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Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore quarter reverse
National Parks · 2018

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The scenic beauty of Chapel Rock, standing by the water bearing a single pine tree.

LocationMichiganTypeNational LakeshoreEstablishedOctober 15, 1966

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a beautiful lakeshore stretching along the southern shore of Lake Superior in the state of Michigan. It got the name ‘Pictured Rocks’ because of the cliffs stained in various colors by minerals that have seeped in.

On the reverse of the coin are engraved ‘Chapel Rock’ and a single white pine (eastern white pine) that has grown atop it. It is a striking sight of a single tree standing with its roots spread out atop a rock rising sharply by the water.

Though the part that once connected the rock to the mainland has collapsed, the tree still survives on its remaining roots, continuing to draw nourishment from the land across the water. This tenacious vitality is cherished as a symbol showing the astonishing power of nature.

This lakeshore was designated a nationally protected site on October 15, 1966, and it is counted among the first national lakeshores designated in the United States.

This coin from the ‘America the Beautiful’ series holds in the palm of your hand the scenic beauty of Michigan created by water, rock, and tree.

🪙 Reverse design — Chapel Rock and a single white pine that has grown atop it.
U.S. Mint · Wikipedia 'Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore' / Image: U.S. Mint · Wikimedia Commons (public domain)