By David Freeze
I thought I had my ducks in a row for a very challenging day on Saturday, August 2nd. I stayed up way too late and had a plan for getting to Mackinac Island, the premier tourist attraction in Michigan and possibly on the Great Lakes. I spent the night in Cheboygan, Michigan at Johnson’s Motel. Cheboygan was the right choice, but Johnson’s wasn’t my best motel. But very little was available in the area and prices of $200-$250 were common. I paid about 40% of that in my ongoing fun battle to find the best motel for the least price. Mine was a room for four with two bedrooms. Too many of my neighbors stayed outside talking late and I slept in the back room. All good.
First up was trying to find the best lighthouse in Cheboygan on my early run. I knew it was in a park on the water. I followed the main road to the water where dozens of trucks and boat trailers were already there. I saw the lighthouse but didn’t want to chase it in the dark and through the sand in my running shoes. I ran back, packed up and drove back and found a truck path to the Cheboygan Lighthouse while being eaten by huge mosquitoes.
That project done, I drove to Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) City in about half an hour and looked for the Shepler Ferry Terminal where thousands of people would board ferry boats today to go to Mackinac Island. The first huge parking lot was full by 8am and I was sent to a secondary and bigger lot. I found it, parked my truck and took a shuttle back to the original terminal where boats were loading as fast as possible, maybe 300 per boat. I paid $53 dollars for admission and parking and got in line with a backpack, some snacks and my camera.
Last night in my planning, I found answers to lots of questions about getting to the island and how to make the best of it once there. I planned to take my bike to the island where bikes and horses, both ridden and pulling sightseeing tours, were the only transportation. People could take their bikes on the ferry but were charged $21 to take it. I didn’t take mine and figured I would just walk and see what I could see.
On the way over, we rode under the spectacular Mackinac Bridge, just 28 feet short of five miles long. The modern bridge connects the lower and upper Michigan peninsulas.
Mackinac Island is incredible in some ways. It has been a home to the wealthy for at least 200 years. Huge houses and the grandest hotels imaginable have been there for years. When my boat unloaded, the morning was still young, and we could walk easily enough. From the ferry, we were told that Fort Mackinac and the Michigan Governor’s summer home shared one bluff. The Grand Hotel and its golf course took another. There is an eight-mile road around the island. Goods were being delivered to all the businesses by horse drawn wagons. These horses are huge and well-kept draft horses.
Thousands of bicycles lined the streets on both sides waiting for people to rent them and rent them, they did. For an hourly fee, visitors could rent the bike style of their choice. By mid-morning, the major roads were full of horses, wagons, bikes and people. Everyone had to be alert. Those walking were encouraged to stay on the sidewalks where there is one. All the horse manure on the streets is cleaned up as quickly as possible.
Very early, I found out most things on the island cost considerably. Horse tours were as high as $71. I took a map and walked to the things I wanted to see and read about them in the visitors’ guide. I knew that Fort Mackinac was calling my name when they fired a cannon, so I paid the $17 fee to see inside the walls, and it was the best buy I made all day.
Fort Mackinac was originally a British Fort and begun in 1779. The US Army finally took it over in 1796 and established a post there until British forces captured it in 1812. They lost it when the Americans won the war. Then in 1875, it became the second National Park behind Yellowstone. Soldiers did park work as well but got an extra stipend to do it. In 1895, ownership of the park was transferred to Michigan, and it became a state park.
I saw a cannon demonstration as soon as I entered the fort. A dozen or so buildings in the fort are all in good repair and much the same as they were when occupied by the US Army. All had great exhibits, some interactive. Visitors could even put on period uniform jackets and play drums after hearing military drummers play. The hospital had amazing explanations of medical practices during the busiest times at the fort.
Various demonstrations continued all day, with one including the advantages of the breech (rear) loading rifle used in 1875, just 10 years after most soldiers finished the Civil War using muzzle loading single shot rifles. Two soldiers began throwing a baseball from the post-Civil War period and we enjoyed an impromptu discussion with them about baseball at that time and other exercise options for the soldiers. No physical training was required in 1875. The best views of the harbor are from the fort!
I walked to the other major place on the island, the Grand Hotel. Incredible in size, it is the grandest and by far the largest of all the hotels on the island. It opened in 1887.
I left at mid-afternoon, took a quick ferry ride back to Mackinaw City and found a room in Newberry, the Moose Capital of Michigan. A 90-minute drive, beginning with the Mackinac Bridge, has me well positioned to drive to Lake Superior and visit two interesting things tomorrow morning. I can’t wait. I hope you’ll join me for tomorrow’s report.
