French Fur Trading Center

On the Straits of Mackinaw was situated Fort Michillimackinac. This French-built, fortified trading post dates back to the late 1600s. At that time, this European settlement was on the edge of the known world. If this large log cabin (a reconstruction) is a true replica of the original, it disproves the notion that all was rough built and raw.This cabin, the trading post, is built in the French style. The logs in the walls are set upright on a footer with a header pegged to the top. The logs were set apart and the gaps filled with rocks and mud. The steep roof required many cedar shingles. The many windows required multiple pieces of glass, shipped by canoe from Montreal or Quebec. . . Or perhaps the window openings were filled with empty wine bottles or oiled paper. Inside, the cabin had twin chimneys. Each chimney could have had back-to-back hearths on each floor. Hence, this cabin might have eight heated rooms. The inside chimneys also radiated heat. In all likelihood, this well-built structure was warm and comfortable in the cruel winter months.