After a day of thunderstorms and windy conditions, we finally left Drummond Bay for Mackinac Island on a perfect traveling day: flat seas and blue skies!
Michilimackinac-meaning the place of the great turtle, that is what the Great Lake Indians called the island that separates Lake Huron from Lake Michigan. Like many locations, Mackinac Island has experienced many evolutions: from furs to fudge. Once a major trading post for furs, current day Mackinac is now a major tourist destination. In the late 1900s, under pressure from the carriage drivers, the village council banned the use of automobiles on the island. This act preserved Mackinac's carriage tour economy and late 19th Century atmosphere. So how do people get around?
Lots and lots of bicycles and tourists.
Horse drawn carriages.
Everything is hauled by horse and cart. A whole crew is employed to clean up the horse droppings.
The huge number of tourists are brought in by high speed ferries. We were amazed at the number of ferries entering the harbor-most were not too careful about reducing their wakes so we got bounced around a lot at our slip in the town marina.
One of the attractions of Mackinac Island is the well preserved architecture. By the 1890s, magnificent mansions were constructed as the island became the most fashionable summer resort in the Great Lakes.
Some examples of the well preserved houses all with manicured gardens and an array of colorful flowers.
One of the other major attractions is Fort Mackinac.
The Fort served as a military post for the British and later American soldiers from 1780 to 1895. In the early years, Fort Mackinac was a crucial border post. It protected the lucrative fur trade and maintained alliances with neighboring Indian tribes. Today, military reenactments are for the hordes of tourists.
One of the many cannons in the Fort.
View of the harbor from the Fort.
In 1887, the immense and palatial Grand Hotel opened its doors on Mackinac.
The Grand Hotel has hosted many Presidents and boasts that it has the longest veranda in the world. Non residents must pay $10 to tour the hotel. After 6:00 p.m. men must wear a suit and tie and ladies are not allowed to wear slacks. As we had left the tiaras and tuxedos at home, we opted to indulge in their extravagant brunch instead.
Guest transportation at the Grand Hotel.
We had originally planned to only spend two nights on Mackinaw but weather predictions for high winds, 5-8 foot seas and water spouts made us opt for another night. The next day, we rented bicycles (had to work off that large brunch!) and cycled around the perimeter of the island-8.5 miles.
Bike path around the island.
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