Timeline of St. Ignace by Marissa Nowicki

1671: Father Marquette established St. Ignace

mnowick3 — 2024-03-19 15:08:37 UTC

St. Ignace was founded by Father Jaques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary. He introduced the Roman Catholic faith to the native people and played a significant role in the town's early development. The town is named after St. Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuit religious order.

Marissa Nowicki

https://www.experiencestignace.com/article/100,history

1700s: French Settlers Migrate

mnowick3 — 2024-03-19 15:09:21 UTC

Long farm grants and narrow strips of land were awarded to French settlers, with each grant starting at the lakeshore. These parcels of land, also referred to as ribbon farms, were highly sought after for their lake frontage, which provided a source of food and water as well as access to markets for shipping goods. To secure their private claims, settlers had to prove that they had held their land prior to July 1796, which was made possible through an act passed in 1807 that granted them title.

Marissa Nowicki

St. Ignace Book

Late 1800s: Swedish Immigrants led to the fishing industry

mnowick3 — 2024-03-19 15:10:25 UTC

In the late 1800s, Swedish immigrants played a significant role in the region's fishing industry. Fishing grew to become a prominent source of livelihood, and by 1850, many individuals dedicated their lives to it. The lakes provided employment for a vast number of men, and the area shipped numerous barrels of fish to ports. Whitefish and lake trout were the most commonly transported goods. There became a significant demand for barrels, which led to the construction of fishing boats to aid with the transportation of fish.

Marissa Nowicki

St. Ignace Book

Late 1800s: Lumber and Ice companies

mnowick3 — 2024-03-19 15:11:10 UTC

During the late 1800s, the population of St. Ignace grew rapidly due to the lumber industry. The Mackinaw Lumber Company established the first sawmill in the area in the late 1870s. Logging mainly ran in the winter, and the cut logs were transported and piled on the shores of rivers and lakes, waiting for the high, fast water from the springtime snowmelt. Upon reaching the sawmill, logs from various timber companies were mixed up and required sorting. To simplify this process, state law mandated that the timber companies register their logmarks in the county where the wood was cut in 1842. Before leaving the woods, the logs were "branded" on their ends with a marking hammer. The ample wood resources created opportunities for various businesses in the area, including shingle mills, manufacturers of fishing net floats, fish boxes, barrel staves, railroad ties, and fence posts, as well as those who provided cordwood for steamship fuel, heating stoves, and cooking ranges.

Population of St. Ignace in 1880: 934

Population of St. Ignace in 1890: 2,704

Annual Growth Rate 1880-1890: +11.22 %/yr

Marissa Nowicki

St. Ignace Book

saintignace.org/tidbits-of-history/

https://www.population.us/mi/st-ignace/

Pre- European Settlements

mnowick3 — 2024-03-19 15:25:50 UTC

Centuries ago, when the region was still heavily wooded and lush, several tribes inhabited the land, including the Anishinaabe (Ojibwa). The Anishinaabe people, also known as "the people," were skilled farmers who cultivated various crops and were adept at fishing for whitefish and sturgeon. Their deep connection to the land and their resourcefulness in utilizing its gifts allowed them to thrive in the region's forests and waters.

Marissa Nowicki

https://www.experiencestignace.com/article/100,history

1890-1891: Michael Chambers served 2 terms as mayor of St. Ignace.

amelend2_2 — 2024-03-26 15:01:26 UTC

https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzExNDc0NTBfX0FO0?sid=83ac8fb2-4806-4c82-8bd2-70ff378c7086@redis&vid=0&format=EK&lpid=c02&rid=0

1913: 9,000 Miners in the UP went on strike demanding increased wages and shorter hours.

amelend2_2 — 2024-03-26 15:14:38 UTC

1969: St. Ignace gained ownership of a large public library

amelend2_2 — 2024-03-26 15:17:04 UTC

November 1st, 1957: the Mackinac Bridges official opening day

amelend2_2 — 2024-03-26 15:18:12 UTC

1912: President Theodore Roosevelt visits St. Ignace

amelend2_2 — 2024-03-26 15:19:49 UTC

https://www.experiencestignace.com/article/100,history

2006

hharri32 — 2024-03-26 15:37:28 UTC

Wawatam Lighthouse is installed in downtown.

mnowick3 — 2024-03-26 20:18:38 UTC

mnowick3 — 2024-03-26 20:47:18 UTC

mnowick3 — 2024-03-27 22:51:16 UTC

2010-Present

hharri32 — 2024-04-02 17:31:55 UTC

The history of St.Ignace dates back 300 years. You can experience the culture by traveling up their and seeing what makes their community unique.

https://stignace.com/historic-st-ignace/

1970s Visitor Brochure

hharri32 — 2024-04-03 00:14:24 UTC

Here is a photo of a visitor brochure in the 1970s up in St.Ignace. There is a lot to do up there such as see the Mackinac bridge, see Mackinac island, etc. A lot of what there was to do then is similar to now.

