Our mission is to preserve, record and maintain the historical information of the area between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas, known as Michilimackinac.
The Mackinac County Economic Development Commission began a concerted effort in 2003 to measure the impact of history and historic sites on the local economy. As that effort was underway, it became apparent to community leaders that the region sorely needed an organization dedicated to preserving the area’s unique history and heritage. Thus, in 2004, the Michilimackinac Historical Society (MHS) was reactivated after a 23-year hiatus. A new Board of Directors with a passion for local history energized the revitalized historical organization.
Shortly thereafter, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians gifted the City of St. Ignace with a valuable collection of regional artifacts collected by the late Dr. Donald Benson. At that time, the City of St. Ignace entered into an agreement with the Historical Society to steward this valuable collection. Fort De Buade Museum was reopened in 2007 to house the newly acquired collection. In 2016, the City of St. Ignace transferred ownership of the collection to the Historical Society. We take this responsibility very seriously, and love to share the fascinating items in this collection with the public.
The Historical Society's exhibits include the:
- Fort De Buade Museum
- McKenney and Hall Collection
- Historic Mulcrone House
 |
The museum’s collection features Native American objects of the pre-contact Woodland period through the eras of the French, British and Americans of the area. | Info |