It was just after 9:00 this morning when we said goodbye to Charlene and Dennis...thanks again, we had a fabulous time and it was so nice to see you both again!
And we headed out into a foggy morning...passing by the Leelanau Winery on the waterfront we were at the other day.
I think we saw this tank in Gaylord...
We headed back to Traverse City and then took some smaller highways eventually making it over to the I-75 at Gaylord.
It was noon when we arrived in Mackinaw City...
...a little early for check-in at the Bayside Hotel, but we parked and went inside to check if by chance our room was ready. We were told to come back in an hour...okay, we'll go find a spot for lunch then.
We walked a few blocks up the main street (Huron St) and found
Toast A Go-Go...a popular informal breakfast spot. We chose not to have the buffet...and apparently they weren't serving lunch yet. Our breakfast was okay but nothing special.
By the time we returned to the hotel, our room was ready and we grabbed our suitcases and got settled in. Then it was time to head out on our sightseeing tour for today...Colonial Michilmackinac, just over a mile away. We walked north up the main street.
The USCG Cutter Mackinaw Museum...
Animal Tracks Adventure Golf...I couldn't find out much about this place. There doesn't seem to be a website...as far as I can tell it's mini golf and a zip line...
Cool looking building though with waterfalls and a fish pond!
Mackinaw Crossings...a collection of small shops and restaurants...
Mackinaw City Veterans Memorial Park....
A major intersection Central Ave and Huron St. Dixie's Saloon, on the right, is where we will end up for dinner after our tour of the fort...
To the right is
Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry. Our hotel is right across from
Star Line Mackinac Ferry...so we will take that ferry over to the island tomorrow.
Brigadoon Bed and Breakfast ...a nice looking spot (somewhat more expensive than where we are staying though!)...
Still a lot of fog near the water....
We've seen lots of stone homes in Michigan...
Made it! Look how foggy it is out there over the lake...socked right in!
The Old Mackinac Lighthouse...we by-passed going inside, deciding to spend our limited time here at the fort. Besides we visited 10 or 11 lighthouses on the Oregon coast a few years ago.
A point in the storm and a guiding beacon since 1889, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse helped passing ships navigate through the treacherous waters of the Straits of Mackinac. There’s just as much to see from the top of the tower as inside the original buildings. Authentically restored quarters and exhibits, including the original lens, a movie, Shipwrecks of the Straits, and the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum make this “Castle of the Straits” a true gem of the Great Lakes.
Just passed the lighthouse is
Fort Michilimackinac....
Treasures from the past come to life at this 18th-century fort and fur trading village. As you walk through the site, you are stepping back in time to 1775, when the American Revolution began. Reconstructed based on historic maps and more than 50 years of archaeological excavations that continue today, Colonial Michilimackinac offers a one-of-a-kind experience from cannon and musket firings to hearth cooking and crafts.
The
Mackinaw Bridge (The Mighty Mac) is shrouded in fog today. It's 5 miles long and the bridge deck height is 200 feet above the water. The Visitor's Center and Fort Entrance is underneath the bridge....
A little history....
French soldiers constructed the fortified community of Michilimackinac on the south side of the Straits of Mackinac in 1715. The community grew and prospered over the coming years as Michilimackinac became an important center of the Great Lakes fur trade. Every summer, thousands of Native Americans and French-Canadian voyageurs gathered at the post, which served as transfer station for furs trapped in the western Great Lakes and trade goods shipped in from eastern cities such as Montreal and Quebec. Michilimackinac came under British control in 1761, but the fur trade and community life remained relatively unchanged. Fearful that the post was vulnerable to attack by American rebels, the British disassembled the fort and community and moved it to Mackinac Island in 1779-81. The Mackinac Island State Park Commission acquired the site of Michilimackinac in 1909, creating Michigan’s second state park. Archaeological excavation and reconstruction of the site began in 1959, and still continue today. The fort and community are being reconstructed to their appearance in the mid-1770s, and interpreters depict the British soldiers, Native Americans, French-Canadian voyageurs, merchants and their families, and others who called Michilimackinac home. For more detailed history click here to visit the Colonial Michilimackinac history page.
For a site map of the Fort, click
here...and then click on picture to enlarge.
We paid our entrance fee and hurried along the trail...
...to the fort to watch the Artillery Demonstration.
Boooom!
Tending to the fireplace...
Display of the archaeological digging that has been going on for 50 years...
Displays showing many of the items found on this site...
An example of a typical root cellar...
Church and Priest's House...
Blacksmith...
Bunkhouse...
Chopping firewood...
Oven...
Gardens...
Active archaeological dig...
This is the cannon that was fired earlier...
Description above of this uncovered root cellar...
Standing next to the wall gun to show how long it is...
Different types of ammunition...
These are the actual burned out remains of the powder magazine...
Archaeological dig...
Guard tower...
View outside the fort from the tower...
The following are views from the upper walkway as we walk around the perimeter of the fort...
As we were about to leave, a walking tour started, so we joined in. They explained the history of the area and the fort...very well done...
Time to head back...a little more of the bridge is visible...
This is quite the house...they are building something next to it too!
Our destination is the Dixie Saloon...the last building on the left...
The place was packed. After a short wait we were escorted upstairs to a far corner...
We were kind of away from all the action and people watching but at least it was quieter from here...
A great afternoon and evening in Mackinaw City....looking forward to seeing Mackinac Island tomorrow!
...a little early for check-in at the Bayside Hotel, but we parked and went inside to check if by chance our room was ready. We were told to come back in an hour...okay, we'll go find a spot for lunch then.
We paid our entrance fee and hurried along the trail...
You guys are certainly seeing some amazing sights on your easterly tour! Being from the Midwest, Mackinac was a popular vacation destination for many in our area. We have never made it there but it certainly looks like it is worth the trip.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely worth a visit, lots to see and do.
DeleteWow what a cool place that fort is! Really like how everything is well preserved and labelled. I really like that type of stuff. Thanks for the tour! I also like the table in the saloon, look at the beams and the build.
ReplyDeleteWe really enjoyed the area. Wish we had more time to explore a little more.
DeleteWhat a huge fort. Too bad the fog stayed for your bridge pictures.
ReplyDeleteThe fog hung in pretty well all day!
DeleteThat's a fun area, thanks for refreshing my memories.
ReplyDeleteLove the area! A very pretty summer resort area.
DeleteI believe that one three story brown building has a Starbucks in the bottom floor. We had coffee there and there was a zipline place upstairs. Another great town...in the summer:)
ReplyDeleteYes there was a Starbucks there. A great place to visit for sure!
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