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68-487: Fort Mackinac ( / ˈ m æ k ə n ɔː / MAK -ə-naw ) is a former British and American military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century in the city of Mackinac Island, Michigan , on Mackinac Island . The British built the fort during the American Revolutionary War to control the strategic Straits of Mackinac between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron , and by extension

136-644: A campaign to take control of the Great Lakes and sever the fur trade alliance between the British and the tribes of the region; as part of this campaign, the Americans attempted to retake Mackinac Island in July 1814. The two-pronged campaign also included an assault on Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin , located on the upper Mississippi River . On July 26, 1814, a squadron of five United States ships arrived off Mackinac Island, carrying

204-603: A canoe voyage to the island in 1665. The French colonists continued in the fur trade , which became extremely lucrative; they operated out of Montreal and Quebec, and established posts on Mi-shi-ne-macki-nong and throughout the Great Lakes area. After the French ceded their territory in North America to the British in 1763 following defeat in the Seven Years' War , the British established Fort St. Joseph and an installation on what

272-418: A gun accidentally discharged just inches from him, blowing a hole in his abdomen. The post surgeon, Doctor William Beaumont , attended to him. Dr. Beaumont cared for the presumably doomed St. Martin the best he could. To his surprise, the man appeared to make a recovery. Beaumont took St. Martin into his home, caring for him for several years. St. Martin healed although his stomach had a hole. Beaumont seized

340-457: A landing force of 700 soldiers under the command of Colonel Croghan. This landing began the Battle of Mackinac Island . To his dismay, Colonel Croghan discovered that the new British blockhouse stood too high for the naval guns to reach, forcing an unprotected assault on the wall of Fort George. The Americans shelled Fort George for two days with most shells falling harmlessly in vegetable gardens around

408-565: A museum on the grounds of Mackinac Island State Park . Before 1763, the French used Fort Michilimackinac on the mainland south shore of the Straits of Mackinac to control the area. After the Treaty of Paris (1763) , the British occupied the French fort but considered the wooden structure too difficult to defend. In 1780/1781, its lieutenant governor Patrick Sinclair constructed a new limestone fort on

476-734: A new way of financing its park, based on the system that financed the Mackinac Bridge . Michigan financed construction of Mackinac Bridge through revenue bonds repaid from the cash flow of toll fees from the bridge after it opened in 1957. Mackinac Island State Park Commission modified this idea for park restoration purposes, with Fort Mackinac admission fees serving as the cash flow. More than three-fourths of budget of Mackinac Island State Park Commission now comes from admission fees and other self-generated cash flow. Most United States parks-and-recreation agencies instead depend upon public subsidies. Mackinac Island State Park Commission operates one of

544-452: A population of 583. Established as an important fur trading center in the eighteenth century, with a predominately French-speaking population of French Canadians and Métis , after the War of 1812 the city gained more Anglo-American residents. The US put restrictions on Canadians for fur trading. From 1818 until 1882, the city served as the county seat of the former Michilimackinac County, which

612-411: A small force bearing muskets, rifles, and two field guns behind low breastworks at the opposite end of the clearing. When the Americans emerged from the woods into the clearing, the British guns targeted them easily. British forces killed 13 Americans, including Major Holmes and two other officers, and wounded 51 others. The heavy losses compelled Colonel Croghan to order his men to retreat back through

680-597: A volunteer militia. When faced with the prospect of enduring a long, harsh winter on the island, two of the prisoners signed loyalty oaths and obtained release. The third Confederate refused, and the Army ultimately transferred him to another post. Seth Eastman , an officer and artist in the United States Army, in 1872 made an oil painting of Fort Mackinac, as a commission by the US Congress of paintings of military forts. It

748-406: Is his castle.” Hubbard's Annex was platted on the former Ambrose Davenport farm west of the harbor in 1882 by Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard. The county seat was moved from the municipality in 1882 to St. Ignace , as more population had moved into the western part of the county. Personal motor vehicles were banned in 1895 in order to protect the health of the island horses and residents. Soon after

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816-600: Is now part of the collection of the United States Senate . His more important work was to illustrate Henry Rowe Schoolcraft's six-volume history of the American Indians, commissioned by Congress in the 1850s. From 1875 to 1895, Mackinac National Park , the second national park in the United States after Yellowstone National Park , included Fort Mackinac and much of Mackinac Island. During the national park years,

884-642: Is water. The City of Mackinac Island exists on the island of the same name, and it also nominally includes the entirety of nearby Round Island, situated in the Straits of Mackinac immediately to the south, which is uninhabited, and is owned and overseen by the United States Forest Service in its entirety, and is managed as part of the Round Island Wilderness Area and the Hiawatha National Forest. While all of Mackinac Island,

