Fort Mackinac facts for kids
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Fort Mackinac
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Fort Mackinac
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Huron Rd., Mackinac Island, Michigan |
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| Built | 1782 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000280 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 31, 1966 |
| Designated | June 9, 1960 |
Fort Mackinac (pronounced MAK-ə-naw) is an old military fort on Mackinac Island, Michigan. It was used by both British and American soldiers from the late 1700s to the late 1800s.
The British built the fort during the American Revolutionary War. Their goal was to control the important Straits of Mackinac, which connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. This area was key for the fur trade on the Great Lakes. Even after the Revolutionary War ended, the British kept the fort for thirteen more years.
Later, Fort Mackinac was the site of two major battles during the War of 1812. These battles were fought for control of the Great Lakes. For most of the 1800s, it served as an outpost for the United States Army. The fort closed in 1895 and is now a museum within Mackinac Island State Park.
Contents
A Look Back: Fort Mackinac's History
Building a Stronghold: The Revolutionary War Era
Before 1763, the French used Fort Michilimackinac on the mainland to control this area. After the Treaty of Paris (1763), the British took over the French fort. However, they found its wooden structure hard to defend.
So, in 1780 and 1781, Lieutenant Governor Patrick Sinclair built a new fort. This new fort was made of limestone and sat on high bluffs on Mackinac Island. The bluffs were about 150 feet (46 meters) above the Straits of Mackinac.
The British held this outpost throughout the American Revolutionary War. Even though the Treaty of Paris (1783) ended the war in 1783, the British didn't officially give the fort to the United States until 1796.
Battles for Control: The War of 1812
In June 1812, British Major-General Isaac Brock learned that America had declared war. He quickly sent a message to Fort St. Joseph, Ontario, about 1,200 miles (1,931 km) away. The message confirmed the war and ordered an attack on Fort Mackinac.
At that time, Fort Mackinac had only about sixty American soldiers. Lieutenant Porter Hanks was in command, but he hadn't heard from his leaders in months.
The Surprise Attack of 1812
On July 17, 1812, a combined force attacked Fort Mackinac. This force included British soldiers and Native American allies. They were led by British Captain Charles Roberts. His group arrived in seventy war canoes and ten large boats.
Roberts' forces landed about 2 miles (3 km) from the fort. They moved the villagers out of their homes and aimed two cannons at the fort. Lieutenant Hanks and his American soldiers were completely surprised. They realized they were greatly outnumbered. Roberts had about two hundred soldiers, plus several hundred Native American allies.
Lieutenant Hanks feared that the Native Americans would harm his soldiers and their allies. So, he accepted the British offer to surrender without a fight. The British allowed the American soldiers to leave, but they had to promise not to fight in the war again. The island residents had to swear loyalty to the United Kingdom.
Soon after the fort was captured, two American ships arrived. They didn't know about the war or that the fort had been taken. The British raised the American flag. When the ships docked, the British captured them as prizes of war.
Building Fort George
After capturing the island, the British built a new fort called Fort George. This new fort was a stockade and blockhouse built on the highest point of the island. They wanted to make sure the Americans couldn't easily recapture the island.
Lieutenant Hanks went to Detroit, where he was charged with cowardice for surrendering Fort Mackinac. However, before his trial could begin, British forces attacked Fort Detroit. Lieutenant Hanks was tragically killed during this attack.
America Tries to Retake the Fort (1814)
In July 1814, American forces tried to take back Mackinac Island. Colonel George Croghan and General William Henry Harrison planned this attack. They wanted to control the Great Lakes and weaken the fur trade alliance between the British and Native American tribes.
On July 26, 1814, five American ships arrived at Mackinac Island. They carried 700 soldiers led by Colonel Croghan. This started the Battle of Mackinac Island. Croghan found that the new British blockhouse, Fort George, was too high for his ships' cannons to reach. This meant they would have to attack the fort's walls without cover.
The Americans shelled Fort George for two days, but most of their shots missed. A thick fog then forced the Americans to retreat for a week.
The Battle of Mackinac Island (1814)
Major Andrew Holmes led the American forces back to the island. They landed near where the British had attacked in 1812. The Americans moved through thick woods toward the fort. Native American allies of the British were hiding in these woods.
Finally, the Americans came out into a clearing below Fort George. Colonel McDouall had placed a small British force there. They had guns and two field cannons hidden behind low walls. When the Americans appeared, the British cannons easily targeted them.
The British forces killed 13 Americans, including Major Holmes and two other officers. Fifty-one more Americans were wounded. Because of these heavy losses, Colonel Croghan ordered his men to retreat back through the woods to their ships. The Americans then sailed away.
This defeat meant the British kept control of Mackinac Island and its forts until the end of the War of 1812. After the Treaty of Ghent was signed, American forces returned to Fort Mackinac in July 1815. They renamed Fort George to Fort Holmes, honoring Major Holmes who died in the 1814 attack. After the war, Fort Mackinac became less important for military defense.
Life at the Fort: Later Years
Fort Mackinac was no longer needed as a main border defense against the British. Instead, it became a place where troops could be held until they were needed elsewhere. The Army sometimes left the fort almost empty between these uses. It also served as an important fur trading post.
From 1816 to 1821, Benjamin Kendrick Pierce commanded the fort. He was the older brother of future President Franklin Pierce. He married the daughter of Magdelaine Laframboise, a famous fur trader of Ojibwe and French heritage.
