McGulpin House facts for kids
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McGulpin House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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McGulpin House, June 2006
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Market Street Mackinac Island, Michigan |
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| Part of | Mackinac Island (ID66000397) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Designated NHLDCP | October 15, 1966 |
The McGulpin House is a really old house on Mackinac Island. It was built a long, long time ago, even before 1780! Today, it's a museum where you can learn about history. The Mackinac Island State Park takes care of it. You can visit it during the summer months.
Contents
Discovering the McGulpin House History
The McGulpin House looks like a typical working-class home from French Canadian areas. No one knows exactly when or where it was first built. It hasn't always been in its current spot on Mackinac Island.
How Old is the House?
Experts have looked closely at the wood used to build the house. The large wooden beams were cut by hand using a special tool called a pit saw. This tool was used before sawmills became common. A sawmill was built nearby around 1790. This means the house was likely built before 1790.
Some clues suggest the house might even be older, built before Mackinac Island was settled in 1780. Many private homes were built near Fort Michilimackinac between 1763 and 1780. This was a busy time for the fur trade in the area.
Moving the House to Mackinac Island
During the American Revolutionary War, in 1780, people living near Fort Michilimackinac were told to move. They had to go to a safer village on Mackinac Island. That winter, the water between the mainland and the island froze solid.
Historical records show that some wooden houses were taken apart and carried across the ice to the island. It's believed that the McGulpin House might have been one of these homes. Imagine moving a whole house across frozen water!
The McGulpin Family and Their Life
After the War of 1812, the United States took more control of Mackinac Island. The fur trade became very successful. In 1819, a couple named William and Madeline McGulpin bought the house. William was a baker.
Baking for the Fur Trade
The McGulpins lived on the mainland, near what is now Mackinaw City. They had a farm there. Today, a place called McGulpin Point is named after them.
The McGulpins were important to the fur trade on Mackinac Island. They used local grain to bake bread and hardtack. Hardtack is a very hard biscuit that lasts a long time. It was perfect food for fur traders.
The American Fur Company was the biggest employer on Mackinac Island. They needed a lot of food for their traders. These traders traveled all over the Great Lakes in canoes to trade for furs. The McGulpins helped feed them.
The House Today
The McGulpin House was moved to its current spot on Mackinac Island in 1981. When you visit, you'll see it as it might have looked around 1820. This was shortly after the McGulpins moved in.
The McGulpins were a working-class family. Their home was simple, without many fancy furnishings. You can compare it to the nearby Biddle House, which was a home for a wealthier family. This helps you see the difference in how people lived back then.
