Twelve Mile Circle – An Appreciation of Unusual Places

Tag: Army Corps of Engineers

  • Mackinac’s Orbit, Part 3 (Sault Ste. Marie)

    Now safely ensconced in St. Ignace on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, we could venture out on day-trips from our home base. One such journey brought us even farther up the U.P. to Sault Ste. Marie. This was my first visit to the town but not the first time it appeared in Twelve Mile Circle. I devoted…

  • Mississippi River Lock & Dam Number 4

    Between Alma, Wisconsin and Kellogg, Minnesota, USA (June 2009) The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) operates a series of twenty seven locks and dams along the Upper Mississippi River between St. Paul, Minnesota and Granite City, Illinois (near St. Louis). Lock and Dam Number 4 is one of the furthest upstream, as signified…

  • Rockland Breakwater Light

    Rockland Harbor, Maine (August 2009) A breakwater stretches along the mouth of Rockland Harbor providing refuge from storms and pounding surf. A lighthouse rests atop that long wall of rock assuring that no harm comes to mariners as they negotiate their way into the harbor. It’s easy to find the lighthouse. Visitors merely need to…

  • Revisiting the Chicago River

    Many months ago I posted an article with a somewhat cryptic name, “They Reversed the Chicago River.” The story centered on an early twentieth century engineering marvel that actually changed the direction of a significant waterway. It made sure any sewage from the burgeoning City of Chicago wouldn’t foul the city’s drinking water. An Engineering…