Millwright House Opens at Historic Mill Creek in June

Bill Smith has spent the last eight summers reconstructing the Millwright’s House at Mill Creek in Mackinaw City. Most of the reconstruction was done by hand, using lumber cut in the nearby water-powered sawmill.

A volunteer with Mackinac State Historic Parks, Mr. Smith completed the project this year and the official opening of the Millwright’s House Exhibit took place Wednesday, June 15.

The exhibit includes the origin millstones from the nearby mill, a transparent floor panel revealing an underground storage cellar, informational panels, and artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations, including an 1805 Irish commemorative coin, a Haitian military button, and a brass wedding ring decorated with two entwined hearts. Also visible is the original hearth ruins, which were found during archaeological excavations.

The 18th century mill site was discovered in 1972 by Cheboygan historian Ellis Olson, his wife, Mary Olson, and Mary and Margaret Lentini.

Reconstruction work began on the Millwright’s House in 1996 using hand tools and traditional methods.

During his dedication speech, Phil Porter, director of Mackinac State Historic Parks, thanked volunteers and staff who helped with building the exhibits. Mr. Porter also expressed appreciation for the support of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Coastal Zone Management program, which granted the project $56,500.

The sawmill was built at Mill Creek around 1780 primarily to provide lumber for the original building boom on Mackinac Island, said Steve Brisson, chief curator for the parks.

Also attending the opening ceremony were Mackinac Island State Parks Commissioner Audrey Jaggi, Village of Mackinaw City President Robert Heilman, and Mackinac Associates President Marta Olson.

Mill Creek, which also features a working water-powered sawmill, sawpit demonstrations, and walking trails, is three miles south of Mackinaw City on US-23. Admission to Historic Mill Creek is $7.50 for adults, $4.50 for youth ages 6 through 17, and is free for children 5 and under.