Loop Dreams Adventure with Ken & Barbara: August 8, Mackinac Island

We took an early ferry ride to Mackinac Island and it was like stepping back in time. The name Michilimackinac, the place of the "Great Turtle", was first given to Mackinac Island for its shape and
was eventually given to the entire Straits of Mackinac region. By the 1820s, it was shortened to Mackinac. The founders of Mackinaw City opted for the phonetic "aw" spelling, probably as a way to distinguish their town from Mackinac Island. Today Mackinaw city retains the "aw" spelling while the bridge, straits and island steadfastly cling to the "ac" spelling. No matter how it is spelled , it is always pronounced Mackinaw!
Once we arrived we took a horse and buggy ride throughout the enchanting island.

Mackinac Island from afar, do you think it looks like a great turtle?

Grand Hotel features the world's longest veranda.

Arch Rock is a natural limestone formation with a 30 foot wide hole gouged out over time by glaciers and waves. We were told it would not be standing in the next 30 years!

No cars or motor vehicles allowed on Mackinac Island, the means of transportation is bicycles.
horse and buggy or your legs.

Carriage men officially began providing tours of the Island in 1869 when the first city carriage license was issued. In 1948, the carriage men officially established Mackinac Island Carriage Tours, Inc. The founder of Mackinac Island carriage Tours have had a very prominent role in making Mackinac Island Michigan's most popular tourist attraction. It was the
carriage men led, by their president Tomas Chambers, that petitioned the Village of Mackinac Island to ban the automobile as the "horseless carriage" startled the horses. Descendants of the founding carriage men still actively manage the company that formed over 100 years ago. Today, Mackinac Island Carriage tours, Inc. is the world's largest, oldest and continually operated horse and buggy livery, with approximately 100 freight and passenger carriages put in motion by over 400 horses.

How would you like to take a ride across Lake Huron?

Butterfly Garden

Fort Mackinac was founded during the American Revolution. Believing Fort Michilimackinac, at what is not Mackinaw City, as too vulnerable to American attach, the British moved the fort to Mackinac island in 1780. American took control in 1796. In July 1812, in the first land engagement of the War of 1812 in the United States, the British captured the fort. It was returned to the US after the war. The fort remained active until 1895. During these years, Mackinac Island was transformed from a cent of the fur trade to a major summer resort.

Mackinac Bridge is 5 miles long and separates Lake Huron from Lake Michigan. For over a half of a century, Mighty Mac was known as the largest suspension bridge in the world Rising 552 feet above the Straits of Mackinac, this bridge is hailed as one of the most outstanding engineering achievements of the century. It was completed in 1957. Before the bridge the only access to the island was a slow ferry ride.