Island in the Straits of Mackinac , southeastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S. It is 3 mi (5 km) long.
It was an ancient Indian burial ground called Michilimackinac when the British built a fort there in 1780. After the U.S. took possession in 1783, it became the headquarters of the American Fur Co. Occupied by the British during the War of 1812 , the island returned to U.S. control in 1815. It has been a state park since 1895; automobiles are banned from the island. A popular tourist destination, the island is home to the Grand Hotel (1887), the world's largest summer hotel.