St. Ignace (pronounced IG-nəss) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the main city in Mackinac County. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 2,306. St. Ignace Township is located just north of the city, and the two areas are managed independently.

St. Ignace is located along Lake Huron in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, on the northern side of the Straits of Mackinac. The city acts as a gateway for travelers moving from the Lower Peninsula to the Upper Peninsula, as it is located at the northern end of the Mackinac Bridge, across from Mackinaw City. The city has one of two ports that offer ferry service to nearby Mackinac Island.

St. Ignace's history began in 1671 when French Jesuit priests established the St. Ignace Mission, making it one of the oldest European settlements in Michigan after Sault Ste. Marie. Before European arrival, the area was home to the Wyandot people and the Ojibwe and Ottawa tribes of Native Americans. St. Ignace became an important center for fur trading with the French. It officially became a village in 1882 and a city in 1883. The Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians have their headquarters in St. Ignace, and the city continues to have a large Native American population.

History

St. Ignace is the second-oldest city founded by Europeans in Michigan. Native American groups had lived in the area for thousands of years before French colonists first explored it. In the 1600s, the main group in the region was the Iroquoian-speaking Wendat, whom the French called the Huron.

By the early 1700s, the Anishinaabe Ojibwe, who spoke an Algonquian language, became more common in the area. Another related Anishinaabe group was the Ottawa or Odawa. The third group in the Council of Three Fires, a loose alliance of these tribes, was the Potawatomi. All three groups have descendants who are members of federally recognized tribes in northern Michigan.

French explorer and priest Jacques Marquette founded the St. Ignace Mission in 1671 and was buried there after his death. He named the site after St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit religious order. Jesuits worked at missions to teach Native Americans about Catholicism and share French culture. In 1673, Marquette joined Louis Jolliet’s expedition and left St. Ignace on May 17 with two canoes and five voyageurs of French-Indian ancestry (Métis) on a journey to find the Mississippi River. They succeeded and traveled as far as Arkansas.

In 1679, Louis Hennepin and Sieur de La Salle reached St. Ignace while exploring the Great Lakes on the ship Le Griffon. In 1681, Louis de La Porte, Sieur de Louvigny, built Fort de Buade as a fur trading post. Antoine Cadillac later managed the fort, but the French closed it in 1697. The Jesuits left their mission in 1705.

The Ojibwe, who became dominant in much of present-day Michigan by the 1700s, were allies of the French during the Seven Years’ War against the British. After the British won the war in 1763, they took control of French territories in North America, including this area. After the American Revolutionary War in 1783, the village became part of the United States as part of the Northwest Territory.

St. Ignace was an important fur trading site for both the French and British. However, its importance declined by the early 1800s. The Ojibwe had allied with Great Britain during the War of 1812, hoping to push out American settlers. The fur trade declined because the United States banned British traders from operating across the border after the war, and European demand for furs decreased as tastes changed.

A larger trading center at Sault Ste. Marie, on both sides of the Canadian-US border, became more important than St. Ignace. The fur trade also suffered during the War of 1812, as the United States banned trade with Britain. Many locals kept businesses running through smuggling, but postwar rules made it harder to avoid restrictions.

In 1882, the Detroit, Mackinac, and Marquette Railroad connected St. Ignace to Detroit, boosting the economy. Farmers and the lumber industry could now transport goods more easily. St. Ignace became a village on February 23, 1882, and a city in 1883.

By the late 1800s, St. Ignace became a summer resort and a gateway to Mackinac Island. Since the late 1900s, the city has been a rural destination for heritage tourism and a popular spot for summer activities. Water sports and other outdoor activities are available there.

The Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians, a state-recognized tribe, is based in St. Ignace. It also has bands in other counties. The tribe has 4,000 members in the area and has sought federal recognition since 1998. The larger federally recognized Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, based in the city of that name, owns and operates a gaming casino in St. Ignace, along with casinos in four other cities in the state.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.65 square miles (6.86 km), of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km) are water. Point St. Ignace, which divides the Straits of Mackinac from Lake Huron, covers the southern half of the city. The city is situated along the west shore of Lake Huron, with the southern part of the city facing the Straits. Straits State Park is located in the southern part of the city.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the city had 2,452 people, 1,064 households, and 633 families. The population density was 914.9 people per square mile (353.2 per square kilometer). There were 1,299 housing units, with an average density of 484.7 per square mile (187.1 per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the city was 63.4% White, 1.0% African American, 27.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 1.1% of the population.

