Meet the Mackinac State Historic Parks Dray Team Posted August 11, 2023 One of the most magical noises on Mackinac Island is the morning *clip* *clop* of horse hooves on the pavement as the busy days come to life. Horses are a huge part of the island’s allure. Something a lot of people may not think about is the fact that the horses aren’t only here for show or tourist charm. In reality, a lot of what these horses do, specifically dray teams, is what allows the island to function as well as it does. Dex on the left, and Holiday. Mackinac State Historic Parks is no exception. The organization is a machine with many parts, and each position allows the park to function season to season. You have your interpreters, park operations, and even some interns in the mix, among others. But one position that can be overlooked is that of the “dray horse.” A dray is a four-wheeled flat cart that is pulled by a horse, sometimes multiple, depending on the load. The state park has its own dray team that works 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, just like the rest of the park employees.The team in their pasture. Meet Dex and Holiday. These two strong boys do a LOT for the parks. This is their first season working for MSHP, but they already know their way around the island, having been here in previous seasons. They are both Belgian Draught Horses, and as one of the most muscle-y breeds out there, they were built to work. They’re fueled by three cans of oats a day, and lots of treats (of course!). Just like people, the two of them have their own personalities. Holiday is a wise old man. He keeps the team calm. Dex is younger, and has a little bit more fire. Dex is the get-up-and-go type, while Holiday likes to take things a little easier. This was hard for them at first, but they have figured out how to balance each other out at the perfect pace to do their job.Holiday and Eric. Our brave steeds don’t work alone. Every team needs a coach, and this is where dray driver Luis comes in. Luis also has an assistant, Eric. These two men have a deep love and respect for Dex and Holiday. They spend hours a day not only driving the horses and doing their own jobs, but also caring for them, feeding them, and just giving them attention. Basically, Dex and Holiday are like their 1500 pound dogs.Dex celebrating the Fourth of July. Dex and Holiday’s main job, along with their drivers, is to keep the park in top shape. This means picking up trash, delivering supplies, and other maintenance. On an island with no cars, this job becomes that much harder. The dray team makes it much more manageable for their human counterparts. They have day-to-day surprises, and have even survived a dray crash! Don’t worry, they handled it like champs, and weren’t even spooked. Luckily, there was no damage done to either dray. They are also natural models, as Luis and Eric explained that tourists take pictures of them throughout the day. The team is up for the challenge though, and they know how to pose for a camera. They have even been featured as special guests in some staff pictures at one of the Mackinac Island inns!The third horse team member, Doug. We also can’t forget about Doug and his driver Juan. These two cover the off days for Dex and Holiday, because horses are human too! Wait…but anyways, these two contribute a lot to the park’s quality, doing the same job as Dex and Holiday.The Dray team at work. While the dray horses aren’t at the forefront of MSHP’s operation, they are so crucial to its upkeep. So next time you’re around, Dex, Holiday or Doug would never say no to an apple or carrot as a thank you for everything that they do for the parks and the island! They can be found in the pasture on their off-days, as long as it isn’t rainy.
The Cattle of Mackinac Island Posted August 1, 2023 “There are more cows in Mackina than in any other place of its size in the known world; and every cow wears at least one bell.” Cattle & horses are depicted grazing the government pasture in this 1838 scene by French naturalist Francois, comte de Castelnau. Much has been written about the Battle of Mackinac Island, which took place between American and British forces on July 18, 1814. Often disregarded, however, are bovine witnesses to the melee which occurred that summer’s day on pasture and woodlots of Michael Dousman’s farm. This is their story.The King’s Cattle During the autumn of 1779, Lieutenant Governor Patrick Sinclair began transferring the British garrison at Fort Michilimackinac to Mackinac Island. At the time, local residents included the “King’s Cattle,” kept for providing fresh beef and dairy products. Construction on the island began that winter, with cattle driven over the frozen straits before spring. On February 15, 1780, Sinclair wrote, “…two Canadians are preparing Post & rail fence to enclose a fine grass Platt of about thirty acres for the King’s Cattle which will be