Mackinac Island is an island covering 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2) in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European exploration began in the 17th century. It served a strategic position amidst the commerce of the Great Lakes fur trade. This led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two battles during the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony. Much of the island has undergone extensive historical preservation and restoration; as a result, the entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It is well known for its numerous cultural events; its wide variety of architectural styles, including the famous Victorian Grand Hotel; and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. More than 80 percent of the island is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park.
Read the rest of this article: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackinac_Island> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 325: The First Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church, was formally opened in present-day Iznik, Turkey. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea> 685: The Picts defeated the Northumbrians near Dunnichen, severely weakening the latter's power in northern Great Britain. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dunnichen> 1293: Sancho IV, King of Castile and León, established what is now the Complutense University of Madrid, today one of the top public universities in Spain. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complutense_University_of_Madrid> 1570: The first modern atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by cartographer Abraham Ortelius, was issued. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Ortelius> 1927: By the Treaty of Jeddah, the United Kingdom recognized the sovereignty of King Ibn Saud in the Kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd, which later merged to become Saudi Arabia. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Saud_of_Saudi_Arabia> 2002: East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the twenty-first century after Indonesia relinquished control of the territory. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timor> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: kinematic (adj): Of or relating to motion or to kinematics <http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kinematic> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: However unwillingly a person who has a strong opinion may admit the possibility that his opinion may be false, he ought to be moved by the consideration that, however true it may be, if it is not fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed, it will be held as a dead dogma, not a living truth. --John Stuart Mill <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
