Nov 13, 2008

Memories of Mackinac



I had originally planned this post as a Friday Show & Tell. Just this once I thought I would combine S & T with Jan and Tom's Somewhere In Time event. Kelli, There Is No Place Like Home, is hostess of Show & Tell Friday. To see many wonderful posts go to her beautiful blog. To see "Somewhere In Time" posts go to Jan and Tom's Place.

While CeeKay was visiting, she, my husband, and I drove to northern Michigan to spend a day at Mackinac Island. It's a gorgeous island in the Great Lakes waterway. The Mackinac Bridge is a spectacular sight as you approach the island by ferry. The Mackinac Bride is a five mile long suspension bridge over the Straits of Mackinac and was opened to traffic on November 1, 1957. It is currently the third longest suspension bridge in the world.

When you step off the ferry onto Mackinac Island you are transported into a Victorian era. No cars are allowed on the island. Horse drawn carriages are the only source of transportation on the island other than travel by foot or bicycle. It's a charming transformation - quiet and clean.



When you hail a horse drawn taxi and ride through the village you will enjoy viewing quaint little shops, large stately homes, hand built stone churches, and sweet little cottages, all in pastels and whites, surrounded by beautiful English style gardens.





Your heart will almost stop as the horses round a final curve and you see the gem of Mackinac Island, The Grand Hotel! It is stunning in it's grandeur.


The inside of the Grand rivals the outside! It is just spectacular. As you wonder through one magnificent room after another you can almost imagine yourself a visitor on the Somewhere In Time set in 1979. Do these pictures remind you of that beautiful romantic movie filmed in the Grand Hotel?


The original inhabitants on Mackinac Island were of course Native Americans, Ojibwe I think. The British military settled on the island in 1754, building the now famous Fort Mackinac. After the Civil War Mackinac Island became a national tourist attraction. In 1875 Congress created Mackinac Island National Park and in 1895 it became Michigan's first state park. Park land covers more than 80% of the island, the rest is privately owned. By the 1890's Mackinac Island had entered the Victorian age of beauty and wealth. Large, beautiful summer homes and hotels were constructed for the wealthy. Construction on the famous Grand Hotel began in 1886. It opened for business in 1887. Room rates were $3-$5 a night, as compared to $235 - $705 today! The Grand Hotel's front porch is the longest in the world. In 1896 a petition was presented to the village to prevent "horseless carriages" from operating on the island. The rest, as they say, is history! Mackinaw Island remains a beautiful, quaint place to visit. If you ever visit Michigan don't miss an opportunity to spend at least one beautiful day there!


Here are a few things I picked up while on the island:

The red geranium painted on this plate is the Grand Hotel's trademark flower.

A little bottle of official Grand Hotel pink lotion.




A commemorative box to remember the day by.




A package of sweet little note cards featuring the famous Mackinac Island lilacs.


A pretty lilac bottle.


Charm bracelet-a bicycle, ferry boat, a horse drawn carriage, the Mackinac Bridge, Grand Hotel.



Two pretty watercolors of local scenery and lilacs.




A matted print of the Grand Hotel, a truly spectacular place!


My husband, me, and CeeKay taking a few minutes to enjoy the beautiful Grand Hotel Lobby.

29 comments:

threesidesofcrazy said...

Nice show and tell. It is an exquisite island and hotel. I loved the butterfly house too!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I enjoyed looking at your vacation photos. My husband and I rarely go anywhere, but in June of '07, we drove to the Outer Banks and Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Some of your pics remind me of that experience. We loved the ocean and the beach!

pam said...

How wonderful. My husband wants to go there and we just can't seem to get up there.

A Hint of Home said...

I sure wish I could've been with you and CeeKay on that trip. What a fun place that Island is to visit.

Unknown said...

I love seeing all the sections of the island you rode through! What a fabulous day.

Hootin Anni said...

I want to say "Deja Vu"....lovely, LOVELY photos. Now, I want to come along next time!!!


My show n tell this week is all Thanksgiving ---come by if you can find time...won't you?

Happy weekend!

Gone said...

What a lovely post, Mimi!! Someday, Tom and I will have to get there...to really bring everything to reality.

I enjoyed all of your pictures so much!!! Thanks for participating.

~Blessings,
Jan

Anonymous said...

Oh, what a beautiful post! This is the place I want to go to before I die! It's just so beautiful! Lucky you! Yes, I felt like I was in the movie looking at all your gorgeous pictures! Thanks for coming by to visit me today.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

BECKY said...

What a beautiful place, and great pictures! Sounds like you had a wonderful time, and picked up some really nice momentos!. Thanks for sharing, and have a wonderful day! Thanks also for visiting my blog!!
Blessings, Becky

Liz Harrell said...

What a BEAUTIFUL place. I'd go there in a heartbeat!

Gattina said...

What an interesting post ! and such a lovely place ! When there are carriages with horses and no cars it always looks so romantic !

Carrie said...

Thank you for taking us along for theis delightful excursion...I would love to visit the island and the Grand Hotel.

Kathy said...

How beautiful! I've often read about the island and really enjoyed your reflections on visiting there. What a blessing to spend such a lovely time with Ceekay. Thanks for sharing! ~Kathy

Heather said...

wow, what great pictures! looks like a trip i would love too!

Unknown said...

I remember my dad telling me about Mackinac Island. It really is beautiful. You're lucky to be so near to such an exquisite place.
Cheers,
Mary

Anonymous said...

I so enjoyed this post

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

Thank you for taking me along. I enjoyed this post sooo much! I love that movie and watch it repeatedly. I just can't help myself. I would love to visit this place. Now, I just need to conquer my fear of flying and bridges. lol! I will get there one day.

Mindy said...

This was great, so fun! What a lovely place!

Missy Wertz said...

Oh Kathy, from someone who may never get there, thank you so much for the 'tour'! I enjoyed it so. Felt like being there. Thank you so much. Such a beautiful place.

Susie Homemaker said...

Thanks so much for the tour...so pretty...That hotel is magnififcent!

Blessings,
Susie

Sweetie said...

Kathy, Your pictures of your visit to the island are exquisite. The prints and water color are beautiful. The Grand Hotel is GRAND! I can tell by your lovely description that you had a wonderful visit.
Hugs,
Sweetie

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

I enjoyed all the pictures, etc., you have shared. I so regret not visiting there when we lived right "next door" in Indiana. Wonderful memories for you, and for Ceekay!

Katherine

Anonymous said...

This looks like a place I would love to visit. Thanks for all the wonderful pictures. Doubt if I'll ever get there, but it is fun to dream.
Charlotte

Nikki via The Scarlett Rose Garden said...

So glad y'all got to go together and have fun!
The hotel pics are beautiful.

Lisa Cobler said...

Great Show and Tell. Looks like a beautiful place.

Janet said...

Wow, what an incredible tour! I can't believe what beautiful history - everything is so very picturesque - what was the weather like when you visited? It looks perfect from the weather! Thanks for visiting my blog and for your thoughtful comment:)

Linda C said...

Very beautiful items from the island and your photos are great! I have a teacher-friend who lives in Michigan and her parents own a home on the island. I had no idea just how beautiful it was til your post. Thanks for sharing!
Linda C

Kelli said...

What a beautiful place to visit and I enjoyed seeing all of your treasures, too!
~Kelli

Unknown said...

I would LOVE to visit there! All those American flags really spoke to me! Thanks for sharing.