Mackinac State Historic Parks presents three centuries of history at our sites in Mackinaw City and on Mackinac Island.
At Colonial Michilimackinac you can explore life on the fur trade frontier in the 1770s, including the civilian residents, Native Americans and British Soldiers. At Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse visit the restored keeper’s quarters, climb the tower, and visit the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum. Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park features a reconstruction of the late 18th century mill that provided lumber for the growing settlement on Mackinac Island. Fort Mackinac is restored to its 1880s glory with fourteen original buildings featuring diverse exhibits on such topics as the history of medical care and life of the Victorian solider. Our Historic Downtown Buildings are some of the oldest houses in Michigan with open hearth cooking at the Biddle House and an exhibit on Dr. William Beaumont’s groundbreaking medical experiments.
If you’re a history buff, you’re in the right place – not just to learn about life as it was centuries ago but to experience it. From historical reenactments to cannon firings to cooking demonstrations, you’ll be transported back in time, over and over again.
If you’re an outdoor adventurer, Mackinac State Historic Parks has plenty to keep you going – from hiking and biking trails to a forest canopy bridge to a zip line that gives you an entirely different perspective on history.
Give your kids a history lesson they don’t know they’re taking. From cannon firings to dressing in soldiers’ clothing to a walk through history, kids will learn as much here as they would in a classroom.
