Midwest Mary

Venture to the Midwest of the United States and you may hear about an island way up north called Mackinac. This charming island draws crowds from spring until the waterways are too frozen for ferries to transport guests.

A city on the mainland where the ferry leaves for Mackinac is named Mackinaw. Visitors are often confused by the similar spellings, but regardless of how the name is spelled, both are pronounced Mackinaw.

Mackinac was originally spelled Michilimackinac. It was named by the Ojibwa people and means “Place of the Great Turtle.” The indigenous people believed the island to be sacred ground. It was an important location for fishing, trapping, and navigating the northern waterways. When the British arrived they named the island Mackinac and the city on the mainland Mackinaw.

By 1720, the Straits of Mackinac was the primary avenue of transportation in the Upper Great Lakes for fur trading and local economy.

The French built a fort in Mackinaw City and named it Fort Michilimackinac. They later relinquished control of the fort to the British following the French and Indian War. The British then moved the fort to Mackinac Island in 1780.

Mackinac Island was acquired by the United States from the British after the War of 1812.

This change of ownership opened the island to tourism in the second half of the 19^th century.

Tourism soon became the main source of income and continues to be. The variety of activities and relaxing atmosphere void of the noise and fumes of trucks and cars attract guests of all ages.

Other historic sites on the island can be found in the Mackinac State Historic Park. The park includes a blacksmith shop, a fur store, a house dating to the 1820s, and Fort Holmes. Visitors can tour the Missionary Bark Chapel that is located in Marquette Park and honors the French Missionaries.

There also are a few rock formations of interest.

Motor vehicles were banned on the island in 1898 but the law wasn’t fully enforced until the 1930s.

Visitors and homeowners who prefer not to walk can commute via bicycles, horses, or horse-drawn carriages, and visitors won’t have to look far to find them.

The island is lavishly decorated with flowers, which adds to its romantic charm.

Blooms adorn Victorian cottages, cafes, and shops.

As seen in Friday’s post, even the trash cans are topped with bouquets.

For those looking for a sweet treat, fudge shops line the streets with cases of delicacies from which to choose.

Popcorn is also a popular snack that is readily available.

However, the most noted attraction on Mackinac Island is the Grand Hotel. The hotel opened in 1887 and features vintage decorated rooms.

This summer getaway also showcases 13 restaurants and bars, shops, walls of historical documents, and a museum.

In addition, a curious attraction since the hotel opened includes the 660-foot porch on which to rest and look out upon the water.

The hotel drew public interest when two movies were made on the site. This Time for Keeps with Jimmy Durante and Esther Williams was produced in 1947.

Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour was produced in 1980.

The classics continue to draw the attention of guests seeking to see the hotel featured in the movies.

In fact, the hotel is so popular that island visitors who can’t afford the rates or don’t want to stay there, willingly pay an entrance fee to tour the hotel.

Rooms can be very pricey at the Grand depending on the day and time of year but guests describe stays as memorable. However, there are other locations for lodging on the island, and in Mackinaw City, which is just a short ferry ride away.

*Information for this post was gathered from the Mackinac Island blog.

*©2024, Mary K. Doyle