There are no motorized vehicles on Mackinaw Island; but every September on the Mackinac Bridge, there is a tractor drive that many collectors seek out. This bridge spans the Straits of Mackinac connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957 and is almost as famous as the island. It is 26,372 feet long, making it the world's 20th-longest main span. The bridge is also part of Interstate 75 and a segment of the U.S. North Country National Scenic Trail. The bridge connects the city of St. Ignace on the north end with the village of Mackinaw City on the south. To get to Mackinac Island, there are ferries from both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. Once arriving on the island visitors will find the busy main street filled with people, fudge shops, souvenir shops and quaint, lovely diners – but no cars, truck or traffic. The only traffic around is bicycle or horse-and-buggy. The island’s history includes forts and a lot of back-and-forth with the British, and these modes of transportation are a great way to learn all about the past. One fun stop is the Surrey Hills Carriage Museum, where collectors will enjoy both the beauty of the carriages and the history. One carriage carries a kidnapping history, and is even called the Ransom Carriage. The story goes that this carriage was used to deliver $25,000 in gold pieces to kidnappers in December 1900. Thankfully the family got their boy back. When they sold their summer home on Mackinac Island, they gave this carriage to the coachman. Another type of carriage on display was the “roof-seat break” carriage. This was used for training and exercising harness horses. This was a working carriage often used to transport servants and household goods. The one on display at the museum was manufactured by A.T. Demarest, which also built bodies for automobiles. Another cool carriage is a Phaeton, or trap, manufactured by the C.P. Kimball Co. It is difficult to imagine, but its placard states this New England family-owned business built carriages from 1634 to 1929, under nine generations! This carriage was owned by a former president of the Carriage Assoc. of America. (An interesting note for collectors who are particularly into horse-drawn and carriage collectibles, incidentally, may be the museums link at www.carriageassociationofamerica.com) One of the most flamboyant is the Flandette Wagonnette Carriage, which was used in the stables at the Grand Hotel and was new in 1900. The Grand Hotel is the queen of Mackinac Island, visible from the ferry as guests arrive. This lovely hotel put the island on the map and changed it from a fur-trapping industry site to a tourist and resort destination. The Flandette was a four-wheeled carriage with passenger seats running the length of the carriage and a high box for the driver and groom. The note said it was the favored vehicle for Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, to haul around family for less formal occasions. Some of William Vanderbilt’s carriages are also on display; he is credited with being partly responsible for the building of the Grand Hotel. There is also a cool basket vis-à-vis carriage made of wicker that rides with two people facing each other. This summer carriage was made by Brewster & Co. Like the Demarest Co., Brewster & Co. was also an automobile coach-builder. Founded by James Brewster in 1810, the company was active for almost 130 years. Learn more about the museum by visiting the island’s website at www.mackinacisland.org Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication. Learn more of Cindy’s finds and travel in her blog, “Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl,” at http://travelingadventuresofafarmgirl.com |
