and I got back in the car and headed further south on Leroy Street to get to our next destination.  As we were approaching the bridge that crossed the Shiawassee River, we finally found out why there were so many people milling about – there, next to the bridge, was a big banner advertising the annual River Fest.  There were booths lined up selling food and crafts, and in the park between the river and Fenton City Hall, there was a gazebo with a rock band playing music, and a hundred or so people sitting on the grass with food and drinks, enjoying the beautiful day and the great music.  Once we parked our car, we walked around and enjoyed the sounds and the smells.

River Fest is an annual fundraiser run by the Keepers of the Shiawassee, a volunteer group whose mission is to develop the river as a paddling trail extending 100 miles from Holly to the Shiawassee Flats.  The River Fest music festival featured music, a cardboard canoe race, vendors, arts and crafts, games and activities, a fishing tournament, and kayak demos.  Lots of fun for all, and for a great cause.  It was pure luck that we got to experience this fun event – thanks to our quest!!!

#michiganwinesandsigns #michigan #history #michiganhistory #wine #michiganwine #winetasting #historyisbetterwithwine