952-628: The Hiawatha National Forest . The city limits include all of Mackinac Island State Park , which area makes up 82 percent of Mackinac Island; it is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 18.84 square miles (48.80 km ), of which 4.35 square miles (11.27 km ) is land and 14.49 square miles (37.53 km )

1020-512: The fur trade on the Great Lakes . The British did not relinquish the fort until thirteen years after the end of the American Revolutionary War . Fort Mackinac later became the scene of two strategic battles for control of the Great Lakes during the War of 1812 . During most of the 19th century, it served as an outpost of the United States Army . Closed in 1895, the fort has been adapted as

1088-581: The 150-foot (46 m) limestone bluffs of Mackinac Island above the Straits of Mackinac . The British held the outpost throughout the American Revolutionary War. Captain Daniel Robertson commanded the garrison on Mackinac Island from 1782 to his replacement in 1784 by Lieutenant George Clowes. Despite the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1783) , the British did not officially relinquish the fort to

1156-402: The 1818 formation of Michilimackinac County by Territorial Governor Lewis Cass , this borough was named as the county seat. The Borough form was later replaced with that of a village. Waren Puthuff was authorized by borough act to build a wharf at the end of Cross Street, now named Astor Street after John Jacob Astor. This wharf is the longest-lasting wharf on the island and was later used as

1224-513: The American military post there. Upon his arrival, superiors charged him with cowardice in the surrender of Fort Mackinac. Before the court martial of Lieutenant Hanks could begin, British forces attacked Fort Detroit. A British cannonball ripped through the room where Hanks was standing, cutting him in half and killing the officer next to him as well. United States Army Colonel George Croghan and his superior General William Henry Harrison designed

1292-480: The British to Detroit as cartels carrying the prisoners they had taken. After capturing the island, the British under the command of Colonel Robert McDouall of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment built Fort George, a stockade and blockhouse on the highest point of the island, to prevent the Americans from re-capturing the island using the same strategy. Lieutenant Hanks made his way to Detroit and

1360-649: The City of Mackinac Island on June 9, 1899, via act 437 as a special charter city, combining the Township of Holmes and Village of Mackinac. At that time, all of nearby Round Island was included in the corporate limits, for reasons not clear today. Round Island is owned and overseen by the United States Forest Service in its entirety, and is managed as part of the Round Island Wilderness Area and

1428-534: The Indian Council House, presided over by Puthuff on Monday, July 7, 1817. (The site was within the boundaries of the current Marquette Park). At this meeting, the residents selected the following officers, a warden, two burgesses , a clerk, a marshal and a treasurer. Puthuff was selected as warden, the chief official similar to a mayor. The American Fur Company was formed on Main Street, now Market Street. With

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1496-487: The Michigan Maritime Museum. Her lines, spars, and sails are removed each October during the downrigging process, and inspected, repaired and/or replaced during ongoing winter maintenance by the volunteers of the ship's company. The following April, the ship's company removes the vessel's cover and performs her uprigging over the course of two weekends. USS  Providence , John Paul Jones ' first command as

1564-529: The Native Americans on the British side would massacre his men and allies, Lieutenant Hanks accepted the British offer of surrender without a fight. The British paroled the American forces, essentially allowing them to go free after swearing to not take up arms in the war again. They made the island inhabitants swear an oath of allegiance as subjects of the United Kingdom. Shortly after the British captured

1632-491: The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and Mackinac Island State Park. The Governor of Michigan appoints members of the commission, who meet many times during the course of a year to govern Mackinac State Historic Parks. The commission and historic parks preserve, protect, and present the rich and natural history of Mackinac Island and the Straits area. In the 1950s, Mackinac Island State Park Commission developed

1700-403: The United States until 1796. In June 1812, British Major-General Isaac Brock heard that America had declared war and sent a canoe party 1,200 miles (1,900 km) to Fort St. Joseph , Ontario to confirm that a state of war existed. This party returned with an order to attack Fort Mackinac, then known as Fort Michilimackinac. A minimal United States garrison of approximately sixty men under

1768-421: The United States. He wrote about its unique population with its strong French and Native American influence. Under American rule, Michilimackinac (the island and adjacent areas) had a justice of the peace , supervisor of roads, and two military captains until the borough was formed. The island's people made a request through Indian Agent William Henry Puthuff on February 2, 1817, that a borough be established on

