Well there is such a place and it's Mackinac Island, Michigan. Keep in mind that Michigan is where place names trace their origins either to the Native Americans or French so there are hardly any names that are pronounced the way they look. It's pronounced Mackinaw.
Mackinac Island is located just east of the straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, where the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the lower portion almost meet. The "Big Mac,", the Mackinac Bridge connects the two land masses. On the north end of the bridge is St. Ignace, pronounced, believe it or not, as it's spelled. On the southern end is Mackinaw City..., no it's not a typo, the city's name is spelled different from the straits, the bridge or the island.
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| Mackinac Bridge |
Before we get to the meat of this story, the island, let's talk about the bridge. Mackinac Bridge is the 5th longest suspension bridge in the world with the suspension portion of the bridge at over 8,600 feet in length with the overall bridge length of over 5 miles. The roadbed is 199 feet above the water at the mid of the span. There are fours lanes of traffic on the bridge the outer two in each direction is asphalt with the inner two steel grates, the kind that seem to take control of your car! Maximum speed for cars is 45 and trucks 25. High winds result in a lower speed limit.
Since this is the only connection between the land for hundreds of miles, it is a very important bridge. Drivers who are uncomfortable driving across the bridge can have the Bridge Authority supply a driver to get across the bridge! There is no charge for this service. Bicyclists, pedestrians and snow-mobilers can pay to be taken across the bridge.
Now back to our story.
To get to Mackinac Island one must take ferry, private boat or private plane. Of course a ferry is the most popular option. Ferries travel from both St. Ignace or Mackinaw City, many times daily,for most months until the ice prevents them from making the trip. From there, a tourist can see the sights of the island on foot, via bicycle, there are many places to rent one, horse back or horse drawn carriage. The island is small, only 8-miles around the perimeter so most of the sights are well within walking distance.
What interested me is not how people moved but how goods moved: luggage of the guests in one of the islands many hotels, deliveries to the stores and restaurants and, hay for the horses! All done by horse drawn wagons or bicycle!
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| Freight delvery from the ferry to its destination |
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| A visitor's luggage being transported to their hotel |
There are reported to be about 500 year-round residents of the island. Children are educated in its one school which houses grades K through 12. As you can see, there are no buses!
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| Island school |
There are many hotels if one wishes to stay on the island. The Grand Hotel is perhaps the most famous and popular. I wanted to spend the night there until I found that the cheapest room they have, even in the off season, is $250 per person per night! To dine there, gentlemen must wear coat and tie! There is even a fee to visit the lobby of the hotel!!
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| Shore line on the south west side of the island |
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| House on Main Street |
History buffs will find Mackinac Island very interesting in that it was first inhabited prior to 1000 AD by Native Americans. The French were the first Europeans to visit the island in 1670. There is Fort Mackinac that served various armies from 1790 to 1895. One can also learn of the importance of the island in early American fur trading.
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| Fort Mackinac |
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| This house dates to 1790. |
As I looked down Main Street,, I couldn't help but equate the island to Disney World. All the building were extremely well maintained, the street clear (mostly) of traffic and everything was clean. In another sense, it was like a visit through a time machine to a time when the "horseless carriage" didn't exist.
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| View down Main Street |
I must point out that pedestrians who mistakenly walked in the street were quickly chastised by the drivers of the wagons and carriages who "encouraged " them is loud voices to use the sidewalks!
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| Lilac Tree Hotel |
Mackinac Island is a very beautiful place to visit, one of the most picturesque places one can visit. So if you're in the area and want to visit, pack your wallet and put on your old shoes! Have fun!
