The Ferry Docks and Car Elevator: Mackinaw City, Michigan 1920s-1940s
Nowadays we take the Mackinaw City ferry boats for granted.
We go.
We board.
We sail.
We arrive.
Done.
But the docks themselves have quite a history.
Did you know there was once a car elevator built in the 1930s and used to load cars onto the upper decks of the ships? In fact, even though it's not in use anymore, it's still there on the dock.
There was also a dock where train cars would be backed up, loaded, and unloaded onto the ships.
According (and thanks) to Restless Viking, the two ferries that transported the railroad cars were the Chief Wa-wa-tam and the Sainte Marie; they were also used to take the first cars across the Straits to St. Ignace in 1917. You think you're paying too much now for a ferry? Back then the cost was $40...and on top of that, they would drain all the gas out of your vehicle, thank to maritime regulations for safety.
In 1925, the State built a 1,400-foot causeway in Mackinaw City, followed by the first ferry in 1927: The Straits of Mackinac. A few decades later, the number of ferries had increased to five.
Next time you visit Mackinaw City, take a walk down to the old docks and take a look at the old car elevator that still stands, and also the dock where the railroad cars were boarded.
There's plenty of history in them thar docks.
The Old Mackinaw City Ferry Docks
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