Higgins Lake in Roscommon County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Cone Barn

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, January 2, 2023

1. Cone Barn Marker

Inscription. Many Higgins Lake Nursery workers spent the fall and winter months in this building where they stored and processed each autumn's harvest of pine cones. Employees stirred the cones daily to prevent mold before extracting the seeds from the cones.

During the winter of 1957, the cone barn operated 24 hours a day with three men working around the clock to process 8,000 bushels of cones.

How do do cones release seeds?
In nature, mature cones dry out with help from the sun or fire to open and release their seeds. In the cone barn, furnaces generated hot air to do the same. Empty cones were used as fuel for the furnaces.

The valuable seeds were stored in ten-gallon metal milk cans: a full container would be worth $12,000 in 2017 dollars.

Erected by Michigan History Center and Department of Natural Resources.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1957.

Location. 44° 30.945′ N, 84° 45.471′ W. Marker is in Higgins Lake, Michigan, in Roscommon County. It is at the intersection of North

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Higgins Lake Drive and Conservation Drive on North Higgins Lake Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11128 N Higgins Lake Drive, Roscommon MI 48653, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Michigan Lower Peninsula.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Beginning of State Reforestation (a few steps from this marker); Ice House (a few steps from this marker); Civilian Conservation Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); Civilian Conservation Corps Museum (within shouting distance of this marker); Packing House (within shouting distance of this marker); Seed Beds (within shouting distance of this marker); Michigan's First Fire Tower (within shouting distance of this marker); The Hale Fire Tower (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, January 2, 2023

2. Cone Barn Marker

of all markers in Higgins Lake.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, January 2, 2023

3. Cone Barn Marker

Cone Barn is directly behind the State of Michigan marker with its marker on the left side of the barn.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, January 2, 2023

4. Cone Barn

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, January 2, 2023

5. Cone Barn

This Cone Barn is part of the exhibits at the Higgins Lake Nursery.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 7, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 288 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 7, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.