The Hartwick Pines are a old-growth remnant of a pine grove that was withdrawn from logging by a local timbering firm in 1927—a time when very little old-growth pine remained in northern Michigan. One of the heirs of the firm's original owners, Karen Michelson Hartwick, donated the grove, which was then in size, and 8000 surrounding acres of cutover land to the state of Michigan as a memorial to the logging industry. Sallin Hansen Lumber Company heavily logged much of the property within Hartwick Pines State Park during the 1880s and 1890s. The Civilian Conservation Corps planted many of the park's trees in the 1930s as part of a massive restoration effort. Hence, this forest is known as "second growth." On November 11, 1940, the Armistice Day Blizzard badly damaged the Hartwick Pines old-growth pine grove. of old trees were destroyed by windthrow from this and other storms, leaving behind the that remain.
Logging museum
The Hartwick Pines Logging Museum was erected by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934–1935. It contains recreated exhibit rooms, photographs and artifacts of the lumber boom years of northern Michigan. The museum is located in two replica logging camp buildings and has outdoor exhibits of logging equipment and an enclosed steam-powered sawmill that is operated during summer events. The museum is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Michigan History Museum.
Activities and amenities
The Michigan Forest Visitor Center contains an exhibit hall on the history of the forests in Michigan, an auditorium, classroom space, a bookstore operated by the non-profit Friends of Hartwick Pines, and restrooms. The visitor center has an auditorium that can seat 105 people and a nine-projector multi-image slide show. The show is approximately 14 minutes long and shares the story of logging from past until today. Programs and special events are offered throughout the year. The state park includes a campground, day-use area, and network of four-season trails for summer hiking and winter cross-country skiing. The Old Growth Forest Trail to the pine grove is a loop long. The Old Growth Forest is an even-aged stand of pines estimated to be between 350 and 375 years old. The tallest trees are between 150–160 feet tall, and have a girth of more than four feet DBH. These eastern white pine are some of the largest trees in the eastern United States. The last remaining virgin maple and beech hardwood forest in the state is at Warren Woods State Park. There are two foot trails on the south side of M-93. The wooded Au Sable River foot trail is approximately three miles in length and takes hikers across the East Branch at two different locations. The Mertz Grade Trail winds through forest and field for approximately two miles and was named for the early logging railroad spur it shares for a portion of its distance. There are four small lakes located within the state park. Two of the lakes were originally named Bright and Star Lake. However, there were too many Star Lakes so they settled on Bright and Glory Lake.
In the news
Although changes in drilling technology make drilling for oil and gas possible under historically nonproductive strata in northern Michigan, including sections of state forests, the state of Michigan decided in 2014 not to auction off mineral rights under Hartwick Pines.
