Efforts to bring the president to Mackinac began with President Taft in 1911 and again with President Coolidge in 1927, the latter including an album of photographs. This album is an invitation from the State of Michigan to convince President Roosevelt to make Mackinac Island the “summer White House.” This particular specimen was probably part of a 1933 resolution by the legislature inviting President Roosevelt to vacation at Mackinac Island. It is comprised of photographs of Mackinac Island, a hand-tooled leather cover, original renderings of the obverse and reverse of the federal seal, and a presentation statement. All were done by members of the art department at Michigan State Prison in Jackson with photos by the Department of Conservation. It is not clear if the album was ever presented, note that the signature lines are unfilled. It does not appear to be a copy (all text, including the photo captions and the seals are hand drawn). The Franklin D. Roosevelt Library has no record of such an album or invitation being made to Roosevelt. It was rescued from an office building fire in 1951. A smaller album of twelve photographs of Mackinac Island with a similar invitation was presented to Mrs. Roosevelt by Governor Comstock in 1934.
The album is on exhibit at the Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum.
