Take an Enchanting Michigan Day Trip To the “Magic Capital of the World”
Would you like to save this full guide?
We'll email this article to you, so you can come back to it later!
If you’ve spent most of your life in Michigan, you might think you know all the cool facts. But then one day, your kid comes home with a new magic trick obsession. You start searching the internet and learn that Michigan is home of the “Smithsonian of Magic.” And that a little town about 20 minutes from the southern border is considered the “Magic Capital of the World.” Suddenly, a whole different world is revealed.
With this newfound knowledge and inspiration, I conjured up a day trip itinerary to fuel my child’s magical instincts. But I also set out to satisfy my own curiosities about the history and intrigue to be found in the towns of Marshall and Colon, Michigan.
Magic-Themed Michigan Day Trip Itinerary
- American Museum of Magic
- Abbott’s Magic
- Magic Capital Grille
- Blackstone’s Grave
Exploring Marshall: Home of the “Smithsonian of Magic”
We set off mid-morning one Friday – my seven- and four-year-old sons and I. Our first stop was the American Museum of Magic.
The museum is located in the heart of downtown Marshall, inside a one-time saloon. We stepped over the threshold and – Abracadabra! – we arrived in another world. We stood among thousands of artifacts, eras of amazing feats, and mysterious characters.
American Museum of Magic
The American Museum of Magic – the “Smithsonian of Magic” – is here in Marshall, Michigan, thanks to Robert and Elaine Lund. Robert opened it in 1978 with his massive collection of magical props, books, costumes, scrapbooks, and ephemera. After Robert passed, Elaine created the official nonprofit that still operates the museum today, carrying on the Lund legacy and Michigan’s main character status in the stage magic world.
The museum’s collection covers all of magic history, performers from many countries, and the gamut of styles. We came face-to-face with a woman (mannequin) about to be cut in half. There were places from which to escape or disappear – boxes, tin cans, sarcophagi, a palanquin. We saw bird cages with wires and wooden slats, silk top hats, and magic wands. We spied the reference material of magicians from generations gone by. Old posters plastered on the walls encapsulated it all.
Magic Artifacts from Harry Houdini
A large portrait of the world’s most famous magician hung at the center of the main room: Harry Houdini.
Houdini performed his last show in Detroit shortly before he died. His life has inspired magicians for generations, and his death has inspired countless seances – including in this very museum. Houdini never shows, but people keep trying.
Houdini artifacts included the milk tin from which he escaped (near a replica visitors can try themselves), a brick from the Garrick theater (location of his last performance, since demolished), a signed book, and an assortment of other items.
The Great Blackstone
The museum also featured Harry Blackstone, Sr. Blackstone practiced magic as a child in his hometown of Chicago and grew to be known as The Great Blackstone around the world. In his shows, he sawed his assistants in half, floated a light bulb over the audience, and made birds disappear. (Remember The Great Blackstone – he’ll have a reappearing act shortly.)
American Museum of Magic: Performance Review
I loved the immersion in the history of showmanship, but were the kids charmed?
The museum featured several interactive pieces throughout, including visual tricks, a light box, and the Houdini replica milk can to keep them busy. There were colorful, eye-catching displays that weren’t overstimulating.
My budding magician, age 7, was fascinated. The four-year-old made it through because he had a full belly before we arrived. We would be happy to visit again, and we would make sure to catch one of the Saturday magic shows at the museum.
Downtown Marshall
When we left the museum, we walked around Marshall a little since it was our first time there. The downtown area was bigger than I expected. We stopped at an indie bookstore and coffee shop, but soon we had to head to our next destination. We loaded back into the car with a promise to return another day to see what else Marshall can offer.
Exploring Colon: The “Magic Capital of the World”
After a little more driving – prest-o-change-o! – we arrived in the town of Colon. If you’ve never heard of Colon, then you probably had no idea that Michigan is home to the “Magic Capital of the World.”
