“Wanna See a Trick?”
Story Behind the Name
Illusions and trickery. It’s all magic and when anyone in Marshall or Colon asks if you want to see a trick, the answer should always be a resounding, “YES.”
Marshall
If you want to step back in time, don’t buy one of those expensive time machines off the Internet, do what we did: go to Marshall, Michigan. Marshall is so full of history and nineteenth century small town architecture that it’s been given status as a National Historic Landmark District. Some families have done business there for generations, and it’s easy to see why. This is a beautiful place to live, work and play.
Marshall was also proposed to be the state capital until it lost out to Lansing in 1847. Karen was so full of fascinating facts about this community that, by the time we were done, my head was spinning more than the carriage wheels. When you meet passionate people like Karen, it’s easy to see why so many people come to enjoy Marshall every year.
Colon
When we left the museum, we heard there was a big magic festival going on about forty-five minutes southwest of Marshall in the town of Colon. When we got there we found out that not only is Colon the official magic capital of the world, this was the seventy-fifth anniversary of their annual festival called Magic Week. Every year magicians and magic fans from around the world go there for one thing and one thing only… the love of magic.
If you’re wondering how the tiny town of Colon became the official magic capital of the world, it all started back in 1929 when Harry Blackstone, Sr. was out touring with his big magic production. They came through Colon on their way from Chicago to Detroit and he fell in love with the area. Blackstone bought over two hundred acres of land, and from that day forward, he would bring in the whole cast during the summers to rebuild the show to take out again in the fall. He started inviting other magicians there from around the world, and the rest, as they say, is history.
We had a great time at Magic Week in Colon, and we also learned a ton about Michigan’s rich history in Marshall. So if you wanna have fun and learn a ton, put Marshall and Colon on your list, and do it soon, before someone at Magic Week makes ’em disappear.
Grand Haven
If you think life’s a beach, wait ’til you come to Grand Haven. There life’s a beach and then some. It really is one of Michigan’s great places to live, work, eat, stay and play. Travel and Leisure rated the Grand Haven Beach as one of the best secret beaches in the entire world. Add great restaurants, shops and places to stay, and you’ve got a classic place for your next Michigan adventure.
If you’re looking for a classic place to stay while you’re checking out Grand Haven, you might want to check into the beautiful Harbor House Inn. This place is quite a sight to see, and it’s right downtown with great views of the waterfront. It’s a Victorian style structure that really has a comfortable but still cozy feel to it. We dug it the most!