12 photos that show why Michiganders like myself are so furious with Mike Pence for bringing cars onto Mackinac Island

Allana Akhtar

Sep 24, 2019, 02:51 IST

12 photos that show why Michiganders like myself are so furious with Mike Pence for bringing cars onto Mackinac Island

Vice President Mike Pence just traveled on Mackinac Island with his motorcade - even though the area banned personal vehicles over 100 years ago.
The lack of cars on Mackinac Island adds to the tourist destination's "old-time" feel, along with its 19th-century Victorian architecture and the presence of horse-drawn carriages.
Here are 12 photos that show why Michiganders like myself are furious with Mike Pence for bringing cars onto the island.
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Michiganders are furious over Vice President Mike Pence's motorcade on the historic Mackinac Island - and for good reason.

As a native Michigander, Mackinac Island holds a special place in my heart. The quaint town barred vehicles in 1898 over health concerns for the horses that live on the island. Natives tend to bike everywhere, or travel by horse-drawn carriage.

Today, the vehicle ban adds to the "old-school" feel of the area, along with its Victorian architecture and the presence of horse-drawn carriages.

Here are 12 photos that show exactly why Michiganders are so furious with Pence driving on Mackinac Island:

Mackinac Island banned cars back in 1898 over health concerns for the horses that live on the island.

The island brings in about 500 horses each spring for the peak summer tourist season, allowing visitors the ability to easily travel by carriage.

The island holds the only car-free highway in the country: M-185, which is primarily used by bicyclists. M-185 loops around the entire island.

There are also 1,489 bikes available to rent on the island.

The island also bans rollerblading and skateboarding within the downtown area.

When Gerald Ford, the only sitting president to visit Mackinac Island, arrived to the area, he traveled via horse-drawn carriage.

The lack of motor vehicles adds to the area's "old time-y" feel, in addition to the 19th century Victorian architecture and horse-drawn carriages throughout the city.

One example of a Victorian-style building is The Grand Hotel, built in 1887 and known for having "the world’s longest porch with views of the Straits of Mackinac."

The Grand Hotel has hosted notable visitors including Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, and Vladimir Putin.

Visitors access the island via one of the two ferries: Shepler's Ferry and Star Line Ferry. Fog horns from the ferries are often heard around the island, adding to the sense of nostalgia.

Today, just 450 people live on the island, and they get around by biking and walking.

As one of the country's premier summer tourist destinations, roughly one million people visit the island each year. Without cars, they enjoy outdoor-oriented activities on the 70 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback-riding trails Mackinac Island has to offer.

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