Michigan – Holland

August 2012

Continuing our theme of foreign themed cities, we stopped for a few days in Holland, Michigan. We visited Delft china and wooden shoe factories. (I resisted the urge to buy a pair of wooden shoes.) We also spent some time at Windmill Island Gardens and climbed the De Zwaan, the last Dutch windmill to be removed from The Netherlands. Before heading out we also visited Holland's beautiful beach on the shore of Lake Michigan and saw the Holland Harbor Lighthouse, aka Big Red.

4-001 Restaurants
Restaurants at Nelis Dutch Village
4-002 Wooden Shoe Shop Sign
Wooden Shoe Shop at Nelis Dutch Village
4-004 Duck
Just a regular duck. Not Dutch.
4-006 Tulip Bulb Sign
I definitely will be ordering some bulbs
4-007 Dutch Village
Nelis Dutch Village
4-008 Delft
Holland, Michigan is the only place outside The Netherlands that can produce real Delft china
4-009 Delft
Holland, Michigan is the only place outside The Netherlands that can produce real Delft china
4-010 Wooden Shoes
Wooden shoes for sale
4-011 Wooden Shoes
Wooden shoes in every size and style
4-012 Holland Sign
Welkom to Holland
4-015 Windmill Island Gardens
Windmill Island Gardens
4-016 Elephant Ears
These elephant ear leaves could double as blankets
4-021 De Zwaan Windmill Flour
Flour is still milled at De Zwaan Windmill
4-023 Wooden Shoe
This wooden shoe is used to pass orders up to the miller
4-024 De Zwaan Windmill Flour
Flour is still milled at De Zwaan Windmill
4-026 De Zwaan Windmill
De Zwaan was the last Dutch windmill to ever be moved from The Netherlands
4-027 View from De Zwaan Windmill
View from De Zwaan
4-029 Millstones
De Zwaan's millstones are still used to mill flour
4-030 Windmill Gears
De Zwaan's massive wooden machinery
4-031 De Zwaan Windmill
De Zwaan was the last Dutch windmill to ever be moved from The Netherlands
4-032 Dutch Dancers
Dutch dancing outside De Zwaan
4-033 Dutch Dancers
Dutch dancing outside De Zwaan
4-036 Dutch Dancers
They say wooden shoes are very comfortable
4-037 Dutch Dancers
Dutch dancing outside De Zwaan
4-038 De Zwaan Windmill
De Zwaan was the last Dutch windmill to ever be moved from The Netherlands
4-039 De Zwaan Windmill
De Zwaan was the last Dutch windmill to ever be moved from The Netherlands
4-040 Bridge
Dutch bridge at Windmill Island Gardens
4-041 Gazebo and Flags
Gazebo at Windmill Island Gardens
4-042 Amsterdam Street Organ
Amsterdam street organ
4-043 Amsterdam Street Organ Demonstration
Amsterdam street organ demonstration
4-044 Amsterdam Street Organ Demonstration
The Amsterdam street organ plays books like this one
4-045 Sluice
Sluice at Windmill Island Gardens
4-047 Bridge and De Zwaan Windmill
Bridge and De Zwaan Windmill
4-048 Windmill Island Gardens Buildings
Buildings at Windmill Island Gardens are built in Dutch style
4-050 Dutch Mailbox
Authentic Dutch mailbox at Windmill Island Gardens
4-051 Carousel
Authentic Dutch carousel at Windmill Island Gardens
4-056 Veldheer's Sign
Veldheer's is home to everything Dutch
4-057 Delft Factory
Genuine Delft china is produced here
4-058 Wooden Shoe Factory Sign
DeKlomp is one of only a few wooden shoe factories in the US
4-059 Wooden Shoe Factory
Making wooden shoes at DeKlomp wooden shoe factory
4-060 Wooden Shoe Factory
DeKlomp is one of only a few wooden shoe factories in the US
4-061 Delft
Holland, Michigan is the only place outside The Netherlands that can produce real Delft china
4-062 Wooden Shoes
Freshly made wooden shoes
4-063 Beach & Lake Michigan
Holland's beach on Lake Michigan
4-064 Holland Harbor Lighthouse
Holland Harbor Lighthouse (aka Big Red) was repainted just 3 days before our visit
4-066 Holland Harbor Lighthouse
Holland Harbor Lighthouse (aka Big Red) was repainted just 3 days before our visit
4-067 Waves on Rocks
Lake Michigan batters the breakwater
4-068 Breakwater
Breakwater at the channel entrance
4-070 Breakwater
Breakwater at the channel entrance
4-072 Sailboat
Lake Michigan is bustling with activity