Onsted — Along US-12, tourists in the recent past could encounter dinosaurs, rope and ride in the Wild West, trek to the highest point in southeast Michigan, and defy gravity. Yet, tourism has almost vanished here.
But while tourism along US-12 is almost obsolete today, the surrounding area, known as the Irish Hills, continues to draw tourists—even if they can no longer stop at the Prehistoric Forest.
“The Irish Hills area has no formal boundary or unified government structure,” according to the nonprofit Oh These Irish Hills. “The name designates an informal area that straddles four counties and numerous municipalities. To others, it is a small historical area along the US-12 corridor.”
The area began as a refuge for Irish immigrants escaping the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s, settling in an area reminiscent of Ireland. The rolling green hills, vast countryside, and sprawling lakes—more than 50 in the area—quickly felt like home to the settlers.
Tourists still head to the Irish Hills for that same green escape. The lakes are the main draw for today, but the Irish Hills once boasted quirky travel stops.
As one of America’s oldest highways, US-12 was the main drag for travelers. The creation of I-94 diverted from the historic highway, ultimately diverting tourism as well.
It’s worth slowing down and experiencing the various roadside attractions. While the highway is not the tourist spot it once was, it serves as a time capsule into an older America.
Prehistoric Forest
Opened in 1963, the Prehistoric Forest offered visitors a chance to travel back in time and live with the dinosaurs. Besides the many animatronic dinosaurs scattered throughout the park—many of which onlookers can still see from the safety of their cars—the park boasted a waterfall, volcano, and Safari Train.
The park ultimately “went extinct” in 1999, leaving behind relics. The Prehistoric Forest has since faced some serious vandalism. After multiple instances of teenage destruction, a group of high schoolers smashed the heads of several dinosaurs in 2012, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Onlookers can still imagine what it once was.
Mystery Hill
Open only in the summer months—when local lake tourism is bustling—Mystery Hill defies all expectations.
Established in 1952, the attraction exists because of its abnormality. Visitors can watch in awe as “water runs uphill, a ball refuses to roll downhill, and a pendulum that only swings to the south,” according to Mystery Hill’s website.
An Gorta Mor Memorial
In much more pristine condition than the Prehistoric Forest is the An Gorta Mor Memorial, which memorializes the Irish Potato Famine and the many Irish immigrants who moved to this area of southeastern Michigan.
The memorial, set beside one of the many lakes in the Irish Hills area, is made of two limestone columns with a large, empty bronze bowl set beneath.
Irish Hills Towers
Another abandoned historical site along US-12 are the Irish Hills Towers, which tell a story of competing tourist traps.
The first observation tower, built in 1924, was erected for visitors to gain a better vantage point of the many hills and lakes in the area. The second, referred to as a “spite tower” according to US-12 Heritage Trail, was built afterward to try and outdo the first. Both towers continued to rise higher and higher, aiming to be the best and tallest in the area.
While the towers are closed to visitors, drivers can still see the towers standing tall over the Irish Hills as they make their way around the bend, imagining a day when the influx of tourists was enough to support two neighboring observation towers.
The Stagecoach Stop
Another US-12 relic is the Stagecoach Stop, a once-abandoned Wild West town that recently had new life breathed into it.
Now known as the Stagecoach Stop Western Resort, visitors can stay at the onsite Cowboy Creek Lodge. Patrons can choose to use the many amenities, including firepits, walking trails, and a swimming pool. They can even attend rodeo shows in the summer months.
While the Stagecoach Stop almost met the same fate as the Prehistoric Forest, renovations in the late 2010s changed its trajectory.
Throughout the 19th century, the Irish Hills were a natural stopping point along the stagecoach trip from Detroit to Chicago, a trip that spanned over five days and nearly 200 miles. The history enlivens this western tourist attraction and resort.
While vacationers today enjoy the Irish Hills’ many lakes and towns, the area continues to bring in visitors—just not to US-12.
Kamden Mulder is a contributing writer for Michigan Enjoyer.
