Colon: the Magic Capital of the World

Colon looks like a small southern Michigan village, right up until the magic signs start appearing. The “Magic Capital of the World” name is a local identity with a real industry behind it, not a world title awarded through a formal act of Congress. The federal record shows that Senator Carl Levin made Senate remarks in 1991 for an Abbott’s Magic Get-Together anniversary; that floor tribute is the sturdier version of the often-repeated congressional story.

The story starts in the 1920s. Harry Blackstone Sr. used Colon as the summer home for his traveling illusion show. Australian magician Percy Abbott visited, married a local woman, and settled in town. After a short-lived partnership with Blackstone, Abbott opened the Abbott Magic Company in January 1934; Recil Bordner became his partner that March. The American Museum of Magic says the company grew into the world’s largest manufacturer and retailer of magic equipment.

Abbott’s dates the first Magic Get-Together to September 15, 1934. The event still fills several August days with performances, lectures, and special events. Lakeside Cemetery offers a quieter stop: Harry Blackstone Sr., Harry Blackstone Jr., and American Museum of Magic founder Robert Lund are among the magic figures buried there. The current Get-Together schedule includes a cemetery tour when offered.

Start with Abbott’s current event calendar before driving over. Its shop is at 124 St. Joseph Street, and the Get-Together publishes its own schedule for the August convention.