The Mackinac Bridge Stamp (#1109) is a 3 cent stamp issued on June 25, 1958, and was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The design features two towers of the bridge and a ship sailing underneath the bridge. This stamp was issued to coincide with the celebration of the link between the upper and lower Michigan peninsulas.
When the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883, people began to wonder if the same thing couldn’t be built in Michigan. The state of Michigan ran 9 ferry boats at a time between the two peninsulas and carried 9000 cars every day. This traffic could be backed up 16 miles and took a long time to get across. Even though it was popular, it was also expensive.
Construction began on May 7, 1954, and took almost four years to complete because they could only work on it during the summer. It cost $100 million to build the bridge. There are grated openings between the center lanes to help airflow and keep the road from being affected by strong winds. High winds can cause the road to move 35 feet from side to side.
The bridge was completed in 1957 and rises 200 feet above Lake Huron and Michigan. It’s nickname is “Mighty Mac and it extends 5 miles across the Straits of Mackinac. Before the bridge was completed, people would have to travel by ferry or drive around Lake Michigan and through Wisconsin to get to the other side. The bridge opened on November 1, 1957 and was considered to be the largest suspension bridge in the world. After the bridge was built, it only took ten minutes to get to the other side and added about $100 million a year to their economy through tourism.
References:
https://www.mysticstamp.com/Products/United-States/1109/USA/?gclid=CjwKCAjw3_KIBhA2EiwAaAAlilXze-s1DMHmwQicx9cCTOyfPrXxU2ikQHPQtzE-1SQOznJw3-zM4BoCLiIQAvD_BwE
https://www.kenmorestamp.com/1109-3-mackinac-bridge-55319
http://www.mightymac.org/mackinacbridgestamp.htm
https://www.amazon.com/Mackinac-Bridge-USA-Postage-Stamp/dp/B084KS1497
Original photo by Pat Hensley
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