Mackinac county spans thinly along the Lake Michigan and Lake Huron coastline.   The county was originally named Michilimackinac but was later shortened to Mackinac. As with many of Michigan 's counties, there is a differing of opinion as to where the name came from. One definition translates the word to mean, "Place of the Mis-hini-maki ," after an ancient tribe that inhabited the island. The second definition is a French interpretation of a Native American word that means Land of the "Great Turtle," which is the shape of Mackinac Island from a distance. One of the most asked questions for the county is what's the proper way to pronounce the word "Mackinac"? The French spelling of Mackinac is M-A-C-K-I-N-A-C but pronounced "aw". The British heard it pronounced this way so they spelled it M-A-C-K-I-N-A-W. Any way you see it spelled, it's always pronounced mack -in-aw.

This county also maintains one of Michigan 's most famous landmarks worldwide.   It's the world-famous Mackinac Bridge , Rising 55 stories above the Straits of Mackinac. Up until 1998 The Bridge Also known as the "Mighty Mac," held a long standing record as the longest suspension bridge in the world, today it still holds the record as the longest in the western hemisphere. Mackinac County holds many other places of interest such as Castle Rock, the Hiawatha Trail, the Cut river bridge and of course the Mystery Spot, where it's claimed Gravity tends to defy it's own laws.   Well No matter how you stack it up, Mackinac County not only offers many tourist traps for the family, it also produces it's share of opportunities for sportsmen in Outdoor Michigan.

Mackinac County Websites and Locations of Interest

http://www.mackinacbridge.org/ - Mackinac Bridge Authority

http://www.mackinac.com/ -

http://www.nps.gov/fama/ - Father Jacques Marquette

http://www.stignace.com/ - St. Ignace Convention & Visitors Bureau