I will prepare something similar to this except it will be more of a Sales approach, attractions in area etc, This is just to show you how the land looked back then... I purchased in 1970 ,... more pics from 2002 .
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.. Ritttenhouse then bought it in 1857 then a land investment company owned it (fraud involved, very interesting reading in the abstract). Siefert owned it from 1945 to 1963, Then Dawson Hauser owned until 1970 when I bought it.
Very Unique ONE-of-a-kind location on southern tip of high elevation 650 feet above Lake Superior. Any property MUST have steep slopes on the W and Easterly sides (like this) to allows a good view of part of Lake Superior and also the Pikes Creek valley to the W and Mt Ashwabay ski hill to the S. This property is also unique in that it has a good stand of very large pine trees on the western crest.
Lines indicate potential view (trees cleared)... Depending on where you stand, view toward East too.On the crest of the S slope would be a perfect place for a home with large windows for the view of Lake Superior.
Original homestead house built late 1800's ??? 1.5 feet thick stone and cement walls, cement floor with insulated carpet over. Previous owner stored his full sized tractor in upper level. Upper level is unfinished but could easily be additional living space. There is ? enough good quality 4x8 sheets of Cedar siding included, just waiting to be put on the exterior... a two or three day project, then it would look more like a quality building. From the back window on the right, and from the top bunk bed in 1971 my daughter could see Lake Superior and the Michigan coast line, and Porcupine Mountains. Cabin has two 100# tanks LP gas for heat, light, refrigerator and gas stove, and a thermostatically controlled wood stove for continuous heating... very easy to get to be too warm even at minus 25 deg outside. There is a "Hatch" and drop-down stair from lower level to upper level without going outside. Wired for 12v lights too, use battery with small solar panel. Unattended and without heat, the coldest it ever gets inside all winter is 10 above, Warmest for the entire summer 70 deg inside. Rumored to be a well on the property but I never found one. I hauled water from town in a 50 gallon barrel and filled a 50 gallon tank neat the top of the hill by gravity... then that water was piped to the cabin by gravity for running water in Kitchen sink.
NOTE the very tall pine tree, twice as tall as ANY surrounding trees anywhere on the entire peninsula. Using binoculars, I could see my tree from Devil's Island 30 miles away. Unfortunately it blew down a few years ago.
Note the tall Pine tree (now gone)
From the back of cabin looking S toward door. 80,000 btu gas stove would heat up almost instantly then woodstove to maintain heat in the cabin.
From front of cabin looking N toward the back ... Stairway lifts up in between the joists. Firewood is stored under the stairs. Double bed on left.
This is grandfathered in by ordinance so it continues to be legal as long as it's maintained.
(Pic is 17 years ago 2002) Standing at top Just N of the cabin near the center of the property looking NW... 200 apple trees toward the right near the N property line (the tall tree line). Plumb, Pear, cherry trees and an acre of grapes grew on the S slope uphill from the driveway (trees gone now, still some grapes). Lots of asparagus and tons of blackberries grew here all over the property.
The trees farthest away are just West of the E-W center of the property. Just beyond those trees the property drops off sharply giving a 3 mile view (thru the trees) of the Pike's Creek valley.
This is top field (apple trees to the left)...looking ENE from about the center of the property (Just N from cabin). Every week or two the different flowers would bloom so the color was constantly changing.
1971 View from above cabin looking N, ...some of the 200 apple trees along the N property line (the tall trees).
2011.... Heading E on the field, along my "road" along the crest 9 years ago...
Drops off steeply to the right toward the driveway giving a great view of Lake Superior from the entire length of the crest (w no trees).
2011 Near the crest looking NE, farthest trees are E property line.
1971... just above cabin. Farthest trees on Left are N property line, Farthest trees on Right are E property line. . . .Crest to S slope is off picture to the Right.
Above cabin, looking NE toward E property line (Trees in far distance).
From crest on E part looking SSE, Lake Superior is there in full view, (bad lighting). Some apple trees in bloom.
1971 Next 2 pics ... From crest of hill (no trees) looking SW...Garage (now partially collapsed) near left, Cabin R of center of picture.
1971 Partway up the driveway looking NW toward the cabin.
1971 Pic from near the center of the property looking SE about 200 feet back from the crest of the S slope, from near the apple trees behind me (up from the cabin) . Even this far back, great view (no trees). Can see just a bit of Madeline Island far left, Michigan Porcupine Mountains distant view.
Near the crest, from closer to the cabin, looking SE... You can see a bit of Madeline Island near the center.
Looking SE, (my 2 dogs on crest, slopes steeply toward driveway) The buildings are near the Hwy J stop sign.
On the crest looking SE.. Madeline Isl on left, Porcupine Mountains in distance.
Looking SE from the crest.
1971 Next several pictures are taken from 15 feet up in a tree on the crest near the cabin.
Looking SE, can clearly see both sides of Madeline Island.
Looking SE at both sides of Madeline Island. My land is in the foreground, trees beyond clearing are the E property line. When I bought the property, I could also see the Mt Ashwabay ski hill many miles directly to the South.
Looking N at some of my apple trees.. just beyond the apple trees is the N property line. Pikes Creek valley 90 deg to left.
View from 15' in tree just N of cabin looking SE, Old house foundation in center, Garage on right, my driveway, Lake in background (bad lighting, can't see).
This pic was taken looking ESE from the nearby Fire Tower. IF there were a tower on my land this is approximately the view you'd have.
1971, SE 1/4 of property looking N uphill from driveway to the E to W crest, cabin is to my left. Trees on right is E property line. Not a tree in sight other than the pear, plumb, cherry trees (long gone). Great sliding hill.
This pic is at the bottom just W of the west property line overlooking 3 miles of the Pikes Creek Valley. ...On my land from the crest of the hill E of this spot, the view is far better (but thru trees for now). I always wanted to build a guest cabin there for this view.
I will also send you other plat maps, etc, contour maps, etc. as I locate them.
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