Sunday, March 9, 2025

Exploring Michigan's Upper Peninsula (Part 13) - St. Ignace

“Traveling is a way to discover new cultures and ways of life, to learn about the world and ourselves,
and to create lasting memories.”
– Unknown

July 27 to August 2, 2024

A mural painted on a wall of Native Americans and Moro Bay.
Mural in St. Ignace

Our final week on Michigan's U.P. was spent camping just north of the mighty Mackinac Bridge in St. Ignace. St. Ignace is considered the entrance to the U.P. Although we passed through it on our way northwest on the peninsula two weeks earlier, we chose to return at the back end of our Michigan trip to camp there and explore the area. 

St. Ignace, named after the founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius Loyola, is the third oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S., and is one of Michigan's oldest cities. It's the county seat of Mackinac County and in 2020 had a population of only 2,306 citizens. As a result, the city is uncrowded and has a relaxed atmosphere.

The city is also one of the embarkation points for ferries to Mackinac Island. The downtown business district stretches along the shoreline of Lake Huron on Moran Bay. 

Huron Boardwalk

On a cloudy morning, we took a leisurely stroll along the mile-long Huron Boardwalk, an informative walkway along the St. Ignace waterfront. From the boardwalk we took in views of the beaches, the harbor, and the beauty of Lake Huron. Along the pathway we found interpretive panels marking historically significant locations and displays.

The signs describe the history, lifestyles and industries of the Straits of Mackinac. Displays along the route include a windlass from the wreckage of a ship sunk off the coast in 1891, a rudder from a wooden steamer sunk in 1894, and an original Mackinaw 1899 boat built in the St. Ignace area.

A stone breakwater behind which lies a small harbor filled with boats.
St. Ignace Harbor

A sign explaining the significance of mooring dolphins. Behind the sign 4 mooring dolphins can be seen in the distance.
Mooring Dolphins in the distance
 

Chief Wawatam Park & Wawatam Lighthouse

Known for the Wawatam Lighthouse at the end of its pier, Chief Wawatam Park features a splash pad, a storybook trail, a fishing platform and views out over the lake to Mackinac Island.

The Wawatam Lighthouse is named after the Chief Wawatam railroad ferry, which used the same pier it stands on from 1911 to the mid 1980s. The lighthouse started out as the Monroe, Michigan Welcome Center in 1998. In 2004 it was restored and moved to its present location. The light is 52 feet tall and overlooks Lake Huron and Mackinac Island. In August 2006 it was lit as an official aid to navigation. The light remains lit in the winter to guide snowmobiles across the frozen lake.

View of an octagonal-pyramidal lighthouse at the end of a grassy pier, with a motorboat approaching on the right.
Chief Wawatam Park & Lighthouse

View of a railroad bell on a pole next to a section of railroad track. There is a tall octagonal-pyramidal lighthouse in the rear and water beyond.
Railroad Bell & Lighthouse

A boardwalk with wildflowers growing on the right side. The boardwalk leads to a tall octagonal pyramidal lighthouse with a lantern on top.
Wawatam Lighthouse

To view our YouTube video of Chief Wawatam Park and the lighthouse, click here.

Marquette Mission Park & Museum of Ojibwa Culture


St. Ignace was a Native American settlement long before the arrival of the French and Father Jacques Marquette. The area is rich in Native American culture and history. The Museum of Ojibwa Culture, located in St. Ignace at Marquette Mission Park, is a National Historic Landmark. The site has indoor and outdoor exhibits interpreting the culture and lifestyle of the Ojibwa Natives, and the history of the 17th century Huron Indian Village. The museum is located on the grounds of the French Jesuit Mission and the grounds are the final resting place of Father Jacques Marquette. The museum also features birch bark canoes, interpretive panels, videos of stories by tribal elders, and a gift shop with authentic Native American handcrafted items. Admission is by donation.

View of a circular garden with a native American long house on the opposite side of the viewer.

We toured the outdoor grounds which feature a beautiful sculpture garden depicting some common Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) scenes with life-sized metal figures. 



A circular brick pathway in the shape of a medicine wheel, surrounding a flower garden.
Medicine Wheel Garden
A metal sculpture representing a native American fisherman, surrounded by a small garden.
Fisherman

An interpretive sign explaining the role of women in the Ojibwe culture.

Metal sculpture of a medicine man in a seated position on the ground with a garden surrounding it.
Medicine Man

Sign describing a Huron longhouse.

An interpretive sign explaining the significance of a medicine wheel in the Ojibwe culture.

