Mackinac Island: Automobiles banned; only by foot and bicycle
It was 6th May, summer not even started yet here at Michigan, USA. A group of Bangladeshi friends exploring a significant historical place Mackinac Island, which has some unique characteristics and most popular tourist place in Michigan State. Michigan’s south and biggest city Detroit to mackinaw city was 5 hours driving and 30 minutes boat journey. I have been there several time, every visit we found different part of beauty.
Mackinac Island is outstanding significance in the history and the advance of the American frontier prior to 1830. Fort Mackinac and other properties related to the island’s role as a military outpost and fur trade depot in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This island is the second national park in the United States, and one of the country’s premier tourist destinations since the mid-nineteenth century.
Mackinac Island is located in the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Huron meets Lake Michigan and Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas are in closest proximity. The island is about three miles east of the southeastern tip of the Upper Peninsula. Just over eight miles in circumference and about three and a half square miles in area, Mackinac Island is neither the largest nor smallest island in the straits, but its dramatic height sets it apart.
According to Anishinaabe-Ojibwe tradition, Mackinac Island is a holy place populated by the first people and was home to the Great Spirit Gitchie Manitou. Mackinac Island, by virtue of its location in the center of the Great Lakes waterway, became a tribal gathering place where offerings were made to Gitchie Manitou and where tribes buried their chiefs to honor the Great Spirit. Native Americans traveling the Straits region likened the shape of the island to that of a turtle’s back and named it Michilimackinac, Land of the great Turtle.
Automobiles were banned from the Island in 1901, transit is generally by foot, horse, and bicycle. Police, fire service, ambulance City Corporation all utility services are using bike or horse. We park our car at boat station free of cost, Mackinaw city has vast area to park car. We reserve our hotel at Island; it is tough to get hotel in Island, need advance booking.
After arrived mackinaw city, we quickly obtained ship ticket to go Mackinac Island. It was amazing beautiful scenario. Weather was perfect enjoying with family and kids. We sign-in the hotel in the Island and hotel attendant collected all our luggage from boat station.
In Island, we were exploring by horse taxi with guide come driver. She was explaining the various sights, their history and significance. The exiting part of the visit was bicycle ride around the Island. We all boys rent bike from hotel lobby, start biking around the island. The periphery of the island is around 8 and half miles bike trial, the most fun part to complete biking.
The major roads to the interior of the island were in place by the early 1800s, most likely to provide access to farms. In the late nineteenth century additional roads and trails were constructed for the national and state parks. Nearly all of the current roads and trails were in place by World War II. East of the fort, cottages on the East Bluff are clearly visible from the harbor. They are balanced by the Grand Hotel and West Bluff cottages that dominate the view from the southwest. Michigan governor stay that Island for 7 days and he manage all administration from there. Michigan chamber of commerce also attended meeting on summer.
The arrival of Mackinac Island’s first tourists in the 1830’s contributed to the diversification of the island’s economy. At this time travelers were beginning to seek resorts that offered scenic beauty, not just healthy water and air as was the custom earlier. The first American resorts were mineral water spas. People began to go to the shore, preferably the ocean, but to a lakeshore if no ocean was available. The Romantic Movement introduced a new appreciation for the beauty of nature and wilderness landscapes and brought the development of tourism in places like Niagara Falls and the Catskill Mountains.
As was often the case with resort hotels in this era, the Grand Hotel was built by the railroad companies to promote and augment their travel business. In the case of Mackinac Island, the Michigan Central and the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroads combined with the Detroit and Cleveland Steamship Navigation Company. The Grand Hotel opened in mid-July, 1887. One unique specialty of Grand hotel is, it has 385 rooms and each one different then another. It has own horse shuttle to carry its customers.
Today, Mackinac Island continues to be a tremendously popular tourist destination, drawing an estimated 900,000 visitors each summer. In 1960, Mackinac Island was designated a National Historic Landmark in recognition of its outstanding role in the fur trade and the defense of the frontier. History, more than ever, is a key element in its attraction. The hotels and cottages that were once modern and fashionable are now historic and fashionable.
Writer: Advance Automotive Engineer, Michigan, USA