sent to the Island before the Ice breaks up.”Cattle grazed the public pasture below Fort Mackinac from 1780 until the early 20th century. Photo by the Detroit Publishing Co. (ca.1900) This “fine grass Platt” is a rolling plot of land, west of and below Fort Mackinac. For well over a century, it was known as the government (or public) pasture. In 1901, the Mackinac Island State Park commission leased the parcel to the Grand Hotel for use as a 9-hole golf course. In addition to provender, trained cattle served as working oxen. On July 30, 1780, Sinclair complained to his superiors, “… endeavors to secure this Garrison have been retarded for want of working Cattle, Tools, the materials and Rum.” That November, two cows were added to the island’s herd, transported from the mainland aboard the armed sloop, HMS Welcome.Dousman’s FarmA jersey cow poses for the camera of William H. Gardiner (ca.1905-1915) American troops took control of Fort Mackinac in 1796. Civilian arrivals included Michael Dousman, who established a large farm on the northeast corner of the island. On July 17, 1812, British troops conscripted Dousman’s oxen to haul their cannon across the island, leading to an American surrender. In 1814, those same oxen presumably bore witness to the bloody battle between American and British forces, which took place on Dousman’s hay fields. Michael Dousman filled island contracts for fresh beef, hay, lumber, and firewood for nearly 50 years. Several accounts noted his herd numbered about 20 head of cattle. In 1852, Juliette Starr Dana stopped for a visit, writing, “… we came to a large farm with oxen, outbuildings & everything in New England Style. We went to the house & asked permission to rest, which was which was granted very kindly by the woman of the house who handed each of us a large bowl of rich milk cold as ice, which proved very refreshing.” In 1856, Michael Early bought the property and continued maintaining a dairy farm.Mackinac’s Meandering Cattle View of town with cattle grazing on the East Bluff,Photo by Lieut. Benjamin C. Morse Jr. (1890) Other local residents also owned cattle, which often roamed at will, grazing as they pleased. In September 1835, Chandler R. Gilman spent a rustic night in a local boarding house. “This morning I waked very early,” he wrote. “At dawn heard the morning gun from the Fort, and soon after a clattering about the house; and the noise of cow-bells under the windows gave us notice that the world was astir … There are more cows in Mackina than in any other place of its size in the known world; and every cow wears at least one bell.” Wandering cows posed challenges for decades. Once Mackinac National Park was created in 1875, a new law barred cattle from running loose at night. Two years later, Captain Joseph Bush posted a notice that all stray cows would be put in a pound until reclaimed by their owners. Like most early park regulations, these proved difficult to enforce.A family poses with their children, dog, cow, and kitten at the former Sergeants’ Quarters, behind Fort Mackinac. Photo by William H. Gardiner (ca.1905-1915) A turnstile was installed at the bottom of Fort Mackinac’s south sally ramp to deter four-legged visitors from sauntering to the top. Fanny Dunbar Corbusier, wife of the post surgeon, arrived in April 1882. She recalled, “People on foot usually climbed the long flight of steps that were the shortest way up to the [officers’] quarters, and a cow once chose this route, climbing until she reached the parade ground, some one hundred and twenty steps up.”The Cow-Bell Nuisance Free-ranging cattle failed to amuse Illinois congressman, William Springer. His family spent the summer of 1884 on the island, contemplating leasing a lot and building a cottage. The following spring, he informed Captain George K. Brady they had decided to spend summers elsewhere. He wrote, “Owing to the ‘cowbell nuisance’ Mrs. Springer did not get the rest desired … and as a result has been in ill health the entire winter.”A wandering cow grazing near Sugar Loaf Arthur Fisk Starr, on the other hand, delighted in the noisy situation. From 1883-1890, the “merry charioteer” ran the most celebrated carriage service of the national park era. Starr’s Chariot led tours across the island, full of “fun, philosophy, and unwritten history.” After stopping at Lover’s Leap, a guest wrote, “No drive could be more beautiful. A pause was made at a point where several roads meet. This is Cow-Bell Point. The drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds … It is said that at Cow-Bell Point the bells can be heard no matter on what part of the island the cows are.” Likely, you won’t encounter a single cow on your next Mackinac Island visit. As you wander, imagine a time when lowing “moos” and tinkling cowbells were defining features of the Wonderful Isle. Listen closely, and you just might catch faint echoes from this bygone era.
