Summary
Mackinac Channel is a GNIS-named channel in the Beaver Island archipelago. The GNIS record identifies the feature class as “Channel” and records the name as referring to its proximity to the Straits of Mackinac. This establishes the official geographic identity and a source-attributed naming explanation; the held sources do not yet define the channel’s full charted extent or document its historical navigation.
Open questions
- Which nautical charts define Mackinac Channel’s boundaries and navigational role?
- When and by whom was the name applied in charts or Board on Geographic Names records?
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System, Domestic Names (Michigan), retrieved 2026-07-28.GNIS feature 1777333; feature class 'Channel'.federal · gnis · gnis_names