A STATUE, FRUIT LOOPS, AND BEAUTIFUL TRAILS
On October 18th we all gathered at the Madeleine Bertrand County Park in Niles, Michigan without Pat Fisher who attended a meeting of naturalists. Bob Vondale graciously took over and filled us in re: the upcoming membership meeting on October 25th from 5-9 at the Tower Hill Campground. It promises to be a lot of fun with a hike in Warren Dunes, food, guitar playing by at least one of the Weko Boys and, I imagine, anyone who wants to join in. If you have hiking ideas or simply want to enjoy yourself while getting information, you know where to be.
Yesterday’s hike was a repeat of HCH’s Berrien County Parks Fall Tour. The naturalist Lamanda Hilty, staff member at Love Creek Nature Center, led us all numbering 14 people and one enthusiastic dog. Beside one of the huge parking lots close to the Welcome Center, the bathrooms, and the disc golf course, we stood in anticipation of the colors we’d see. Little did I know that I’d also get a lesson in the particular smell of some crushed leaves. Hiking in part of one trail and part of another so that we could get close to the Saint Joseph River, we walked about 2.5 miles along wide leaf-strewn trails dotted by picnic benches. Lamanda told us that the fall colors we were seeing were the leaves’ true colors shown because of the chlorophyl depletion. She also said that the last green to go was from the invasive honeysuckle. (Sadly, she and another naturalist are the only two people eradicating invasives. When an HCH member asked about volunteers, she said she’d love the help. So, should you have some time, please contact Lamanda.)
As we enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and the respite from autumn rain that preceded and followed our hike, Lamanda plucked a sassafras leaf and crushed it. Then she passed it around. “Like citrus or fruit loops,” she said. We all sniffed and agreed. We continued to sniff as she crushed a paw paw leaf in a patch of paw paw trees. “Green pepper,” she said. We nodded our heads in surprise. She showed us the three shapes of the sassafras leaves: a football, a mitten, and a ghost. I couldn’t quite see the ghost, but I sure saw the football and mitten, and I most definitely saw the ridged potato chip look of the witch hazel leaf.
When we stood near the river, Lamanda told us of the pavilion that had once been there. Hopefully, another shelter would be built. Later, in the parking lot, we got a little history. Its name came from the Potawatomi woman who became the wife of a French fur trader, Joseph Bertrand. According to the Michigan Historic Site sign, Bertrand established a trading post on the land, and, under the 1821 Treaty of Chicago wherein much of the lower southwest corner of Michigan was ceded to the United States, Madeline Bertrand was deeded this site. It is now part of the Berrien County’s Park system. When you go, you can see the four-foot bronze statue of the woman Madeline or Nona who was raised by Potawatomi Chief Topinabee and married to Joseph Bertrand. The woman, who continued participating in Potawatomi rituals, and her husband had seven children. In 2023 the bronze statue was stolen and then returned. Tuck Langland, the original sculptor, reinstalled it on the pedestal.