This island, owned and operated by J. D. McAuliffe from 1872, was hailed as "a shady retreat for pleasure seekers . . . with a fine collection of animals and a museum of rare specimens." In 1897, Eaton Rapids bought it for a city park. From 1908 to 1929 the Eaton County Battalion of the G.A.R. held its annual encampment at what was then named Grand Army Park. Summer concerts, reunions, and picnics brought many here over the years. A group formed in 1973 to save the island from erosion served to refocus attention on this spot.
Visit Instructions:Take a photo of your GPS at the marker. We'd prefer a photo of you with your GPS, but we realize that sometimes that's just not possible or preferable.
Also include a bit about your visit to the marker.
NEW: Instructions for logging Missing Marker Visits.
If the Marker is missing, but still listed here, you must provide a photo of you at the actual item historically honored. (This should be the waymark's "default" image). Indicate in your log that you took your photo at the Historical Location instead of the marker, because the marker was missing. Please also still include a bit about your visit to the site.