Early History - Mackinac County

The ancient history of St. Ignace and Mackinac County will show that this was the original center of the Indian population in upper Michigan, that is, the place where the Indians congregated in large numbers. Also, it will show that this was the first French settlement which was continued - the first in Michigan and the Northwest; the original French fort was set up here; and, this was the center of the vast fur trading industry 150 years before it was concentratec in Mackinac Island (also in Mackinac County four miles from St. Ignace).

Nearly three hundred years ago, St. Ignace was the center of the fur trade which was the chief support of France's American empire. Here trod the early fur traders, Gorseillers and Raddison; here voyaged Nicolet in his search for the way to China (1634); the footsteps of Pere Marquette and Joliet were etched in the sands of time and history on these shores. Here Cadillac founded ancient Fort DeBaude which was occupied by the French Military years before the soldiers moved to Mackinac City, Mackinac Island, and Detroit. Native Indians in this early settlement numbered fully 2,000. Descendants are numerous in this territory today. At one time the County of Mackinac or Michiglimackinac as it was then called, extended from Detroit to Minneapolis, Nimmesota.

Pere Marquette, "The Angel of the Ottawa Missions," founded his chapel at St. Ignace 1671, exactly on the spot beneath where he lies buried today. He left here to explore the Mississippi in 1673, dying near Ludington in 1675. Indians exhumed their White Fatehr and returned him to St. Ignace where he was buried in 1677. His grave was discovered here in 1877 by the late Patrick Murray. The citizens of St. Ignace marked the spot with a modest monument which stands in Marquette's Park today.