Marquette, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state
of Michigan
and the county seat
of Marquette County
. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior
, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern Michigan University
. The city of Marquette averages about 141 inches of snow per year, making it the fifth snowiest city in the United States among those cities large enough to be reported.
and Jacob Houghton (the brother of geologist Douglass Houghton
) discovered iron deposits near Teal Lake west of Marquette. In 1845, Jackson Mining Company, the first organized mining company in the region, was formed.
The village of Marquette began on September 14, 1849, with the formation of a second iron concern, the Marquette Iron Company. Three men participated in organizing the firm: Robert J. Graveraet, who had prospected the region for ore; Edward Clark, agent for Waterman A. Fisher of Worcester, Massachusetts
, who financed the company, and Amos Rogers Harlow. The village was at first called New Worcester, with Harlow as the first postmaster. On August 21, 1850, the name was changed to honor Jacques Marquette
, the French Jesuit missionary who had explored the region. A second post office, named Carp River, was opened on October 13, 1851 by Peter White
, who had come there with Graveraet at age 18. Harlow closed his post office in August 1852. The Marquette Iron Company failed, while its successor, the Cleveland Iron Mining Company, flourished and had the village plat
ted in 1854. The plat was recorded by Peter White. White's office was renamed as Marquette in April 1856, and the village was incorporated in 1859. It was incorporated as a city in 1871.
During the 1850s, Marquette was linked by rail to numerous mines and became the leading shipping center of the Upper Peninsula. The first ore pocket dock
, designed by an early town leader, John Burt, was built by the Cleveland Iron Mining Company in 1859. By 1862, the city had a population of over 1,600 and a soaring economy.
In the late 19th century, during the height of iron mining, Marquette became nationally known as a summer haven. Visitors brought in by Great Lakes passenger steamships filled the city's hotels and resorts.
South of the city, K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
was an important Air Force
installation during the Cold War
, host to B-52H bombers and KC-135 tankers of the Strategic Air Command
, as well as a fighter interceptor squadron. The base closed in September 1995, and is now the county's Sawyer International Airport
.
Marquette continues to be a shipping port for hematite
ores and, today, enriched iron ore pellets, from nearby mines and pelletizing plants. About 7.9 million gross tons of pelletized iron ore passed through Marquette's Presque Isle Harbor in 2005.
The Roman Catholic Bishop Frederic Baraga
is buried at St. Peter's Cathedral
, which is the center for the Diocese of Marquette
.
The first day of issue
of a postal card
showing Bishop Frederic Baraga
took place in Marquette on 29 June 1984, and that of the Wonders of America Lake Superior stamp on May 27, 2006.
, the city has a total area of 19.4 square miles (50.2 km²), of which, 11.4 square miles (29.5 km²) of it is land and 8 square miles (20.7 km²) of it (41.09%) is water.
The city includes several small islands (principally Middle Island, Gull Island, Lover's Island, Presque Isle Pt. Rocks, White Rocks, Ripley Rock, and Picnic Rocks) in Lake Superior. The Marquette Underwater Preserve
lies immediately offshore.
Marquette Mountain
, used for skiing
, is located in the city, as is most of the land of Marquette Branch Prison
of the Michigan Department of Corrections
. Trowbridge Park
(an unincorporated part of Marquette Township) is located to the west, and Marquette Township
to the northwest of the city.
was 1,723.9 per square mile (665.3/km²). There were 8,429 housing units at an average density of 739.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95% White, 0.8% African American, 1.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races
, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.77% of the population. 15.5% were of German, 12.6% Finnish, 8.9% French
, 8.5% English
, 8.2% Irish
, 6.8% Italian
and 6.7% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 8,071 households of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.6% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.81.
Age distribution was 16.8% under the age of 18, 25.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median household income was US$29,918, and the median family income was US$48,120. Males had a median income of US$34,107 versus US$24,549 for females. The per capita income for the city was US$17,787. About 7.2% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
, the largest employers in Marquette are the Marquette School System, Marquette General Hospital
(a regional medical center which is the only Level 2 Trauma center
in the Upper Peninsula), Marquette Branch Prison, Pioneer Surgical Technology
, and Charter Communications
.
Robert Traver (John Voelker) set his novels Anatomy of a Murder
(1958) and Laughing Whitefish (1965) in Marquette. The film version of Anatomy of a Murder
, dramatizing an incident that happened in the area, was partly filmed in Marquette and Big Bay
. Much of it was filmed in the Marquette County
Courthouse in Marquette. Traver's Danny and the Boys (1951) is a collection of short stories set in and around Marquette.
