Mackinac Island, Michigan; July 2003

Mackinac Island, Michigan; July 24, 2003

Mackinac Island is an island covering 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2) in land area, belonging to the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European exploration began in the 17th century. It served a strategic position amidst the commerce of the Great Lakes fur trade. This led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two battles during the War of 1812.
In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony. Much of the island has undergone extensive historical preservation and restoration; as a result, the entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It is well known for its numerous cultural events; its wide variety of architectural styles, including the famous Victorian Grand Hotel; and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. More than 80 percent of the island is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park.

Post Cemetery, which is said to be one of only four locations in the United States where the U.S. flag is always flown at half-staff (the others are the Punchbowl in Honolulu, the Gettysbur National Cemetery, and Arlington National Cemetery).

Mission Church, on Mackinac Island, Michigan, was built in 1829. It is the oldest existing church in the state of Michigan. It is constructed in the New England Colonial church style and is sparsely decorated as a result of its Calvinist origins. It was built as part of a Calvinist mission complex that also includes the adjacent Mission House.

Fort Mackinac was built in 1780 and was closed as a fort in 1895 as it no longer had any strategic purpose. It has been restored to its late 19th century state through efforts beginning in the 1930s

The Grand Hotel is a Victorian-style structure that opened in 1887. It gained national prominence after the 1980 film Somewhere in Time was shot on location at the hotel.

The Round Island Lighthouse is located just south of the island on the small, uninhabited Round Island. The light was built in 1894 and automated in 1924. Extensive restoration efforts began in the 1970s and the exterior and structure have since been repaired.