Wait…Is That An Actual Car on the Streets of Mackinac Island?
I thought this was the stuff of legends.
On Tiktok, a video was shared of the very rare, the very elusive, actual motorized vehicle cautiously driving down the streets of the infamously car-free Mackinac Island:
I know. The AI voiceover mispronounced Mackinac. See? AI isn't perfect just yet.
What's it Doing There?
It looks to be a truck designed for carrying oversized loads. So, I'm guessing it's delivering a part of a building or house. One comment seems to confirm that guess:
It’s part of a modular house being set on the island my brother works for the company that built this house - Jeremy L.
And there you have it.
People in the comments were quick to point out the humor in the fact that they did this in the middle of the night as if that would preserve the illusion that there are never cars driven on the island.
Sure, it's not the norm. But, of COURSE, motorized vehicles have to be used occasionally, right? At least in emergency situations which, I'm not sure if moving a house actually counts.
From what I could gather, aside from emergency vehicles, there are only a few occasions when a car drove on Mackinac Island's streets. According to mackinacisland.org,
While visitors can’t take a car to Mackinac Island, some exceptions have been made over the years. For one, a few vehicles were allowed on Mackinac Island for the filming of the 1979 movie “Somewhere in Time” starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. Also, the utility company that provides electricity to Mackinac Island has trucks on the island, and emergency vehicles are on the island all the time to protect the health and safety of Mackinac Island residents and visitors.
In this instance, the company or owner responsible for the modular house was most likely given specific permission to use a truck to move it.
Don't worry. One truck concealed under the cover of darkness won't ruin Mackinac Island's unique charm, something many Michiganders look forward to in the summer months.
In fact, you can even buy a home there. You know...if you have a few extra million laying around: