Heritage on Mackinac Island

 Last month I spent a day on Mackinac Island in Michigan.  This excursion was filled with heritage gawking and a visits to living history sites. 

Some of the trips’ highlights include:

• Seeing the vibrant outreach programming at the St. Ignace Museums.  Each Friday night during the summer months the St. Ignace museums put on educational programming.  The evening I was there included a drum circle, and children's music programming.
• Heritage buildings on the island.  There is an overwhelming number of private and public buildings on the island which could be considered heritage residences.  A number of these buildings also included descriptive signage or were open to visitors.
• Great natural landscape.  My favourite part being the arch rock, and the great views of Lake Huron.
• Visiting Fort Mackinac
• The Fort has great interactive programming for all ages.  For example, there was an entire restored building at the fort that was geared completely to interactive displays for children.  It included everything from dress up clothes, touch and feel exhibits, and a "solider instruction corner".
• There is also a considerable effort to make the Fort feel as though it is still functioning.  Cannon firings, actors in historical costumes, animated displays. and changing of the guards contributed to an overall old-time feel.

It was a great trip.  Though, a word to the wise: July/August is the Island’s peak tourist season, I recommend avoiding the main street of the island after about 10 am, unless you enjoy copious amounts of people and touristy shops.  Despite the crowded main street the rest of the island wasn’t nearly as crowded and there are tons of walking trails that are little used.