Marquette Island facts for kids
 Marquette Island
Location in Michigan
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lake Huron |
| Coordinates | 45°57′37″N 84°23′37″W / 45.96028°N 84.39361°W |
| Area | 22.7 sq mi (59 km2) |
| Administration | |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Mackinac County |
| Township | Clark Township |
Marquette Island (which is Île Marquette in French) is the biggest of 36 islands. It's part of the Les Cheneaux archipelago in northern Michigan, United States. You can find it in Mackinac County, right on the north shore of Lake Huron.
The island is about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) long and 3.5 miles (5.5 km) wide. During the summer, a small number of people live there.
A narrow, freshwater channel called the Les Cheneaux Channel separates Marquette Island from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Along the island's channel shore, you'll see many old boathouses and cottages. These buildings show how the island grew as a popular place to live in the early 1900s.
At its narrowest point, the channel is less than 0.25 miles (0.4 km) wide. People living on the island in summer often travel by boat. They go to nearby towns like Cedarville and Hessel to get what they need. The Les Cheneaux Yacht Club, a fun gathering spot for the islands, is also on Marquette Island.
Even though Marquette Island is large, it has many freshwater bays. These bays, like Duck Bay, Hessel Bay, Peck Bay, and Wilderness Bay, make the island's land area smaller than it seems. There are no bridges or roads for cars on the island. Because of this, most landowners have their own dock or access to the water. The waters around Marquette Island are great for fishing, especially for lake perch. The island is named after the famous missionary and explorer, Jacques Marquette.
Chief Shabwaway's Home on Marquette Island
Marquette Island was once the home of Chief Shab-wa-way. He was a very important leader of the Ottawa Indians. His home was located right across the channel from where the Les Cheneaux Club golf course is today.
In 1982, the Les Cheneaux Historical Association placed a special plaque there. This plaque tells us about the history of this important spot:
- Chief Shab-wa-way's log cabin stood here.
- He and his family lived here for over 100 years.
- Chief Shab-wa-way passed away in this cabin around 1872, said to be over 100 years old.
- On March 28, 1836, he signed an important treaty in Washington, D.C.
- This treaty gave most of northern Michigan to the United States.
- However, Chief Shab-wa-way made sure to keep "the Islands of the chenos" for himself and his people.
- His son, Pay-Baw-Me-Say, took his father's name and also lived in this cabin.
- Pay-Baw-Me-Say died around 1882.
- Soon after, the cabin was burned down by a group of hunters.
Between 1883 and 1887, the land on Club Point changed hands. Club Point is the northernmost part of Marquette Island. Eventually, William L. Benham bought Club Point in 1888. Benham, along with Alfred E. Bousfield and other investors, mostly from Bay City, Michigan, created the Les Cheneaux Club.
This club attracted people who wanted to escape the hot and humid summers of cities like Chicago. The Club grounds have many large summer homes. These homes are still a very noticeable feature of Marquette Island today. The family of Aldo Leopold was among the first members of the Club. Aldo Leopold spent his childhood summers exploring the woods and waters of the Les Cheneaux Islands. He later became a famous conservationist and writer.