The Season Continues Posted July 20, 2023 Fragment of a white clay smoking pipe stamped with a maker’s mark. The first half of the 2023 Michilimackinac archaeological field season has flown by. The cellars continue to yield interesting artifacts. In addition to the gaming die found during our opening week (Our 65th Season Begins! – Mackinac State Historic Parks | Mackinac State Historic Parks (mackinacparks.com), an unusual white clay smoking pipe bowl fragment was recovered from the north edge of the central cellar. White clay pipe fragments are fairly common, but they are usually plain. This one was stamped with a maker’s mark. The motif is a jumping deer. It was used by a series of Dutch pipemakers in Gouda from 1660 to at least 1776. This is a reminder of the worldwide trade networks of which Michilimackinac was a part.With pieces recovered this year, archaeologists have been able to reconstruct this ointment pot. In the southeast cellar, the most interesting artifacts have been plain white tin-glazed earthenware ceramic sherds. These were able to be matched with some sherds from last season to form an ointment pot. This is the second ointment pot we have been able to reconstruct from the southeast cellar.Pewter button from the 8th Regiment. We also have been working in the northern section of the excavation. At the beginning of this season, most of this area was in the layer of rubble from the 1781 demolition of the fort. Interesting finds from this area include part of a stone smoking pipe bowl, two gilt sequins and two pewter buttons from the 8th Regiment. These are the soldiers who demolished the fort. In some areas all the demolition rubble has been removed, revealing the north wall trench of the building cutting through beach sand. This is easier to see in the west end of the house because a tree was planted in the east of the wall trench in the early twentieth century. While the location of the fort was never forgotten, its interior layout was.The dark area in the photo reveals the north wall trench of the building. The 2023 archaeology season continues through August 19. Visitors to Colonial Michilimackinac can watch archaeologists uncover history seven days a week, weather permitting, until then.
Celebrating 125 Years of Mackinac Island’s Automobile Ban Posted July 14, 2023 Celebrating 125 years!There are so many things that make Mackinac Island special. A cannon blast coming from the Revolutionary War-era fort every morning to wake the island up. The smell of fudge tempting you as walk down Main Street. The natural beauty that is Arch Rock. Lilacs bursting throughout the island in early June. However, it’s the distinct lack of something that most people might point to as being the thing that makes the island special. “Mackinac Island is famous for many things, but the century and a quarter-old ban on motorized vehicles is truly at the top of why it is such a special place,” said Mackinac State Historic Parks Director Steve Brisson. 2023 marks the 125th anniversary of the automobile ban on Mackinac Island. As the story goes, in 1898 the first horseless carriage made its way to Mackinac Island via ferry boat and the first encounter between horse and “horseless carriage” was said to be chaotic. In response, businessmen engaged in the carriage industry filed a formal petition with the Village Common Council. They stated that the use of automobiles on Mackinac Island would be a danger to “the lives and property of petitioners and their patrons and to all others who use the streets and roads of this village.” Protection of the island’s historic environment and the carriage businesses serving tourists were a priority for locals and business owners alike. A resolution was made the same day the petition was delivered, effectively banning all automobiles in the Village of Mackinac Island. The Mackinac Island State Park Commission followed suit in 1901, banning automobiles within Mackinac Island State Park. “The Mackinac Island State Park Commission has been honored to work with and partner with the City of Mackinac Island for more than a century on the ban on automobiles,” Brisson said. “We continue to partner with the city to enforce this ban that is crucial to maintaining the heritage of Mackinac Island.”The 1886 Benz Motorwagen. Photo courtesy Gilmore Car Museum. Mackinac State Historic Parks is celebrating the occasion with special events the weekend of July 21, complete with an 1886 Benz Motorwagen on the island. It was a vehicle very similar to this that got the wheels in motion (no pun intended) for the ban on automobiles. The weekend will begin with a ceremonial “re-banning” of automobiles on Mackinac Island. The Motorwagen will take a short drive down Market Street to Mackinac Island City Council before Brisson and Mackinac Island Mayor Margaret Doud reaffirm the ban. This event will begin at 7:00 p.m. The “horseless vehicle” will also be on display outside Fort Mackinac at the Huron Road Pavilion from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23. A member of the Gilmore Car Museum will provide interpretation and visitors will be able to take pictures. On the evening of July 22 an invite-only event, presented by Mackinac Island Carriage Tours, will take place at Fort Mackinac officially commemorating the ban on automobiles on Mackinac Island. Mackinac State Historic Parks has partnered with the Gilmore Car Museum, located outside Kalamazoo, to being the Motorwagen to the island.Where Horse is King: Mackinac Island’s Automobile Ban, by Phil Porter. Former Mackinac State Historic Parks Director Phil Porter has written a new vignette on the automobile ban: Where Horse is King: Mackinac Island’s Automobile Ban. It provides the complete background on the restriction on automobiles, including efforts over the years to get around the ban or repeal it. The book is available at all Mackinac State Historic Parks museum stores. In addition, a special commemorative logo has been developed and can be found on merchandise at Mackinac State Historic Parks museum stores, as well as on the license plates found on carriages throughout the island. In addition to Mackinac Island Carriage Tours, the special weekend celebrating Mackinac Island’s ban on automobiles has been made possible by Mackinac Associates, friends preserving and sharing Mackinac’s heritage.
