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.
Father Marquette National Memorial and Museum is located in Straits State
Park and is interpreted in cooperation with the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources.
Operating Hours & Seasons
Please allow about
one hour to explore the memorial and site.
(The museum was destroyed in a fire on March 9, 2000.)
Attractions include an outdoor interpretive trail, picnicking and a panoramic
view of the Mackinac Bridge.
The hours are Memorial Day through Labor Day, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
with extended evening hours mid-June through mid-August.
Communities
Surrounding Father Marquette National Memorial
Note: The times listed below are approximate driving times to the park.
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.