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Waterfront Delights
Two St. Clair River eateries feature great entrées with a side of freighter-watching
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to move close to the Michigan shore, visitors get an intimate view of these gigantic vessels — sometimes they’re so close, you can wave to the crews. As an incentive to visit their establishment, The Voyageur’s website showcases a few videos of the freighters in action. The river plays an important role in St. Clair’s history. The town began as a British fort in 1764. In the 1820s, it was developed by former U.S. Sen. Thomas Palmer,
the same man behind Detroit’s Palmer Park and another park of the same name in St. Clair. When it was first platted in 1828, Palmer named the then-village after himself; it was later changed to St. Clair, in honor of American Gen. Arthur St. Clair. The river town became a resort destination, in large part due to its mineral spas, in the steamship days. Today, the community features a beautiful boardwalk that spans five miles along
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RIVER CRAB
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n the historic town of St. Clair, perched along the rolling international river of the same name that separates Michigan from Ontario, visitors can watch massive freighters glide by while enjoying the fine fare and relaxing amenities at two celebrated waterfront favorites: The River Crab and The Voyageur. Thanks to a sandbar that runs along the river bottom and forces passing freighters
By Patty LaNoue Stearns
MICHIGAN BLUE
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5/17/21 2:51 PM
