James first trip to Mackinaw became an annual excursion for the family. We think its a great way to start the summer off so we try to go before Memorial Day if we can. The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day all the hotel rates double and suddenly we have an expensive vacation. Fortunately James has not yet started school so we can take advantage of taking him to Mackinaw during the off season.

This year there was still a chill in the air. The month of May might be considered part of summer, especially toward the end of the month, but in Mackinaw with the strong winds and northern location it was still early spring.

Continue reading “Mackinaw City 2004” →

After our visit to Saulte Ste Marie we headed South for about an hour and took the ferry from Mackinaw to Mackinaw Island. while there we took a tour by horse carriage to most of the sights. We even made time to visit the haunted house that they have there.

The Kleiber family heard wind of a bridge being built in Mackinaw that would connect the lower peninsula with the upper peninsula of Michigan. The bridge would be open to traffic in 1957 and the Kleiber family rented a cottage and went up to Mackinaw in 1958 to take a look see.

Since then Mackinaw has been a very popular vacation location for Kleibers of all generations. You will find many pictures of the bridge taken by the family but these are the first.

The Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere. The five-mile bridge is the world’s longest suspension bridge between cable anchorages. Fare revenues are now used to operate and maintain the Bridge and repay the State of Michigan for monies advanced to the Authority since the facility opened to traffic in 1957.

Continue reading “Mackinaw 1958” →