The Ojibway First Peoples called the island anipich, meaning the place of the hardwoods, some of the original hardwood forests still exist today in between the farmland. Today, it’s called St. Joseph’s Island and many of the roads are gravel tracks.
Most people come to the island to visit ruins of Fort St. Joseph National Historic Park. About 45 men lived in the fort since it was built in 1798. It replaced Fort Mackinac on a nearby island after it was ceded to the US in the American Revolution. The fort protected the upper Great Lakes and supported the fur trade with First Nations.
In 1811 a part of the wall was blown down by a strong wind. Then, in 1814, the Americans burned the rest of the fort down in an attack. The ruins of which are part of the park. It was the most westerly military post in Upper Canada during the War of 1812. In fact, the first military action of the war started at this location.
A letter arrived at the fort on July 3, 1812 notifying Captain Charles Roberts that war had been declared between Canada and the US. He departed with 45 British troops, 200 Métis and French warriors, and 1000 First Nation warriors on July 16 to capture an American fort on Mackinac Island. The US garrison on 60 men didn’t know war had been declared and surrendered the next day without a single injury.
