Mackinac City

Today (Tuesday) we spent in Mackinac (pronounced macinaw) City visiting Fort Michlinmacknac and the lighthouse.

Outside the fort a guard fired a 6 pound cannon for us. He did a great job describing the process and gave us lots of  information on the cannon and it's use. When properly armed it will send a 6 pound cannon ball one mile.It's accurate at a distance of 500 yards.

Inside the fort there were buildings that had been restored from data collected from the archaeological efforts over the years. The buildings housed exhibits of life in the late 18oo's at the fort. This fort was essentially a trading depot exchanging goods from the East (Montreal) for furs from the West. It acted as a trade hub for about 50  years.

There were young folks in costume in various areas to describe life at the fort. Here a young lady tells us about baking bread, cake and pies for the 200 forks that called the fort home. She was actually baking bread in the oven to the right.

From the fort it was a  short walk to the lighthouse and a tour of the facility. Lots of information on shipwrecks in the strait over the years. Then it was time to do some errands and back to the trailer to rest for the trip tomorrow. We head to Dearborn tomorrow morning and will visit the Henry Ford on Thursday. More from there.