1954

hharri32 — 2024-04-03 00:19:06 UTC

Isabelle Hagen was one of three nurses who worked at the bridge during construction. Other nurses were Helen Kalmer and Phyllis Tuck. They were the only women allowed on the bridge, except for official inspection parties. In 1954, Hagen courageously entered a decompression chamber for 24 hours, in an attempt to save Frank Pepper, lead diver, from the bends.

MLA 9th Edition (Modern Language Assoc.)

St. Ignace Public Library. St. Ignace. Arcadia Publishing, 2008.

APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.)

St. Ignace Public Library. (2008). St. Ignace. Arcadia Publishing.

1912

hharri32 — 2024-04-03 00:20:50 UTC

St. Ignace was visited by former president Theodore Roosevelt, on his campaign train on October 9, 1912. Having served as the 26th president from 1901 to 1909, Roosevelt ran for election again under his own party, the Progressive Party, or as he called it, the Bull Moose Party.

MLA 9th Edition (Modern Language Assoc.)

St. Ignace Public Library. St. Ignace. Arcadia Publishing, 2008.

APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.)

St. Ignace Public Library. (2008). St. Ignace. Arcadia Publishing.

1948-1949

hharri32 — 2024-04-03 00:24:31 UTC

The St. Ignatius Loyola parish church was enlarged and reconstructed, and a basement was added in 1948–1949. St. Ignatius was built in 1904, but a fire in 1942 forced the parishioners to return to their first parish church, the old Mission Church.

MLA 9th Edition (Modern Language Assoc.)

St. Ignace Public Library. St. Ignace. Arcadia Publishing, 2008.

APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.)

St. Ignace Public Library. (2008). St. Ignace. Arcadia Publishing.

1671: Early European Settlements

szschunk — 2024-04-09 13:55:02 UTC

It was incorporated as a village in 1882 and a city in 1883. The Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians is headquartered at St. Ignace, and the city continues to have a high population of Native Americans.

Savannah Zschunke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ignace,_Michigan

1673: Founder of Ignace

szschunk — 2024-04-09 14:05:52 UTC

French explorer and priest Jacques Marquette founded the St. Ignace Mission on this site in 1671 and was buried here after his death.He named it for St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the jesuit religious order, whose priests were active as missionaries across North America. (Ignace is the French version of Ignatius.) Jesuits served at missions to convert to Catholicism and to share French culture. In 1673, Marquette joined the expedition of Louis Jolliet, a French-Canadian explorer, and departed from St. Ignace on May 17, with two canoes and five voyageurs of French-Indian ancestry (Metis) on a voyage to find the Mississippi River. They were successful and descended downriver as far as Arkansas.

Savannah Zschunke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ignace,_Michigan

Present time

szschunk — 2024-04-09 14:10:35 UTC

Since the late 20th century, the city has become a rural destination for Heritage tourism and is part of a regional area popular for summer tourism. A variety of water sports and activities are available.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ignace,_Michigan

1882: Construction Economic Boost

szschunk — 2024-04-09 14:15:34 UTC

In 1882, construction of the Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette Railroad, which connected the straits area to the major city of Detroit, provided an economic boost to the village. Farmers and the lumber industry could more easily get products to a major market. St. Ignace was incorporated as a village on February 23, 1882, and as a city in 1883.

In the late 19th century, a new sector of its economy developed, as it began to attract tourists as a popular summer resort and for its connection to Mackinac Island.

1900's Ignace Industry

szschunk — 2024-04-09 14:22:23 UTC

Railroads connecting St. Ignace to Detroit became a key area of industry for the area shipping iron-ore and lumber downstate. In the early 1900s, commercial fishing also thrived and accommodations, docks, and businesses were established along the shoreline.

Savannah Zschunke

https://www.cityofstignace.com/our-community#:~:text=Railroads%20connecting%20St.,were%20established%20along%20the%20shoreline.