Michilimackinac 1778: Rumors of War. 

This is Mackinac.

Treasures from the past come to life at this 18th-century fort and fur trading village, reconstructed based on historic maps and more than 60 years of archaeological excavations. As you walk through the site, you are stepping back in time to 1778, when rumors of war and peace swirled around Michilimackinac. Here, you will see and hear how soldiers, civilians, and Native people responded to threats real and imagined as they attempted to maintain their livelihood, the fur trade. Historical interpreters representing voyageurs, British soldiers, and French-Canadian merchant families are stationed throughout the fort to answer your questions and perform demonstrations.

Located on the shore of the Straits of Mackinac, visitors can enjoy stunning views of the Mackinac Bridge, the straits, and the Upper Peninsula. 

Colonial Michilimackinac is now closed for 2020, and is tentatively scheduled to reopen for the 2021 season on May 5. 

Highlights

Live Programs and Tours

Demonstrations and tours by costumed interpreters take place throughout the day. Cooking, crafts and trades are conducted at key locations and vary by season. Exciting programs for the 2021 season include Michilimackinac 1778: Rumors of War, She was very generally respected: Women at Michilimackinac, a look at the enslaved community at Michilimackinac, and Regulars on the Frontier: Barracks Life. Click any schedule below to see what will be happening during your visit.

May 5 – June 4, 2021
June 5 – September 5, 2021
September 6 – October 8, 2021

Exhibits

All sixteen buildings in the fort are open and furnished with period settings or themed exhibits. Special exhibits include:

• France at Mackinac, 1670-1760, explores Michilimackinac as it was under the French regime.
• Treasures from the Sand, an underground exhibit exploring the process of historical archaeology.
• Redcoats on the Frontier, describing the life of the British soldier, including a new interactive space that will allow visitors to step back in time to experience the lives of British soldiers in the 1770s.
• Powder Magazine and Firearms on the Frontier, a subterranean exhibit describing the preserved ruins of this military structure.
• Commanding Officer’s House, showcasing the life of Michilimackinac’s commanding officer.

Movies

Michilimackinac: Crossroads of the Great Lakes, a 15-minute movie, is presented in the King’s Storehouse. It plays every 20 minutes. Attack! at Michilimackinac presents the most dramatic event in the fort’s history. It plays continuously in the Trader’s House of the Southwest Rowhouse.

Kids’ Rendezvous 

Children can exercise both bodies and brains as they explore the routes of the fur traders. Located just outside the Visitor’s Center.

Ongoing Archaeology 

During the main season, from early June until mid-August, you can witness archaeologists continuing the excavation of Michilimackinac. Taking place each summer since 1959, the dig is one of longest ongoing excavations of its kind in the nation.

Watch the video below to see all that Colonial Michilimackinac has to offer!