I'm hoping that someone else knows how to pronounce it... Mish-a-la-mack-a-nack (or something like that.) Perhaps we'll have to get Jon Jacobson to give us the correct spelling, or maybe you could fill us in.

And while you're at it, who's the statue near the tip of the mast's shadow? Probably a lot of history here, if I just had time to look it up. Almost didn't make it here in time for the new week of the Pasty Cam.

I wonder who won the Super Bowl?

I posted a message about the pronunciation of Mackinac earlier last week, but I think it was too late for anyone to see it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but what I've learned is that "Mackinac" is the original and "correct" spelling. It's a French word that IS PRONOUNCED "Mack-i-naw". Therefore, both ways are correct in a sense!

As I kid I traveled many many times over the mighty mac and always wondered who it was that couldn't decide which way to spell Mackinaw! Now, dozens of years later, I have finally figured it out - - - I think.

But I think we'd all agree it's an awesome place (like all the U.P.) regardless of how you say the name!

~Tim Soper

This is an excerpt from a guide book, written by Amy McVeigh (a summer resident of the Island for over 20 years). The book is titled Mackinac Connection-An Insider's Guide to Mackinac Island.
ACTING LIKE A LOCAL--Never pronounce the island's name Mack-i-nack. The "nac" is pronounced "naw".
Never spell the island's name Mackinaw, or the city on the mainland's name Mackinac. Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City are correct. The bridge is spelled with a final c.

Check out this site www.mackinac.com for all kinds of information about the island or for more information about the book I mentioned above.

I'm not sure how you pronounce Michilimackinac, but this is the proper spelling. The native American Indians knew the Island as Michilimackinac or large turtle!


And, last but not least, the statue in the picture is in Marquette Park and it is the Jesuit priest, Father Jacques Marquette, who established a mission at the Straits near present-day St. Ignace in the 1670's.

In case you can't tell, I love Mackinac Island, wish I could live there year round!

I made the trip from troll land to the UP many times as a Tech student, but never had time (or money) to stop at Mackinac Island. Heck of a bridge though. Now in Mpls, we vacationed to the north and east last summer, visiting Mackinac Island, the locks, Ottawa, Montreal, and finally Tadoussac, Que on the St. Lawerence Seaway to see whales.
Our day on Mackinac Island was great, horseback riding, a carriage ride, and bicycling around the island. The British spelled the native name Mackinaw, and the French: Mackinac. City got one spelling on the mainland, Island the other. Both pronounced "aw". Statue: Father Marquette.

See this website for more:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/4278/mackinacisle.html

(We're still in mourning over the Vikings, so I didn't catch the game, but understand that the Ravens won.)

Hey Mark,
How do you highlight the website address so people can just click on it like yours?

Just open the web page in your browser, highlight the URL in the location window, copy, and then go back to the messsage you are creating and paste the URL address in. This will work for e-mail as well, if both the sender and recipient have HTML enabled I believe. If the software does not allow the reader to click through to the web site, the reader can cut and paste the URL from the message into their browser location window in the reverse procedure.

Starting about 64 years ago my mother began taking me to Mackinac Island each summer. She and her sisters were required to help their father operate his restaurant called Wandries. It was located directly opposite the theater. Anyway, as a child Mom would pack me a lunch of ham sandwiches and a thermos of chocolate milk and send me out for the day. In 1937 Fort Mackinac was just "there", unattended and the best playground I ever had. I would spend all day playing soldier, and investigating all the buildings and the cannons and other equipment that was abandoned from another day. I subsequently worked at the restaurant for my cousin Dennis Brodeur during my college days at Michigan Tech. After marrying, prior to my senior year, my wife and I spent our honeymoon on the Island. Mackinac Island is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth. Thanks to Jon Jacobson for the great photo and for reviving wonderful memories. Pasty Cam...you are the best!

I always pronounced the fort in Mackinac City as Mich-i-mil-mack-i-naw.

woops...make that mich-i-mil-i-mack-i-naw

I was brought up as a child learning the pronunciation also as Mich-a-la-mack-in-naw. We spent some of our honeymoon on Mackinac Island also...bet there have been a lot of honeymooners there!

And non-football fan that I am...it was the Ravens, but don't know the score.

