Before the channel was open, Arcadia's harbor was a pier in Lake Michigan originating from the end of Lake Street.
The Pier at Arcadia
Note the stacks of wood waiting to be shipped and a steamer being
loaded.
Source: Arcadia Area Historical Museum
In 1880, Henry A. Starke of Milwaukee, who had purchased a tract of timber land surrounding Bar Lake, began to develop his property. He began construction on a 130 ft. bridge pier in Lake Michigan at the end of Lake Street. The pier would eventually extend about 1,000 feet into Lake Michigan and include railway tracks to handle heavy loads.
Closeup: The End of the Pier and a Steamer
The pier supported wagons used for cars hauling heavy loads.
Arcadia Pier and Sailing Ship
This view shows the pier before it was lengthened. Note the tracks
of a vehicle used to transport materials to and from ships docked at the
pier.
Source: Bonnie Hughes
In bad weather, the Arcadia harbor was safer than an exposed pier, but the natural channel at the north end of Bar Lake was often unusable. From time to time the natural channel was closed by shifting sand or so shallow only rowboats or small fishing boats could use it.
More Photos
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1882 Plat Map Note the pier extending from the west end of Lake Street. The thin red line running from the pier southeast to the sawmill represents the narrow gauge rail used to haul lumber. Also note the original, natural channel between Bar Lake and Lake Michigan near the north end of Bar Lake. |
The bridge pier was in use from 1881 through 1893 to ship products of the Starke sawmill, wood, bark, farm products, and anything else anyone shipped to or from Arcadia. In 1893, when the channel between Lake Michigan and Bar Lake was completed, the new safer harbor was available reliably to larger ships, and the pier was no longer needed.