Trekking Through Nature: A Journey Along some of Mackinac Island’s Best Trails Posted July 12, 2023 For us, there’s nothing much better than an early morning or evening hike, especially when those hikes take you through the North Woods and feature views overlooking the sparkling waters of the Straits of Mackinac. Welcome to Mackinac Island State Park. Many tourists, travelers and people from all walks of life journey to this timeless island for the food, fudge and historical sites. However, the incredible trail system within and around the island are not to be missed. More than 80% of Mackinac Island is parkland – containing more than 70 miles of incredible hiking and biking trails to explore. Whether you’re an avid outdoor enthusiast, or a novice looking for a pretty view, there is something for you within the park. We’ve compiled a list of five favorites – some very popular, some lesser known. Read on for some inside information to make your visit to Mackinac Island all the more enjoyable!Tranquil Bluff Trail.One of the gorgeous views on Tranquil Bluff Trail. The trail you can’t miss:Tranquil Bluff (~1 hour and 30 minutes)DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Moderate Tranquil Bluff Trail most certainly lives up to the name. This winding tree covered pathway borders the eastern edge of the island. It’s serene with spectacular views of Lake Huron on your right and a lush forest on your left. Tranquil Bluff is a truly unforgettable experience. We recommend going on the trail in the early hours of the morning, right as the forest wakes up. Listen closely and you’ll hear the singing of chickadees, warblers and the occasional wail of a loon from the lake. For this hike bug spray is recommended, and hiking shoes are a major plus as there are several steeper slopes to traverse. Skull Cave on Mackinac Island.One of the views from Mackinac Island. For a good workout: Fort Holmes Loop (~30 minutes)DIFFICULTY LEVEL: HardFrom Fort Mackinac continue onto Garrison Road until you reach Skull Cave. Then make a right and follow signs for Fort Holmes/Point Lookout. You will soon approach a wooden staircase on your left. This is where the workout begins! After climbing several flights of steps catch your breath while enjoying one of the most beautiful views on the island. Fort Holmes is perched atop a hilltop providing a 360-degree view of the surrounding topography (including Round Island and Bois Blanc Island). Hawks and turkey vultures fly close by so make sure to keep an eye out for them! Also take some time to explore Fort Holmes. No ticket is required for entry! After your visit at the fort continue onto Fort Holmes Road until you reach the cemetery. Then make a left and continue back down to the Fort Mackinac!Pontiac Trail.Wildflowers on Pontiac Trail.Best views of Mackinac Bridge:Pontiac Trail (~15 minutes)DIFFICULTY LEVEL: EasyPontiac Trail may be short, but it has the longest panoramic view of Mackinac Bridge. The trail offers a spectacular array of picture-perfect shots. Every angle captures the sparkling water, flowered trees, and gleaming bridge in the distance. You can also spot ferries passing to and from the mainland! If you descend the staircase to the water’s edge, you’ll find one of Mackinac Islands prime sunset watching locations. Tall trees on Leslie Avenue.A ladyslipper found along Leslie Avenue.Most scenic hike: Leslie Avenue Loop (~1 hour)DIFFICULTY LEVEL: ModerateA local favorite that has a direct connection to Mackinac’s military history! Soldiers cut this trail in the 1870s and named it after Captain Leslie Smith. From Arch Rock look for the wooden sign that says Leslie Avenue and begin your journey. The trail is narrow but paved so no hiking shoes are needed. However, don’t let the paved trail fool you because along this path you are still very much surrounded by nature. Beautiful maple, pine and oak trees create a brilliantly green canopy overhead. White, purple and yellow wildflowers line the trail, and a symphony of birds will make you feel like you are the only one on the island! It’s a hike you cannot miss.Start of the Mackinac Island Botanical Trail.For the botanists/naturalists: Michigan’s state tree, the White Pine.Mackinac Island Botanical Trail (~30 minutes) DIFFICULTY LEVEL: EasyThis hike will take you on a true learning journey! A massive sign reading Mackinac Island Botanical Trail is the start of the trail. As you traverse the path, signs placed throughout will give you insight into the common and scientific names of the trees that grow on the island. Meander along this trail and you’ll eventually reach Arch Rock. From here you have several potential hiking routes. Turning left will lead you onto Leslie Avenue, continuing straight will lead you down a flight of stairs to Lake Shore Boulevard and turning right onto Huron Road will take you to East Bluff. I recommend walking along East Bluff for the most picturesque views of the lake and Round Island’s Lighthouse. From East Bluff you can take a sharp left turn back down to Main Street. You can also continue onto East Bluff until you reach Fort Mackinac.These are just a few hikes to be found on Mackinac Island. We hope you enjoy them, but always encourage you to find your own favorites – there is no wrong turn! Happy Trails!
