đźš« 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 practical. Early island residents, particularly those involved in the booming horse-drawn carriage industry, worried that the sputtering, smoking newfangled automobiles would spook their horses and disrupt the calm charm of the island. And they were right.
Locomobile on the Island
In 1900, summer cottager Earl C. Anthony decided to ignore the rule and brought a steam-powered Locomobile to the island. It didn’t go well. The car scared several horses, caused injuries, and wrecked carriages in the state park. By 1901, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission had followed the village’s lead and banned automobiles in the park. This cemented the island’s future as a motor-free sanctuary.
And for the most part, the ban has held strong. In fact, outside of emergency and service vehicles, motorized traffic is still off-limits. One notable exception came on July 6, 1998, to mark the 100th anniversary of the ban. Glenn Miller of Dearborn drove his 1901 Geneva steam-powered car (similar to the original Locomobile) from City Hall to Marquette Park on Market Street. It was the first car driven on the island since 1979. Then a vehicle was allowed during the filming of Somewhere in Time. Miller’s car made its entrance and exit via freight boat at British Landing and was even towed to the park by a horse-drawn dray.
Ferrying over to the Island
Meanwhile, just across the water in Mackinaw City, automobiles were taking over. By 1924, the Michilimackinac State Park campground was packed with 65 different makes of automobiles. The most common? Fords, Chevrolets, Dodges, and Buicks. Travelers came from as far as Oregon and Florida. But once they reached the Straits, they parked their cars and ferried over to the island. Where only feet, bicycles, or horse-drawn carriages were allowed.
Mackinac Island’s famous shoreline road, M-185, circles the island. M1-85 is the only state highway in the U.S. where motor vehicles are banned. Originally built between 1900 and 1910, it was paved in 1960 and is still patrolled by horseback or snowmobile in winter. With a width of just 12 feet—roughly one modern traffic lane—it was never meant for cars. Today, it’s popular with cyclists and sightseers, offering stunning views of Lake Huron, Arch Rock, British Landing, and Fort Mackinac.
Despite a few exceptions over the years (a hidden emergency vehicle during President Ford’s 1975 visit, a controversial motorcade in 2019 for Vice President Mike Pence, and one minor vehicle accident in 2005 involving the island’s fire truck and ambulance), Mackinac Island has fiercely preserved its unique identity.
So today, as you hear the jingle of harnesses and the distant clop of hooves echoing down cobblestone streets, take a moment to appreciate what started back on July 6, 1898. Mackinac Island’s commitment to remaining car-free isn’t just about preserving a peaceful way of life—it’s about honoring history and keeping a slice of old Michigan beautifully, wonderfully untouched.
