MARQUETTE — In December 1962, a syndicate from Milwaukee made a proposal: “Our objective is to create one of the largest composite recreation centers in the country.” But they continued “… if the entire center is to succeed it must do so on a grand scale designed to draw visitors from all over much as Disneyland in California.” Revenue would flow in. Hundreds of jobs would be created. And, by the way, investors were needed.

It all sounded good to Marquette Chamber of Commerce, which gave its blessing.

And the project was off and running. Or was it?

The concept was to have two main sites, Marquette and Big Bay, connected by railroad. The scheme envisioned year-round recreation that would require 500 square miles along the lakeshore, including the Dead River Storage Basin. The south gateway rested upon the neck of the Presque Isle Peninsula.

Years before this area had been considered an ancient and valuable cranberry bog. Now, it was referred to simply as “swampland.” Its use for recreation had long been considered in city planning, beginning in 1917 when it was proposed as the site of the future Presque Isle Marina. The plan was to excavate the site and dig a channel under Peter White Drive to the foot of the Lake Superior and Ishpeming (LS&I) merchandise dock.

The developers had other ideas. Envisioned was a 46-building complex called “Frontier Land.” Its theme was to be 1868, the year of Marquette’s Great Fire. Threaded together by boardwalks and dotted by hitching posts, buildings would include a general store, post office, barber shop, schoolhouse, cabins, saloon, bank, hotel, church, Indian village, and stagecoach office. It was from here that a station for a railroad line and a dock for a paddlewheel excursion steamer would be located.

The railroad would run up to Big Bay – or what was formerly Big Bay. Hailed as the “most dramatic face lifting job in the State of Michigan,” the town would be metamorphosed, literally, and renamed Alpine Village. It was hoped that the residents would be prepared to spend $220 each to modify their homes and business establishments. Every structure would be architecturally reconfigured so that the whole resembled a Swiss alpine town. All of Powell Township, including Granot Loma, was to be zoned in the same style.

There was talk of rivaling Aspen as a year-round resort and hosting national events. The new Alpine Village would contain a log cabin restaurant, animal land (including ducks, donkeys, and swans), mining museum, railroad museum, country store, ski lodge, art center, and a music center. Summer would see theater, guided tours, canoeing, and waterskiing.

Linking the two sites would be a scenic steam railway, 27 miles in length, the Marquette and Huron Mountain Railroad (M&HM). This was a former LS&I branch line, used to transport forest products. Originally, plans called for the creation of a do-it-yourself fraternity of railroad buffs to operate the line. Unfortunately, however, they never materialized. But the train made its first runs during the summer of 1964 and proved very popular.

The same could not be said for the rest of the project. There was increasing resistance in both Big Bay and Marquette. In Big Bay, key property owners were not willing to part with their land. In Marquette, City Commissioners started getting phone calls from agitated residents.

Objections included opposition to the use of more land on Presque Isle for commercial purposes, changing the site plan for the municipal marina, and concern for the rights of property owners along Island Beach Road. The syndicate responded to the growing resistance with “or else” ultimatums. That was a mistake.

More misfortune soon followed. Financial difficulties hovered around the railroad; and in 1965 it discontinued operations. In 1966 the M&HM railroad defaulted on a loan from the LS&I, and there was a foreclosure sale. In 1967 fifteen miles of track were removed, and in 1968 the City cancelled the railroad’s property lease.

The railroad sputtered to life briefly again in 1972, with a 15-mile run up to Harlow Lake. And, with further stops and starts, ran into the 1980s.

It is doubtful that they could have found anyone in Big Bay who could yodel anyway… .