1836-564: The War of 1812 and settlement of the northern border and tensions with Britain, Fort Mackinac gradually declined in military significance. No longer needed as a front line border defense against the British in Canada, the fort was used as a strategic troop reserve. The Army essentially could deploy troops to Fort Mackinac until a need arose to transfer them to other locations of military importance. The Army nearly abandoned Fort Mackinac between such uses. It

1904-419: The age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.69. In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.0% under

1972-462: The age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 36,964, and the median income for a family was $ 50,536. Males had a median income of $ 39,219 versus $ 25,313 for females. The per capita income for

2040-399: The city was $ 27,965. About 1.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. Mackinac Island is noted for its many fudge shops, a tourist attraction. The island has a large craft industry devoted to making fudge in a traditional manner, creating portions on cold marble slabs. Mackinac Island is

2108-418: The city. The population density was 113.1 inhabitants per square mile (43.7/km ). There were 1,002 housing units at an average density of 230.3 per square mile (88.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 73.8% White , 1.2% African American , 18.1% Native American , 0.6% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 0.2% from other races , and 5.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of

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2176-453: The city. The population density was 119.8 inhabitants per square mile (46.3/km ). There were 565 housing units at an average density of 129.4 per square mile (50.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 75.72% White , 18.36% Native American , 0.38% Asian , 0.19% from other races , and 5.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population. There were 252 households, out of which 23.4% had children under

2244-549: The coal dock. On March 16, 1847, the Michigan state legislature passed a law abolishing the borough, effective April 1. The legislature reversed this action and incorporated the island as the Village of Mackinac, effective March 25, 1847. In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular summer resort destination for travelers from major cities such as Chicago and later Detroit , as well as more distant ones. The Grand Hotel

2312-467: The command of Lieutenant Porter Hanks then manned Fort Mackinac. Although a diligent officer, Hanks had received no communication from his superiors for months. On the morning of July 17, 1812, a combined British and Native American force of seventy war canoes and ten bateaux under the command of British Captain Charles Roberts attacked Fort Mackinac. Roberts came from Fort St. Joseph and landed on

2380-425: The country. In 2015, Fort Mackinac celebrated 235 years standing guard over Mackinac Island. During the main tourism summer months (June through August), visitors ascend into a bustle of activity within the old British-built stone walls of old Fort Mackinac after entering its weathered gates. Costumed interpreters greet visitors, portray life in the 1880s, answer questions, pose for pictures, and lead tours throughout

2448-403: The day. Some of the "soldiers" carry original 45-70 Springfield Model 1873 , the type used at the fort during the 1880s. Others play music or greet and mingle with the crowds of visitors. The 1841 model six-pounder is fired many times daily. It is the second-largest cannon regularly demonstrated on the Great Lakes. Activities also include rifle firings, court martial re-enactments, and dances of

2516-574: The destination of both the annual Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac , run by the Chicago Yacht Club , and the annual Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race , sponsored by the Bayview Yacht Club of Detroit . The city has an elected council with six members and a mayor. The mayor is elected annually. Margaret Doud was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council in 1974. In 1975, she ran for mayor and won. Doud has continually won re-election to

2584-415: The early 1800s Mackinac Island had a permanent population of about 250. Although it was part of the United States, most of the residents were of French-Canadian and Métis ancestry, based on its colonial history, and French was the predominant language. The fur trade was the dominant feature of the economy. Native American languages, particularly Ojibwe and Odawa, and dialects were spoken by some residents. In

2652-578: The elite of the region. During the Mexican–American War and for long periods during the Civil War, the Army left the care and upkeep of Fort Mackinac to an ordnance sergeant. Despite these periods of relative inactivity, the fort played a small role in the Civil War, briefly used as a prison for three Confederate political prisoners. Brought to Mackinac Island and the fort during the summer months, these three men enjoyed relative freedom, guarded only by

2720-664: The expedition in 1820 under the command of Lewis Cass to explore the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Henry Rowe Schoolcraft held the post of United States Indian agent at Fort Mackinac for a time in the 1830s. He did extensive study of the Native American languages and culture of the region, aided by his marriage to Jane Johnston , the Ojibwe-British daughter of John Johnston, a wealthy British fur trader at Sault Ste. Marie. Both her parents' families were prominent among

2788-432: The first automobiles made their way onto the island, members of Mackinac Island Carriage Tours petitioned the Village of Mackinac Island to ban the automobile as the "dangerous horseless carriage" startled the horses. This ban remains in effect today with only exceptions being city emergency vehicles (ambulance, police cars and fire trucks), city service vehicles and snowmobiles in winter. The Michigan Legislature created

