Visiting the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
The Grand Hotel is one of the first buildings you will see as you cross over to Mackinac Island on the Ferry. It stands out with all its great opulence and its impressive size on the hill. This historic hotel opened on July 10, 1887, as Mackinac Island became a popular place for summer vacations for people from around the Midwest, especially Chicago and Detroit. Mackinac Island had grown in popularity since it had become our nation's second National Park in 1875, before transitioning to a Michigan State park in 1895. Train and steamship services provided a means for visitors to make the journey to Mackinac Island. Amazingly the hotel only took 93 days to complete construction. In 1957 the Grand Hotel was designated a State Historic Building and in 1989 the hotel became National Historic Landmark. You can feel the history of the hotel today as carriages drop guests off in the grand portico outside the front entrance. The bright yellow awnings capture your eye alongside the imp