What Makes Mackinac Island One of America’s Most Uncommon Memorial Sites

I used to work for Kent County Parks, and raising and lowering the American flag when the governor or president requested it be reduced to half mast in honor of a fallen soldier or on designated Half-Staff days was part of the daily routine. Most days, like yours, the flag would fly at full mast in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code.

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But there are very select few places around the country, five to be exact, that fly their flags at half mast all day, every day. These are at spots like the Arlington National Cemetery, Pearl Harbor, Gettysburg, Normandy, and...Mackinac Island? Mackinac Island seems like the odd one out among these other historical locations, but the island commemorates a unique part of American history.

Why Some Places Are Designated For Half-Mast

The American Flag is set to half-mast (or half-staff, as they are used interchangeably) to remember and honor a member of the military or government. These are usually designated days by the president or governor and should only be lowered as indicated.

READ MORE: The Day Detroit Fell: Michigan’s Hidden War Story from 1812

But select places around the country (and the world, in one case) where unknown soldiers are buried receive special designation, with their flags lowered to honor the soldiers who are unnamed but not forgotten. The places listed above make sense because they are either national cemeteries or sites of significant battles.

The Mackinac Island National Cemetery, also known as the Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery, is a small cemetery that houses the remains of soldiers who died during the Battle of Mackinac Island in the War of 1812.

The Battle of Mackinac Island

The battle against a British-occupied Mackinac Island lasted only one hour, but it involved 75 casualties, with 13 dying in battle and seven from their wounds. It was a failure that led to American troops retreating. The British occupied the island until the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812, returned it to America.

Due to the messy assault on the island and the subsequent retreat, 69 of the 108 burials there remain unknown, so like the Tomb of the Forgotten Soldier, the flag remains at half-mast. You can see the flag at half-mast above.