Magic Capital of the World

Even the planters are magical in Colon	The Basics Colon is a village in St. Joseph County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,227 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Colon Township. According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²). 3.6 km² (1.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (18.71%) is water. The town is flanked by Sturgeon Lake and Palmer Lake, which are connected by a narrow channel. Colon has four distinct seasons, with the warm­est month being August, with an average high of 81°F and average low of 58°F, and the cold­est month being January, with temperatures of 33°F for the average high and 10°F for the av­erage low. Average rainfall is 36.1 inches and the average snowfall is 34.2 inches.
The Name Colon The name of the town is derived from the punc­tuation mark. To quote from an 1831 letter, "Arrangements were made and a surveyor laid out the lots. When completed we wished to give it a name ... could not find one to suit. Finally, I took up an old dictionary and the first word I put my eyes on was 'colon'. Looking to see the definition ... a mark of punctuation indicating a pause almost as long as that of a period, we called it Colon." Colon developed in much the same way as other farming communities in Michigan. Colon’s history took a unique turn in the summer of 1926 when a man by the name of Harry Blackstone visited Colon. Blackstone would call Colon his home until 1949, when he moved to California for health reasons. However, he always claimed that he would rather live in Colon than anywhere else in the world.	The Entire City enjoys the Magic Theme
The entrance to Colon Michigan	Magic Capital of the World Many towns claim their own unique "magic." But no other town has the MAGIC of Colon-The Magic Capitol of the World. Levitating bodies, floating light bulbs, rabbits from hats—all standard fare for the 1227 townspeople and many summer residents who call Colon home. It was during the 1935 convention that Lester Lake (Marvelo), an escape artist, coined the phrase "Magic Capital of the World". He chose this phrase to describe Colon because Abbott’s Magic Novelty company was fast becoming a leading producer of magical apparatus in the United States; because the Great Blackstone made his home in Colon; and because the Abbott Magic Get-Together was becoming a major attraction for magicians. The phrase caught on and is still being used today.
Get Together Time Colon is truly the Magic Capital of the world and it comes alive with magic tricks, magic shows, fireworks, and more magic, magic, magic. Each August more than 1,000 magicians and lovers of magic gather here for "Abbott's Magic Get-Together", a 4 day magic convention, doubling the population, sharing magic tricks, and recollecting their knowledge of the famous occupation. The convention conludes each day with an evening show at Colon High School. Lance Burton, David Copperfield, Doug Henning, Jeff McBride, Harry Blackstone, Franz Harary, Marshall Brodien, Jeff Hobson, Mac King...the list just keeps going on and of famous magicians who have competed, performed, or attended the Abbott Get Together which is famous for not only providing Vegas quality acts but in some cases discovering Vegas Quality acts. Sometimes just being there is making magic history!	A little South of Abbotts is Palmer Lake
Sturgeon Lake, A 5 Minute walk North of Abbotts	Magic Vacation Imagine spending the morning boating on a lake, spend the afternoon at Abbotts Magic, Barbecue in the evening and watch the sun set on a lake at night. Impossible? Not in Colon where the perfect vacation is there for the asking. Check out the resorts and retreats in Colon such as the Steinke Resort, the retreat at Miller's Landing, and Palmer Lake Lodges all located in beautiful Colon. Colon Township's 1000 acres of water provide year-round sports for everyone. Summer finds the sports-minded of Colon making the best use of this wonderful natural resource. To fill out the picture on recreation, there is within a short driving distance of Colon every popular activity from gracious dining at world-famous restaurants to snow skiing at a Swiss lodge.
Get Together Time More than a few residents can perform a simple card trick upon request and many can share a story or two that further adds to the magical reputation of the town. Among the residents are those who can be pried for the inside scoop—people who have built magic props, performed shows, given lectures, writ­ten books and pamphlets on the art of magic. But don't expect all the answers. Remember, it's a ma­gician's secret! Many magicians who perform at the magic conventions decided to make Colon their permanent home, just as the Great Blackstone did over 75 years ago. Colon is a wonderful place to call home whether you are a magician or not, the beauty of the area has captured many hearts with a special brand of magic that only nature can provide.	Walter Weaver of Real Estate Magic

Aerial View of the Magic Capital

Colon is a Michigan Historical Site

Duke Stern said Colon is not a one horse town... Guess he was right!

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