The Henry Ford
Touted as America’s Greatest History Attraction, The Henry Ford offers a rich educational experience that celebrates the best of yesterday’s technology with the innovation of today. The Henry Ford began as a collection of items associated with innovative Americans and their inventions. Founded in 1929, by innovative automobile manufacturer, Henry Ford, The Henry Ford seeks to fulfill Ford’s dream “to convey the inspiration of American genius to our youth.” The Henry Ford is located in Dearborn, Michigan, and contains five major components: Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, IMAX Theatre, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, and the Benson Ford Research Center.
At the Henry Ford Museum, visitors will find a large collection of everyday objects relating to innovation and creation. The Henry Ford Museum uses programs, demonstrations, and reenactments to showcase American innovation. Some of the premiere exhibits are Agriculture, Automobile in American Life, Baseball as America, Heroes of the Sky, Made in America, Presidential Limousines, Transportation and Mobility, and many more.
Greenfield Village is a 90-acre historic village where a mixture of historic buildings and transportation are reminiscent of yesteryear. Visitors can stroll the shops on Main Street, visit the Liberty Craftworks to see over a dozen trades at work (such as the millers, the potters, and the weavers). Or step up to the Working Farms to see living demonstrations of how difficult it was to make a living off the land, from everyday chores to harvest time. Or take a ride in a Model T, in a horse-drawn omnibus, or on an old-fashioned carousel. For dining, Greenfield Village offers several options for a quick snack or a sit-down dinner.
The Ford Rouge Factory tour of the great American factory line has five separate parts. These include a historic driving tour through the Rouge complex, a video of the history of the Rouge, a virtual reality experience, a walk along the observation deck (the “living roof”), and a walking tour of the assembly plant.
The Henry Ford Museum and IMAX Theater are open daily. Greenfield Village is open daily mid-April through the end of October, weekends only through December 31, and is closed from January 1 through mid-April. The Ford Rouge Factory Tour is open Monday through Saturday year round and additionally, is open on Sundays mid-April through Labor Day weekend. The Benson Ford Research Center is open Monday through Friday. The Henry Ford is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is located in the straits of Mackinac where the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan meet between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Once a Native American tribal gathering place, Mackinac Island was discovered in the late 1600s by the French to be a place ideal for their lucrative fur trade. The fur trade gave way to the fishing industry around 1830. By the end of the Civil War, war-weary Americans began to discover the beauty and tranquility of Mackinac Island. In 1875, Mackinac Island became the U.S.’s second national park (the first was Yellowstone). Twenty years later, the park was transferred back to Michigan and it became the state’s first state park, Mackinac Island State Park.
The Victorian Era ushered in new money to Mackinac Island and consequently, the construction of opulent summer “cottages”. The famous Grand Hotel was erected in less that four months. Carriage drivers began to capitalize on the tourism and started offering horse-drawn carriage rides and historic tours. In the 1920s, automobiles were banned, and that law remains in effect.
Today, eighty percent of the island is state park land, the rest is privately owned. There is much to see on Mackinac Island. By far, the number one attraction if the island itself, either along the water’s edge or in the inland historic district. A carriage tour followed by a bicycle ride, hike, walk, or kayaking, are the ideal way to see the natural beauty of the island. The most well-known attraction is the 1800s-era Grand Hotel. This hotel and island served as the backdrop for the late Christopher Reeve movie “Somewhere is Time”. Non-guests may visit the hotel – an admission is charged before 5 pm – to access the gardens, the lobby, shopping, the art exhibition, and the dining. Another popular tourist attraction on Mackinac Island is Fort Mackinac, Michigan’s only Revolutionary War-era fort. Fort Mackinac offers reenactments, fourteen original buildings, canon salutes, military music, films, and historical information.
The Mackinac Island State Park also features historic buildings. In the downtown district, visitors can observe hearth cooking and craft exhibits at Biddle House and live blacksmith work at the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop. The Beaumont Memorial commemorates Dr. William Beaumont’s pioneering medical discoveries. (Dr. Beaumont was stationed at Fort Mackinac and his experiences there made him the leading authority on the human digestive system.)
The Mission Church and the Stuart House Museum, which was the social center for fur traders and John Jacob Astor in the early 1800s, are two other historic structures. In addition to historic buildings, Mackinac Island houses two butterfly exhibits, and is home to three golf courses. Many seasonal festivals are held at Mackinac Island each year. With its natural beauty and cultural history, Mackinac Island is a popular destination.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Glen Haven, a restored logging village, was once one of several many communities that supplied fuel to the steamers on the Great Lakes. Glen Haven survived the decline of steamships by diversifying into other industries. The other villages are now Ghost Towns with traces left of what was once there. In Glen Haven, visitors can tour the Sleeping Bear Point Life-Saving Museum. This maritime museum features the history of the people who saved lives of those shipwrecked along the Lake Michigan coastline. High lake traffic, the unmarked shoals and unpredictable weather contributed to innumerable wrecks – in 1870-1871, over 200 lives were lost on the Great Lakes. In 1871, the U.S. Life-Saving Service was created and lighthouses were built in strategic locations along the shore to help ships navigate in safe waters.
There were several lighthouses in and around the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The lighthouse on South Manitou Island was built as an aide to navigation for the ships passing through the Manitou Passage. (The lighthouse from North Manitou Island it is no longer standing.). Tours are available of the South Manitou Lighthouse. Visitors can climb the 117 steps to the top for incredible views of Manitou Passage. Toll ferries are available to North and South Manitou Islands. Another place to visit is the Port Oneida Rural Historic District at the north end of the Park. This district offers a look at a 1900-era farming community’s farmsteads and fields. Wildlife lovers and birdwatchers, will enjoy seeing the natural setting offering the perfect habitat for many of the native wildlife. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is home to two endangered species. Several nesting pairs of the Piping Plover have made their home on the beaches. These nests have been marked to prevent disturbance. Also, the endangered Pitcher's Thistle is native to the Great Lakes dunes.
Winter sport enthusiasts love Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for the cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Nature lovers will marvel at the white snow on the golden sand set against the blue waters of the lake. In the fall, the forests display the beautiful profusion of reds, oranges, and yellows that bring fall foliage seekers to the area. Whether winter, summer, spring, or fall, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers plenty to see and do.
The Philip A. Hart Visitor Center located off M-72 in Empire, Michigan is open daily and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.