The Wharf at Michilimackinac Posted June 14, 2019 The fort’s water gate, as seen from the lake. Although not yet reconstructed, the wharf would have occupied this space in the 1770s. Situated on the Straits of Mackinac, Michilimackinac was ideally located to serve as a major transshipment point and resupply hub for the Great Lakes fur trade. Every summer, dozens of canoes and a few small sailing vessels filled with tons of fur, trade goods, food, and other supplies called at the shoreline community. To facilitate movement between water and land, by at least the mid-1760s Michilimackinac’s residents relied upon a wooden wharf. (more…)
Preparing for the Season Posted May 31, 2019 The site (between the barrels) buried under several feet of snow. After the spring melt. Ready to excavate. Spring has sprung in the Straits of Mackinac region, and with spring comes the preparation for another archaeological field season. Regular blog readers will remember that at the end of last season we lined the site with heavy plastic sheeting and bales of straw. The long snowy winter was very good for preventing the wall from slumping too much. When we removed the straw and plastic last week, the site was in fairly good condition. (more…)
Friends Preserving and Sharing Mackinac’s History Posted April 12, 2019 Fort Holmes, reopened in 2015. Mackinac Associates’ mission is simple and encompassing: Friends Preserving and Sharing Mackinac’s Heritage. Mackinac Associates is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports programs at Mackinac State Historic Parks through membership dues and other gifts. Mackinac Associates members have supported needed projects in every area of museum operation, and make possible interpretive programs, publications, exhibits, natural history education, park improvements and more. (more…)
Railroads in Mackinaw City Posted April 5, 2019 An early 1880s ad for the Grand Rapids and Indiana. Although platted in 1857, Mackinaw City remained undeveloped until about 1870. By then a village stood on the shores of the Straits of Mackinac, and steamboats linked the community with cities around the Great Lakes. However, the town remained small and isolated until 1881, when the first train arrived. The Michigan Central Railroad was the first to reach Mackinaw, running north from Detroit through Saginaw. George Stimpson, an early settler and prominent resident, drove the final spike. A year later, the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad also reached the straits, linking Mackinaw City with Traverse City, Grand Rapids, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. On the north shore, meanwhile, the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad ran west from St. Ignace across the Upper Peninsula. The railroads brought increased traffic to the straits and Mackinaw City grew quickly, formally incorporating as a village in 1882. (more…)
Historic Food Tasting, Part 3 Posted April 1, 2019 We’ve had fun throughout the winter sampling historic food recipes, and here now is our third installment. You can try all of these historic recipes throughout the summer at Colonial Michilimackinac.
Grand Army of the Republic, Post No. 289 Posted March 22, 2019 The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the United States Army, U.S. Navy, Marines and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 it grew to include hundreds of local posts. The G.A.R. served as a political advocacy group for various causes including establishing regular pensions and helping to make Memorial Day a national holiday. Membership peaked in 1890 at more than 490,000. The G.A.R. was dissolved in 1956 at the death of its last member. (more…)
What’s new at Fort Mackinac? Posted March 8, 2019 It may not seem like it with so much snow on the ground, but summer is steadily approaching. With less than two months to go before Fort Mackinac opens for the 2019 season, we’re hard at work on two brand new exhibits which will greet visitors to the fort this summer. (more…)
Colonial Michilimackinac Opening Day Posted March 1, 2019 We’re getting ready for Opening Day at Colonial Michilimackinac a little differently this year. We’ll see you in two months.
Treasures from the Collection Posted February 22, 2019 Today we begin a new feature highlighting important objects in the museum collection of Mackinac State Historic Parks. The items presented here belonged to the O’Brien’s of Fort Mackinac. The O’Brien collection also includes John and Charlotte’s letters (the basis for our book The Caplain’s Lady), John’s sermons, and letters to John from his son, Lyster, while he served in the Civil War. (more…)
Washington’s Birthday at Fort Mackinac Posted February 19, 2019 Yesterday, February 18, many government offices were closed to celebrate the holiday most people know as Presidents’ Day. Many people believe this extra day off celebrates the birthdays of all presidents. However, while some state governments have designed February 18 as Presidents’ Day, in the eyes of the federal government the holiday remains Washington’s Birthday, a celebration that would have been familiar to the soldiers of Fort Mackinac over 120 years ago. (more…)