Philip Caputo
set his novel Indian Country
(1987) in the Upper Peninsula and several scenes depict Marquette.
Jim Harrison
's novel True North
(2005) tells about a Marquette family whose wealth is based on exploiting Upper Peninsula timber.
Jeffrey Eugenides
' Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Middlesex
(2002) refers to Marquette by name, in addition to other locations in Michigan.
A large portion of the acclaimed graphic novel
Blankets
, by Craig Thompson
, takes place in Marquette.
Marquette was the site of many key events in the investigation of a murder in Dave Distel's The Sweater Letter, a true story of a murder that occurred near Ontonagon.
The city has two popular beaches, South Beach Park and McCarty's Cove. McCarty's Cove, flanked by the red U.S. Coast Guard Station lighthouse on its south shore, serves as a reprieve from hot summer days, where city and county residents alike take advantage of the cool, but tolerable, water temperatures and the cooling effects of the lake-generated sea breeze
. Both beaches have picnic areas, grills, children's playgrounds and lifeguard stands.
Other parks include Tourist Park, Founder's Landing, LaBonte Park, Mattson Lower Harbor Park, Park Cemetery, Shiras Park, Williams Park, Harlow Park, Pocket Park, Spring Street Park and Father Marquette Park.
There are also numerous other recreational facilities located within the city. Lakeview Arena
is best known for its use as an ice hockey facility, but it also hosts a number of public events. Gerard Hailey Memorial Baseball field home of the Marquette Blues and Reds. A skateboard park is located just outside of the arena and open during the summer. Lakeview Arena was home to the Marquette Electricians and Marquette Senior High School's Redmen hockey team. In 1974, the arena replaced the historic Palestra, which had been located a few blocks away.
Marquette has the largest wooden dome in the world, the Superior Dome
– unofficially but affectionately known as the YooperDome. (The second largest, located in Japan, is just one square foot smaller.) During the football season, the Dome is used primarily for football on its newly renovated astro turf field. The turf was installed in July 2009. Northern Michigan University holds its home football games in the Dome, as does the Michigan High School Athletic Association with the upper peninsula's High School football playoffs. The dome also hosts numerous private and public events which draw in thousands from around the region.
The Marquette Golf Club has brought international recognition to the area for its unique and dramatic Greywalls course, opened in 2005. The course features several panoramic views of Lake Superior and winds its way through rocky outcroppings, heaving fairways and a rolling valley, yet is located less than two miles (3 km) from the downtown area.
Marquette also has an extensive network of biking and walking paths throughout the city. The city has been gradually expanding the paths and has been promoting itself as a walkable and livable community. Cross Country ski trails are also located at Presque Isle Park and the Fit Strip.
Camping facilities are located at Tourist Park.
Live theatrical productions are provided through Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre and Black Box Theatre, Marquette's Graverate School Kaufman Auditorium and Lake Superior Theatre, a semi-professional summer stock theatre.
The combination of hilly terrain (a 600 feet (182.9 m) vertical difference from top to bottom) and large area snow falls makes downhill skiing a reality on the edge of town.
with daily flights to Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis, as well as Traverse City, Michigan
and Green Bay, Wisconsin
.
Marquette is served by a private transportation bus system called the "MarqTran
" that runs through the city and to nearby places such as Sawyer International Airport and Ishpeming
.
Marquette has freight rail service by the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad. The Canadian National Railway also serves nearby Negaunee, Mich.
and southerly toward Escanaba
. travels westerly to Wakefield
and easterly toward Sault Ste. Marie. provides a direct connection to Sawyer International Airport
.
The city is also known for fishing for deep water lake trout, whitefish, salmon and brown trout.
house are also available; and just to the north of Marquette, the Big Bay Point Light is operated as a bed and breakfast
.
The Upper Peninsula Children's Museum is located along Baraga Avenue. Those familiar with Marquette's past will recognize the former Bunny Bread sign that is located on the outside of the building. The museum features hands-on exhibits for children to learn and have fun doing so. The museum is open year-round.
The Marquette County History Museum features many exhibits and artifacts of Marquette County's past. The museum includes a library and gift shop and is open year-round.
The DeVos Art Museum is the art museum at Northern Michigan University.
The Oasis Gallery for Contemporary Art is an ongoing project of the Marquette Arts Council.
Multiple media outlets provide local coverage of the Marquette area.
(Japan) since 1979 Kajaani
(Finland
) 1997
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Marquette County
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
. The city of Marquette averages about 141 inches of snow per year, making it the fifth snowiest city in the United States among those cities large enough to be reported.
