# "Sacred land" gets blessing form tribe



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

FYI from Tom Hamilton,
When I conducted the lower White River stream bank inventory in 1998 as part of a team of volunteers, I took pictures of the Hilt's Landing (Burying Ground Point) 400-feet erosion. Hilt's Landing and my property are within sight across the river. I'm just pass the trees over the left shoulder of Mr. Hilt in the picture. We (White River vollunteers) did not dare try for a grant in 1998 to fix the erosion, because unscrupulous developers with Muskegon County connections were plotting to steal the 232-acres from the public for golf course, condos, and destination resort. This continued well into 2002, and the 'destination resort' idea was not put to rest until September 2002 (I hope). We will now be proceeding with our year 2002 grant $37,170.00 ($25,000 + 12,170 match) to build a fishing access stairway down the worst erosion gully, stabilize the river bank, and place motorize barriers across the top of the ridges overlooking the White River valley. Not shown here are pictures of the Indians conducting pipe smoke ceremonies to bless the land that was saved from the developers. We hope the 220-acres will now be preserved in most part in its natural state for future generations. The fight from 1998 to 2002 to save Hilt's Landing finally paid off. Thank you for your support.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=2052
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=5387305&BRD=2052&PAG=461&dept_id=381172&rfi=6

"Sacred land" gets blessing form tribe

John Hilt whose family donated Hilt's Landing to Muskegon County, speaks at the park's ribbon cutting ceremony. (Picture of John Hilt speaking is missing)

"Sacred land" gets blessing form tribe
By: Ronda Howell, Beacon staff writer September 16, 2002

Native Americans offered a three-part blessing. John Hilt offered comments from a family member and James Wood, Muskegon County parks director, shared a little about the future vision for Hilt's Landing, a 232-acre forest preserve in Whitehall Township. 
Muskegon County Commissioner James Kobza hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at the county owned park, Hilt's Landing, last Monday, Sept. 9.

During the hour-long ceremony Native Americans from the Little River Band of Odowa Nation offered a three-part blessing at the site, conservationists explained an erosion control project planned for the bluff area and Wood provided an overview of county plans for the property.

A descendent of the John and Margaret Hilt family, John Hilt read comments from John and Margaret's only surviving child, George. Within those comments George Hilt described what it was like growing up as a child, spending time at the family cottage on the 232 acre site, going fishing in the river and exploring the grounds. John Hilt said the Hilt family is pleased to know that the land is to remain in a natural state as a public park. In the audience were cousins Chuck Hilt, Dick Hilt and Joyce Hilt Downy.

Muskegon County Commission chairman Ken Hulka challenged the commissioners to make park development a priority over the next decade. "The last 10 years we've really focused our efforts on developing Heritage Landing," he said. "I hope that over the next 10 years we concentrate on developing Hilt's Landing into the second best park in the county."

Wood provided a look at county park plans for the site. "Our first challenge is to create a single access road to this site," he said, pointing out numerous trails and two-tracks. The park's master plan includes a family picnic area, shelter, wetland boardwalks, paved loop road parking and a gated entry to help secure the park after hours. "It is our wish that everyone will show respect for the site," he said. "We want to protect the beauty of this property and still provide better access for the public." Wood said hunting and fishing at the property is to be allowed, but camping is not part of the plans for the property at this time. "There was talk about turning this property into a golf course at one time," said Wood. "The public let us know that a golf course was not what was wanted, here. It is to remain a passive recreation area. That is what suits this property at this time."

Resource conservationist Greg Mund with the U.S.D.A./N.R.C.S. helped explain a project developed at the site using a federal grant awarded to the Muskegon Conservation District. The district is to receive about $25,000 to help control erosion on a bluff overlooking White River and build a staircase to give the public access.

He said efforts will be concentrated on erecting barriers to keep off-road vehicles from eroding the bluff area any further. He said traffic as well as erosion from wind and rain is causing about 200 to 250 tons of soil to enter White River annually at the site.
Mund said planting shade tolerant native species along the exposed bluff area also will help slow erosion to the river.

Whitehall Township Supervisor Dennis Babcock encouraged the public to let their local commissioners know that the public expects the county to take its role seriously in developing the park, and encouraged the public to take an active role in helping keep vandalism or destructive use of the park in check.

Native Americans have known the site for generations as Burying-Ground-Point, based on a legend of two young Native American men who reportedly pulled their canoes up under the bank to rest for the night and had part of the bank cave in over them. During the program Pamela Medahko, tribal council member, Little River Band of Odowa Nation offered a prayer, Debra Gutowski offered a pipe blessing and elders Bob Stone, Al Medahko, Frank Perrin and Brian Medahko offered comments.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Tom, I am glad that the development of the property has been put to rest. hopefully. Burying ground point holds a ton of memories for me. It would have been a sad thing for it to be taken from the public by development.


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