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Spring Lake Township in Ottawa County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Winsor McCay

 
 
Winsor McCay Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, September 11, 2015
1. Winsor McCay Marker
Side 1
Inscription.
Side 1
Winsor McCay (c.1867-1934), a pioneer in cartoon animation, first received acclaim for his artwork as a pupil in Spring Lake's Union School. His blackboard sketch of the 1880 wreck of the SS Alpena inspired a photographer to take a picture of the drawing and sell the prints. As a youth McCay worked at the local Clinker boat works and at a sawmill. Around 1886 he enrolled at Cleary College in Ypsilanti. Instead of attending classes, however, he sketched patrons for money in a Detroit dime museum. Stints in Chicago and Cincinnati preceded the artist's move to New York to work for the Herald newspaper. In 1911 publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst hired McCay as a cartoonist. Hearst's New York American promoted McCay as "the Most Brilliant Cartoon Pen on the whole American Scene."

Side 2
Originally from Spring Lake, Winsor McCay (c.1867-1934) was likely the most popular cartoonist of the early twentieth century. In addition to drawing newspaper comic strips such as Little Nemo in Slumberland, McCay had a vaudeville act, for which he drew pictures on a blackboard at lightning speed. In 1911 he introduced a moving Little Nemo cartoon into his act, thus taking his place among animation pioneers. His 1914 film Gertie the Dinosaur comprised ten thousand
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drawings and launched the first cartoon "star." The fluid movement and vivid personalities of McCay's characters influenced illustrators Walt Disney and Walter Lantz. In 1972 the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA ~ Hollywood, created the Winsor McCay Award, one of the highest honors given in the animation industry.
 
Erected 2008 by Michigan Historical Commission, Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number S0714.)
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, MusicCommunicationsEntertainmentWaterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list.
 
Location. 43° 4.544′ N, 86° 11.767′ W. Marker is in Spring Lake, Michigan, in Ottawa County. It is in Spring Lake Township. Marker is at the intersection of East Exchange Street and Meridian Street, on the right when traveling west on East Exchange Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 123 East Exchange Street, Spring Lake MI 49456, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Aloys Bilz House (approx. ¼ mile away); Smith Bayou / Hezekiah Smith (approx. 0.9 miles away); Grand Haven (approx. 1.1 miles away); U.S. Coast Guard Boat Memorial
Winsor McCay Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, September 11, 2015
2. Winsor McCay Marker
Side 2
(approx. 1½ miles away); Grand Trunk Western, Wood Caboose No. 77915 (approx. 1.7 miles away); Grand Trunk Western Standard Coaling Tower (approx. 1.7 miles away); Pere Marquette Caboose No. A-986 (approx. 1.7 miles away); Pere Marquette Auto Box Car No 72222 (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spring Lake.
 
Also see . . .  Winsor McCay - Wikipedia. (Submitted on September 25, 2015, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.)
 
Winsor McCay Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, September 11, 2015
3. Winsor McCay Marker
Marker is near the parking lot entrance to the public library.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on August 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 24, 2015, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 319 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on September 24, 2015, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024