St. Ignace Mission facts for kids
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St. Ignace Mission
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Mission in 2009
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| Location | State and Marquette Sts., Marquette Park, St. Ignace, Michigan |
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| Built | 1837 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000398 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
The St. Ignace Mission (French: Mission Saint-Ignace) is a special historical place in Michigan. It's found in a park called Marquette Mission Park. A long time ago, in 1671, a Jesuit priest named Father Jacques Marquette started a mission here. He was even buried here in 1677.
Later, in 1837, a second mission church was built nearby. This old church was moved to the park in 1954. It's now the oldest Catholic church building in Michigan and Wisconsin! Because it's so important, the St. Ignace Mission became a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1960. Today, the old mission chapel is home to the Museum of Ojibwa Culture.
Contents
A Look Back: The Mission's Story
Father Marquette's First Mission
In 1670, a priest named Claude Dablon started a Catholic mission on Mackinac Island. This mission was later destroyed. Then, in 1671, Father Jacques Marquette started a new French Jesuit mission in the same area.
Later that year, Marquette moved the mission. He chose a spot on the north shore of the Straits of Mackinac. This is where the current mission chapel stands today. Marquette built a small log cabin to use as a church. He helped the Native Americans living there, especially the Petun people. These people had recently moved to the area after conflicts with the Iroquois.
In 1674, Marquette went on an exploration trip with Louis Jolliet. They wanted to find the route of the Mississippi River. They spent the winter near Lake Michigan in what is now Chicago. But Marquette became very sick during the trip. He died in 1675 while trying to return to his St. Ignace mission.
Marquette had wished to be buried at the mission. So, in 1677, his followers dug up his remains. They carried them back to St. Ignace. There, his remains were placed in a birch box and buried under the chapel.
What Happened to the First Mission?
After Marquette died, other priests took over the mission. These included Father Phillip Pierson and Father Henri Nouvel. A new chapel was built around 1674. By 1683, the mission was very successful. Three priests worked there: Fathers Nicholas Potier, Enjalran, and Pierre Bailloquet.
However, a French army base was built at St. Ignace in 1679. This caused problems between the French and the local people. In 1701, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac left the area to start the city of Detroit. Many people from St. Ignace went with him. This made the mission much less important.
The St. Ignace mission stayed open until 1705. Then, Father Étienne de Carheil abandoned and burned it. It was reopened in 1712. It operated on the north shore of the Straits until 1741. At that time, it moved to the south shore. After the mission moved, no one knew the exact spot of Marquette's original chapel anymore.
The Second Mission's Story
The area around the first mission was mostly empty after 1741. But in the early 1800s, people slowly started to move back. By 1836, there were enough Catholic families to need a church.
So, in 1837, a second mission was built in St. Ignace. It was about a mile south of the first mission's site. Church services began there in late 1837 and early 1838. At first, priests from Mackinac Island came to lead services. But in 1855, Rev. S. Carié arrived as the first full-time priest. Many priests served the church over the next 50 years.
In 1877, the site of the first mission was found by accident. Digging at the site showed that it matched old descriptions of the first mission. A marble statue was put up there in the early 1900s. The area became a city park to remember Marquette.
Between 1882 and 1885, the second mission chapel was made longer. By 1901, the church building was getting old and worn out. People decided to build a new church. The community raised money for it. The first stone for the new church was laid in 1904. The church was finished in 1905. The second mission chapel stopped being used for services in 1905. Everyone moved to the new St. Ignatius Loyola Church.
The Mission in Recent Times
The second mission chapel was empty until 1926. Then, a woman named Mrs. Catherine Chambers-Gleason bought and fixed it up. The church became a history museum. It showed old items from early St. Ignace. The Knights of Columbus group ran the museum.
In 1954, the chapel was moved from its old spot to the site of the first mission. This is where it is today. More recent archaeological digs have happened at the mission site. They also explored the nearby Petun village. These digs mostly took place in the 1970s and 1980s.
In the late 1980s, the chapel became the Museum of Ojibwa Culture. It still serves this purpose today. The museum teaches about Ojibwa culture and how they lived. It also shows how the movement of Huron and Odawa peoples affected the area. The St. Ignace Downtown Development Authority runs the museum. The chapel was fixed up again between 2008 and 2010. This included fixing windows and repainting the building.
What the Mission Looks Like
The spot where Marquette's first mission stood is now a city park. It's at the corner of State and Marquette Streets in St. Ignace. It's about 300 feet from the shore of Lake Huron. Marquette's burial site is in the park's southwest corner. The second mission chapel is on the park's east side.
The chapel is a simple, one-story building. It's made of wood and has a sloped roof. It used to have a tall steeple, but now it has a wooden cross instead. Double doors on one end open into the main room. At the other end is the altar. Doors on either side of the altar lead outside. The building used to have a small porch and a side part, probably for someone to live in.
Images for kids
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Mission around 1900
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Mission interior around 1900
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Mission around 1900
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Mission interior around 1900
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Mission around 1960
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Mission in 2011 after restoration
