Mackinac Island is celebrating 125 years of banning automobiles on the island with special events next weekend.
According to Mackinac State Historic Parks, the celebration will start on Friday, July 21 with a "re-banning" of automobiles on the island. They were originally banned in 1898.
They'll use an 1886 Benz Motorwagen, which is a vehicle similar to the one that got the ban started, to do the re-banning. The Motorwagen will take a short drive down Market St. to Mackinac Island City Council before the ban is reaffirmed.
“Mackinac Island is famous for many things, but the century-and-a-quarter-old ban on motorized vehicles is truly at the top of why it is such a special place,” Mackinac State Historic Parks Director Steve Brisson said in a statement.
The vehicle will also be on display during the weekend outside of Fort Mackinac and a representative from the Gilmore Car Museum will be on hand to provide more information about it.
Also, there will be a new book for sale called "Where Horse is King: Mackinac Island's Automobile Ban" and a special logo on merchandise throughout the island.
