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Fort Mackinac celebrates 200 years in American hands

Fort Mackinac photo
Kevin Lavery
/
WKAR
Fort Mackinac

At the end of the War of 1812, the British fort on Mackinac Island was returned to the United States. This weekend, the Mackinac State Historic Parks system is 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.

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.

Kevin Lavery served as a general assignment reporter and occasional local host for Morning Edition and All Things Considered before retiring in 2023.
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