A Peek Into The Past: The Pratt Photo Album Posted February 16, 2018 Companies E and K, 23rd Infantry, at Fort Mackinac, 1886 Mackinac State Historic Parks is fortunate to have an ever-expanding collection of original objects related to the sites we preserve and interpret. These objects help us share the many stories of Mackinac with our visitors. One of the more unique pieces in the collection is an original photo album and scrapbook assembled by Edward Pratt, a U.S. Army officer who served at Fort Mackinac and several other stations around the world at the end of the 19th century. (more…)
The Hanging for the Murder of Hugh Flinn Posted December 29, 2017 Private James Brown entered the mess room of the Soldiers’ Barracks at Fort Mackinac the evening of December 5, 1828. A loud blast filled Muster roll for Comapny G, 5th Infantry with entries for Corporal Hugh Flinn and Private James Brown. the room and Corporal Hugh Flinn fell to the floor, bleeding from his neck. The fifteen witnesses in the room saw Pvt. Brown lower a musket to his hip and exclaim, “My God, what have I done?” (more…)
The Christmas Mutiny at Fort Mackinac Posted December 25, 2017 Summer on Mackinac Island buzzed in the 1820s with the booming fur trade. Fort Mackinac was busy regulating the fur trade during this bustling time. The winter was a different story of long nights and monotonous work. This was the time that one of the most dramatic episodes to ever play out at Fort Mackinac happened, the Christmas Mutiny of 1829. (more…)
Where’s The Rest of Fort Mackinac? Posted December 15, 2017 Today, visitors to Fort Mackinac experience a wonderfully complete example of a late 19th century American military post. Preserved since 1895 as a museum and historic site, the fort’s 14 original buildings appear much as they did between 1885 and 1889. Most other Army posts from this time period have either decayed into ruins or have been so thoroughly modernized that their historic character is largely invisible. However, the preserved Fort Mackinac open to visitors represents only about half of the post as it existed historically. Although some elements are gone from the landscape, a lot more of Fort Mackinac remains outside the walls- you just need to know where to look. (more…)
Winter Recreation on Victorian Mackinac Island Posted November 24, 2017 Most stores have closed, many hotels and cottages have been boarded up, and we have had the first snow of the season on Mackinac Island. Winter on Victorian Mackinac Island was much like it is today – boats stopped running, winter provisions were stocked, and the smaller island population could be cut off the from mainland often. While ice breakers, the internet and planes keep present-day Mackinac Island more connected than ever before, what did island residents do in the past in the wintertime? (more…)
Obscure Places on Mackinac Island Posted September 29, 2017 Every year, thousands of people come to Mackinac Island and visit such well-known places as Arch Rock, British Landing, Sugar Loaf, and Fort Mackinac. But have you ever visited Desha Mound, Langlade Craig, Echo Grotto, or Raymbault Height? These are just a few of the 212 named “places of interest” on the island listed by the Michigan Historical Commission in a 1916 travel bulletin. (more…)
Mackinac’s Contribution to Fashion? Hats! Posted September 20, 2017 Nearly all European and American men wore felt hats in the 18th century. Hats came in numerous shapes and sizes, as seen in this 1747 engraving by famed illustrator William Hogarth. For over 200 years, Michilimackinac, and later Mackinac Island, were centers of the Great Lakes fur trade. Every summer, merchants based at Michilimackinac or on the island shipped tons of furs to factories on the Atlantic coast or in Europe. Trapped by indigenous people around the Great Lakes, otter, muskrat, mink, rabbit, fox, and especially beaver pelts were highly prized in the garment and fashion industry. These furs were used to trim collars and cuffs, line capes and muffs, and, most importantly, to make felt hats. (more…)
Artillery at Fort Mackinac Posted September 19, 2017 Small bronze mortars, which fired explosive shells in a high arc, also made up part of Fort Mackinac’s early defenses. Artillery pieces always played a vital role at Fort Mackinac. Although their functions changed over time, these weapons were an important feature of the garrison for every soldier who served at the post from 1779 to 1895. (more…)
History of the Fort Mackinac Tea Room Posted August 14, 2017 Patrons enjoying lunch with a view, ca. 1965. Note the colonial-style uniforms worn by the waitresses. The Tea Room has been a memorable part of a visit to Fort Mackinac for decades. Located in the historic 1780 Officers’ Stone Quarters it provides a place of refreshment in a quaint atmosphere with the added bonus of the best view of any restaurant on the island. (more…)
The Treaty of Greenville: August 3, 1795 Posted August 3, 2017 On August 3, 1795, the Revolutionary War on the western frontier finally ended with the signing of the Treaty of Greenville. This treaty signaled the end of British control of Mackinac Island, and heralded the American occupation of Michigan. Although the Treaty of Paris of 1783 formally ended the war between the American colonists and the British, the indigenous residents of what would become the United States had not been consulted. As a result, the Revolution evolved into the Northwest Indian War, fought between Americans pouring westward over the Appalachian Mountains and the plethora of indigenous nations known as the Western Confederacy. (more…)
