By: Megan Metheny

Jean Nicolet was the first European on Mackinaw island. He was the one who discovered Mackinaw Island in 1634. Native Americans traveling the Straits liked the shape the island, it was in the shape of a turtles back. So, the Native Americans named it Michilimackinaw, Land of the Great Turtle. In the 1670’s French fur traders were seeking fur. For 150 years Mackinaw Island has been trading Indian-trapped beaver, muskrat, otter, and fox pelts.

Mackinaw Island has a 3.8 sq. ft. area and an 8 mi circumference. It is located in Lake Huron on the east end of the Straits of Mackinaw and between the upper and lower peninsulas. The highest point on Mackinaw Island is Fort Holmes: 320 ft above the lake level and 890 ft above sea level. The year round population on Mackinaw Island is 523 people. In the summer, as many as 15,000 visitors come per day.

There are many different ways of getting around Mackinaw Island besides cars.

A dray is a horse drawn low flat bed cart with no sides used to move anything and everything.

A horse-drawn taxi is a taxi at which you go to the office and tell them where you want to go and they will pick you up and drop you off where you wanted

to go and its only $4 per person.

A bike is a great way to get around Mackinaw Island. You get a lot of exercise and you can rent one for $4 and a bike license for $3.50.

Mackinaw Island Fudge is the most popular fudge in America. May’s Candy Shop is having 16 new flavors this summer and started in Atchison, Kansas in 1881. In the 1930’s the May family settled it on Mackinaw Island. Joann’s Fudge is open May 1st through October 25th. Joann’s Fudge Shop has 30 wonderful flavors to choose from. Ryba’s Fudge is voted Michigan’s

favorite fudge for 43 years. There is 14 flavors to choose from and caramel apples too. The Mackinaw Island Fudge Festival is August 22-

23, 2008.

This years Lilac Festival is June 6-15. The Lilac Festival is the first and best summer event on Mackinaw Island. There is a parade and activities you can do on the days of the Lilac Festival. The 10 kilometer Run has been going on since3 1949. Lilac Festival Queen and Princess is selected by Mackinaw Island Public School. Mackinaw Islands lilacs are the largest found on American soil.

The Mackinaw Island Butterfly House is a all glass conservatory. In the butterfly house, there are 50-100 different varieties of butterflies. 1,000 butterflies ate flying around the 1800 sq. ft. garden. Also, there are over 1,000 flowers in the garden so the butterflies can land on after flying. Mackinaw Island Butterfly House is the 3rd oldest butterfly exhibit in the U.S. There is a gift shop and amphibians living in the butterfly house. In the butterfly house there is instrumental music playing at all times.

Skull cave is a small shallow cave used as a refuge in 1793. Fur trader Alexander Henry was a refuge using the cave as a shelter. Skull Cave is 10 ft. wide and 4 meters tall. It is called Skull Cave because the Indians buried there dead inside of the cave. Skull Cave was caved during the Algonquin post-glacier period by the waters of Lake Algonquin.

Alexander Henry

The Arch Rock is a natural limestone arch. Arch Rock was formed during Nipissing post-glacial period. It is located on Lake Huron’s Shore. Through the hole of the arch is Lake Huron. It is 50 ft. wide and 150 ft. above ground. Through the hole of the arch is Lake Huron.

The Sugar Loaf Rock is a limestone rock just like Arch Rock. It formed when the waters of Lake Huron receded in the beginning of Mackinaw Island. It stands 79 ft. above the ground. According to the Natives American’s it was a Wigwam of the Great Spirit, Manabozho. Sugar Loaf rock is the largest post-glacial erosion features in the Straits of Mackinaw.

The original theatre building was built in 1885 by Charles Caskey. He built a lot of mansions on Mackinac Island and most importantly he built the Grand Hotel. The first use of the building was a roller rink and in 1895 it was a dance hall. In 1907 it was a family theatre with "moving pictures". In 1923 it became a Motion picture theatre. From 1917 to the present it was called the Orpheum Theatre.

Fort Mackinaw is a military outpost from the 18th century to the late 19th century. It was built by British during the American Revolutionary War. Fort Mackinaw was built to control the strategic Straits of Mackinaw. It was closed in 1895 and now is a museum in the Mackinaw Island State Park. Today, Fort Mackinaw is a very popular tourist destination for Mackinaw Island State Park. On the site of Fort Mackinaw there are 14 original buildings.

Mackinaw Island was a National Park in 1875. After it was a National Park it was Michigan's first state park. It covers 80% of Mackinaw Island’s land. Mackinaw State Park is 1,800 acres big. Michigan’s shortest highway, M-185 that circles the island, criss-crosses Mackinaw Island with a lot of different footpaths and trails. There are 13 historical buildings in Mackinaw Island State Park. Including, Mission Church, Biddle House, and Beaumont Museum.

Carriage men began giving tours of the island in 1869. In 1948 the Mackinaw Island Carriage Tours Inc. was created and is the world’s largest continuous operated horse and buggy livery company. There are 400 horses on Mackinaw Island, they all pull carriages for the tours. Each tour is 1.75 hours long from Main St. to The Butterfly House. Adults are $23.50 and children (5-12) are 49 per carriage tour.

The Grand Hotel is the first hotel built on Mackinac Island, it was built in 1887. The starting rates to stay there were $3-$5 per day. At 660 feet, the Grand Hotel’s front porch is the worlds longest. At the front of the hotel there are 13 white pillars, each one stands for the first 13 colonies. It takes 500,000 gallons of water to fill the

hotel’s pool.

There are many rules that you have to follow on Mackinaw Island. The most important rule is there are to be no cars. There is no camping to be done on Mackinaw Island. You are not allowed to bring your horse to ride on Mackinaw Island due to limited stall space in the farms. To enter the Grand Hotel women must wear dresses or a skirt and men must wear a tux or something formal.