Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

Category: Colonial Michilimackinac

Behind the Scenes Archaeology

Thanks to a onetime influx of infrastructure money, Mackinac State Historic Parks is in the middle of a construction boom. Archaeological potential is considered during project planning, and testing and monitoring are carried out when appropriate. Here is a rundown of what’s been a very busy winter:

Black Sailors at Michilimackinac

In the late 18th century, a small number of sailing vessels crisscrossed the upper Great Lakes. Each vessel only required a few sailors to operate, with diverse crews that involved enslaved individuals.

What’s New for 2025?

 As the calendar flips to 2025, the Mackinac State Historic Parks team is hard at work protecting, preserving, and presenting the rich history of the Straits of Mackinac by creating new exhibits, galleries, and tours, improving visitor experiences, celebrating a major anniversary, expanding our collections area and library, and finishing major infrastructure improvements on Mackinac Island.

Welcome Back, Welcome’s Boat!

In the early 1970s, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission decided to reconstruct “Welcome,” a trading vessel originally built in the mid-1770s. A small boat to accompany the sloop was also built, and it’s now back home. Read on:

A Goal Accomplished

We’re halfway through the 2024 archaeological field season, and we’ve met one of our major goals for the season. Learn more:

A New Gown at Michilimackinac

The clothes our historic interpreters wear are a major part in telling the story of the historic residents of the Straits of Mackinac. A lot of research goes into making these outfits accurate, and here’s a little peek at one of the new outfits you’ll find in Colonial Michilimackinac this summer.