Rand McNally on the Road

Indian Dormitory in Mackinac Island courtesy of Mackinac State Historic Parks

Mackinac Island, Mich. —Mackinac Island, a state park where bikes are the main mode of transportation and its creamy fudge is nearly a currency, will soon be home to museum featuring works inspired by its surroundings. The 1830s-era Indian Dormitory on the land is currently under renovation to house pieces inspired from the island’s American Indian beginnings to its modern, albeit old-fashioned, way of life.

“This is a great project because it allows us to restore a significant building and exhibit a major part of our collection that currently has no public display venue,” said Phil Porter, director of Mackinac State Historic Parks.

The dormitory was built on the island to house American Indians who came to receive payment as part of a provision when the people deeded portions of Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas to the United States. Since then, the building has served as a school as well as an exhibit space.

A lot of work needs to be done to get the building into shape, parks workers say. Rotten windows as well as the roof need to be replaced, and the building’s insides need to be made current in its electrical systems and plumbing. A micro-climate exhibit-case system will also need to be installed to ensure the featured art will be well preserved.

Once completed (the parks group is hoping to be done in 2010), the first floor will be home to the permanent collection, and the second floor will have rotating exhibits and feature work from contemporary artists living on the island. — Hilary Solan