An interpretive sign importance fishing played in the lives of the native Americans.

Metal sculpture of a Native American woman surrounded by a small garden.
Woman


A tall and long house sheathed in bark with an arched ceiling and an open doorway at one end.
Huron Longhouse

 

A view through the doorway of a Huron longhouse at a circle of chairs with a fire ring in the center.
Inside the longhouse

Along one side of the Mission building is a garden with signs and small sculptures representing the seven clans around which Ojibwa culture was organized.

On the opposite side of the building we found a fountain and the burial site of Father Jacques Marquette, who founded St. Ignace in 1671. Father Marquette was a French explorer and priest who established a mission there.

View of a park-like setting with a stone path leading to a circular stone pool with a water fountain in the center and flowers surrounding the pathway around it. There's a tall pillar monument beyond the fountain surrounded by trees, and a small gazebo with informative panels on all sides placed to the right of the fountain.
Marquette Mission Park

A long one story building with seven arched windows on its side and a short tower with a cross on it at the right end of a peaked roof.
St. Ignace Mission/Museum of Ojibwa Culture

Historical Marker: "Grave of Father Marquette. In memorium. Erected by the citizens of St. Ignace in 1882, this monument marks the grave of Rev. Father James Marquette, S.J. who died on the 18th day of May 1675, at the age of 38 and was buried here in 1677. R.I.P.

A historical site marker briefly explaining the history of St. Ignace Mission.
 
A stone circular pathway surround by baskets of flowers leading to a stone obelisk monument.
Father Marquette burial site

A historical marker providing a brief history of the Huron Indians in St. Ignace.

To view our YouTube video of the grounds at the Marquette Mission Park & Museum of Ojibwa Culture, click here.

Bridge View Park

Bridge View Park was created by the Mackinac Bridge Authority. It lies just west of the bridge toll plaza. The park includes an observation building, walking paths, picnic pavilions, restroom facilities, access to the water and lots of paved parking for vehicles of all sizes, including RVs and buses.

View of a tall suspension bridge looming out of the fog.
Mackinac Bridge
View of a park bench at the edge of a large lake.
View from the park

Closeup view of a tall suspension bridge looming out of the fog.
Mackinac Bridge
Bronze sign stating: When the Mackinac Bridge was constructed, a bell was placed at the base of each tower to guide approaching vessels during poor visibility. In March of 1961, a fog horn was installed. The bells have been silent ever since. On April 24, 2002, the South Tower Fog Bell was removed from the bridge to be displayed at the Bridge View Park.
History of the South Tower Bell

A large copper bell hanging from a stand will flowers planted beneath it.
South Tower Bell

We rode our bicycles from the campground to the park one day to explore it. We learned about the building of the bridge from informational panels located inside the observation building.

Castle Rock

Large metal sign for Castle Rock

Castle Rock is a gift shop and tourist attraction located just off of US Route 75 a little north of St. Ignace. The rock rises almost 200 feet above the surrounding area with excellent views out over Lake Huron, views of Mackinac Island, and also the surrounding countryside. It's considered one of the oldest lookout points near St. Ignace and was known as "Pontiac's Lookout" by the Ojibwa natives. 

A large spire of rock sticking out above the trees. There is an American Flag perched on the top of the rock.

Castle Rock is a sea stack. During the last Ice Age, the water from what was the glacial Lake Algonquin gradually declined, eroding the land surrounding the limestone breccia rock. Castle Rock resisted the erosion leaving us with what we see today. Geologically, the rock is similar to other rock features on Mackinac Island, such as Arch Rock and Sugar Loaf. Take a look at our previous post about Mackinac Island to see photos of those rock formations.

Opened as a tourist attraction in 1929, Castle Rock is a popular low-cost tourist trap - only $1 to climb to the top of the rock. The view from the top out over the lake and down into St. Ignace was worth the cost. But if you go there, be prepared to climb a lot of stairs up to the rock!

View from high above of a highway with a forest on the right side of the road and a large lake on the left side.
View from the top of Castle Rock

View from very high above of a large lake, a forest and a highway below.
View from the top of Castle Rock

We couldn't resist stopping to take photos of the huge statues of Paul Bunyan and his sidekick, Babe the Blue Ox, before returning to our car.

A large column of rock towering above the treetops and huge statues of an ox and lumberjack at the foot of the trees.
Castle Rock towering above Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.

To see a short YouTube video of our visit to Castle Rock, click here.

* All photos and videos are the property of the owners unless otherwise noted. *

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