History
The land around Marquette was known to French missionaries of the early 17th century and the trappers of the early 19th century. Development of the area did not begin, however, until 1844, when William BurtWilliam Austin Burt
William Austin Burt was an American inventor, legislator, surveyor, and millwright. He was the inventor, maker and patentee of the first typewriter constructed in America...
and Jacob Houghton (the brother of geologist Douglass Houghton
Douglass Houghton
Douglass Houghton was an American geologist and physician, primarily known for his exploration of the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan.-Early life and education:...
) discovered iron deposits near Teal Lake west of Marquette. In 1845, Jackson Mining Company, the first organized mining company in the region, was formed.
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, who financed the company, and Amos Rogers Harlow. The village was at first called New Worcester, with Harlow as the first postmaster. On August 21, 1850, the name was changed to honor Jacques Marquette
Jacques Marquette
Father Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
, the French Jesuit missionary who had explored the region. A second post office, named Carp River, was opened on October 13, 1851 by Peter White
Peter White (Michigan)
Peter Quintard White was one of the original settlers of Marquette, Michigan. He was a banker, businessman, real estate developer, and a philanthropist; and was involved in a number of the area's iron mining-related businesses, including acting as a director the Cleveland Iron Company...
, who had come there with Graveraet at age 18. Harlow closed his post office in August 1852. The Marquette Iron Company failed, while its successor, the Cleveland Iron Mining Company, flourished and had the village plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted in 1854. The plat was recorded by Peter White. White's office was renamed as Marquette in April 1856, and the village was incorporated in 1859. It was incorporated as a city in 1871.
Ore dock
An ore dock is a large structure used for loading ore onto ships which then carry the ore to steelworks or to transshipment points. Most known ore docks were constructed near iron mines on the upper Great Lakes and served the lower Great Lakes. Ore docks still in existence are typically about ...
, designed by an early town leader, John Burt, was built by the Cleveland Iron Mining Company in 1859. By 1862, the city had a population of over 1,600 and a soaring economy.
In the late 19th century, during the height of iron mining, Marquette became nationally known as a summer haven. Visitors brought in by Great Lakes passenger steamships filled the city's hotels and resorts.
South of the city, K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base is a decommissioned U.S. Air Force base in Marquette County, Michigan, south of the city of Marquette. The base, near the center of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, closed in 1995. The county airport, Sawyer International, now occupies a portion of the base and has scheduled...
was an important Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
installation during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, host to B-52H bombers and KC-135 tankers of the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, as well as a fighter interceptor squadron. The base closed in September 1995, and is now the county's Sawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport is a public airport located south of the central business district of Marquette, a city in Marquette County, Michigan, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Marquette County....
.
Marquette continues to be a shipping port for hematite
Hematite
Hematite, also spelled as haematite, is the mineral form of iron oxide , one of several iron oxides. Hematite crystallizes in the rhombohedral system, and it has the same crystal structure as ilmenite and corundum...
ores and, today, enriched iron ore pellets, from nearby mines and pelletizing plants. About 7.9 million gross tons of pelletized iron ore passed through Marquette's Presque Isle Harbor in 2005.
Frederic Baraga
Frederic Baraga, Servant of God was a Slovene American Roman Catholic missionary, bishop, and grammarian.-Early life:Frederic Baraga was born as Friderik Irenej Baraga in the manor house at Mala Vas no...
is buried at St. Peter's Cathedral
St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette
St. Peter Cathedral is a large Roman Catholic cathedral located on Baraga Avenue in Marquette, Michigan. As the mother church of the Diocese of Marquette, it is one of the most notable marks of Catholic presence in the Upper Peninsula...
, which is the center for the Diocese of Marquette
Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette is a suffragan diocese of the Roman rite, encompassing all of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the ecclesiastical province of the Archbishop of Detroit. It encompasses an area of 16,281 square miles .Its cathedral is St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette,...
.
Postal and philatelic history
In addition to the Marquette #1 Post Office there is the "Northern Michigan University Bookstore Contract Station #384".The first day of issue
First day of issue
A First Day of Issue Cover or First Day Cover is a postage stamp on a cover, postal card or stamped envelope franked on the first day the issue is authorized for use within the country or territory of the stamp-issuing authority. Sometimes the issue is made from a temporary or permanent foreign or...
of a postal card
Postal card
Postal cards are postal stationery with an imprinted stamp or indicium signifying the prepayment of postage. They are sold by postal authorities. In January, 1869 Emanuel Herrmann of Austria described the advantages of a Correspondenz Karte. By October, 1869 the world's first postal card was...
showing Bishop Frederic Baraga
Frederic Baraga
Frederic Baraga, Servant of God was a Slovene American Roman Catholic missionary, bishop, and grammarian.-Early life:Frederic Baraga was born as Friderik Irenej Baraga in the manor house at Mala Vas no...
took place in Marquette on 29 June 1984, and that of the Wonders of America Lake Superior stamp on May 27, 2006.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 19.4 square miles (50.2 km²), of which, 11.4 square miles (29.5 km²) of it is land and 8 square miles (20.7 km²) of it (41.09%) is water.
