Discover the story of Jacques Marquette as you explore Father Marquette’s National Memorial and wander interpretive trails. The site is also one of the best places from which to see the Mackinac Bridge, linking the main body of Michigan with the Upper Peninsula and creating the divide between Lakes Michigan and Huron.
Father Marquette National Memorial
The Father Marquette National Memorial interprets the story of the 17th century missionary and explorer Jacques Marquette and the meeting of French and Native American cultures in the North American wilderness. Jacques Marquette was a French Jesuit missionary who established Michigan’s earliest European settlements at Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace in 1668 and 1671. Living among the Great Lakes Indians from 1666 to his death in 1675, Jacques Marquette mastered several native languages and contributed to the mapping of the Mississippi River. Learn about Jacques Marquette as you explore the Memorial. The Memorial reflects a pavilion from the mid-1970s and features a 12-sided polygonal roof with a 25-foot spire of thick beams rising through a central opening in the roof. The opening and partial walls of the structure enable natural light to shine into the Memorial, making visible informational placards about Marquette’s life. Centered among limestone pavers on the floor is a relief map of Marquette’s travels. Linger in the 45-foot diameter pavilion, or relax on one of the inviting benches along the wall to learn about Jacques Marquette.
Interpretive Trail
Follow a 15-station interpretive trail that explores the period of European contact with the Native American inhabitants of the Great Lakes region. Winding through the wooded park of the Father Marquette National Memorial, the interpretive trail will lead you along a paved path surrounded by coniferous trees, while in the distance you can see the dramatic ivory-colored towers that hold the Mackinac Bridge in place along the rough and rugged Straits of Mackinac.
Mackinac Bridge
Peek above the Park’s tree-lined exterior and marvel at the Mackinac Bridge, stretching across the Straits of Mackinac and connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Often called “Big Mac” and “Mighty Mac,” Mackinac Bridge was designed by engineer David B. Steinman and opened to the public in 1957. At 8,614 feet it is known as the world’s fifth-longest bridge in total suspension and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere. Mackinac Bridge not only carries Interstate 75, but also Lakes Michigan and Huron components of the Great Lakes Circle, a designated scenic road system that connects all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. Additionally, Mackinac Bridge connects the city of St. Ignace on the north end with Mackinaw City on the south.
- Do not forget your camera. From the Memorial itself to the surrounding beauty of Michigan, there will be exciting photo opportunities.
- Father Marquette National Memorial is ADA complaint.