Mustaches at Mackinac Posted November 23, 2016 The Fort Mackinac rifle team in 1886, proudly displaying their trophy and their mustaches. Today, people wear all sorts of hairstyles, jewelry, tattoos, and other adornments to personalize their look. In the late 19th century, however, only one accessory would do for the fashionable and well-dressed man: a mustache. (more…)
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and the Armistice Day Storm of 1940 Posted November 17, 2016 November storms on the Great Lakes are infamous for their ferocity and violence. Some, such as the Great Storm of 1913, which sank 12 ships and killed over 250 people, or the 1975 storm that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald, are well known. In November 1940, another strong storm struck the Great Lakes and caused widespread damage, including in the Straits of Mackinac. (more…)
Balsam Just for You Posted October 21, 2016 Since the beginning of tourism on Mackinac Island, visitors have always sought out tokens to remember their experience. Trinkets, sweets, and images of the island helped to memorialize the trip, or were sent to friends and family to let them know they were thinking of them. One of these thoughtful souvenirs which exploded in popularity in the early 20th century was the postcard. With an image on one side, and a place for a personalized message on the other, a postcard can carry a visit anywhere in the world. Although postcards did not originate as a souvenir, but rather a convenient way to send a quick note through the mail, they nonetheless have found their place on visitors’ refrigerators and bulletin boards and in their scrapbooks. (more…)
Invasive Species Want to Come to Mackinac, too! Posted September 26, 2016 Things are always changing in the natural world. At any one location, some species become rarer as time passes, while other species become more common. In a mature northern Michigan forest these changes in species composition usually take a long time to occur and are rarely noticed by a casual observer. Over the years many species of plants and animals have been intentionally or accidentally introduced to Mackinac Island and its forests. A small percentage of those non-native species have become Invasive. (more…)
2016 Archaeology Season in Review Posted September 9, 2016 The end of August saw the close of another archaeological field season at Colonial Michilimackinac. This was our ninth season of excavation at House E, one of the units of the Southeast Rowhouse. Historic maps and records indicate that this was the house of Charles Desjardins de Rupallay de Gonneville by 1749 (and probably earlier) through at least 1758. By 1765 it was an English trader’s house. Our excavations indicate that it remained civilian housing throughout the fort’s occupation. (more…)
King’s 8th Returns to Colonial Michilimackinac Posted August 26, 2016 The King is calling you to enlist. Throughout the weekend of September 9 and 10, 2016, we will recreate the garrison routines of the soldiers at Michilimackinac in the mid-1770s. In addition to drill and musket firing demonstrations, there will be military ration cooking demonstrations, the posting of sentries at the fort’s gates, and daily roll calls. Interpreters will also be on hand to discuss and demonstrate the role of women attached to the British army as laundresses, seamstresses, gardeners, and cooks. Visitors are invited to drill with the soldiers, help with the laundry, become a member of an artillery crew, and attempt to improve the defenses of Michilimackinac with a “Design a Fort” activity. Special walking tours will focus on Michilimackinac’s armaments and defenses, as well as the community’s role in the American Revolution. Learn more about Colonial Michilimackinac. God Save the King!
Lost Hotels of Mackinac: The New Mackinac Hotel Posted August 19, 2016 Stereoview, ca. 1870. The original Mackinac Hotel is the fifth building from the corner on the land side of Main Street. For eighty years the “pocket park” stretching between Main and Market Streets, across from the Arnold Dock, was home to the Mackinac and New Mackinac Hotel. (more…)
Brand New Cannon at Colonial Michilimackinac is Shining Example of History and Craft Posted August 16, 2016 Come be one of the first to see Michilimackinac’s latest addition in action: a new 6-pound cannon! Delivered last week, the cannon is an exact reproduction of a light 6-pound traveling gun. During the 1770s, the British kept two of these bronze guns on Michilimackinac’s parade ground, ready to defend the fort in the event of an American attack. Mounted on a highly mobile carriage with large wheels, these guns could throw a 6 pound cannonball nearly a mile. Although never used in anger, British soldiers fired the guns to celebrate the King’s birthday and other ceremonial events. (more…)
Two New Vingettes Join Nearly 60 Years of Publications Posted August 5, 2016 Mackinac State Historic Parks is pleased to announce the publication of two new vignettes as part of its Mackinac History series. Numbers six and seven of the fourth volume are “Relics of Maritime Tragedy: Objects from Straits of Mackinac Shipwrecks” by Registrar Brian Jaseschke and “The Changing Face of Fort Mackinac” by Museum Historian Craig Wilson. (more…)
The Riflemen at Fort Holmes Posted July 27, 2016 Immediately following the War of 1812, the American army dispatched a detachment of the Regiment of Riflemen to Mackinac Island. These men were some of the most unique soldiers to ever serve at Mackinac. (more…)