Lilac Scented Memories Posted July 7, 2023 Newly-discovered accounts of Mackinac Island’s lilacs from the 1840s. Blooming lilacs are now just a memory for the 2023 season. These sweetly-scented flowering shrubs typically bloom between mid-May and mid-June in northern Michigan. For many years, the earliest known reference to lilacs on Mackinac Island was by the famous author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. Suffering from tuberculosis, Thoreau visited the island from June 30 – July 4, 1861, with Horace Mann Jr., a seventeen-year-old budding botanist and loyal traveling companion. Thoreau’s unpublished journal emphasizes the lateness of spring, recording about 30 species of trees and shrubs and more than 75 varieties of herbaceous plants and wildflowers. Thoreau noted, “No corn or only green corn. Strawberries (both kinds) hardly ripe here & scarce.” He also observed “apple in blossom … & lilac.” Recently, two earlier accounts of Mackinac Island lilacs were discovered, both from the 1840s. On a trip from Xenia, Ohio, William Mills penned a letter home on July 3, 1847. Published in the Greene County Torch-Light on July 15, his longer column concludes, “But lest I become too prosy, I will finish with a glance at the particularly interesting and picturesque locality of Mackinac … We reached here about sunrise this morning and all walked upon the island and inspected whatever of interest came our way. Mackinac is on the 46th degree of latitude, some 450 miles north of Xenia, and now the fresh blooming lilac and opening buds of the apple tree, too plainly told the chilliness of a late spring … We had some invalids among us when we left home, but there are none on that list now, if hearty appetites and a full flow of playful spirits are considered the signs.”William Mills (1814-1879) Credit: Antiochiana Collection, Olive Kettering Library, Antioch College Interestingly, William Mills was a founder of Antioch College, whose first president was the noted American educator, Horace Mann. Their families were undoubtedly familiar, with Horace Mann Jr. attending the school in 1859, just two years before his own trip to Mackinac Island. Currently, the earliest known account of Mackinac’s lilacs was written June 18, 1845, by “J.I.M.” an unknown correspondent from The Boston Post. His visit was described in rich detail through a series of letters, reprinted that July. After securing comfortable accommodations at the new Mission House hotel, he spent several days exploring the island’s natural wonders. “Jim” penned a goodbye note aboard the steamer Madison as it pulled from the harbor. He wrote, “Adieu, beautiful island of Mackinac! … Farewell to your rocks and caves, your shady walks and stony beach, your clear air, sweetened by the lilac and apple trees but just in blossom – your delicious trout and white fish, and the kind hospitality of your people! all, farewell.” Local lore places the origins of Mackinac Island’s lilacs even earlier than the 1840s. Today, the oldest known trees are about 200 years old, placing them among the eldest specimens in the nation. If treated with care, the island’s clear air will be sweetened by lilacs for centuries yet to come.
