Mackinac Island Native American Settlement

Mackinac Island is situated in Lake Huron at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac between the states upper and lower Peninsulas.The island is about 8 miles in circumference and 3.8 square miles in total area. This island previously belonged to the Native Americans before the coming of the Europeans in the 17th century.

It added to the strategic position of the Great Lakes fur trade. The environment here is preserved legally by the State Historic Park designation. The Mackinac Island contains a huge variety of terrain, marshes, fields, bogs, boreal forest, limestone formation and coastline.

Legends conclude that Mackinac Island was created by the Great Hare, Michabou who was the first to appear after the recession of the Great Flood. It was the place for the tribes where they made their offerings to Gitche Manitou. The first European who saw the island is a French Canadian, coureur de bois Jean Nicolet in 1634. Archeologists have explored prehistoric fishing camps on this island and its adjacent area. The entire Straits is officially acquired by US through the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

The whole of the Mackinac Island was listed as a National Historic Landmark in October in 1960. Fort Mackinac was built in 1780; it has now been restored to its late 19th century. The Matthew Geary House was built in 1846 and is now available for rental purpose. In 1980, the Victorian style Grand Hotel was built, but it gained national prominence after the shooting of the film Somewhere inn Time. Apart from these places other historical places in the island were the Indian Dormitory, Mission Church, Mission House, Round Island House, Michigan Governors Summer Residence and the Agency House.

Later in the 19th century the island became a popular spot for the tourist attraction. Much of this place was historically preserved and restored which is why it is listed as National Historic Landmark. Mackinac Island is famous for its numerous cultural programs and its variety of architectural styles which includes the Victorian Grand Hotel. The island can be reached by a private boat, ferry, aircrafts and in winter by a snow mobile. The Island includes the harbor while the southern and western shore from Mission Point to Pointe aux Pins is protected as a part of Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve, a state marine park.

Here most pf the building are built of wood having clapboard and few are built of stones. The architectural style spans from the earliest Native American structures to the styles of the 19th century. The recent style includes Colonial and Tudor revival styles. The island has five galleries. Mackinac Island is a house of various cultural events which includes an annual show of American art. It is also visited by many famous writers. The show consists of the Masco collection of the 19th century at the Grand hotel. Wikipedia