By Danny Hopkins, PetoskeyNews.com
Mark down “get a history lesson” as one more thing you can do with your cell phone.
Emmet County, the village of Mackinaw City, the Mackinaw Area Historical Society, the Mackinaw chamber and the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum have all teamed up with the company OnCell to bring a self-guided cell phone tour to a number of historical hot spots ranging from Cecil Bay to downtown Mackinaw City.
This summer is the first time the tour has been available to the public. The idea came from jack-of-all-trades Sandy Planisek. Retired, Planisek has lived in Mackinaw City for about 20 years, and she serves on historical organizations in Emmet County and Mackinaw. She also served on the Mackinaw City Council and has written several books.
“I have my feet in a lot of camps,” she said.
Planisek originally heard about cell phone tours a few years ago. But it wasn’t until last winter, while brainstorming ways to improve the tourist experience, that the idea popped back into her head.
She went to OnCell for a quote, which is when she realized that one organization alone couldn’t afford to foot the $2,800 bill for the tours. So, Planisek used all her contacts to bring together the five parties listed above, getting the ball rolling.
Production started in April, and now about 50 historical locations have their own stop numbers. Planisek said that all the audio is recorded by locals, and, in some cases, they get the experts.
“For instance, we have a stop in the Mackinaw City about the American Legion, so we went and interviewed the key players that keep it going,” Planisek said. “We have this on tape, and will have it, forever.”
So now, for example, when visitors run into the big rock at McGulpin Point lighthouse, information on the rock will be available by calling (231) 486-0003, the number that’s on the little sign next to the tour stops. Regular rates apply.
Without even a ring, a woman’s voice will answer the call, providing a brief introduction to the tour; then, you’ll be prompted to enter the stop number. The stop number is located in an orange little box under the phone number.
Seconds later, you’ll be informed that that big rock is “one of the world’s most famous,” and that “Plymouth Rock has nothing on the mammoth boulder.” A minute-and-a-half later, you’re somewhat a big rock scholar.
From there, it’s your call. You could keep wandering around and punching in numbers. Or, if you’re so inclined, you can pick up a card with a list of all the stops at the Mackinaw City Chamber, Mackinaw Village Hall or the Emmet County building, and then spend the evening cell phone touring from the comfort of a sofa or bed.
Planisek said the main objective of the cell phone tours is to “enrich” the visitor’s experience, while at the same time promoting the region. And it’s perfect, she said, because everyone has a cell phone these days.
Emmet County’s director of communications, Beth Piehl, who is a featured voice on a few of the tours’ stops, said the tours are “another way of keeping our history alive.”
“This is a part of a series of opportunities that we are providing to make Emmet County an even more desirable place to visit,” Piehl said.
Piehl said that the county will continue adding stops to the tour, and she said ideas from the public are encouraged.
To share a tour idea with Piehl, call (231) 348-1704.
OnCell features about 50 stops in the Mackinaw City area. Here’s a look at what they are:
Downtown
Stop 01: Pronouncing Mackinaw
Stop 03: Ken Teysen on long lines for ferry
Stop 05: Accidents and elevators
Stop 06: Mill Creek
Stop 07: Ice harvesting
Stop 12: Veterans monument and American Legion
Stop 21: Mackinac Bridge news
Stop 25: Shipping in the Straits today
Stop 28: Old Mackinac Point Light
Stop 30: Light Keeper MaryAnn
Stop 31: Suspension bridge
Stop 33: Colonial Michilimackinac
Stop 38: Street names
Stop 42: Chamber and visitors bureau
Stop 45: Mackinaw today
Stop 47: Conkling Heritage Park
Stop 48: Jerry Prior on his carvings
Stop 50: Old schools
Stop 53: Trail entry — maps
Stop 54: Trail entry — maps
Stop 55: Wind turbine explained
Historic Village
Stop 201: Introduction
Stop 202: Saw mill
Stop 203: Pest house
Stop 204: Significance of pest house
Stop 205: Freedom school
Stop 206: Start of the school day
Stop 207: Base ball language
Stop 208: The model base ball player
Stop 209: Log farm house
Stop 210: Christian Dettweiler
Stop 211: Kitchen garden
Stop 212: Pavilion food
Headlands
Stop 300: Dark sky park
Stop 301: Welcome to the Headlands
Stop 302: History
Stop 303: The beach house
Stop 304: The guest house
Stop 305: Flora and fauna
Stop 306: Trails
McGulpin Point
Stop 400: Welcome to McGulpin Point Lighthouse
Stop 401: McGulpin Point Native Americans
Stop 402: The light itself
Stop 403: Interview with James Davenport
Stop 404: The well
Stop 405: The big rock
Stop 406: Shipwrecks in the Straits
Stop 407: Emmet County restoration work
Cecil Bay
Stop 500: Welcome to Cecil Bay
Stop 501: The Carp River
Stop 502: History
Stop 503: Significance of wetlands
Stop 504: The North Country Trail
Learn more about Mackinaw City and read original article here