Mackinac Island
A view of the village of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island (pronounced MACK-ih-NAW) is a small island, 4.4 mile² (11.3 km²) in area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located near the northern tip of Michigan's "mitten" (lower peninsula) in Lake Huron at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac that connect to Lake Michigan. Its strategic position amidst the commerce of the fur trade of the Great Lakes led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac on the island by the British duirng the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two strategic battles during the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became a popular tourist attraction and continues to be famous for its Victorian resort hotels and lack of automobiles. Of the island's total area, two-thirds is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park.
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The island has a year-round population of approximately 500, mostly in the historic village of Mackinac Island located on the southern tip. The population grows considerably in the resort season, when it is crowded with tourists, accommodating an average of 15,000 people a day. The highest point of the island is the historic Fort Mackinac (since 1815 officially called Fort Holmes), which is 320 feet (97 m) above the lake level and about 890 feet (270 m) above sea level.
The island is accessible by private boats, by ferry from St. Ignace or Mackinaw City and small planes. The airport has a 3,500 ft (1,070 m) paved runway, and charter air service from the mainland is available. During the winter months when the lake is frozen, the island is accessible by snowmobile. Residents save their Christmas trees at British Landing (the site of an 1812 assault on the fort), which are placed along a route marking 5 miles (8 km) of safe ice.
Motorized vehicles are prohibited on the island, with an exception made for emergency vehicles. Travel on the island is largely by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn carriage. Bicycles, carriages, or saddle horses are available for rent, although inexperienced carriage drivers are cautioned to avoid busy town areas. An 8.5 mile (14 km) road rings the island, and numerous roads cover the interior. The circular road is Michigan State Highway M-185, one of the only highways in the United States without motorized vehicles.
The island was at the center of a thriving fur industry beginning in the 17th century and lasing into the early 19th century. The Mackinaw Fur Company was merged with the Southwestern Fur Company by John Jacob Astor to form his American Fur Company.
The island changed hands from the French to the British after the French and Indian War. The United States nominally owned the island after the American Revolutionary War, although due to its remoteness, the British maintained a military presence there and for all practical purposes exerted a strong influence over the area, including the local native tribes. Subsequently it was the site of the first engagement in the War of 1812 but again returned to the US, by treaty in 1815. In 1875 much of the island was designated as Mackinac National Park, the second national park in the U.S. after Yellowstone National Park, created three years early. When Fort Mackinac was decommissioned in 1895, the land was given to the state of Michigan and it became Michigan's first state park, Mackinac Island State Park. No camping is allowed on the island.
Description
History
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| Mercator projection: public domain Online Map Creation |
References
External link