I was taking a ferry to Mackinac Island this morning anyway. But then I got an assignment that added immeasurably to my enjoyment.
Our good friend Karen Stahl loves the 1980 romantic comedy “Somewhere in Time”, starring Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. It involves time travel back to 1912 (spoiler alert), and the movie is set and was filmed on Mackinac Island, which can easily look a century old. Karen wanted me to take a picture of the Grand Hotel, a key location in the film. When I got the island brochure I found out there are two other photo ops from the movie.
So as I was on my scavenger hunt, I saw a lot of areas of the town I may have otherwise missed. I did visit Fort Mackinaw which overlooks the main shopping street, as well as a museum of local art located in an old school for native Americans.
Mackinac Island seems to be the premier upscale summer vacation spot in the Midwest. It reminds me of Block Island or a smaller version of Nantucket, with one main town and a lot of open area. There’s one big difference – no cars have been allowed on the island for over 100 years. Everyone is riding a bike and there are dozens of horse-drawn carriages for tourists. So thank you Karen, for helping me make Mackinac Island one of the highlights of my trip.
I spent the rest of the day in Mackinaw City itself. I visited an old lighthouse, which had a duplex house below for the families of the two lightkeepers who alternated keeping the lens lit. Then I visited Fort Michilimacinach, which belonged to the French and British before it was replaced by the fort on the Island. Finally, I went to Mill Creek to see the remains of the first water mill (and support buildings) in the area.
Today’s song is another one by Bob Seger, Michigan’s favorite singer in the non-Motown division. It’s “Night Moves”, as I am moving every night from town to town.
I will miss the sunsets over Lake Michigan 
The main span of the Mackinaw Bridge – with Mackinac Island centered behind it 
The first water mill, at Mill Creek 
Fort Michilimackinac, with an archealogical site in the middle 
The Old Machinac Point Light, with its attached duplex house 
A view of the main street and the fort from the island ferry 
Main Street on Mackinac Island 
The gazebo from the film 
Looking down from Fort Mackinac 
Fort Mackinac 
The Grand Hotel. I peeked inside and it is quite grand 
A plaque with the scene where the two main characters meet – in 1912
Mark's cross-country trip 