By Kevin Lavery
At the end of the War of 1812, the British fort on Mackinac Island was returned to the United States. The Mackinac State Historic Parks system is currently celebrating Fort Mackinac’s bicentennial.
The War of 1812 played a huge role in shaping the territory that eventually became the state of Michigan. Early in the war, a very young United States of America maintained a fort on Mackinac Island. On July 17, 1812, British, Canadian and Native American forces took control of Fort Mackinac until war’s end. When the Treaty of Ghent ended the hostilities, the U.S. reclaimed Fort Mackinac from the British on July 18, 1815.
Fort Mackinac. Image: Kevin Lavery, WKAR
Now, the Mackinac State Historic Parks system is celebrating Fort Mackinac’s bicentennial as an American asset.
Current State’s Kevin Lavery talks with Kelsey Schnell, the public relations and marketing officer for Mackinac State Historic Parks.