Back Road Whispers: July 2017

Everything you have heard about Mackinac Island is true!

It is a beautiful place, a special place, and a historic place. This is the island that does not allow motorized vehicles other than emergency units. If you want to get around the island you either walk, bike or use a horse. Even UPS has to leave the brown truck on the other side of the straits.

As charming as it is now, it does have a history that isn't entirely spotless. The earliest artifacts found showing human occupation of the island dates to 900AD. It was considered a sacred place - the home of the Great Spirit, and burial grounds for chiefs of the different tribes. With the arrival of Jesuit priests came the fur trading industry and soon Mackinac Island was an important port on the Great Lakes.

Fort Mackinac flipped back and forth between the British and the Americans throughout the years. Britain captured the fort during the War of 1812 because the Americans hadn't heard war had been declared. Finally the Treaty of Ghent gave the United States the territory in 1815. The fort did house three Confederate prisoners during the Civil War.

First we had to get there by ferry from St. Ignace where we had docked. It wasn't just a ride, it included a great commentary from the tour guide, unfortunately I was too far away to hear much of anything from him. Any of these would have been a good choice - but we were "stuck" on the ferry.

Even this guy would have taken us had we asked. Look at that water!!

And this is what we saw on the way over.

Just your everyday run of the mill summer cottage.

As we got closer to the island we passed the Round Island Lighthouse. It sits on a 378 uninhabited island that has been without commercial activity for over 100 years. It is part of Hiawatha National Forest and, other than the one acre where the lighthouse sits, is wilderness.

It was buit in 1895 with a 57' brick tower and a wooden building for the lighthouse keeper, his assistant and their families to live in. It was lit for the first time on May 15th, 1896 and automated in 1924. In 1947 the light was deactivated and replaced by automation. The lighthouse was abandoned and slowly deteriorated until a storm in 1972 knocked down a corner of the building. That got some attention. In 1974 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places and it started getting the love it needed.

In 1979 it was the backdrop for a scene in the movie Somewhere in Time starring Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer that was filmed on Mackinac Island. After that the lighthouse improved to the point that in 1995 the Coast Guard granted permission to relight the lighthouse. It was relit in 1996 and since then several organizations have maintained and improved the structure, including a Boy Scout Troop from Freeland, Michigan.

And then appeared the Grand Hotel where we would be having lunch. Grand it is. Our new friend, Judy, was enjoying the view.

The Grand Hotel was opened for business in 1887 and rooms rented for $3.00 to $5.00 a night. The front porch, the longest in the world, became the island meeting place, and the hotel manager even arranged for the new Edison phonograph to be demonstrated on the porch.

In 1895 you could attend a lecture by Mark Twain for $1.00. But you might want to save your money because the rate for a room was going up to $6.00 a night in 1919.

The clerk that checked you in for that $6.00 room, W. Stewart Woodfill, was hired in 1919 and bought the hotel in 1937. In 1960 he appointed R. Dan Musser as president who, with the help of his wife, began a renovation of the hotel both inside and out. In 1976 he bought the hotel.

Before Somewhere in Time was filmed on Mackinac another movie used the hotel and the island as a location. This Time for Keeps starring Jimmy Durante and Esther Williams was filmed here in 1947.

Oh, and that $6.00 a night room??? Today it will cost you, if you stay Monday - Thursday and share the room with a husband or friend, $319.00 per person per night.

When we landed, our taxi was waiting for us...

and I saw my ex-husband!
(Sorry Earl, couldn't resist)

We toured around the island passing other horse drawn wagons, bicyclists and riders on horseback. So nice not to hear sirens, horns honking, or traffic noise. So ride along and if there is something worth mentioning, I will, if not just enjoy the beauty of the island.

The Post Cemetery is the final resting place of soldiers from Fort Mackinac, their families and local officials. Rumor has it that both British and American soldiers from the War of 1812 are buried here. However, since the markers were wooden they have deteriorated over the years so there is no way of really knowing who is buried from that time. When the Army abandoned Fort Mackinac in 1895 the cemetery was closed and no further burials were allowed. Burials are now in St. Anne's Cemetery and Island Cemetery BUT to be buried on Mackinac Island today, you must have been born there or been a resident/owned a business on Mackinac Island for more than 15 years to qualify.

More of the sweet horses. Our driver was adamant that NOBODY drove his horses but him, so I asked if he owned them. No, but he considered them his and he was the one that could take care of them better than anyone. His love of them was evident as we stopped several times for a break. Water and feed was readily available at the building when we left the taxi and got on a tour buggy.

Obvious who is in charge here.

Then it was lunch time at The Grand. A buffet lunch that pleased every palate. The dining room was beautiful, the staff friendly and efficient. It was crowded! After lunch we went out on the famous front porch of the Grand and checked out the view.

A couple of shots inside on the way to the dining room. The "I'll come back and gets some pictures of the inside after lunch" gremlin got me - we went out the porch door and not back through the building. Suffice it to say the interior was beyond gorgeous and it was not Motel 6!!!

The carpet.

No way would I EVER sit on that!

Outside the porch had enough rockers for everyone that wanted to sit. I was too enthralled by all the geraniums and the gorgeous view to sit, but Pat did! She can say she rocked on the verandah of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island...I can't :(

Pretty swanky!

Back to touring the island and seeing some historic places and some more pretty stuffs.

