The Mackinac Bridge spans across a five-mile stretch of the Straits of Mackinac, connecting Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsulas. It is an engineering marvel, its life span said to be 1000 years. The history of the building of this bridge is an interesting one.
The first serious thought given to building a bridge across the Straits of Mackinac came in 1884, when an experiment to provide year-round ferry service between Michigan’s two peninsulas ended in dismal failure. An article in one of the newspapers at the time, suggested that the only way that year-round transportation between Upper and Lower Michigan would ever be accomplished was if a tunnel or a bridge was built.
The completion of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge gave some of Michigan’s movers and shakers the idea that a bridge across the Straits was possible, though the building of the bridge remained just an idea and a topic for conversation. In 1888, Cornelius Vanderbilt made the statement that the Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel was the greatest hotel of it’s kind, and that what was now needed was a bridge across the Straits. Still nothing was done.
Throughout the years, the idea of building a bridge was a topic of much controversy. Many believed such a bridge could never be built while others believed such a bridge was possible. There were feasibility studies, talks of costs, and other factors that kept the idea alive but got nowhere.
Finally, everything all fell together, and in 1954, construction of the bridge finally began. Over the next 42 months, hundreds of men worked on the bridge, laying foundations, building supports, and actually building the bridge itself. In the course of building of this bridge 5 men would lose their lives: Frank Pepper; James R. Sarge; Albert Abbott; Jack C. Baker; and Robert Koppen.
Once completed, this suspension bridge was, for its time, the largest in the world, spanning five miles. The deck of the bridge at it’s center is 200 feet above the waters of the Great Lakes, Its towers rise 552 feet above the water.
Its cost if one counts for inflation, is 100 million dollars.
Finally on November 1, 1957, a huge celebration was held, opening the bridge to traffic. Since that time more than half a million cars cross the bridge annually.
The bridge is closed to all pedestrians with the exception of the annual Labor Day Bridge walk which began in 1958 and has been going ever since. Traditionally the bridge walk is lead by the Reigning Governor of Michigan but in 1992 President George H.W. Bush led the bridge walk along with then-Michigan Governor John Engler.
Being a suspension bridge, the “Big Mac” or “Mighty Mac”, as it is nicknamed, can move from side to side as much as 35 feet in high winds, and then slowly swing back to center.
For those of you who have never seen this modern wonder, It is a beautiful sight when seen by day or night. It is truly a work of art and one that has withstood the test of time.