The score was 34 to 7 with the Ravens winning. It was a good game. I've always called it Mackinaw Island just because that was how I've always heard it. Of course that doesnt make it right but that's how I've always heard it said.

Paul, you know, you are right about the Island. I was thinking about the Fort.

Anybody: Does the Grand Hotel still have the longest outdoor porch in America?
A tip for any potential vacation boarders:
The Esther Williams room is, dare I say, swimmingly special!

Raven: I just watched "Ports of Call" on PBS with Mackinac Island being the port of destination, several weeks ago. The Manager of the Grand Hotel stated that it is the longest covered veranda in the world. It measures 660 feet-end to end and is covered three stories up! It's really something to see, but of course I'm not so sure it's worth the $5.00 they charge, just to walk on the street in front of it!

WOW! I go away for a few days, and look what happens. Charlie, I am sorry for the controversy surrounding my Pasty Cam contributions. :o)

We have this discussion many times, and am always happy to clear things up.

During its modern-day history, The Straits of Mackinac region has had three different flags fly, British, French, and American.

During the earlier days, the Ojibwa referred to the entire region, not just the straits, as Michinnimakinong. Minor controversy surrounds the origin of this term. Some say it references the hunch-back appearance of the island, meaning great turtle. Others hold to a more literal translation, which refers to the “Crack in the Island.” The Crack in the Island is behind the airport, and worth the visit to this remote part of the Island.

The French translated this and began saying “Mish illi mack inaw.” But where the French pronounce AW, they spell AC. Thus, Fort Michillimackinac, Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Island were named by the French. Mackinaw City was named by the British. The Bridge is named after the Straits below it, thus, Mackinac Bridge.

Always remember however, no matter how you spell it, it’s always pronounced Mackinaw.

More details are at http://www.picturemichigan.net
Go to the GALLERIES then find the HISTORY section.

PS: And Mary... After you have had the chance to lounge on the vast verandah of the Grand Hotel, rocking in the oversized chairs, watching the ferries, steamers and pleasure-craft vying the straits, taking in the spectacular views of the bridge and lighthouse, and inadvertently noticing that you suddenly don’t have a care in the world at that moment, you will find it’s worth the five dollars! :o)

Jon Jacobson: Thanks for the info, next August when I'm there, I will definitely look for the "Crack in the Island". Could you e-mail me with a little more info on how to find it? Thanks, I'd appreciate it!

As for the $5.00 being worth it, maybe it is, but I've stayed at several other beautiful places on the island. I've done a little exploring also, and found many places on the Island, that you can do what you mentioned, and not pay the cash. That's all I meant, didn't mean that the Grand isn't GRAND!! Sorry!

Now that Mackinac has been cleared up - thanks, JON!! - perhaps he would do the same for "pasties"- which 'Nonknowits' call "pace-tees"...THINGS worn by strippers!

Then we can REALLY get into it with SAUNA! How many times will I hear Sahw-nahw - rhyming with "fauna", as used with "flora & fauna". SAUNA is a Finnish word, fauna is a Latin word, and NOT pronounced the same. The OLDER/pre1960 dictionaries give the correct (Finnish) pronounciation as sou'nah...rhymes with "Saw Oona"
(- in the sauna!). In fact, were you to say that instead, "Saw Oona" - you would be closer to the correct pronounciation of Sauna.

...OR...try this: The word "sound" is the same pronounciation, just DROP the 'd' and tack on an 'a' - and you have SAUNA! Unfortunately - the new dictionaries have the incorrect, as well as the 'traditional' pronounciation - so as not to embarrass the eggheads that mispronounced it in the first place?

OK, if Makinaw City and Mackinac Island, Fort and Bridge are pronounced Mackinaw. Why not just spell them all correctly as Mackinac and pronounce it Machinaw??? That way eventually everyone would understand the pronunciation as Mackinaw. People mispronounce Mackinac because it appears there are two different pronunciations due to the fact there are two spellings in the same area. Don't ridicule non locals because you can't spell it the same way in all locations.

Please tell me more about the fort.My last visit there was in 1959,on my way to the west coast of Canada. At that time it was being reconstructed,and not available for view.I am now retired and want to visit the area for several weeks and renew my interest in the "Forgotten War Of 1812" Thankyou , T.C.