The Magic of an Urban Natural Area

The creek in the winter looks inviting, although cold.

By: Kaye Krapohl

 

All the wild world is beautiful, and it matters but little where we go, to highlands or lowlands, woods or plains...so universally true is this, the spot where we chance to be always seems the best.~John Muir

 

When I first moved to Traverse City in 1990, I would spend time exploring an incredible track of land a mile west of my home.  I did not know the history or name of this area.  I only knew it was close, it was beautiful and had a primal, wild personality.  There were meandering brooks, marshland, meadows and hardwood trees, grand vistas of the bays, enclaves of cedars and mysterious buildings remincent of Europe. The trails were not well traveled then and the chance of seeing anyone while exploring was extremely rare; that enhanced the remoteness of the area, despite being confined by development.

The uninterrupted space became a sanctuary for contemplation, recreation and inspiration. An enclave of constant discovery and enjoyment

The cedars and the cathedrals tower over the marsh at the State Hospital Grounds.

 

As I explored the history of the area, I discovered that the State Hospital had a unique relationship with the surrounding landscape. This area we call the "Commons" is a result of Dr. Munson's influence as the first Medical Superintendent. He believed that beauty was therapy for the mentally ill; as a result he paid careful attention to the surrounding grounds of the hospital. The "Commons", once a thriving farm, now offers a beautiful natural area filled with pockets of ever changing beauty, a mini wilderness area for me.

 

When many people consider wilderness areas, they often envision rugged mountains or primitive woods, found only in big western states or in Alaska, remote areas far from towns and cities.  I like to think, that wilderness experiences can be discovered within public spaces, environments close to neighborhoods.  I am sure this is due partly to my artistic nature and the child that still resides in me, the youngster that still enjoys small discoveries in my backyard, on the beach and along the Boardman River.

 

My wild areas are not wildernesses by standard definition: grandiose, remote, or untamed.  Their wilderness is a result of perhaps an over active imagination that exults in small discoveries.  Every diminutive setting within the "Commons" allows me the chance to aquinant myself its unique aura. I easily get lost in a cathedral of cedars along a creek, a grove of beech trees has offered up the chance to hear the snap, crackle, pop of nuts bursting and falling to the ground. On the edge of a grassy meadow I have witnessed the inspired flight of small birds swelling and swaying in unison as they fill the air with a deafening chant of fall.  There is the visual contrast of meadows abutting hardwoods, or a thicket of wetlands linking together rows of towering pines to flat expanses of marshlands. The old State Hospital grounds give me the opportunity of discovery, the ability to create my diminutive "wilderness spaces".

Kids Creek meanders through the property, be mindful of the power of beauty and history of this small creek.

After 16 years of visiting the "Commons", I see that the trees have matured, some have fallen and the trails are more rutted. Yet it constantly provides opportunities to step into another world, clearing my mind and renewing my soul. I am still intrigued by the inherent beauty and history of this refuge from urban life. Each season brings me new surprises, new smells, new textures, and new colors expressing the landscapes individuality.

Ironically, this is what Dr. Munson intended the "Commons" to inspire from their inception: to offer an "asylum" where people can go to benefit from healing properties of natural beauty. I know for myself that this place has offered a sanctuary from the craziness of the fast paced endeavor of surviving in today's world.  It prompts an appreciation for taking time to connect with ourselves through the exposure to natural areas.

What about you? Do you have time to explore the many "wild" areas within Traverse City?

 

Kaye Kraypohl is an artist and a long-time resident of Traverse City.