Road Trip: Michigan

Giant Trout Fountain

Kalkaska, Michigan

Officially known as the National Trout Memorial, but casually as the Fisherman's Shrine. It's the latest in what appear to be have been three giant brook trout -- Michigan's official state fish -- that have served as centerpieces for this fountain since 1966. This latest fish is variously reported as 17 or 18 feet long. Kalkaska is home to the annual National Trout Festival, and behind the fish, hung on the front of the Kalkaska Museum (which has an interesting display of wooden yardsticks) is a banner: "Kalkaska Downtown, Making It Happen."

(Trout Fountain: On Hwy 131, downtown, east side of the street. In front of the Kalkaska Museum, which is an old railway depot.)

Squeaky Fromme's Gun

Grand Rapids, Michigan

When we visited the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in 1991 we were disappointed to discover that neither of the two guns used to try to assassinate President Ford in 1975 were on display. We can happily report that the museum has since undergone an extensive upgrade. It now includes an exhibit, "Two Days In September," that features an apology letter from Sara Jane Moore (attempted assassin #2) and the .45 automatic pistol used by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (attempted assassin #1). According to a friendly security guard, the gun is one of the few exhibits in the museum that's alarmed.

(Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum: 303 Pearl St. NW. US 131 Pearl St. exit, follow the signs.)

Dinerland's Abandoned Mini Golf

Rockford, Michigan

This diner-food-themed course was built in 1993, and evidently abandoned when original owner Jerry Barta sold the attraction in 2002. But Barta is back now, and promises that the course will receive "a major overhaul soon." The large diner food obstacles were designed by Jerry, who sells his other art at one of the four diners that he's moved here. The mini-golf sits behind Rosie's Diner, which was used as the location for the 1970s Bounty paper towel commercials featuring Nancy Walker as "Rosie" the waitress. Attractions built around TV celebrities usually don't last long, but Rosie's has survived because it really is a functioning, food-serving diner.

(Dinerland: 4500 14 Mile Road. US 131 exit 101. Take Hwy 57 east less than a mile.)

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