MACKINAC ISLAND ..... BEAUTIFUL

Drove down to St Ignace to Shepler’s Ferry to Mackinac Island.  The high-speed ferry ride is about 15 minutes and cost us $50.   As we approached the harbor, we passed Round House Light built in 1895.

Passing East Bluff you can see the beautiful Victorian cottages overlooking Lake Huron with the Mackinac Bridge in the distance.

  
Coming into the harbor, it is evident that this is going to be a popular destination.

HAY FOR THE HORSES!

Furs were the word up here, wars were fought over the territory.  John Jacob Astor established the American Fur Company northern HQ on Mackinac Island and by 1820’s the fur trade was flourishing.    

In the 1830’s fishing replaced fur trading as a primary industry.  After the Civil War the island became a destination for tourists to escape hot cities. 

In 1875 the Mackinac National Park was established.  It was the second national park established three years after Yellowstone.  

The automobile was banned in 1898.  The brochure  touts the virtues of exhaust-free air but fails to mention the rich manure spell at every turn! 

FUDGE

Henry Murdick opened the first “Candy Kitchen” two years after the Grand Hotel was built.  By 1920, fudge became Mackinac island’s number one sweet souvenir.  Fudge industry certainly thrives with more than a dozen shops catering to fudge-lovers.

There are a variety of modes of travel for this island.  The roads are narrow and quaint with horse-drawn carriages of all sorts crossing the island.  Bicycles are all over the place.  You can bring your own over on the ferry for $7 or rent them on the island starting at $7/hour.  Horses can be rented for $40/hour to tour the island or you can take a horse-drawn carriage tour or rent a drive-it yourself carriage.  Horse drawn taxis are also available. 

We opted for the horse drawn carriage tour which took us all around the island. 

Victorian visitors created a demand for overnight accommodations.  The Island House was among the earliest hotels.  In 1887 the immense and palatial Grand Hotel opened its doors.  Summer cottages appeared on the island’s bluffs in the early 1880’s.    By 1890’s mansions were constructed in keeping with the new standard set by Grand Hotel.

ISLAND HOUSE

ART MUSEUM NOW ... INDIAN DORMITORY 

Treaty of 1836 transferred 16 million acres of Ojibway (Chippewa and Odawa) land in Michigan Territory to the federal government.  It also required improvements to the Mackinac Island Indian Agency including a dormitory for Indians visiting the post.  This building was completed in 1838 as the agency’s administration HQ for 8 years housing Native Americans who came to receive their annual treaty payments.  It served several other uses until it became a Michigan historic Site. Now houses the art museum.

Mackinac Island Yacht Club (no reciprocity!)

 The gardens are beautiful.  

MICHILIMACKINAC COUNTY COURTHOUSE built in 1839 serves as the Mackinac Island Police Department and jail house.  

This post office has never delivered a lick of mail.  All residents of the island come down to the post office to pick up their mail!  Is this the future of the US Postal Service???

Arch Rock high above the water overlooking Lake Huron!

GOVERNORS SUMMER HOME;

At the top of Fort Hill, Lawrence A Young leased a lot from the National park for $150/year.  The lease required that a residence be built within one year at a cost of not less than $10,000.  

The house built during 1901-1902 cost $15,000.  In 1926 the cottage was sold to Clara Scherer  but during late 1930’s many Mackinac homes were victims of wartime disruption of family life and travel and disrepair.   The Scherer cottage was a prominent landmark and in 1944 Clara Scherer sold the house to the Mackinac Island State Park Comission for $15,000.  

This is now the summer residence of the Governor of Michigan.  The deed stipulates that if the cottage is ever sold, it can not be sold for more than $15,000 and descendents of the Scherer family have first refusal.

Gorgeous summer "cottages"

Along the East Bluff are large summer cottages in various Victorian styles.  Most were built between 1885 and 1900.  

Homes seen from the water when we came in!

I’m sure to keep the crowds down, the Grand Hotel charges $10/person to walk through the hotel if you are not guests of the hotel.  

As we walked up to the hotel a couple asked us if we were staying at the hotel.  We said “No” and they offered two tickets to enter the hotel.  They were given to them by another couple who had purchased them.  

So, we thanked them and began our hotel walk through.  The interior of the hotel is all about color!  

When we left the hotel we saw a couple walking up and asked if they were staying the night.  They were not, so we offered them our hotel “tickets”.  In all those tickets got at least four lives, maybe more before the day was over.

We were calling it a day!  Headed back down to Main Street, popped into a fudge shop for some ice cream and caught the ferry back to St Ignace.

We have had a great time up here in the Upper Penninsula.  Michigan never fails to impress.  Tomorrow we are heading down to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park to meet up with the family for a family wedding.

St Ignace Light