The mighty Mackinac Bridge straddles the Straits of Mackinac between Lakes Michigan and Huron to connect Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. Pronounced MA keh nah, Mackinac is short for Michilimackinac, which was an Indian territory on what is now Mackinac Island.
Measured the conventional way, between towers, Mackinac Bridge is the world's ninth longest suspension bridge. Measured by impact, it ranks right up there with the Golden Gate Bridge. No wonder Michiganders call it "Mighty Mac."
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Ceremonies to celebrate the official beginning of construction were held in 1954; it opened in 1957. The Mackinac Bridge has had a lasting impact on travel in Michigan -- on the day it opened, the ferry service to the Upper Peninsula ended.
Crossing the seemingly endless bridge can be its own reward, with the added bonus of entering another world: Michigan's incomparable Upper Peninsula.
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