Living in the Calumet Region, I feel so fortunate to have Lake Michigan so close by. For most of my life, I have driven by, swam in and vacationed at one of the Lake Michigan beaches. I have never really thought about it's history, until now.
Lake Michigan just happens to be the largest lake that is in one country. The creation of Lake Michigan began at the end of the last glacial period about 10,000 years ago. Retreating ice sheets carved basins into the land and they became filled with meltwater.
About 14,000 years ago, the glacier that took over Lake Michigan (Lake Michigan lobe) began to pull back from a highland. The highland consists of glacial moraines (a geographical feature composed of materials that were deposited by a glacier). This would mark the positions to which the ice advanced to and retreated over several thousands of years. Waves that hit up against the moraines formed the first Lake Michigan shoreline, which is now called the Glenwood Phase. The shoreline is called The Glenwood Beach. It is called a "fossil" beach because it has washed up pebbles and some dune sand.
The Indiana Dunes is the only area of the coast where there are high dunes. This runs from east of Michigan City westward to a little past Ogden Dunes.
Today, Indiana's coast is divided up into smaller pieces of shoreline between man made structures. Sediment that was moved 6,000 years ago has been broken up by these structures. Waves and currents have caused erosion to the man made structures. These waves and currents are now considered a geologic hazard.
Besides the history of Lake Michigan, I also wonder and worry about our drinking water and where it comes from. I found it interesting that The Great Lakes contain 21% of the world's fresh surface water, but it supplies only a portion of U.S. drinking water. I thought that it would be much greater.
After researching the history of Lake Michigan, I feel that I have a new regard for it's creation and purpose. I will no longer just drive by, swim or vacation at one of it's beaches without thinking about it's phenomenal creation.
Lake Michigan
Photograph Taken By: Carol Haynes
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