• Monday-What'sUP September 11 - 04:03 pm

No trip to Copper Harbor is complete, until you've taken a step back in time to the 1800s at Fort Wilkins, located on the shores of Lake Fanny Hooe. The property became a state park in 1923 and today gives the visitor a chance to experience what life was like living at this garrison on the northern frontier. These two shots from Krista Poirer show a quieter side of the fort grounds, with silent cannons saluting the flag in its place of honor. For your own mini-tour of the grounds and buildings, visit Krista's slideshow from her family's visit there.

Speaking of flags and places of honor, make sure you fly your red, white and blue today, in memory of the lives that were lost five years ago today in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. May they rest in peace.

Remembering all the people who lost their lives on this day 5 years ago. Will never forget that day as long as I live. It's stored in my memory same as the day Kennedy got shot!

I too remember 9/11 as I did Kennedy's assassination. In 1963 I was in 5th grade in Vero Beach, Fl when the news came over the pa system. It affected me down to my core. It was the quietest bus ride ever. Five years ago I was sitting in my office at HFCC in Dearborn, Mi when the news hit. I was angry, in shock and I am still angry about it. There truly is a world war with these islamic fanatics.....

Mike

I think I was in 6th grade. Well, anyway, I was 11 and it was such a hard day. I saw the first tower burning and then saw the 2nd plane go into the 2nd tower. What shock!!! The TV had you mesmerized all day.

Make sure when you fly your flag today that it is at half staff in respect for our fallen. At sunset you can once again raise to full staff. It is a sad and glorious day. Sad for our loss of lives but glory in our way of life. God Bless America! Terrie in Ohio

I was in an Air Force tech school when President Kennedy was shot. We were on break and our teacher came into the area and broke the news. Not having a tv I missed the images of 9-11 for a time and it doesn't have the same kind of hold on me. On reflection, I'm saddened by the fact that some folks are so uneducated and/or uninformed that they are able to be incited to do acts of terror for any reason. This may even include us. We mustn't let our fears/anger/ideologies rule over our reason.
On a lighter note I've always been fond of the fort, nice pics, will visit the area today!

We had a nice walk around the fort last week when we were there. It was the first time in 25 years. The weather was great and we had a really good time remembering past trips to the fort with family.

While not "pre-fab" per se, all the construction materials were shipped from the Port of Detroit, portaged overland at the Soo, and reloaded for ship transit to Copper Harbor.

All to protect settlers from the "Native American" attack that never came ...

Notroll: couldn't agree with you more.

Mr. Bill: amazing, isn't it?

Mr. Bill,
It was never designed to "protect settlers from the 'Native American' attack that never came" but rather to provide a type of police to keep roudy miners in check.

Richard,

Thanks, I was just quoting from Professor Lankton's lectures and books.

Love taking the time to walk around Ft. Wilkins, when I am in the CC...what a valuable peice of history.

Can't believe that it has been five years since the 9/11 attacks. Sometimes it feels as though it wasn't that long ago...and then other times it feels as though it was so long ago.

I still remember turning on the TV that morning, to watch one of my talk shows...not realizing that the minute I turned on the TV, the world would change forever, right before my very eyes. They were airing a segment about the first plan hitting the first tower, and commenting about how they thought it was pilot error...and then in the top left corner of the screen, you could see the second plane as it descended and hit the second tower.

Just total shock, when you realized this wasn't an accident...but was something that was done intentionally, to kill Americans...an act of terrorism...an act of war.

On a lighter note.....

One year I was on a school field trip to Ft. Wilkins and after one of the park guides got through with his tour a lady, who wasn't part of our group, spoke up and said in all seriousness, "I still don't understand why the American's built a fort here to protect the Keweenaw from Canada!". I remember the guide asking what she meant by that, and she answered, "Didn't you ever hear that the Canadian Navy wanted to sail across Lake Superior and claim the Keweenaw as their own for the copper, and that is why the US built Fort Wilkins??" I think he said he hadn't heard of that reason, but he would check into it, just for her. Meanwhile our entire school group was laughing hysterically in the background.......

hi lived on pewabic sacross from the frisks &stalls don siira [dukie] like to say hi

It was my first week on my new job when 9/11 occurred. I was so in disarray I didn't know what to do not knowing anyone at work and then all the Canadian employees baled out at noon because we heard the borders were closing. I called my mom and she kept giving me the low down on what was happening then they let us go at 2:00PM.... so I've been at this job 5 years, happy to be here still but not happy it was a milestone to have to celebrate it with 9/11. Sad day indeed for America.

We were camping at Fanny Hooe campground on 9/11/01 and had gone into Eagle Harbor. At lunch time we stopped at the little restaurant right on the corner where Route 26 turns into Eagle Harbor. They had a TV in the dining room and at first we thought they were watching a movie. It was unbelieveable to find out that it was really happening. Like the moment when the word came of Kennedy's assasination it will never be forgotten.
Hate does terrible things to everyone!

It sure does, Rose. I didn't know anything about 9/11 until around
noon. I teach in a Children's Mental Health Center and it wasn't
until lunch hour that another teacher's son trotted over from a
nearby high school to tell us what had happened. For weeks
afterwards the art therapist saw some horrific drawings in her
sessions with our children. A friend of mine, a psychologist at a
center for children with physical handicaps and life threatening
diseases, was in Florida on what was to be a day long World of
Dreams trip with some students. They were stranded for several
days, but she told me that the local community--doctors,
pharmacists, etc. were incredibly helpful.