Bete Grise: Difference between revisions
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'''Bete Gris''' or '''Bete Grise''' in French means "Gray Beast" and is the name of a Northern [[Michigan]] beach and bay on [[Lake Superior]], where the unique sand is said to contain properties which enable it to "sing" [[in situ]] when pressed down with the palm of your hand or "bark" when struck. When the sand is removed from this beatiful beach, it loses its musical properties. |
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'''Bete Grise''' (from the [[French language|French]] ''Bête grise'', "Gray Beast") is a [[nature preserve]] on [[Keweenaw Peninsula]], in the [[Upper Peninsula]] of [[Michigan]], [[beach]] and [[bay]] on [[Lake Superior]], where the sand is said{{By whom|date=June 2021}} to "sing" [[in situ]]. It is located in [[Grant Township, Keweenaw County, Michigan|Grant Township]] south of the community of [[Bete Grise, Michigan|Bete Grise]]. |
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Local legend says that the musical "voice" that emenates from the sand is that of a Native American maid who lost her lover to the Great Lakes and still calls to him from the shore with the aid of visitors who "play" the sand. |
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==Local legend== |
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Local legend says that the musical "voice" that emanates from the sand is that of a Native American maid who lost her lover to the Great Lakes and still calls to him from the shore with the aid of visitors who "play" the sand. The sand can be made to "sing" by pressing down with the palm of the hand or "bark" when struck. The sand supposedly loses its musical properties when removed from the beach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/michigan-urban-legends-tell-around-campfire|title=Michigan Urban Legends to Tell Around the Campfire|last=|first=|date=|website=Pure Michigan|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701030900/http://www.michigan.org:80/article/trip-idea/michigan-urban-legends-tell-around-campfire |archive-date=2017-07-01 |access-date=March 12, 2020}}</ref> |
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⚫ | It is said that the beach was named due to sightings of a strange gray creature that roamed the area. Another local legend is that when the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] burned off the blueberry bogs next to Bete Gris after the harvest, the smoke rolling across the bay looked like a gray beast. |
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==Geography and location== |
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⚫ | The Northern half of the beach is easily |
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The Bete Grise Preserve is 1500 acres of 'diverse [[wetland]] types," including shoreline stretching for 2 miles along [[Lake Superior]]. It is a designated nature protected area which lies between [[Point Isabelle]] along the Gay-Lac La Belle Road to Bete Grise.<ref name="Pure">{{cite web |url=http://www.michigan.org/property/bete-grise-preserve/ |title=Bete Grise Preserve |publisher=[[Pure Michigan]] |accessdate=November 3, 2014}}</ref> |
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⚫ | The Northern half of the beach is easily accessible by paved road. The Southern half of the beach, Bete Grise South, is most easily reached by boat and is part of a designated wildlife refuge. The Beach is bisected by the dredged Mendota boat channel. The historic [[Bete Grise Light|Mendota Light House]] is restored in private hands on Bete Gris South. |
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The [[Bete Grise Light]] is located in the area. |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{coord|47.38864|-87.95661|display=title}} |
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* Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau.(2009).[https://web.archive.org/web/20080924152708/http://www.keweenaw.info/details_793_betegrisepreserve.aspx Bete Grise Preserve]. |
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* Manarolla, M.(2005). [http://www.keweenawnow.com/news/bete_grise_ceremony_05_07/bete_grise_ceremony_05_07.htm Ceremony marks Bete Grise preservation]. KeweenawNOW. |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.betegrisepreserve.org/Stewards_of_Bete_Grise_Preserve/Home.html Bete Grise Preserve home page] |
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[[Category:Beaches of Michigan]] |
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[[Category:Landforms of Keweenaw County, Michigan]] |
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[[Category:Bays of Michigan]] |
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[[Category:Bays of Lake Superior]] |
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Revision as of 04:51, 6 March 2024
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2007) |
Bete Grise (from the French Bête grise, "Gray Beast") is a nature preserve on Keweenaw Peninsula, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, beach and bay on Lake Superior, where the sand is said[by whom?] to "sing" in situ. It is located in Grant Township south of the community of Bete Grise.
Local legend
Local legend says that the musical "voice" that emanates from the sand is that of a Native American maid who lost her lover to the Great Lakes and still calls to him from the shore with the aid of visitors who "play" the sand. The sand can be made to "sing" by pressing down with the palm of the hand or "bark" when struck. The sand supposedly loses its musical properties when removed from the beach.[1]
It is said that the beach was named due to sightings of a strange gray creature that roamed the area. Another local legend is that when the Native Americans burned off the blueberry bogs next to Bete Gris after the harvest, the smoke rolling across the bay looked like a gray beast.
Geography and location
Bete Grise beach is located off US 41, near the inland lake Lac La Belle, on the Keweenaw Peninsula of the northern Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The Bete Grise Preserve is 1500 acres of 'diverse wetland types," including shoreline stretching for 2 miles along Lake Superior. It is a designated nature protected area which lies between Point Isabelle along the Gay-Lac La Belle Road to Bete Grise.[2]
The Northern half of the beach is easily accessible by paved road. The Southern half of the beach, Bete Grise South, is most easily reached by boat and is part of a designated wildlife refuge. The Beach is bisected by the dredged Mendota boat channel. The historic Mendota Light House is restored in private hands on Bete Gris South.
The Bete Grise Light is located in the area.
Bete Grise Bay is also a designated "Harbor of Refuge" on Lake Superior by the US Coast Guard.
References
- ^ "Michigan Urban Legends to Tell Around the Campfire". Pure Michigan. Archived from the original on 2017-07-01. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- ^ "Bete Grise Preserve". Pure Michigan. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
- "Weird Michigan" by Linda S. Godfrey, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. (2006) ISBN 1-4027-3907-9, ISBN 978-1-4027-3907-1.
47°23′19″N 87°57′24″W / 47.38864°N 87.95661°W
- Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau.(2009).Bete Grise Preserve.
- Manarolla, M.(2005). Ceremony marks Bete Grise preservation. KeweenawNOW.