
Decorating for the Holidays at Colonial Michilimackinac
A Colonial Christmas is December 13. What did decorating for the holidays look like during the 18th and 19th centuries?

A Colonial Christmas is December 13. What did decorating for the holidays look like during the 18th and 19th centuries?

Every night, at the stroke of twelve, soldiers could be heard marching to roll call. The only problem? There were no soldiers there. Fort Fright is based on French tales told at Michilimackinac. Enjoy “Soldier Ghosts,” from “Were-Wolves and Will-O-The-Wisps.”

The 2025 field season at Colonial Michilimackinac wrapped up August 23 with finds including glass seed beads, iron tools, and a rare metal-wrapped textile fragment. Long-time readers will also note that the tree stump has also been removed! Learn more here:

Have an interest in the blacksmith shop on the island? Love the black-powder weapons programs at Fort Mackinac and Colonial Michilimackinac? Ever wondered how you can help out? Learn more here:

Remember the end of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” as the Ark of the Covenant is being wheeled into the giant warehouse for storage? Want to know how that relates to a three-year project concluding at Mackinac State Historic Parks? Read on:

We’re past the halfway point of the archaeological field season. What have we learned?

It’s spring, and while many people think of gardening, archaeologists think of excavating. The 2025 archaeological field season at Colonial Michilimackinac has begun! Get re-acquainted with the dig site here:

This will be one of the coolest things you see all summer. Experience the power of Michilimackinac’s weapons at night. Gates open at 9:00 p.m. Rifle firing will start at

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: