(air whooshing) (upbeat music) - A lot of people don't know about Beaver Island, but we've got beautiful beaches, we've got a lot of trails.

And then when you come to the museum, you learn about, we have the only king in the United States, self-appointed king, but the only king.

And then we've got this beautiful mural.

We've got a museum that's all on commercial fishing and all the maritime history.

We have a unique Gutsy Women exhibit where we've had some very unique women who lived and prospered over here.

We've got the lighthouse history.

There are two lighthouses on Beaver Island.

Elizabeth Whitney Williams, she was one of the lighthouse keepers for the Whiskey Point lighthouse.

And she's a well-known female hero in lighthouse history.

- [Adam] From gutsy women to commercial fishermen, the history of Beaver Island is filled with unforgettable characters, none more unique than James Jesse Strang.

- Strang ended up on Beaver Island kind of how a lot of people did in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

He was traveling on a steamboat.

He discovered Beaver Island.

And at that time, he was aspiring to become a leader in the Mormon church.

And he saw Beaver Island as an opportunity to establish a colony.

So when Joseph Smith was assassinated, there were several people who thought they should be the next leader.

But the two that we are most familiar with is James Strang and Brigham Young.

And of course we know how that ended in history 'cause Brigham Young is the main person commonly thought of about the Mormons.

But also there was Strang, and he came over to the island and he started a colony over here.

If you were to look at the census records and historical records, it's estimated that maybe 3,000 Mormons lived on the island while he was in power.

- [Adam] His reign lasted six years and ended in June of 1856.

Strang was shot by two of his followers as he walked towards a ship in the harbor.

Taken to his parents' home in Wisconsin, he died a few weeks later.

- After he died, a lot of the islanders who had been exiled from their community returned in full force and they did destroy a lot of the church's holdings, some of the buildings and stuff, the print shop, the historical part of the print shop was not burnt down, but it was ransacked.

- [Adam] Today, King Strang's legacy still lingers.

The island's main road bears his name and his former print shop now houses the museum.

- [Lori] This building was originally where James Strang published a newspaper, which it was the first newspaper published north of Grand Rapids in the state of Michigan.

- [Adam] The historical society also preserves the home of Feodor Protar, who first arrived when a steamboat sought refuge from a Great Lake storm in the late 1800s.

He is known as the Saint of Beaver Island.

- He was beloved by the people on the island.

And once they knew how intelligent he was, I mean, he was a man who came from Eastern Europe and he was obviously well educated, I mean, before he came to Beaver Island, he also ran a newspaper and he was a thespian.

When he got over here and he was doing so well with his farm, the islanders started coming to him and asking for advice about their own animals.

Eventually, you know, they started asking for tips for healthcare and he helped them, you know, cared for them when they were sick and gave them ideas for home remedies and such.

- [Adam] Protar lived quietly here for 32 years, tending to the medical needs of its residents.

He offered remedies freely, asking nothing in return.

Upon his passing, the community inscribed these words on his monument, "To our Heaven-sent friend, who never failed us, in imperishable gratitude and admiration, his people of Beaver Island."

As the largest island in Lake Michigan, Beaver Island remains an unspoiled retreat where adventure and nature meet.

Visitors come to hike its trails, enjoy its waters, and savor the slow rhythm of island life.

Like those who came before her, Miss Mary felt the island's called after just one visit.

- Larry and I got married, and we came up here for our honeymoon.

We were only here one day, and I was on the boat going home, and I started crying, and I wondered why was I crying?

And then I realized I couldn't leave, I couldn't go home, that I already had transferred my home to here.

So I moved here and it was been great ever since.

It started out just named Homemade Goods and it was whatever I could make, and I did pretty good.

Bought a building in Chicago, and when I sold the building, and moved up here, Larry said, you know, "Let's make it a toy museum 'cause we have lots of toys."

So we did, and we decided to make it look like a house.

I don't want it to look like a business, that we make it like a house, and we'll leave the trees and leave everything growing wild.

I know that when those kids walk in the door, they are churning with excitement and they're going from thing to thing.

They don't know what to do really 'cause there's too many things.

So they pick one and hold it, and then they go around and get a couple more, and they're holding 'em like this so I give 'em a basket, you know, to put things in.

And most things are very reasonable so they can get 'em, but it's just like Christmas to them walking in the door.

You know, that's what it is.

And if they don't have any money, I just give them things, I mean, I don't care, it's not the point, you know, the point is them.

So you know, I'm so happy to see them.

- [Adam] Today Miss Mary finds joy in tending to her shop and creating.

Hand-making jewelry, painting the landscapes of night skies she experiences living on the island, and even writing and illustrating a children's book.

The island called her, and here she found her home.

- It's not anything wild, there's nothing exotic, it's simple.

The trees seem to grow the way a tree should grow and the flowers, the carpet, the south end right now.

But when I walk in the toy store with all the toys all over the walls and all over everywhere, I just feel totally at home, totally safe, totally secure.

It's just a big comfort in there.