Back in my salad days, I worked one summer on Mackinac Island.
I passed this cottage many times and was enamored.
Also, it was the first time I had encountered the word "Brigadoon."
As I researched the name, the meaning, and the history, I became even more enamored.
Brigadoon.
A place that is idyllic, unaffected by time, or remote from reality.
Amazing.
So impacted by the name, I held onto it for decades until the time was right to launch Brigadoon.
Like most new ventures, there have been ups and downs.
Victory and loss.
Smiles and tears.
The cottage of Brigadoon knows this as well.
On May 30, 2021, a fierce fire left Brigadoon the cottage severely and visibly damaged.
News of the fire spread across the island, then across the Great Lakes, and then across the world.
To see images of the cottage engulfed in flames on an island of beauty and tranquility was jarring.
But like all great stories of a hero, a challenge has been met and a future opportunity secured.
Successfully the cottage has been restored to full glory.
"Sixteen months after a devastating fire ripped through the top floor of Mackinac Island's iconic Brigadoon cottage, the rebuild, and renovation of this historic Queen Anne is complete. Its owners announced the milestone this week in a love letter of sorts to the legions of workers and well-wishers who have seen them through this monumental project."
You can read the full news clip here.
I hope you experience this island, this cottage, and this remoteness for yourself one day.
Brigadoon the cottage on Mackinac Island is not an easy place to visit.
Planning and multiple forms of transportation are required.
But a place that is idyllic, unaffected by time, or remote from reality should require a bit of grit and determination.
-Marc
