Mackinac Island

Monday, June 14, 2010 Flag Day

Eleanor: When we arrived on Mackinac Island after a 20 minute ride aboard the hydro-jet ferry this morning, we discovered that June 11-20 is M.I. Lilac Festival week, much to my delight. I love lilacs, but there are none in FL and the small bush we have in ME is usually past its prime by the time we get there. However, Spring must have come early on M.I, as most of the bushes had finished blooming. There were just enough blooms to satisfy my senses, however, and I also stopped to smell the peonies and the profusion of beach roses.

As you all probably know, "Mackinac" is pronounced "Mackinaw" and no cars are allowed on the island. Everyone walks, bicycles, or takes the horse drawn carriages with their smelly droppings. Most seemed to rent bicycles or carriages, but we march to a different drummer and enjoy walking. How else to do exactly what you want when you want, like walking a shady path through the woods among pretty yellow flowers (I forgot to ask their names; I'll find out from my botanist neighbor in ME). The path led to Arch Rock, a limestone formation 50' wide and 149' above the water. We had walked up a steep paved road to get to the path and chose to take the steps down on the other side of the hill. Of course I had to count the steps--179.

No visit to M.I. is complete without seeing the Grand Hotel, famous for having the longest porch in the world (600') and being the location of the movie, "Somewhere in Time". If not a registered guest, there is a charge to enter the hotel, so we passed on that as we wanted to have lunch and catch a particular ferry back. The walk there was lovely as we passed many beautiful homes and gardens, a charming "Old Stone Church, Congregational,(with blooming lilac bush!) and the golf course across from the hotel, where a lilac week tournament was being played. Turning around when we did was a good decision, as the earlier clouds with occasional sun turned to ominous low-hanging clouds after we left the restaurant and we returned to the mainland in sprinkles. We don't know when to come in out of the rain, however, so once again we chose the upper deck of the boat to better see the views.

We're glad we took the time to visit the island with all its historic buildings, dating from the 1600's when Jesuit missionary, Father James Marquette, brought the Huron Indians there, to the Revolutionary War era Fort Mackinac, which, during the mid-1800's, protected the fur traders on the island. In time, tourism became the major focus it is today with many fudge shops, restaurants, gift shops, galleries, houses and lovely resorts.