Mackinac State Historic Parks Archives - Mackinac State Historic Parks

Tag: Mackinac State Historic Parks

More Models of Welcome

Last month, we shared the story of a small boat from the reconstructed sloop Welcome, which was transferred to MSHP from the Maritime Heritage Alliance of Traverse City. A few weeks later, our staff returned to Traverse City pick up two large models of Welcome. The MHA is streamlining their historic maritime collection of small craft and interpretive objects, and MSHP and the Maritime Heritage Alliance have a long history of collaborating to preserve and interpret Great Lakes maritime history.

What’s New for 2025?

As the calendar flips to 2025, the Mackinac State Historic Parks team is hard at work protecting, preserving, and presenting the rich history of the Straits of Mackinac by creating new exhibits, galleries, and tours, improving visitor experiences, celebrating a major anniversary, expanding our collections area and library, and finishing major infrastructure improvements on Mackinac Island.

Christmas Music at Michilimackinac

Music is an important part of the Christmas season for many people. What Christmas music would the residents of Michilimackinac have known?

Preparing for a North Woods Winter

As we prepare for the first official day of winter, let’s look at the amazing adaptations animals use to get ready for the long winter.

Thanksgiving Day at Mackinac (1831)

As we gather this Thanksgiving, may we be grateful for a bountiful harvest, the natural wonders around us, and family and friends to share them with, just as William and Amanda Ferry did in 1831.

Welcome Back, Welcome’s Boat!

In the early 1970s, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission decided to reconstruct “Welcome,” a trading vessel originally built in the mid-1770s. A small boat to accompany the sloop was also built, and it’s now back home. Read on:

Soldiers in the Park, a Mackinac National Park: 150 Event

As the idea for Mackinac National Park was being debated in the Senate and House in the mid-1870s, the idea had a few factors working in its favor: one, the

Cottages of Mackinac Island, a Mackinac National Park: 150 Event

Mackinac National Park was created in 1875. However, the question of how the amenities of such a park would be paid for persisted. One solution was to grant leaseholds on

Welcome to Mackinac National Park, a Mackinac National Park: 150 Event

Mackinac National Park was created in 1875 as the United States’ second national park, three years after Yellowstone. What were some features of the national park? Why did the park