A Medical Breakthrough at the Fort
On June 6, 1822, a fur trader named Alexis St. Martin was accidentally shot in the stomach. The fort's doctor, William Beaumont, treated him. Dr. Beaumont didn't expect St. Martin to live, but he surprisingly recovered.
St. Martin's stomach had a hole that never fully closed. Dr. Beaumont saw this as a unique chance to learn about digestion. He took St. Martin into his home and began observing and experimenting on him. Through these experiments, Dr. Beaumont learned and described the process of digestion in great detail. He wrote a book about his findings and became known as "The Father of Gastric Physiology."
Exploring the Territory
The fort also became a key starting point for U.S. explorations of the northern Michigan Territory. In 1820, Lewis Cass led an expedition from here to explore the source of the Mississippi River.
Henry Rowe Schoolcraft was the United States Indian agent at Fort Mackinac in the 1830s. He studied the Native American languages and culture of the region. His wife, Jane Johnston, helped him. She was Ojibwe and British, and her family was important in the fur trade.
The Civil War and Beyond
During the Mexican–American War and parts of the Civil War, only an ordnance sergeant looked after Fort Mackinac. Despite these quiet times, the fort played a small role in the Civil War. It briefly held three Confederate political prisoners.
These prisoners were brought to Mackinac Island in the summer. They had a lot of freedom, guarded only by local volunteers. But when winter approached, two prisoners signed loyalty oaths to get released. The third refused and was moved to another post.
In 1872, Seth Eastman, an Army officer and artist, painted Fort Mackinac. The U.S. Congress asked him to paint military forts. This painting is now in the collection of the United States Senate.
Fort Mackinac: A National Park Role
From 1875 to 1895, Fort Mackinac and much of Mackinac Island were part of Mackinac National Park. This was the second national park in the United States, after Yellowstone National Park. During these years, the soldiers at Fort Mackinac acted as park rangers. They spent a lot of time building new roads and paths in the park.
To make life better for the soldiers, the Army built a bathhouse. Every soldier had to bathe there at least once a week. They also built a modern toilet facility and a canteen. At the canteen, soldiers could read magazines, play pool, and buy beer and wine. The Army wanted Fort Mackinac to be a "desirable station."
Soldiers also had regular military duties. They practiced drills and target shooting at least once a week. The skills they learned at the fort helped many troops who were later sent to other dangerous areas in the American West.
Fort Mackinac Today: A Living Museum
Becoming a State Park
In 1895, Congress closed Fort Mackinac and Mackinac National Park. The fort and park were given to the State of Michigan. This created Mackinac Island State Park, Michigan's very first state park.
The Mackinac Island State Park Commission now manages Fort Mackinac and other historic sites nearby. These include Colonial Michilimackinac and the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. The Governor of Michigan appoints members to this commission. They work to preserve and share the rich history of Mackinac Island and the Straits area.
In the 1950s, the Commission found a new way to fund the park. They used a system similar to how the Mackinac Bridge was financed. The bridge was built with money from bonds, which were paid back by toll fees. For the park, admission fees to Fort Mackinac became the main source of income.
Today, over three-fourths of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission's budget comes from admission fees and other money they earn. Most U.S. parks rely on public funding, but Mackinac Island State Park is special because it generates most of its own operating budget.
Visiting the Fort Today
Today, Fort Mackinac is a very popular place for tourists to visit. It sits on 150-foot (46-meter) bluffs overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. It's one of the few remaining forts from the American Revolutionary War and one of the most complete early forts in the country. In 2015, Fort Mackinac celebrated 235 years of guarding Mackinac Island.
During the summer (June to August), visitors can step back in time. Inside the old stone walls, costumed interpreters bring the 1880s to life. They answer questions, pose for pictures, and lead tours all day. Some "soldiers" even carry original 45-70 Springfield Model 1873 rifles, just like those used at the fort in the 1880s. Others play music or chat with visitors.
The 1841 model six-pounder cannon is fired many times daily. It's positioned just as it would have been during the War of 1812 attack. This is the second-largest cannon regularly demonstrated on the Great Lakes! Other activities include rifle firings, re-enactments of court martials, and dances with live musicians.
Buildings You Can Explore
There are 14 original buildings at the fort museum:
- Commissary Building: This was used to store food. Now it shows a video about the fort.
- Post Headquarters: This building held offices and the paymaster's station.
- Quartermaster's Storehouse: This stored all the equipment soldiers needed.
- Post Bathhouse: Built in 1885, this newest building had six baths for soldiers.
- Soldiers Barracks: Over 100 soldiers lived here. Today, it's a museum and gift shop.
- Post Schoolhouse: Soldiers could get an education here.
- Hill Quarters: Many lieutenants lived in these officers' quarters.
- Post Hospital: The fort doctor treated patients here until 1860.
- Officer's Stone Quarters: Built in 1780, this is Michigan's oldest building. It now has the Kids Quarters and a Tea Room.
- Wood Quarters: This building had many uses, including officers' quarters and a canteen that served beer.
- Post Guardhouse: Prisoners were held at this spot for over 100 years.
- North, East, and West Blockhouses: These stone towers were built by the first Americans at Fort Mackinac.
See also
- Mackinaw jacket, a type of jacket created at Fort Mackinac in 1812.
