Historic
Downtown Ionia
Take a stroll in any season through our beautifully maintained historic district, beginning along Main Street. In the business district, make sure to look up, you will find many intriguing architectural examples. Further east as well as a block north, Italianate structured homes grace tree lined streets, whispering of a gentle past.
Walking
Ionia Sandstone Quarry About one mile east of Quarry Road along the old rail bed, in heavily wooded terrain, lies the Ionia Variegated Sandstone Quarry. The sandstone, once used widely as a building material has most recently been harvested for landscaping material. The quarry has been closed for many years however, with reflections from the crystal clear springs dancing on the sandstone, this is one of the most beautiful sights to behold in Ionia County.
Bertha Brock Park
Nestled in the hilly river valley just west of Ionia, Bertha Brock Park is a county park like no other. With a classified trout stream meandering through it, it offers countless hiking trails, fieldstone bridges and “Big-Bertha”, Ionia's infamous snow sledding hill which provides a challenging climb in any season.
Scenic Drives & Views
Riverside Drive Running from Lyons to Saranac, this is one of the most beautiful stretches of road in Ionia County. Enjoy the meandering turns and open areas along the quarries and State Recreational Land. Take a short detour from Riverside Drive just west of Cleveland Street and head south on Bates Road – one of many designated Natural Beauty roads in Ionia County.
Aurthurburg Hill
As you cross from Muir to Lyons, where the two rivers meet; look to the north-west at Aurthurburg Hill. This ancient monument has an Earthwork crowning it.
This monument keeps watch over the flat lands once inhabited by the largest encampment of Native American Indians in the state.
Greenview Point Located just east of Lyons is the scenic overlook that was once a battle sight where the Lyons – Muir natives defeated the Lansing Chippewa Tribes trying to take over the valued land.
Whites Bridge
On the Flat River near Smyrna lies picturesque Whites Bridge, Michigan's oldest covered bridge still using most of its original structure. Whites Bridge, built in 1867, carries Whites Bridge Road across the Flat River. It was built with the Brown truss system, which was briefly popular in Michigan but did not gain wide acceptance elsewhere. Except for occasional siding and cedar roof shingle replacement, White's Bridge retains its original form and structure, one of the last of its kind in Michigan. The hand-hewn trusses are sheeted over with rough pine boards. Wooden pegs and hand cut square iron nails are used to secure the various parts of the bridge. Whites Bridge has been in constant use since 1867, proof that it was well made.
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