William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor

William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor
View of the state park from across the Detroit River
Location within the state of Michigan
Type	State (Michigan)
Location	Detroit International Riverfront Downtown Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates	42°19′55″N 83°01′31″W / 42.33194°N 83.02528°W / 42.33194; -83.02528Coordinates: 42°19′55″N 83°01′31″W / 42.33194°N 83.02528°W / 42.33194; -83.02528
Area	31 acres (130,000 m²)
Created	2007 (renamed in 2009)
Operated by	Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Website	Official website

The William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor (formerly named Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor) is a state park in Michigan, and the state's first to be situated in an urban area. Located just east of downtown Detroit along a portion of the city's International Riverfront, it covers 31 acres (130,000 m²) on the Detroit River, and includes a 52-slip harbor of refuge. A 63-foot (19 m) conical brick light-house tower marks the harbor entrance.

History

The park consists of the former city-owned St. Aubin Park and Marina and an adjacent reclaimed brownfield. The park area was taken over by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 2004 as Tri-Centennial State Park. Phase I of the park's development, which included refurbishing the marina and construction of the light tower, opened on May 20, 2004. Construction of the 6-acre (24,000 m²) Phase II, or expansion, phase of the project began in summer 2008 and concluded in summer 2009. The Phase II project encompassed a parcel of post-industrial property adjacent to Rivard Plaza.^[1]

On October 22, 2009, Tri-Centennial State Park was renamed in honor of Governor William G. Milliken.^[1] The Lowlands section of the park was officially opened to the public on December 3, 2009.^[2]

Ecology

Much of the William G. Milliken State Park has been redeveloped as restoration wetlands, intended to mimic the riverine wetlands that once bordered the Detroit River. The Michigan DNR hopes that these wetlands will be an attractive location for migratory birds. Ninety-seven percent of the former Detroit River wetlands have been lost to development; the de-development of Detroit in the 2000s created an opportunity for wetlands restoration.^[2]

Access

The William G. Milliken State Park's official address is 1900 Atwater Street, on the near east side of Detroit and adjacent to the Jefferson Avenue corridor. The City of Detroit finished construction on what is called the "Dequindre Extension" in May 2010. This new section of Milliken State Park connects the park to the Dequindre Cut.^[2]

Facilities and activities

Fishing: Shore fishing in the Detroit River.
Picnicking: Picnic area and two sail-covered pavilions.
Boating: The harbor offers 35 transient and 16 seasonal slips.^[3]

References

1 2 "William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
1 2 3 "William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor Now Officially Open to the Public". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
↑ "William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2011-11-03.

External links

Milliken State Park and Harbor Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Milliken State Park and Harbor Detroit RiverFront Conservancy

Parks in metropolitan Detroit

Detroit city	Belle Isle Campau Park Campus Martius Chandler Park Clark Park Central Park Dequindre Cut International Riverfront Engel Memorial Park Ford Park Fort Wayne Gabriel Richard Park Grand Circus Howell Park Lafayette Park Milliken State Park and Harbor New Center Park Owen Park Palmer Park Patton Park Reid Memorial Park Roosevelt Park River Rouge Park State Fairgrounds Three Mile Drive Park

Metro 600 to 1,500 acres (243 to 607 ha)	Addison Oaks Algonac State Park Belle Isle Camp Dearborn Crosswinds Marsh Hayes State Park (Irish Hills) Independence Oaks Lower Huron Maybury State Park Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area Metro Beach Metropark Sterling State Park

1,500 to 5,000 acres (607 to 2,023 ha)	Bald Mountain Brighton Recreation Area Hines Drive Hudson Mills Huron Meadows Indian Springs Kensington Lake Erie Metropark Pontiac Lake Recreation Area Oakwoods Pointe Mouillee State Game Area Stony Creek Metropark Wolcott Mill Willow

over 5,000 acres (2,023 ha)	Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Highland Recreation Area Ortonville Recreation Area Pinckney State Recreation Area

