Tragedy & Heroism at Mackinac
“If there ever was an epic of peril and of rescue this was one.”
“If there ever was an epic of peril and of rescue this was one.”
When you visit the Straits of Mackinac this summer, we invite you to slow down (or even sit down) and ponder the earth beneath your feet. You never know – you may reveal evidence of ancient life which thrived in very different waters, nearly 400 million years ago!
Our Park Naturalist, Kyle, is ready to set the story straight: Chimney Rock and Sunset Rock are not one and the same. Let’s revisit Chimney Rock:
More than 240 years have passed since wooden sloops brought wild hay to the King’s Cattle on Mackinac Island. During your next visit, scan the watery horizon and imagine the scene from a bygone era. Perhaps you’ll glimpse a broad, white sail billowing in the wind. Or listen closely, and just maybe you’ll hear soft, clanking cowbells as supper makes its way across the Straits of Mackinac.
Most of us have had the experience of moving from one place to another, deciding what to take and what to discard. In the summer of 1781, the residents of Michilimackinac had the same experience.
When you think of Mackinac, you might think of fudge, or no cars, or horses, or the fort. But potatoes? “The best potatoes in the world grow at Mackinac.” Or at least they did. Read on!
The Michigan State Highway Ferry Service celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023. Learn about the ferry service and what happened to some of the boats that served.
Maple sugaring has finished for the 2023 season. While most sugaring was done nearby, we do know that at least a few maples were tapped on Mackinac Island in the 1880s.
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.
