
Archaeology in Review: Brass Scale Weights
Among the unusual finds from the 2022 Michilimackinac archaeological field season were two brass scale weights. They were found in the cellars of the trader’s house.
Among the unusual finds from the 2022 Michilimackinac archaeological field season were two brass scale weights. They were found in the cellars of the trader’s house.
Herbert Benjamin ran his blacksmith shop into the 1960s – long after most village blacksmiths had closed their doors. Learn more about Herbert and how he navigated a rapidly changing time on Mackinac Island.
Eight artists have been selected for the 2023 Mackinac Island Artist-in-Residence program.
The largest archaeological excavation to take place at Fort Mackinac was the site of the original provision storehouse. Interestingly, it was the second time the provision storehouse was excavated, but the first time at Fort Mackinac.
In 1847, Horace Greeley and Lewis Clark, newspapermen from New York on a tour of the Great Lakes, were seated on the porch of Mission House and saw a giant creature out in the lake. They agreed it was a Sea Serpent! But was it?
Throughout Fort Mackinac’s military history, British and American soldiers were issued bayonets to complement their shoulder arms. Learn a bit more about them here:
The sun sets on the Straits of Mackinac. Fires crackle in stone hearths. The smell of treats and warm beverages fill the crisp winter air. Laughter, conversation, and more can be heard emanating from inside the palisaded walls. It’s A Colonial Christmas Saturday, December 10, at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City.
Before the Straits of Mackinac became a center of international fur trade, its waters were renowned by generations of Native Americans as an abundant fishery. Of the many species in these freshwater seas, the delicate whitefish, usually weighing 3-5 pounds, was the most prized catch of all.
“Perhaps now, mon cheri, you will believe in les feu follet?” Fort Fright is based on French tales told at Michilimackinac. Enjoy “Les Feu Follet,” from “Were-Wolves and Will-O-The-Wisps.”
Mackinac Island State Park cleanup is progressing well, and the park will be ready for the 2025 season. Click here to learn more.