Michigan Historical Center (US)
Built in 1844, Fort Wilkins was intended to keep law and order during the Copper Rush. The fort tells the story of life on the northern frontier during the mid-1800s. The park also includes the Copper Harbor lighthouses built in 1866 and 1868.
Authentically restored to show the daily routine of military life as it was in 1869, this remote army post has a stockade that surrounds 19 buildings: kitchen and mess room, hospital, bakery, company quarters.
Living history can be a real highlight of a visit. You may come upon a soldier's wife doing the post's laundry, or the schoolteacher, or an officer and his wife. Most years re-enactors, convincingly act as if it is the summer of 1867. They stay in character as developed through historical research, using the language and accents of that time. Visitors can ask them about their life: where they're from, why they're in the army, what they eat, how long they work, how they spend free time.