Mackinaw City in Emmet County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Freedom School

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 25, 2025

1. Freedom School Marker

Inscription.
This one-room school was built in 1885 as "Mackinaw District #2" school. It was located off of US-23, about three miles south of Mackinaw City, in the town of Freedom. The school provided primary education, grades 1 - 8, for local farming and fishing families living too far south to get to the District #1 school in the center of town. The school operated until 1937 when it was closed and the students were sent to the school in Mackinaw City.

[Captions:]
This was a typical one-room school. The teacher taught all grades of students as well as fulfilling the duties of the janitor, the secretary, the principal, the counselor, and the nurse.

The students' day involved memorization and recitation. There was one option for lunch: carry it from home. Activities during recess included marbles, red-rover, jump rope, ante-over, crack the whip, and foot races.

Mackinaw's school system started small. The graduating classes of 1905 and 1906 consisted of three students each year. But with the rise of the railroad industry in town, the number of students grew. Today the average class size in Mackinaw City's school is eleven students.

The Freedom school was moved to this site in 2007 and it has been used as a classroom for visiting school groups since.

Erected 2020

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by Mackinaw Area Historical Society & Heritage Village.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 45° 46.617′ N, 84° 46.324′ W. Marker is in Mackinaw City, Michigan, in Emmet County. It is at the intersection of Headlands Road and Wilderness Park Drive, on the right when traveling west on Headlands Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1425 W Central Ave, Mackinaw City MI 49701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Michigan Lower Peninsula,

on the Straits of Mackinac,

and in one of the Lake Michigan Shore counties. It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mackinaw City's Schools (here, next to this

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 25, 2025

2. Freedom School Marker

marker); 3-Seater (within shouting distance of this marker); Two Machines (within shouting distance of this marker); Pest House (within shouting distance of this marker); Walk the Path to the Hidden Native Settlement (within shouting distance of this marker); Chasing a Dream (within shouting distance of this marker); Native American Waganogan (within shouting distance of this marker); The Circle (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mackinaw City.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 30, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 89 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 30, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.