Eastern Upper Peninsula

🚗🚢 Michigan’s First State Ferry Service Ariel made her maiden voyage Before the Mackinac Bridge connected Michigan’s peninsulas, crossing the Straits of Mackinac was a challenge. This was true especially for the growing number of automobile owners in the early 20th century. On July 31, 1923, the State of Michigan stepped in to solve this problem by launching a state-operated ferry service. The ferry service would soon become an essential lifeline for travelers and commerce alike. A week after the service was officially established, on August 6, 1923, the first car ferry—the wooden-hulled Ariel—made her maiden voyage across the straits…. Read More »

America’s Failed 1814 Invasion On this day in history—August 4, 1814—the quiet shores of Mackinac Island erupted with the sounds of war. Determined to reclaim the island from British control during the War of 1812, American forces launched an ambitious invasion that would ultimately end in defeat. The British had seized Mackinac Island two years earlier, in 1812. The Americans, smarting from the loss, devised a plan to take it back. The strategy: land troops on the island’s northwest shore and establish a foothold to “annoy and starve out” the British forces stationed at Fort Mackinac. Fleet from Detroit Under… Read More »

Honoring Tradition On this day in history: August 1929 marked the beginning of a cherished Michigan tradition. Eight Eagle Scouts boarded a Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company steamship bound for Mackinac Island. Among them was a young Gerald Ford, who would one day become the 38th President of the United States. These Scouts were the very first to serve as honor guards and guides at the historic Fort Mackinac. This tradition continues to this day. That summer, Jerry Ford had just wrapped up his role on the staff at Camp Shawondossee when the opportunity of a lifetime arose. The Michigan… Read More »

Sault Ste. Marie: Where the Waters Gathered and a City Was Born On July 20, 1668 Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary and explorer, formally established a mission at a powerful bend in the river that connected Lake Superior and Lake Huron. That settlement became Sault Ste. Marie. The Soo is recognized as Michigan’s oldest city, and one of the oldest cities in the United States west of the Appalachian Mountains. But long before Marquette arrived, the area was already known as a vital place. For over 2,000 years, Indigenous peoples gathered here, drawn to the bounty of fish and… Read More »

Frontier Schooner That Sailed Into War On this day in history, June 19, 1812, a seemingly routine voyage out of Detroit would become an unforgettable moment in Great Lakes history. It will serve as a cautionary tale of how international politics can turn entrepreneurial dreams into wartime disasters. The vessel at the center of it all was Friends Good Will, a topsail sloop built by Massachusetts-born merchant Oliver Williams. Williams was no stranger to risk. Born in 1774 in the Revolutionary-era village of Roxbury, Massachusetts, he came of age alongside the fledgling American republic. By 1808, he was deep in… Read More »

Surprise at Sunrise When war was declared between the United States and Great Britain in June of 1812, few on the American frontier had any idea what was coming. The small garrison stationed at Fort Mackinac on a quiet island in the Straits between Lakes Michigan and Huron had not received word. But on the morning of July 17, 1812, those sleepy soldiers awoke to find the British already perched high above them, cannon aimed and ready. The capture of Fort Mackinac was the first military engagement on U.S. soil during the War of 1812. It was a bloodless but… Read More »

🎩 Grand Visions & Ghost Stories The Grand Hotel, a Victorian marvel officially opened its doors to a curious and growing number of tourists on Mackinac Island. Built in a record-breaking 93 days, this now-iconic structure quickly became the crown jewel of Michigan tourism. From its opening on July 10, 1887 to today, it still holds court over the Straits of Mackinac today. But its story isn’t just about style and leisure. The hotel was built on a foundation literally steeped in mystery. According to local legend, during construction, workers unearthed hundreds of human skeletons. There were so many that… Read More »

🚫 No Cars Allowed Imagine a place where the hum of engines is replaced by the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves, where streets smell of lilacs and fudge instead of exhaust, and where your morning traffic jam might be a few wayward tourists learning to steer a bike. Welcome to Mackinac Island, Michigan. The island is a unique, car-free haven where time feels like it took a detour around the motor age. And it all began on July 6, 1898, when the Mackinac Island Village Council officially banned “horseless carriages” from its peaceful streets. The ban wasn’t just whimsical nostalgia—it was… Read More »

A Bridge to Celebrate In the summer of 1958, the state of Michigan came together in a big way to celebrate a monumental achievement: the formal Mackinac Bridge dedication. Though the bridge had opened to traffic on November 1, 1957, the official ribbon-cutting and celebration took place over four glorious days, June 25–28, 1958. And what a party it was! The celebration started on June 25th with the first Governor’s Walk across the bridge. The next 3 days were a series of events and celebrations. Celebrations North and South of Bridge The festival didn’t just happen on the bridge. It… Read More »

On this day in history—June 25, 1958—Michigan celebrated one of its greatest engineering achievements with four days of dedication ceremonies for the newly completed Mackinac Bridge. At the heart of those festivities? A ceremonial walk led by Governor G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams, marking the very first time pedestrians crossed the mighty five-mile span. Mackinac Bridge Walk The event, now known as the Mackinac Bridge Walk, started with just 68 participants that June. Governor Williams, known for his trademark green bow tie and progressive politics, led the small group across the towering suspension bridge that links Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas…. Read More »

Opening the Gates to Greatness  Some days mark quiet beginnings, and others open the floodgates—literally. June 18, 1855, was one of those latter days. On that date, the steamer Illinois became the very first vessel to pass through the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, a feat that would forever alter the course of commerce and transportation on the Great Lakes. Before the locks were built, the St. Mary’s River—connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron—posed a serious challenge to ships due to its dangerous rapids and steep 21-foot drop. To overcome this, construction began in 1853 on two 350-foot locks… Read More »

On June 16, 1820 Territorial Governor Lewis Cass lowered a British flag flying over Sault Ste. Marie. It was the last foreign flag to assert sovereignty over any part of Michigan. This bold act wasn’t just a symbolic gesture—it was part of a much larger and significant expedition that helped shape Michigan’s future. In 1820, Michigan Territory was still a rugged, sparsely mapped frontier. To assert U.S. control and gather valuable information, the Secretary of War, John C. Calhoun, authorized Governor Lewis Cass to lead an ambitious scientific and political expedition across the region. On May 24 of that year,… Read More »