Mackinac Island

    Today we took a ferry ride across the Straits of Mackinac in Lake Huron to a pretty island that has been a tourist destination since the late 1800's. John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company was located on Mackinac Island after the War of 1812.  Then, in late 1800's, sport fishing became popular and the island was already a center for commercial whitefish and lake trout fishing.  Large fancy homes as well as the beautiful Grand Hotel were built to accommodate the summer visitors.

Grand Hotel shuttle

    Mackinac Island was the National Park after Yellowstone, but eventually was turned over to Michigan and now 80% of the island is a Michigan State Park.  No motorized transportation is allowed on the island except for a couple fire trucks and an ambulance.  Horses are used to pull wagons to move all the constructions materials, restaurant and hotel supplies, and tourist luggage.  Tourists are picked up at the docks and brought to hotels in horse drawn taxis.  The only Michigan State Highway that does not allow motorized traffic runs around the island.  It is used by carriages, bicycles and folks on horseback.
    Many travelers on the ferry brought their own bicycles.  We saw lots of workers using large baskets and small trailers on their bicycles to make deliveries.  Horses have the right of way.  Every road has at least one worker with a broom, shovel and wheeled cart cleaning up the horse manure.  We took a tour of some of the major sightseeing spots on a carriage pulled by several sturdy horses.  Most of the horses used are huge Belgian Draft and Percheron breeds.  They are huge, strong and very well mannered horses.  Speeding bicycles, screaming children, boat horns: nothing bothered them.  Most of the horses are bred and trained by Amish farmers and then purchased for use on the island.  Many of the horses are taken off the island during the winter and brought to farms.  I liked the information that they are brought across on the ferry in groups of 20 or so because they are calmer when they hang out together.
   The largest hotel on the island is the Grand Hotel with about 350 rooms - each one with a different decor.  The 650 foot porch is the longest in the world.  It overlooks beautiful gardens and a swimming pool designed by Esther Williams.  Non-guests are charged $10 to tour the hotel.  We passed on the tour and just took some pictures and went for lunch at an outdoor restaurant across the street.  We watched four workers meticulously remove dead blossoms from a large garden during our extended lunch.  It looked like they had hours of work ahead of them, but the gardens were amazing.  There are many other more modestly priced hotels, resorts, and B & B's for visitors.
    It was another day with just beautiful weather - a little cooler - but with lots of sun, light breeze and calm seas.  We have now been on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.