Spikehorn meyers biography

One of the most colorful characters in our state’s history, John E.

‘Spikehorn’ Meyer  was born in Ohio on July 15, 1870 and traveled to Michigan in 1876 with his family. His family purchased around 160 acres near present day Shepard, Michigan.

During the course of his life, Spikehorn was a showman, naturalist, politician, coal miner, tile manufacturer, furniture builder, inventor, realtor, bear hunter, lumberjack, and above all, individualist.

Spikehorn around 1900

According to neighbors, Spikehorn’s interest in the woods and buckskins developed around 1930 when he opened his Bear and Deer Park as an entertaining rest stop on Highway 27 for tourists heading up North.

Spikehorn and his friend, Red Eagle, dressed in buckskins for tourists and treated them to tales of their adventures in the woods. He was known for wearing buckskins all the time since they provided extra protection from sc