Maple Taps at Mackinac Posted April 21, 2023 Maple Sugar Mold(Canadian Museum of History, 71-359)For countless generations, Anishinaabek residents have gathered sap from sugar maple trees each spring, boiling it into pure maple sugar. Near the Straits of Mackinac, historical accounts show maple sugaring was especially common at nearby Bois Blanc Island and at L’Arbre Croche, along the Lake Michigan shore. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, which can make about 8 pounds of sugar. Typically, granulated sugar was packed into containers (mokoks), fashioned of birch bark, sewn together with spruce roots. Maple treats were also packed into wooden molds and decorative bark containers, sold for the local tourist trade. Mind-boggling amounts of maple sugar were produced annually at the straits, with records of more than 200,000 pounds (100 tons) being shipped by Mackinac traders at in a single season. As the month of April 2023 winds down, Michigan’s maple sugaring season has already come to a close. When maple buds start to open, sap turns cloudy and assumes a bitter taste. As temperatures remain above freezing both day and night, pressure also drops inside trees, causing sap to slow and taps to dry up completely. Historically at Mackinac, colder weather usually persisted later into spring. Most seasons, the straits would not be ice free until mid-April, when ship traffic could finally resume. In the woods, maple sugaring season would often last through April, or even into early May.Sugar Maple near Mackinac Island’s Post Cemetery While most sugaring was done nearby, at least a few maples were tapped on Mackinac Island in the early 1880s. On April 28, 1883, Fort Mackinac’s post surgeon, Dr. William H. Corbusier, instructed his four young sons (along with those of Captain Edwin Sellers) in the age-old practice. Their mother, Fanny Dunbar Corbusier, later recorded the special memory. She wrote, “Father instructed the boys how to tap the sugar maple in the woods, collect the sap, boil it down over an open fire, and test it to learn when it was ready to crystalize into sugar. The pleasure derived by father and sons was very great. One day they tapped eleven trees and caught four gallons of sap.” The perspective recorded by their 10-year-old son, Harold, was somewhat more candid. He wrote, “The Sellers boys and we went into the woods at the foot of the hill on the west side of Fort Holmes to gather maple sap. We ate our lunch out here. We taped eleven trees and brought home four galons of sap and would of had more but we wasted a great deal.” One can easily imagine the sticky adventure as eight boys, the oldest just 12 years of age, attempted to collect sap and perform the slow practice of transforming it into sugar. Today, large sugar maples still grow on the west side of Fort Holmes hill, not far from the Post Cemetery.Capt. Edwin Sellers headstone Less than one year later, on April 12, 1884, Captain Edwin Sellers was laid to rest under the shade of Mackinac’s maples. In early April, Fort Mackinac’s beloved commandant fell ill, suffering a sudden and severe bout of pneumonia. “We all loved him,” wrote Captain Charles Davis, “and there will ever remain in the hearts of his friends a recollection of his manly worth, earnest devotion to duty, fidelity in friendship and generous sympathies that will serve to keep his memory cherished so long as one remains.” During your next visit to Mackinac, stop at the Post Cemetery and look for the final resting place of Edwin Sellers. Perhaps the maples growing nearby were tapped 140 years ago by eight rambunctious boys. Listen closely, and you just might hear faint echoes of sweet laughter amidst the rustle of sugar maple leaves.
A Closer Look at the Collections: Cameos Posted April 7, 2023 One of the next major projects for Mackinac State Historic Parks will be the reconstruction of a unit on the Southwest Rowhouse at Colonial Michilimackinac. To prepare, MSHP staff have been going over the archaeological records and artifacts from the 1960s, when the unit was originally excavated. Today, our Curator of Archaeology, Dr. Lynn Evans, is looking at a cameo ring recovered in 1962.
Herbert Benjamin and Blacksmithing on a Changing Island Posted March 9, 2023 Since Europeans settled on the Straits of Mackinac, a few distinct economic eras have affected people’s lives. Aside from the fur trade, tourism has had the most significant impact on Mackinac Island. Tourism affected the entire island, not just the hospitality industry. Islanders adapted to change as the busts and booms of the tourism industry affected their daily lives, and newcomers to the island would bring their skills to improve the community.Robert Benjamin, the founder of the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop. After buying the Star Blacksmith in 1885, Robert Benjamin brought his young family to the island for the first time—those first two seasons on the island were very difficult, with little financial gains. Blacksmithing was still a common occupation in the 1880s. Still, it was slowly beginning to decline with industrialization and cheaper, ready-made metal products. What saved Robert’s shop was one of the most ambitious construction projects on Mackinac Island to this day, the construction of Grand Hotel in 1887. Grand Hotel provided Robert with the work he needed to get his struggling shop off the ground and establish his family as a part of the wider island community.Herbert at the forge, ca. 1950s. Robert’s son Herbert would take over the shop in 1900 after Robert was elected Sheriff of Mackinac County. Working in the blacksmith shop for the next 65 years, Herbert witnessed significant changes not only on the island he lived on but also in the kinds of work he did. A