The city includes several small islands (principally Middle Island, Gull Island, Lover's Island, Presque Isle Pt. Rocks, White Rocks, Ripley Rock, and Picnic Rocks) in Lake Superior. The Marquette Underwater Preserve
Marquette Underwater Preserve
The Marquette Underwater Preserve was established in 1990 to promote conservation of the submerged historical resources in Lake Superior near Marquette, Michigan. The Preserve is composed of two separate units, the Marquette Unit and the Huron Islands Unit. The Marquette Unit extends along...
lies immediately offshore.
Marquette Mountain
Marquette Mountain
Marquette Mountain is a winter sports area for skiing and snow boarding, located a few miles south of Marquette, Michigan, the major city in the state's Upper Peninsula. In the summer, Marquette Mountain offers activities such as mountain biking, and volleyball. The base area's parking lot is...
, used for skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, is located in the city, as is most of the land of Marquette Branch Prison
Marquette Branch Prison
The Marquette Branch Prison is located in Marquette, Michigan on the south shore of Lake Superior. The prison, which opened in 1889, is a state facility that holds about 1,100 inmates in maximum and minimum-security housing. The inmate population consists of adult males, aged twenty-one and older...
of the Michigan Department of Corrections
Michigan Department of Corrections
The Michigan Department of Corrections oversees prisons and other correctional facilities in the state of Michigan, USA. It has 34 prison facilities, and a Special Alternative Incarceration program, together composing approximately 44,000 prisoners. Another 72,000 probationers and parolees are...
. Trowbridge Park
Trowbridge Park, Michigan
Trowbridge Park is an unincorporated community in Marquette Township, Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan bordering on the city of Marquette. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes, with no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
(an unincorporated part of Marquette Township) is located to the west, and Marquette Township
Marquette Township, Marquette County, Michigan
Marquette Charter Township is a charter township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,286 at the 2000 census...
to the northwest of the city.
Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 19,661 people, 8,071 households and 4,067 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,723.9 per square mile (665.3/km²). There were 8,429 housing units at an average density of 739.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95% White, 0.8% African American, 1.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.77% of the population. 15.5% were of German, 12.6% Finnish, 8.9% French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, 8.5% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 8.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 6.8% Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
and 6.7% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 8,071 households of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.6% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.81.
Age distribution was 16.8% under the age of 18, 25.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
The median household income was US$29,918, and the median family income was US$48,120. Males had a median income of US$34,107 versus US$24,549 for females. The per capita income for the city was US$17,787. About 7.2% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
Business
Along with Northern Michigan UniversityNorthern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
, the largest employers in Marquette are the Marquette School System, Marquette General Hospital
Marquette General Hospital
Marquette General Hospital is a hospital and regional medical center located in Marquette, Michigan and serving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The hospital is a Level II trauma center as verified by the American College of Surgeons...
(a regional medical center which is the only Level 2 Trauma center
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
in the Upper Peninsula), Marquette Branch Prison, Pioneer Surgical Technology
Pioneer Surgical Technology
Pioneer Surgical Technology, based in Marquette, Michigan, is Michigan's largest private medical technology company. The company was founded in 1992 by Matthew Songer and its first major product was the Songer Cable, used is spine surgeries...
, and Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
.
Marquette in film and literature
Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder is a 1959 American courtroom crime drama film. It was directed by Otto Preminger and adapted by Wendell Mayes from the best-selling novel of the same name written by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker under the pen name Robert Traver...
(1958) and Laughing Whitefish (1965) in Marquette. The film version of Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder
Anatomy of a Murder is a 1959 American courtroom crime drama film. It was directed by Otto Preminger and adapted by Wendell Mayes from the best-selling novel of the same name written by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker under the pen name Robert Traver...
, dramatizing an incident that happened in the area, was partly filmed in Marquette and Big Bay
Big Bay, Michigan
Big Bay is an unincorporated community in Marquette County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and does not have any legal status as an incorporated municipality. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 265...