Remember Harry Blackstone from the museum? He and his wife, Inez, who was part of his show, stumbled on Colon’s small-town charm and natural landscapes in the 1920s. The couple found a spot on Lake Sturgeon to call home between tours. They spent their summer months relaxing and developing new tricks. The Blackstones invited many of their magician friends to the area, including Percy Abbott of Australia. The magician friends opened a short-lived shop together before Abbott opened his own place: Abbott’s Magic Shop.
In 1934, Abbott held an open house attended by 80 magicians who enjoyed performances and a luncheon. They repeated the event the next year and the next. At some point, one of the attendees called Colon the Magic Capital of the World and the town embraced its fate. The 87th annual magician Get-Together will take place in 2025.
Magic Abounds in Colon
I was hoping to find that Colon leaned into its magical reputation and I was not disappointed. One of the first things we saw was a huge and colorful mural announcing its designation. We had a late lunch at the Magic Capital Grille, which was a nice little diner with friendly service. Then we set out to explore.
On a quiet weekday in the offseason, few other magic seekers were around. The streets were lined with large planters awaiting some springtime growth after a long winter – they resembled upturned top hats with bunny ears sticking out. We followed the magician walk of fame – starred plaques on the sidewalk for different magicians with ties to the area. Rabbits in tuxedos stood outside the businesses. Even the local bank leaned into the theme with their “disappearing fees.”
More Than Meets the Eye
Then there was the meatier stuff: the magic-related businesses, like the Grand Magic Theater, Sterlini’s Magic, and Fab Magic Company – all must-sees for established and aspiring magicians. We weren’t able to time our visit with a show this time, but there was still cool stuff to see in the windows.
I was slightly surprised to see the overt theme fall off at the Farrand Hall Bakery, but its unique aesthetic had its own kind of magic. My coffee and the cookie we shared were a perfect afternoon treat.
Abbott’s Magic
Down State Street and around a corner, we found Abbott’s Magic Shop, now in its ninth decade. Abbott’s partner, Recil Bordner, took over the shop when Percy decided to return to Australia, and it has been Bordner operated since. Not only does Abbott’s sell magic wares, they develop and manufacture them, too. Thus, much of the world’s magic comes from right here in Michigan.
The shelves were filled with collections of props and tricks in black and white and primary colors – handkerchiefs, fake flowers, cards, books, cups, magic sponge balls, and varieties of wands. One wall with portraits of the great magicians of times past stood opposite the Colon Magic Theater, closed for the day behind a gold curtain.
A Few Tricks
This was our real mission of the day – to get ourselves some tools. I asked the gentleman minding the shop if he had anything for a seven-year-old. He showed us a magical coloring book, flipping the pages so we could see the pictures. He flipped the pages again, and they were all colored in. He flipped them yet again, and the pages were all blank. He turned a different blank piece of paper into a five-dollar bill. He then made a ball completely disappear from a lidded vase.
The ball-and-vase trick was the one for us. We also couldn’t leave without a magic wand for each of the kids.
As we headed out, the gentleman told me about the Get-Together and handed me a past program. He called it “the Woodstock of magic.”
Colon Outdoors
Across the street, a little community park was perfect for outdoor playtime before our drive home. I swung on the swings while my kids practiced their magic show with their new wands and props.
We ended our trip, perhaps appropriately, at the Lakeside Cemetery. Blackstone is there along with dozens of other magicians whose names we had learned that day. I’ve never seen such quirky gravestones and epigraphs.
Plan Your Own Magical Michigan Road Trip
While I would never say I had tired of Michigan, it was nice to find this state still had a few surprises up its sleeve.
This low-key and unrushed itinerary worked for my two young kids and me. Others may want to time their visit with a magic show, the magical Get-together, or perhaps a séance!
The best times to visit are April to October, when there’s more action. The annual Get-Together takes place in late July to early August in Colon. Be aware that some businesses are open by appointment and some have minimal information available on the internet.