“Back then, it was all Model T’s and canvas,” Forrest says. Over the next few decades, the group grew rapidly. “By 1935, they claimed 100,000 members,” he says. The Tin Can Tourists stayed intact until the group experienced a 20-year hiatus from the late ‘70s until 1998, when Forrest and his wife, Jerri, revived the organization with a trip to Camp Dearborn in Milford, Michigan.
Just like the original group in the ‘20s and ‘30s, it’s still tradition to meet every summer in Traverse City. At last year’s centennial celebration on June 22, we went behind the scenes at Interlochen State Park to see the inner workings of the club (and more than one vintage camper). Coincidentally, 2019 was also the centennial of Michigan State Parks, so there were plenty of locals and curious travelers staying at the park who had the opportunity to experience what the Tourists are all about.
Like most of Northern Michigan, the woods of the park are thick with the tangy scent of pine. Kids run around in swimsuits, and there’s a sign down by the lake warning swimmers to “towel off completely,” lest they fall victim to the scourge that is swimmer’s itch. (If you know, you know.) The site rests just south of Traverse City between Green Lake and Duck Lake, directly across the road from Interlochen Center for the Arts.
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Camping With Your Dog
Bringing your dog on your next outdoor overnight excursion? Oh, yes! With a little planning, your canine companion will enjoy camping just as much as you. These Northern Michigan spots are perfectly pet-friendly.
SWEET ON THE BETSIE
JENA MATZEN AND GREGG TRAHEY WEREN’T LOOKING FOR A BIG HOME UP NORTH. BUT THEY DID WANT STYLE.
REFRESH IN BLUE AND WHITE
ASKED TO MOVE A HARBOR SPRINGS HOME FROM TRADITIONAL TO TRANSITIONAL STYLE, INTERIOR DESIGNER GEMMA PARKER BUILT ON THE FRESH, TIMELESS ALLURE OF BLUE AND WHITE.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Explore Emmet and Cheboygan counties by foot, bike or hoof, thanks to this scenic trail.
Please, eat the violets.
The wild violets that dot our forest floors are pretty enough to eat. Go ahead—let our six simple recipes fuel your culinary imagination.
OASIS ON ELK LAKE
ARCHITECT KEN RICHMOND DESIGNS A HOME THAT CAPTURES THE CARIBBEAN COLORS OF ELK LAKE WHILE FEELING COMPLETELY ORGANIC TO THE NORTHWOODS.
LOSS AND NATURE
Leelanau's Cedar River Preserve provides peace and perspective.
GO WITH THE FLOW
Celebrating an unconventional trout opener among friends.
CHAMPION OF TREES
Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is the “most hopeful project on the planet,” says David Milarch.
DINING OUT NEAPOLITAN, BUT WITH STYLE
American House—the Siren Hall spinoff—is making darn good pizza.