There is no question that when you step off a ferry boat onto Mackinac Island, you are taking a literal step back into time, very similar to the late 19th Century. This is because motor vehicles have been banned (with the exception of emergency vehicles such as fire and ambulance, and on rare occasions, the Michigan State Police can be seen driving around in a vintage 1930’s patrol car). Commerce here depends solely upon horses, and tourists have a choice of walking, using bicycles or riding in carriages pulled by horses. Everything goes at a much slower pace in this unique atmosphere.
Horses are required to haul everything by pulling flatbed “drays” to keep the island ticking and even UPS does its deliveries in this manner. Garbage is even picked up using a large wooden-box affair, which looks like a horse-drawn garbage truck.
“Shoe repair” the Mackinac Island way.
The fact that the Mackinac Island State Park owns 80 percent of the Island, everything maintains a harmonious nature which is steeped in history. A favorite State Park exhibit I like to visit is the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop, which is located adjacent to the Biddle House (another historic exhibit) on Market Street. Of special interest to me is the display of horseshoes, which include the unique rubber horseshoes that Mackinac Island is well noted for.
The horseshoe has a typical steel core which has rubber molded around it, and the idea of rubber horseshoes is to prevent damage to the paved roadways. Due to the heavy horse-drawn traffic on the roadways, steel horseshoes would be tearing up matters in no time.
Just as with tires for automobiles, rubber horseshoes get readily worn out after some mileage, and have to be replaced. A very important factor about these horseshoes is the tall steel toe-clip, which is needed due to Mackinac Island’s up and down hilly terrain. When a horse is going downhill, the hoof slides forward, and if a toe-clip isn’t present, the sliding action could literally pull the horseshoe off. A newly developed molded polyethylene horseshoe does all that the rubber ones do, except without any of the flaws, such as the rubber separating from the steel core on occasion.
Grand Hotel Stable Manager Ben Mosely driving a vintage carriage pulled by spirited hackney horses.
Another place I like to visit is the Grand Hotel’s Stable and Carriage House. Ben Mosely is the head stable manager, and when required he is also the head coachman driving a pair of flashy and high-stepping hackneys. Most of the carriages Mosely uses are over a hundred years old, and all the customs of coachmen of that bygone era are still fully observed. When Mosely climbs aboard a carriage he is quite a dapper fellow in his stovepipe hat and tall leather boots. A lap robe covers his white pant legs to keep them clean and protects them from being tarnished by the black leather reins. The same reasoning applies to the leather gloves with tall wrist gauntlets, which not only keep his hands clean, but also protects his white shirt-cuffs.
Kids love an old fashioned buggy ride.
Often seen on the streets is the Grand Hotel’s omnibus (where the term “bus” comes from) carrying passengers, and with its coachman being in full and proper dress. Omnibuses were very popular in the big cities during latter part of the 19th Century, and of course the Grand’s omnibus fits right into the scene on Mackinac Island. It is pulled by a team of huge Percheron horses and when I questioned Mosely about the very large size of horses he explained to me that it wasn’t out of necessity, because smaller horses could easily handle the load, but is due instead to public perception. I have noticed that a whole bunch of folks visiting Mackinac Island today are quite literally “horse-ignorant” and have absolutely no concept of the reality in dealing with horses. Many assume the horses are cruelly overworked and most likely not well cared for, which is untrue.
The truth of the matter is that sick or overly tired horses are not good for business. They are worked in shorter shifts than one might assume, and have great daily care, including a veterinary whenever required. At day’s end, besides being groomed, they are also sprayed down with lukewarm water to relax and further cool them down. Yep folks, those island horses may work for a living, but they are very well taken care of and certainly not abused.
A lot of folks visiting Mackinac Island are often “day-trippers” and are there for only few hours, and I really believe they are missing out on the true essence of what can be found in such a very unique and laidback atmosphere. This is especially so when the last ferry boat departs the island and matters literally calm right down. I always enjoy listening to taps being blown by a bugler at the fort during each sunset and I’ve even heard bagpipes piping from the fort on occasion. When taking a nighttime stroll on the boardwalk along the shoreline, the view of the Mackinac Bridge is spectacular.
There is a whole lot more to Mackinac Island than the hustle and bustle of the downtown, which at times can be a tad overcrowded with visitors. My focus is avoiding the crowds by hiking, biking and horseback riding on all the forested trails which lace their way throughout the interior. It pays to always have a good map of the island, because a person can get turned around and confused in this very woodsy environment.
My wife Ginny and I always make a point of going for a do-it-yourself horse and buggy ride, as well as frequently riding saddle horses, all of which are rented from Jack’s Livery Stable. (Horses instinctively know how to return to the stable if you ever get lost).
Our favorite horseback route is to ride the isolated bridle paths, of which there are many, up to Fort Holmes, the highest point on the island, that offers quite a view from a saddle. The only time we encounter any people is when we must cross a road here and there, otherwise we pretty much have the woods (which are usually full of wildflowers) to ourselves. Yep, folks, an outdoor adventure on Mackinac Island is clearly what you make of it.
Taking that step back in time is something special which Ginny and I always look forward to each summer.
than 40 years and has had his weekly radio show, “Tom Lounsbury
Outdoors” for more than 20 years. Tom grew up on a farm in
Michigan’s Thumb, and it is where his first outdoor adventures began
as a kid accompanying visiting pheasant hunters into the field during
the “pheasant hunting heyday” of the 1950’s and 1960’s. It is a passion
he still has to this day and being the 4 th generation to own the family
farm, he has put most of it into conservation programs with a focus on
wild pheasants, which in turn helps all wildlife.
Being an outdoor communicator, Tom appreciates all the outdoor
adventures he experiences in different places, and especially the
people he meets in which to share them.