Mackinaw Bridge Tractor Parade

Got a bunch of photos from a great weekend illustrating the first ever Antique Tractor Parade across the Big Mac Bridge between Upper and Lower Michigan. A trip to remember ! Many different clubs represented in the event, including Mid Mich Old Gas Tractor Assn. Click link below or go to http://mmogta.org/WeeklyFeature.html
Untitled URL Link

Hey, isn't it the Mackinac bridge, not Mackinaw?
Seems it all depending on who was doing the spelling at the time when official names were created.

My wife used to work on Mackinac Island. As to spelling the old Indian word - I belive it goes:

Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Island
Mackinaw City
Mackinaw State Forest
Mackinac County
Fort Mackinac (by the bridge)

I wanted to get over there for the show, but was 1000 miles away. I've got a small farm just a little south of the Mac bridge. Looking at the photos, looks like it was a typical windy day. Must of been pretty neat crossing that bridge in an open tractor. I've seen people in cars and trucks too scared to drive across it. State of Michigan still provides an escort service for those too scared to drive.

Mackinac is the french spelling witha silent C , mackinaw is the English version and I speak English , not french or spanish or arabic or... you get the idea

No, that is not exactly true. The French spelling was "Michilimackinac." The French came up with that in an attempt to spell an Indian name for the place. Mackinac is what it was later shortened to by English speakers and made official for the State of Michigan. Not Mackinaw.

If everyone started spelling everything phonetically, it would be pretty confusing.

Mackinac is not just the French spelling, it is the offical Michigan spelling for the bridge, island, and Fort.

If we start using phonetics only, guess we're going to have Bell-are-roose tractors (instead of Belarus).

So, have you changed the spelling of Michigan counties Charlevoix or Presque Isle - a few more French names in northern Michigan?

Hey, I don't care how anybody pronounces anything - except maybe my own name which is French and never gets pronouned right. But, we do rely a bit on standardized spellings so we can find things when we need to - i.e. maps, databases, indexes, etc.

Hey, since you're from the UP, how do you spell Grand Marais (in Chippewa County)? French also with the French spelling and another letter not meant to be pronounced. That's one that usually gets my attention since it also happens to be my family name. I'm not "grand", just a "marais." That because my family came from a swampy area in France.

JD, it IS Mackinaw County, not Mackinac. Fergus began his tractor ride in Mackinaw City and finished it in Mackinaw County. It is , to me, the Mackinac Bridge only during those rare occasions when it is swung over to Mackinac Island. Have a good Day. gh

You ARE from Michigan, right? Maybe you'd better contact Mackinac County officials and tell them they've been spelling it wrong for over 100 years.
Go to:
http://www.mackinaccounty.net/

It was spelled Michilmackinac in 1818, and then shortened to Mackinac in 1837. I've got family records of my ancestors that were voyagers coming through that area in the late 1700s and still called it something close to Mackinac.

There is no "Mackinaw" county that I've ever come across. Where are you getting this from?
Mackinaw city yes, county no. island, no. bridge, no.

You can call something whatever you want, but many things have official names - including the bridges and counties in question.

As to using English, as mentioned previously . . . few Americans speak the Queen's English. We speak American English which is quite different, and has many words with silent letters, many words that were once pronounced wrong, and/or spelled wrong, or any combination of errors concievable - and are now correct after years of useage. That's also a big difference between American English - and French when it comes to rules of change. The French language is policed for accuracy and prohibits most change.

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You are right , I was wrong about the w in mackinac county.gh

Fergus; Thanks for the posting. I enjoyed it much more than the posts by Gary and jdemaris. W4