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About Father Marquette National Memorial, St. Ignace
 Father Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary, established Michigan's earliest European settlements at Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace in 1668 and 1671 respectively. He lived among the Great Lakes Native Americans from 1666 to his death in 1675. During these nine years, Father Marquette mastered several native languages and helped Louis Jolliet map the Mississippi River.
Today, Father Marquette is recognized as one of the great explorers of the North American continent. On a rise overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, the Father Marquette National Memorial tells the story of that 17th-century missionary-explorer and the meeting of French and Native American cultures deep in the North American wilderness.
Father Marquette National Memorial is located in Straits State Park. Current attractions include the National Memorial (see photo), an outdoor interpretive trail, picnicking and a panoramic view of the Mackinac Bridge.
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Contact the Father Marquette National Memorial.
Updated 04/13/2012
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