Mackinaw City Railroad Dock

Mackinaw City Railroad Dock is a Michigan historical marker in Mackinaw City, Cheboygan County, dedicated 2008.

Cheboygan County · dedicated 2008 · 131 S. Huron Street, Mackinaw City

Get directions ↗Start a road trip Historical trails

Before the Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957, ships were the only means of connecting Michigan’s peninsulas. During the 1870s, small sailing vessels served as ferries. Steamboats took over when the Michigan Central Railroad reached Mackinaw in 1881. The creation of a railroad car ferry system and the construction of this dock and one like it in St. Ignace enabled ferries to shuttle rail cars across the Straits of Mackinac year-round. The A-frame adjusted the height of the tracks to match the track on the decks of the ships. Upper Peninsula copper and iron ore were the main cargo. The ice-breaking ferry CHIEF WAWATAM was unique for loading cars through the bow. It ceased operations in 1984 and the tracks were removed in 1991.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Example

under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

From one family's 77-marker roster

Upload your family tree and TreeAlive finds the markers near where your own ancestors lived.

See your family's markers

Start with a tree file, a FamilySearch sign in, or a WikiTree ID.

Report a problem with this page

The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

We may pass what you report to the state's marker program. Please don't include personal details.

Marker data: Michigan History Center
TreeAlive is an independent project. The State of Michigan and the Michigan History Center are not responsible for maintaining the information on this site.

More markers nearby

USCG Cutter Mackinaw WAGB 83under 1 mi
Mackinaw City / Mackinaw Cityunder 1 mi
Michigan State Ferry System / Michigan State Car Ferriesunder 1 mi
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouseunder 1 mi