The quiet campground on the East Branch of the Fox River seven miles north of Seney, Michigan, was the site of a gathering of Hemingway fans, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Personnel and members of the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association on Wednesday, August 14th, 2013. The event was the official dedication of a new historical marker celebrating a 1919 fishing trip to the Upper Peninsula that writer Ernest Hemingway turned into one of his most famous short stories, "Big Two-Hearted River." The marker is one of a series of markers MOWA has placed in recent years. The limestone and aluminum Hemingway marker is the fruit of a cooperative effort between MOWA and the DNR.
It was a beautiful day and more than 40 people were in attendance. Hemingway’s nephew, Jim Sanford was asked to speak and told some very interesting stories about life on Walloon Lake where the Hemingway family’s summer cottage was located. It was pretty special! Others attending included Jim Sanford’s wife Marian, Michigan Hemingway Society and International Hemingway Foundation and Society members Nancy Nicholson, Janice Byrne and James Byrne, MOWA President David Graham, Seney Township Trustee Don Reed, Director of Michigan Department of Natural Resources Keith Creagh and DNR spokesman Ed Golder.
"MOWA's members think it's pretty special that a story about fishing on the Fox River 94 years ago is still one of Hemingway's best-loved stories," said MOWA President David Graham. To learn about MOWA's Michigan Heritage Memorial program visit www.miowa.org/mowa-heritage-memorial-sites.
"We were delighted when MOWA approached us about placing this marker at a DNR state forest campground," Creagh said. For additional information visit the DNR website www.michigan.gov/dnr
You can also visit the marker itself located at the Fox River State Forest Campground in Schoolcraft County on the East Branch of the Fox River seven miles north of Seney, Michigan, on highway M-77.
Thanks to Jan Byrne, Nancy Nicholson, the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for contributions to this article.