Father Marquette National Memorial

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 is located on Boulevard Drive just off US-2 in St. Ignace and is interpreted in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Attractions include an outdoor interpretive trail, picnic area and a panoramic view of the Mackinac Bridge.

Click here for a site map.

Garlyn Zoo Wildlife Park

Enjoy Tigers, African Lions, Grizzly Bears, Lemur, and more, up close and in a natural setting. Enjoy the zoo gift shop filled with wildlife-related items. Kids love it! Fun for the whole family!