Clip clopping down the road through the natural beauty of Mackinac. Lady Slippers and Trillium (I think) were plentiful along side the road. Have you ever taken a paint brush and just swiped it across the paper? That's what my photos turned out to be of the flowers. Sorry although fun and rustic horse drawn carriages do not lend themselves to taking sharp pictures of tiny flowers.

Soon we passed Fort Mackinac. Although we didn't stop, we caught a glimpse of the property. We did have the opportunity to come back after the tour to visit but we chose to hit a few of the shops and boost the economy of Mackinac Island instead. :)

"HISTORIC FORT MACKINAC

Mackinac Island has been called the most historic spot in the Middle West. Fort Mackinac was first built by the British in 1780-81. It was not until 1796, thirteen years after the end of the Revolutionary War, that the British relinquished this fort to the Americans. At the outbreak of the War of 1812, the British seized the island and built Fort George. This fort, which you see to the north beyond the Rifle Range, was renamed Fort Holmes by the Americans who reoccupied the island in 1815. Troops garrisoned Fort Mackinac until 1895."

This is a view from the ferry as we were leaving but I stuck it in here with the rest of the fort pictures.

The arch is a natural limestone rock formation, give or take a couple of years, around 5000 years old.

Native Americans saw the arch as a reverent place and told many stories and legends about it along with many taboos. Then here we came along and saw it as a tourist attraction, so much so it was one of the deciding factors in creating Mackinac State Park. Way to go Michigan!

One of my favorite things about traveling is the little side stories beyond the history books. Skull Cave is one of those stories. Way back in 1763 there was an Indian uprising and not wanting to be part of it, or a victim to it, Alexander Henry, a fur trader on the island hid in a small cave. He did survive the uprising and told the tale of human bones covering the floor of the cave. Ummm, again we didn't go back to check it out, although Marti might have thought that was a fun souvenir - an Indian bone from Mackinac Island.

And for our friend, Chuck.

Back we went on the ferry passing Mackinac Bridge connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. Had to chuckle when our tour guide, Sue, who lives on the lower peninsula, said the Yuppers called the residents on the lower peninsula Trolls because they live below the bridge.

You engineering types can read all about the mechanics and bells and whistles along with some really beautiful photos at http://www.mightymac.org/bridge.htm . I did find it interesting, since I really don't like to drive over bridges all that much, that they have a service that will provide a driver to take your car or motorcycle to the other side of the bridge at no additional cost. Sweeeeeet.

Five workers were killed in the construction of the bridge. One was a suspected heart attack, two from a catwalk collapsing, one from "the bends" from surfacing too fast, one from a fall. Suicides from jumping from the bridge are extremely rare since, other than the Bridgewalk every year, no pedestrians are allowed.

Apparently our cabin steward had been up to monkey business while we were gone.

Next on the tour is Chicago....

Chicago, Chicago that toddlin' town
Chicago, Chicago I'll show you around - I love it

LOCKED IN SAULT STE. MARIE

Just when we thought we were going to go solo a tour boat snuck in behind us...oh well I guess we have enough water to share.

Unfortunately for them, the poor people on that boat got a good view of our tail end. We were way taller and broader than they were....

Someone paid the ransom and we were released.

And into Lake Superior we went.

Look at all these lovely people that came to wish us safe travels. Three story observation tower. The two ladies standing on the deck are two of the Magnificent Seven, Barbara and Joan. Lovely. Sure wish we were sitting and having a drink before dinner again.

Hey, we weren't in Lake Superior long, but I did get at least one picture in its waters.

It is a salvage boat. I thought it very clean and well maintained for such a job, but what do I know?

While here we were treated to the Bushplane Museum. No need to tell you of the importance of the bush pilots in the northern remote areas. They are the lifeline for some of those folks. One of our guest lecturers on board was from a small village in Alaska and actually flew a tail dragger.

Despite having been married to Walt for 50 years I still know squat about a plane. So random shots I took wandering aimlessly around the hangar, snapping what caught my interest.

I will never complain about being uncomfortable in a plane again!

A rare sighting for a Texan...seeing a plane give birth to a canoe.

There was so much information and beautiful exhibits, and it all made sense when I was there...but I have slept since then so sorry.

Outside was pretty to walk around and cool enough to do so (did I mention I was from Texas - lovely weather!)

Edison Water Treatment Plant

After an enjoyable visit with the planes we were off to the Heritage Center.

The Ermatinger Old Stone House has been completely restored to show the life of Charles Oakes Ermatinger and other residents between the years of 1808 and 1896. The original property was 252 acres.

Before the completion of the railroad, Sault Ste. Marie was the edge between settled eastern Canada and the western portion that was still being explored and developed. Mr. Ermatinger was a prominent player during that time especially fur trading. I might add he had a good eye for building a beautiful building.

Next door is the Clergue Blockhouse that was relocated to the site in 1996, and was the home of industrialist Francis Hector Clergue from 1894 - 1908.

Interior shots of, again, things that caught my eye.

Outside the air was heavy with the aroma of lilacs in bloom.

Daddy loved to quote his version of a nursery rhyme "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? ' With silver bells and cockle shells and one damned petunia!'" Well, I had to think about him when I found this one little flower (Phlox?) in the middle of all my lilac photos.

Too soon it was time to head back across the International Bridge (and through customs once again) and get ready for happy hour and dinner - do you see a trend here?

The International Bridge and what I saw traveling over it.