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2856-614: The fort, two American vessels arrived from Fort Dearborn (Chicago), unaware of the start of the War of 1812 , or the fort's capture by British forces. The British raised the American flag and when the vessels tied up at the pier, the British captured the two sloops as prizes of war . The ships were Erie (Captain Norton) and Friends Good Will (Captain Lee), the latter being taken by the British into service as HMS  Little Belt . The schooners Mary and Salina , anchored at port, were sent by

2924-436: The fort. A dense fog forced the Americans back from Mackinac Island for a week. Major Andrew Holmes led the American forces in returning; they landed at the north end of the island near the location of the British assault in 1812. The Americans worked their way to the fort through dense woods, which Native American allies of the British protected, finally emerging into a clearing below Fort George. Colonel McDouall had placed

2992-503: The island and for building a jailhouse. In response on March 15, 1817, Michigan Territory Secretary William Woodbridge issued a proclamation forming the Township of Michilimackinac, giving the jurisdiction's distance from Detroit, the territorial capital. The governor and judges passed an act on April 6, 1817, forming the Borough of Michilimackinac. The borough organizational meeting was held in

3060-461: The island started to be a summer destination. When the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time was filmed here, the city made an exception to allow the production company to use motorized vehicles on the island. Andrew Blackbird was the son of an Ottawa chief and served as an official interpreter for the U.S. government in the late 19th century. According to his 1887 history of the indigenous peoples of Michigan,

3128-412: The island. In downtown Mackinac Island, the highway is known as "Main Street", while elsewhere it is known as "Lake Shore Road". As of the census of 2020, there were 583 people, 220 households, and 120 families residing in the city. The population density was 134.02 inhabitants per square mile (51.7/km ). As of the census of 2010, there were 492 people, 240 households, and 128 families residing in

3196-480: The island. The only exceptions to this are city emergency vehicles (ambulance, police cars and fire trucks), city service vehicles and snowmobiles in the winter. Today the most common means of travel is by foot, bicycle, horse or horse-drawn carriage . Roller skates and roller blades are also allowed, except in the downtown area. Mackinac Island is home to the Grand Hotel , built during the late nineteenth century when

3264-565: The landform, is located within the corporate limits of the City of Mackinac Island, today 82 percent of the island's landmass is owned by the State of Michigan and managed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission (MISPC). The city has direct jurisdiction over only 18 percent of the island. The City and the Commission work together on the many issues affecting both the City and the State Park, such as

3332-400: The largest parks in United States that generates a significant majority of its own operating budget. The current museum at the park includes 14 historic buildings. Today, Fort Mackinac is a popular heritage tourist destination. Situated on 150-foot bluffs above the Straits of Mackinac, it is one of the few surviving American Revolutionary War forts and one of the most complete early forts in

3400-493: The longtime ban on motorized vehicles on the island. Access to the island is by ferries across Lake Huron . The city of Mackinac Island is one of seven municipalities in the state of Michigan to consist entirely of islands, including Grosse Ile , Drummond , Bois Blanc , St. James , Peaine , and Sugar Island townships. Mackinac Island is encircled by M-185 , a state highway that is only accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and horse-drawn vehicles , as cars are banned on

3468-401: The men could read current magazines, play pool, and buy beer and wine). They wanted Fort Mackinac to be a "desirable station." Soldiers also had regular military duties, drilling on the parade ground and taking target practice at least once a week on either a 600- or 1000-yard rifle range. The skills learned at the fort later proved important for many troops who were posted at other locations in

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3536-452: The natural caves on the island. To commemorate this tribe, the Ottawa and Chippewa (Ojibwe) named the island as Mi-shi-ne-macki-nong, also known as Michilimackinac (meaning "Great Turtle") by the 18th century. In 1654 French Jesuit missionaries recorded French traders at the island, who were with a large party of Huron and Ottawa heading to Three Rivers. Another trader was said to have made

3604-475: The north end of Mackinac Island, 2 miles (3.2 km) from the fort. The British removed the village inhabitants from their homes and trained their two 6-pounder iron cannons at the fort. The Americans, under Lieutenant Hanks, were taken by surprise and Hanks perceived his garrison was badly outnumbered. The officers and men under Roberts numbered about two hundred (including 180 Canadians); a few hundred Native Americans of various tribes supported him. Fearing that

3672-557: The office since then, and as of 2024 , she is the current longest-serving mayor in the United States . The island is served by the Mackinac Island School District , which operates one school, (The Mackinac Island Public School), which houses grades Pre-K through 12 along with the school's administration. Friends Good Will The current vessel was built in 2004, at Scarano Boat Building, Inc. in Albany, New York, and