There were 1,064 households. Of these, 27.0% had children under 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder without a husband, 5.1% had a male householder without a wife, and 40.5% were non-families. Thirty-three point eight percent of all households included only one person, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.24 people, and the average family size was 2.84 people.

The median age in the city was 44.5 years. Twenty-one point three percent of residents were under 18, 7.7% were between 18 and 24, 21.6% were between 25 and 44, 31.6% were between 45 and 64, and 17.7% were 65 years or older. The gender makeup was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

As of the 2000 census, the city had 2,678 people, 1,085 households, and 675 families. The population density was 990.7 people per square mile (382.5 per square kilometer). There were 1,232 housing units, with an average density of 455.8 per square mile (176.0 per square kilometer). The racial makeup was 71.81% White, 19.42% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.30% African American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 7.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 0.90% of the population.

There were 1,085 households. Of these, 29.2% had children under 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder without a husband, and 37.7% were non-families. Thirty-one point six percent of all households included only one person, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.35 people, and the average family size was 2.96 people.

In the city, 23.2% of the population was under 18, 8.6% was between 18 and 24, 27.4% was between 25 and 44, 22.7% was between 45 and 64, and 18.1% was 65 years or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,447, and the median income for a family was $45,893. Males had a median income of $29,813, while females had a median income of $23,017. The per capita income for the city was $17,340. About 6.0% of families and 9.0% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under 18 and 9.5% of those 65 years or older.

Local sights

Kewadin Casino in St. Ignace is an important tourist attraction and provides jobs for local people. Straits State Park is located at the southern part of the city. Wawatam Lighthouse is found in the city's harbor, which also serves as a port for Coast Guard ice breakers, such as the tug Katmai Bay and the icebreaker Mackinaw.

St. Anthony's Rock, a free-to-visit limestone formation, is in the center of the town. Castle Rock, a similar but taller limestone stack that requires an entrance fee, is located three miles (4.8 km) north and overlooks Lake Huron. Rabbit's Back, a notable hill that also overlooks Lake Huron, is four miles (6.4 km) north. Chain Lake, one mile (1.6 km) inland, has fishing spots for visitors.

Transportation

• I-75 goes over the Mackinac Bridge and through St. Ignace. Southbound I-75 leads to the Lower Peninsula; northbound I-75 goes to Sault Ste. Marie and Canada.
• BL I-75 uses the same path as the old US 2.
• US 2 ends at I-75 in St. Ignace. Westbound, US 2 goes through a scenic area along Lake Michigan, heading toward Manistique and Escanaba.
• H-63 (Mackinac Trail) is a north–south route that runs along the old path of US 2, starting just north of St. Ignace and ending in Sault Ste. Marie.

Two ferry companies (Shepler's Ferry and the Arnold Transit Company) operate from St. Ignace, providing transportation for tourists and commuters to Mackinac Island.

The closest airports with regular passenger flights are Chippewa County International Airport in Kinross (northeast of St. Ignace, next to I-75) and Pellston Regional Airport in the Lower Peninsula.

Indian Trails offers daily bus service between St. Ignace and East Lansing, Michigan; between St. Ignace and Bay City, Michigan; and between St. Ignace and Ironwood, Michigan.

Notable people

• Prentiss M. Brown, U.S. senator from Michigan
• Tony Earl, former governor of Wisconsin
• Aubrey Fitch, vice admiral, United States Navy
• Nicholas Orontony, 18th-century Wyandot leader
• Joe Ostman, professional football player
• Les Sweetland, professional baseball pitcher

Gallery

• A view of downtown St. Ignace from the southern direction
• The location of the post office
• The ferry harbor, with Mackinac Island visible in the distance