Mackinac Island, Michigan
Welcome to Mackinac Island, a place that has no non-emergency horseless carriages, more veterinarians than medical doctors, and a fudge shop for about every 40 full-time residents. People have been seasonally flocking to this time-capsule oasis for many years.
Mackinac Island has long been considered a sacred place; the Anishinaabek people referred to it as “Michilimackinac” or the “Place of the Great Turtle,” which was home to burial and hunting grounds. It later became a strategic location that first served as a fort for French fur trappers, then for British colonists, before the lands of the current-day Michigan entered the United States as part of the Northwest Territory following the Revolutionary War. In the 19th century, tourism replaced the fort as the primary business on the island.
Mackinac Island was actually first designated as a National Park in 1875, becoming the second national park in the United States, behind Yellowstone. The federal government eventually transferred the park to Michigan in 1895, when the fort closed, and Mackinac Island became the first state park in the United States. Most of the island is still preserved as a state park today.
Visitors and guests arrive on the island via ferry. There are two primary companies, Shepler’s (which we took) and Arnold Transit Company, and they both leave from the north, St. Ignace, and the south side, Mackinaw City, of the Straits of Mackinac. In a geographical oddity, the boundary between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron is marked in the Straits, although they could both be classified as the same body of water.
To get around the island, residents and tourists either walk, bike, or take a horse carriage. The island is home to at least 600 draft horses during the summer, providing the means to deliver people around the island. It is hard to believe that a town in the state home to America’s automobile industry would ban automobiles, but the town voted to do so in 1898, soon after the first car was brought to the island. The park banned automobiles in 1901, and the island has mainly been car-free ever since.
As for the fudge, the first candy store opened up on the island in the 1880s, and fudge became the treat of choice for vacationers on the island. The making of fudge evolved into an art form, and confectioners began demonstrating their craft with a touch of flair. Today, 13 current fudge makers on the island import on average 10 tons of sugar per week during the tourist season.
For day trippers, one of the best ways to see the island is to book a tour with the Mackinac Island Carriage Company. The company offers a looping tour that visits several highlights on the island, including stops at the Surrey Hills Museum, Arch Rock, and Fort Mackinac. The island tour is also a great way to escape the bustling downtown area and explore the rest of the island.
For folks that are staying on the island, the hotel of choice is the Grand Hotel, a classic resort with the world’s longest front porch. The Grand Hotel offers a tempting option, but the cost of staying with a family of five and the need to bring dress clothes to meet the evening dress code make it less appealing. The individually designed rooms offer guests timeless luxury overlooking Lake Huron.
Overall, Mackinac Island is a quirky, charming place that still relies on horsepower, maintains a pretty sweet tooth, and offers a fabulous retreat to escape the summer heat. Although the island is quite crowded in the summer, its history and uniqueness make it an excellent stop on a tour of upper Michigan or a great place to escape the trappings of modern life.