Yankee Rebel Tavern

A bit of Mackinac history is captured in the Yankee Rebel Tavern name.
This story is authentic Mackinac history. A Mr. Ambrose Davenport was a soldier in the American Colonial Army and was stationed at Fort Mackinac in the late 1700's when the border was set between the US & the English Territory of Canada. Ambrose grew up in Virginia, was a school friend of Henry Harrison, who later became US President. In 1797 he left the Army and settled with his family here on Mackinac in the Hubbard's Annex area of the Island's west bluff. He farmed his land grant property and raised a family of six children. He and his family were here at the beginning of the War of 1812 when the British invaded the Mackinac and wanted all residents to swear allegiance to the British Crown, He and other residents who would not swear allegiance, were arrested and interred in Detroit for the three years of the border war with England. His wife was constantly harassed by the British soldiers and referred to as the "wife of the Yankee Rebel". And therein lies the origin of our restaurant's name.