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 Father
Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary, established Michigan's
earliest European settlements at Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace
in 1668 and 1671. He lived among the Great Lakes Indians 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 and Museum
is located in
Straits State Park and is interpreted in cooperation with
the
Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Attractions include an outdoor interpretive
trail, picnicking and a panoramic view of the Mackinac Bridge.
Getting There:
The Father Marquette National Memorial is located at St. Ignace
in Straits State Park, just west of I-75 off U.S. 2.
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