3740-405: The opportunity and began observing and conducting experiments on the man. Through these experiments, Beaumont described the process of digestion in detail, unlocking its mysteries. Beaumont wrote a book about his experiments and later became known as "The Father of Gastric Physiology." The fort developed as an important staging area for US exploration of the northern Michigan Territory , including

3808-691: The people of Mackinac Island had been a small independent tribe known as Mi-shi-ne-macki naw-go . They became affiliated with the larger tribe of Ottawa from Ottawa Island (now Manitoulin Island ) situated north of Lake Huron . One winter the Mi-shi-ne-macki naw-go on Mackinac were nearly annihilated by the Seneca , the westernmost nation of the Iroquois Confederacy , then based in present-day New York and Pennsylvania. Two natives escaped by hiding in one of

3876-438: The population. There were 240 households, of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.7% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

3944-500: The still-dangerous American West. In 1895, Congress closed Fort Mackinac and Mackinac National Park. It transferred the fort and park to the State of Michigan, which created Mackinac Island State Park, the first state park in Michigan. The semi-autonomous Mackinac Island State Park Commission in 1895 began governing Fort Mackinac and the other surrounding historic sites on or near Mackinac Island : Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek,

4012-551: The summer trading season, the population could reach 4,000, attracting agents and Native Americans from the interior. After the War of 1812 , the United States prohibited British fur traders from operating in US territory, cutting off some of the relations between Canadians and Native Americans on the US side. Some fur trading families divided their operations with posts on each side of the border. The noted French writer Alexis de Tocqueville visited Mackinac Island in July 1831 on his tour of

4080-418: The troops stationed at Mackinac acted as park rangers. The Army tasked these men with maintaining the park, so they spent much time cutting new roads and footpaths through the park. To improve conditions and boost morale, the Army constructed a bathhouse at the fort (in which every man at the fort was required to bathe at least once a week), a post toilet (complete with flush toilets), and a post canteen (where

4148-457: The type done during the early days of Fort Mackinac with live musicians. There are 14 original buildings as part of the fort museum: Mackinac Island, Michigan Mackinac Island ( / ˈ m æ k ə n ɔː / MAK -ə-naw , locally / ˈ m æ k ə n ə / MAK -ə-nə ) is a city in Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan . As of the 2020 census , the city had

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4216-466: The woods to the beach. The Americans rowed back to their ships and retreated. The American defeat in the Battle of Mackinac Island left the island and its forts in the hands of the British through the end of the War of 1812. Following the Treaty of Ghent , American forces reoccupied Fort Mackinac in July 1815. They renamed Fort George as Fort Holmes, in honor of Major Holmes, killed in the 1814 attack. After

4284-432: Was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.69. The median age in the city was 42.5 years. 17.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.4% were from 25 to 44; 33.9% were from 45 to 64; and 13.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.8% male and 47.2% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 523 people, 252 households, and 143 families residing in

4352-508: Was also used as a fur trading post, as Mackinac Island was an important fur post. From 1816 to 1821 the post was commanded by Benjamin Kendrick Pierce , the older brother of President Franklin Pierce . He married the daughter of Magdelaine Laframboise , a prominent fur trader of Ojibwe and French descent. On June 6, 1822, a fur trader named Alexis St. Martin waited to trade in his furs when

4420-464: Was built as a luxury venue. The seasonal peak of population in the summer, now made up of thousands of tourists and service workers, follows the earlier cycle of the fur trade. As then, it is a time of festivities and entertainment. In 1860, the Augustus Pond vs. The People court case was held in the county courthouse. It clarified the self-defense legal principle informally expressed as “a man’s home

4488-438: Was known as Michilimackinac. During the American Revolutionary War , they vacated the fort. By 1782, the Americans established a garrison on what they called Mackinac Island, commanded by Captain Daniel Robertson ; he had command until his death in 1787. In 1796 as a result of Jay's Treaty with Great Britain, settling the northern border, the island officially became part of the United States and its Northwest Territory . In

4556-399: Was later organized as Mackinac County, with St. Ignace designated as the county seat. The city includes all of Mackinac Island and also nearby Round Island which is unpopulated, federally owned and part of the Hiawatha National Forest . The state park and the national forest make up most of the city. A unique local ordinance passed in 1895 prohibits the use of any motor vehicles on

4624-556: Was sailed by volunteers through Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, and Michigan to the Michigan Maritime Museum , in South Haven , Michigan where she brings the area's history to life through educational tours, day sails, and school field trips. She can also be found visiting ports throughout the Great Lakes for maritime festivals and American Sail Training Association races. During Michigan winters, Friends Good Will remains at

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