Waterways	Clinton River Detroit River (Islands) Huron River Lake St. Clair River Rouge St. Clair River

Major beaches	Belle Isle Kensington Lakeside Beach and Park Lighthouse Beach and Park Metro Beach Stony Creek

Trails 5 to 36 miles (8 to 58 km)	Bald Mountain Detroit River Walk / Dequindre Cut Highland Recreation Lakes Kensington Lakelands Trail State Park Novi North Park Paint Creek Trail Poly Ann Trail Pontiac Lake Recreation Area Stony Creek Inwood Trails Trails in Detroit Waterloo-Pinckney Trail

Zoological and botanical	Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory Cranbrook Detroit Zoo Matthaei Botanical Gardens

See also Tourism in metropolitan Detroit and Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Protected areas of Michigan

See also: Important Bird Areas of Michigan

National

Parks	Isle Royale Keweenaw (Historical) River Raisin (Battlefield)

Lakeshores	Pictured Rocks Sleeping Bear Dunes

Landmarks	Black Spruce Bog Natural Area Dead Stream Swamp Dukes Research Natural Area Grand Mere Lakes Haven Hill State Natural Area Newton Woods Porcupine Mountains Roscommon Virgin Pine Stand Strangmoor Bog Tobico Marsh Toumey Woods Warren Woods State Park

Forests	Hiawatha Huron-Manistee Ottawa

Wildlife Refuges	Detroit River Harbor Island Huron Kirtlands Warbler Wildlife Management Area Michigan Islands Michigan Wetland Management District Seney Shiawassee

Other	Grand Island National Recreation Area Father Marquette National Memorial Saint Helena Island National Scenic Area Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

State

Parks	Algonac Aloha Baraga Belle Isle Bewabic Brimley Burt Lake Cambridge Junction Cheboygan Clear Lake Coldwater Lake Craig Lake Dodge #4 Duck Lake Fayette Fisherman's Island Fort Michilimackinac Fort Wilkins Grand Haven Grand Mere Harrisville Hart-Montague Trail Hartwick Pines Hayes Mill Creek P.H. Hoeft P.J. Hoffmaster Holland Indian Lake Interlochen Kal-Haven Trail Lake Gogebic Lakelands Trail Lakeport Leelanau Ludington Mackinac Island Maybury F.J. McLain Mears Meridian-Baseline Mitchell Muskallonge Lake Muskegon Negwegon Newaygo North Higgins Lake Onaway Orchard Beach Otsego Lake Palms Book Petoskey Porcupine Mountains Port Crescent Rockport Sanilac Petroglyphs Saugatuck Dunes Seven Lakes Silver Lake Sleeper Sleepy Hollow South Higgins Lake Sterling Straits Tahquamenon Falls Tawas Point Thompson's Harbor Traverse City Twin Lakes Van Buren Van Buren Trail Van Riper Warren Dunes Warren Woods Wells White Pine Trail Wilderness William G. Milliken Wilson Young

Recreation Areas	Bald Mountain Bass River Bay City Brighton Fort Custer Highland Holly Ionia Island Lake Lake Hudson Menominee River Metamora-Hadley Ortonville Pinckney Pontiac Lake Proud Lake Rifle River Waterloo Wetzel Yankee Springs

Forests	Au Sable Copper Country Escanaba River Lake Superior Mackinaw Pere Marquette

Underwater Preserves	Alger De Tour Passage Grand Traverse Bay Keweenau Manitou Passage Marquette Sanilac Shores Southwest Michigan Straits of Mackinac Thumb Area Whitefish Point

Other (inc. game areas)	Agate Falls Scenic Site Allegan State Game Area Bond Falls Scenic Site Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site Michigan Islands Wilderness Area Pointe Mouillee State Game Area Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center Sturgeon Point Scenic Site Wagner Falls Scenic Site

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

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