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From Michigan History Magazine
Bridging the Straits
 As
early as the 1880s, Michiganians talked about building a bridge across
the Straits of Mackinac. When the Grand Hotel opened on Mackinac Island
in 1888, railroad and shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, a member
of the hotel’s board of directors, declared, “What we need is a bridge
across the Straits.”
No
bridge was forthcoming, but in the early years of the 20th
century, the state’s first highway director proposed a “floating
tunnel” across the Straits. As he later reflected, “People laughed at
me.”
Although the
Great Depression of the early 1930s hit Michigan hard, it did not
prevent the introduction of a new and more imaginative plan to link the
Upper and Lower Peninsulas. In 1934, civil engineer Charles E. Fowler
suggested an “island-hopping scheme” between Cheboygan and St. Ignace,
via Bois Blanc, Round and Mackinac islands. The plan included seven
miles of mainly
arched cantilever spans, intermixed with 18 miles of causeways and
roads. This system also included railroad tracks, eliminating the state
ferry system that carried railroad cars (and automobiles) across the
Straits. The 25-mile toll “bridge” would be the longest bridge system
in the world. Possible funding for Fowler’s $35 million plan included a
federal grant, a private loan or revenue bonds.
As
the plan was being submitted to the federal government’s Public Works
Administration (PWA), support began to erode. Railroad people preferred
the car ferries (which were cheaper), while the maritime interests
feared the 300-foot channels were too narrow for their boats. Other
critics opposed cars and trucks being driven on Mackinac Island.
Criticism also came from Michigan’s
political leaders. Congressman Carl Edgar Mapes of Grand Rapids
dismissed the plan as “wild fantasy of imagination,” while Congressman
George Dondreo of Royal Oak described the plan as “a scheme to mar and
disfigure (Michigan’s) priceless heritage.”
Although
the PWA rejected Fowler’s plan, it did not prevent the New York
engineer from including his design for bridging the Straits on his
lengthy resume.
Twenty years later,
Fowler’s dream came true when construction began on the Mackinac
Bridge, which finally linked the two peninsulas together.
The mighty Mackinac Bridge is a beloved
symbol of the dreams, hard work and courage of the men and women who
built this great state. This year, the Mackinac Bridge will turn 50
years old.
For more great stories on Michigan’s past, look to Michigan History and Michigan History for Kids magazines. For more information or a free trial issue, call 800-366-3703 or visit www.michiganhistorymagazine.com.
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