World's Largest Working Weathervane
All photos on this page were taken by J. MoyerSeptember 9, 2020
Standing tall and proud, in Ellenwood Park, on the corner of Dowling and Water St., in the small town of Montague, is the World's Largest Working Weathervane. It raises 48 feet into the sky, the arrow is a lengthy 26 feet across and total weight is 3,500 pounds.
The weather vane was originally built in 1984 on the small peninsula that jets out into White Lake by Whitehall Products LLC (formally Whitehall Metal Studio), which is known for being the world's largest manufacturer of cast aluminum personalized name and address plaques. Due to poor subsoils, the weathervane started to tip and became unsafe. The City of Montague made the decision in 2001 to move it to Ellenwood Park, its current location. There is ample parking as the park shares its location with a grocery store and an ice cream shop, which is perfect for a cold sweet treat while admiring the gigantic structure.
The ship that sits on top of the weathervane is the image of the ill-fated schooner, Ella Ellenwood, built in Saginaw, Michigan in 1869 and operated out of White Lake. On October 1, 1901, it ran aground 8 miles from Milwaukee harbor. The captain and crew made it to shore safely, but due to the winds and waves, the ship started to break apart. Astonishingly, the next spring, the nameplate of the ship, ELLENWOOD, was found floating in the White Lake channel. The nameplate and a small model of the ship is located in the Montague City Hall.
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| My daughter joining me on this excursion on September 9, 2020. |
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| I went back March 6, 2021, to show my mother this amazing weathervane as she has never heard about it before. |
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| I, Jill Moyer, excited to have been able to see the World's Largest Working Weathervane September 9, 2020 |
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