blacksmith in the 19th century could count on a steady stream of horses and farming equipment coming through their shop to make money. Working as a farrier, shoeing horses, or creating and repairing tools for everyday work, blacksmiths were common in any city or town. By the early 20th century, cars rapidly replaced horses, and mass-produced tools became the norm. Herbert remained one of the few full-time blacksmiths in the United States thanks to the auto ban on Mackinac Island in the late 1890s. Even on an island with an abundant supply of horses to shoe, it would not be enough to keep Herbert in business; he had to expand his range of work as new technologies and businesses came to the island.Herbert examining a horse and carriage, ca. 1950s. Tourism on the island grew significantly following World War Two. The 1950s and ’60s brought even more people visiting the island every summer. New businesses and institutions became a part of the fabric of Mackinac Island, and Herbert would do business with nearly everyone. Herbert shoed horses from Carriage Tours, Gough Stables, the MRA, and many summer cottagers and islanders. He expanded his work to do carriage repair, patent leather work, small engine repair, and even sharpening lawn mower blades. When Mackinac State Historic Parks set about restoring the Biddle House in 1959, Herbert provided $95.00 worth of restoration work. Herbert occupied a rare position as a village blacksmith well into the 1960s, long after most blacksmiths had closed their doors and retired. He finally retired in 1965 at the age of 82. His retirement marked the end of a regular village blacksmith on Mackinac Island, though farriers still work there. Following his death in 1967, Herbert’s family donated the shop and its contents to Mackinac State Historic Parks. In addition, the shop was moved from its former location on Benjamin Hill, on the west end of Market Street, to its current location, next to the Biddle House.A Blacksmith Interpreter in the shop today. A blacksmith still works in the shop during the tourist season, from May to October. Though they aren’t shoeing horses, you can often see them working as Herbert did in the 1950s and ’60s on many projects. They use these projects to talk about the changing environment of blacksmithing in the mid-20th century and how Mackinac Island preserved an industry that had once been ubiquitous worldwide for thousands of years. So, on your next visit to Mackinac Island, be sure to stop in at the blacksmith shop, take in the sights and sounds, and learn even more about the changes in blacksmithing and the uniqueness of Mackinac Island. The Benjamin Blacksmith Shop is open from May 12 – October 8.
Archaeological Collections Management at MSHP and the IMLS Posted February 24, 2023 Mackinac State Historic Parks has been conducting archaeological excavations at its sites for over sixty years. This has resulted in the recovery of over one million artifacts and reams of field notes, maps and other documentation of the excavations. Because excavating a site destroys it, preserving these artifacts and records is a crucial part of MSHP’s stewardship mission.Archaeological field records stored in the Petersen Center in Mackinaw City. For many years the artifacts were housed in Lansing, while the records were stored in Mackinaw City. Paper records were microfilmed, with the microfilm stored in a separate location as a physical back-up copy. Today the paper records are scanned instead. In the mid-1990s, MSHP purchased a computerized collections database package. We subsequently received a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to enter all the archaeological artifact catalog information into the database. Three data entry clerks were hired for two years to accomplish this task. The biggest gap in the initial data entry project was that the artifacts were still in Lansing, so their exact storage locations could not be entered.Archaeological artifact cabinets in the Petersen Center. With the completion of the Petersen Center in 2001, the archaeological collections were moved north. The vast majority are housed in the Petersen Center, but building materials, such as chinking and nails, which have less strict climate control requirements, are stored at Mill Creek. Once the collection was moved north, staff attempted to update the database with location information, but the task was too big to complete alongside other duties. In 2010 another IMLS grant was secured to hire three inventory assistants. Over the course of two years, they physically inventoried and updated the database record for all the Michilimackinac archaeological artifacts housed in the Petersen Center.Building materials stored at Mill Creek. While the Michilimackinac collection makes up the majority of the archaeological collection, major excavations have been carried out at Fort Mackinac and Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park as well. Last year MSHP received another IMLS grant to inventory and update records for the Mill Creek artifacts and some of the Fort Mackinac artifacts. This grant will also include inventory and re-housing of a portion of the architectural artifacts stored at Mill Creek. This project began in October 2022 and will continue through August 2025.Alex Michnick inventorying Mill Creek ceramics. These grants have assisted MSHP in fulfilling the preservation aspect of its mission. By making the archaeological collection more accessible to staff and researchers, they also have made presenting the results of our archaeological investigations easier as well. Archaeological artifacts are exhibited to the public at all MSHP sites providing a tangible connection to the lives of the people who lived and worked at the sites in the past.
