Yes, we often show up in odd ball destinations like Wickenburg, AZ, visiting obscure attractions like the “Jail Tree.” This week, however, we set our sights on a top tourist destination, Mackinac Island in the Mackinac Straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in upper Michigan. By the way up here it is pronounced “Mackinaw,” the “c” at the end of the word is silent. The name is a shortening of the original Indian name Michilimackinac which means “place of the great turtle.”
The area has a colorful history controlled from time to time by the natives, French, British and Americans. The island has been a tourist destination since the Civil War and was made the second National Park in 1875. It attracted the rich and famous of the day.
Mackinac Island has a singular distinction. It has no cars. Well we did see a modern ambulance, but other than that we saw no cars. Horses rule the day. The streets indeed are littered with “horse exhaust.” Even that is picked up by… yes, a horse drawn wagon. The story goes something like this: In the infancy of the automobile one resident brought a horseless carriage to the island. The machine frightened the horses and several were injured as a result. The city fathers got together and banned the contraptions from the city and have upheld the ban ever since.
The result is a booming bicycle rental business and thousands of bicycles parked along all of the main streets in town. Path was certainly in his element. We did a romp around the eight mile shore line trail with new friends Randy and Cindy. The loop trail is perfectly flat and at least 16 feet wide. We saw sights like Arch Rock and Devil’s Kitchen.
We spent most of the day in Fort Mackinac. They have historic re-enactments throughout the day. Cannon firing, musket firing and Court Martial re-enactments by people in 1850 American Army uniforms. The previous day we visited Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City at the northern tip of the Michigan Mainland. The re-enactments here depict the French time period and the actors wear French uniforms from the 1750’s. This fort is a total reconstruction. The British took over in 1761 from the French, lost it to the Chippewa in 1763. They regained control in 1764 but got worried at the end of the American Revolution and moved it ‘Lock, Stock and Barrel” to Mackinac Island in 1781 and built Fort Mackinac. What they couldn’t move thy burned to the ground. Understandably Archeology plays a big role in Fort Michilimackinac and many archeological displays are included in the basements of the various reconstructed fort buildings.
Enough with the history, already! We are finding many new things to sample. A local delicacy called pasteys, made of rutabagas, carrots, onions and some sort of meat and sealed in a pastry shell. Our new friends introduced us to “Pudgy Pies.” This is a toasted sandwich made in a special cast iron clam shell with very long handles and cooked over the campfire. Yummy!
If you didn’t get this last night it is because we again have no cell phone and no internet. We are in the U.P., which is the Upper Peninsula. The people are known as “Uppers.” This is in contrast to the people south of the Mackinac Bridge. They are known as “Trolls,” i.e. below the bridge or “Fudgies” because they come to Mackinaw City to get fudge. The Upper Peninsula at first look seems a little more rural and laid back, the southern areas more industrial. They all agree that we are a long, long way from home in Oregon.
Goodbye from Lake Michigamme near Lake Superior in U.P. Michigan
Gary and Judy