SMYRNA, Mich. — Lake Michigan makes giant mountains of ice every year on the shores of Lake Michigan, but further inland there is another ice mountain in the small village of Smyrna.
It's a tradition for Wayne Geigers to turn a windmill in his yard into an icy display. He says he remembers his uncle doing something similar nearly 50 years ago, so 5 years ago he decided to try it out.
“I’ve done it about 4 or 5 years now, and it looks pretty cool,” said Geigers.
The huge ice structure was a huge hit with Geigers' grandson, Andon. Sadly, Andon died a few years ago at the age of 13 after complications following a surgery. Because Andon loved the icy windmill, Geigers decided to continue making it every winter in his grandson's memory.
Geigers puts a sprinkler on top of the windmill and over 4 to 8 weeks he builds up the layer of ice. The massive structure catches the eyes of neighbors and strangers alike.
“A lot of people. That I didn’t even know were stopping here," says Geigers.
If you want to check it out, the ice structure is across the street from the Smyrna cemetery.