. Much of it was filmed in the Marquette County
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
Courthouse in Marquette. Traver's Danny and the Boys (1951) is a collection of short stories set in and around Marquette.
Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo is an American author and journalist. He is best-known for A Rumor of War, a best-selling memoir of his experiences during the Vietnam War....
set his novel Indian Country
Indian Country
Indian country is a term used to describe the many self-governing Native American communities throughout the United States. This usage is reflected in many places, both legal and colloquial...
(1987) in the Upper Peninsula and several scenes depict Marquette.
Jim Harrison
Jim Harrison
James "Jim" Harrison is an American author known for his poetry, fiction, essays, reviews, and writings about food. He has been called "a force of nature", and his work has been compared to that of William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway...
's novel True North
True north
True north is the direction along the earth's surface towards the geographic North Pole.True geodetic north usually differs from magnetic north , and from grid north...
(2005) tells about a Marquette family whose wealth is based on exploiting Upper Peninsula timber.
Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Kent Eugenides is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and short story writer. Eugenides is most known for his first two novels, The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex . His novel The Marriage Plot was published in October, 2011.-Life and career:Eugenides was born in Detroit, Michigan,...
' Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Middlesex
Middlesex (novel)
Middlesex is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Jeffrey Eugenides published in 2002. The book is a bestseller, with more than three million copies sold as of May 2011. Its characters and events are loosely based on aspects of Eugenides' life and observations of his Greek heritage. It is...
(2002) refers to Marquette by name, in addition to other locations in Michigan.
A large portion of the acclaimed graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
Blankets
Blankets (graphic novel)
Blankets is an autobiographical graphic novel by Craig Thompson, published in 2003 by Top Shelf Productions. As a coming-of-age autobiography, the book tells the story of Thompson's childhood in an Evangelical Christian family, his first love, and his early adulthood...
, by Craig Thompson
Craig Thompson
Craig Matthew Thompson is a graphic novelist best known for his books Good-Bye, Chunky Rice , Blankets , Carnet de Voyage and Habibi . Thompson has received four Harvey Awards, two Eisner Awards, and two Ignatz Awards...
, takes place in Marquette.
Marquette was the site of many key events in the investigation of a murder in Dave Distel's The Sweater Letter, a true story of a murder that occurred near Ontonagon.
Parks, sports and recreation
The city of Marquette has a number of parks and recreational facilities which are used by city and county residents. Presque Isle Park is Marquette's most popular park located on the north side of the city. It includes 323 acres (130.7 ha) of mostly forested land and juts out into Lake Superior. The park was designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted, the same Olmsted that designed Central Park in New York. Amenities include a wooden band shell for concerts, a park pavilion, a gazebo, a marina, a concession stand, picnic tables, barbecue pits, walking/skiing trails, playground facilities, and Moosewood Nature Center.Sea breeze
A sea-breeze is a wind from the sea that develops over land near coasts. It is formed by increasing temperature differences between the land and water; these create a pressure minimum over the land due to its relative warmth, and forces higher pressure, cooler air from the sea to move inland...
. Both beaches have picnic areas, grills, children's playgrounds and lifeguard stands.
Other parks include Tourist Park, Founder's Landing, LaBonte Park, Mattson Lower Harbor Park, Park Cemetery, Shiras Park, Williams Park, Harlow Park, Pocket Park, Spring Street Park and Father Marquette Park.
There are also numerous other recreational facilities located within the city. Lakeview Arena
Lakeview Arena
Lakeview Arena is a 3,100-seat multi-purpose arena, located in Marquette, Michigan. It was opened in 1974, during the Marquette Iron Rangers hockey season. The team had previously played in the historic Palestra, a building that had moved from Laurium, Michigan in 1921 and was torn down shortly...
is best known for its use as an ice hockey facility, but it also hosts a number of public events. Gerard Hailey Memorial Baseball field home of the Marquette Blues and Reds. A skateboard park is located just outside of the arena and open during the summer. Lakeview Arena was home to the Marquette Electricians and Marquette Senior High School's Redmen hockey team. In 1974, the arena replaced the historic Palestra, which had been located a few blocks away.
Superior Dome
The Superior Dome, which opened as the "world’s largest wooden dome" on September 14, 1991, is a domed stadium on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. It is home to the Northern Michigan Wildcats football team, as well as a variety of campus and community events...
– unofficially but affectionately known as the YooperDome. (The second largest, located in Japan, is just one square foot smaller.) During the football season, the Dome is used primarily for football on its newly renovated astro turf field. The turf was installed in July 2009. Northern Michigan University holds its home football games in the Dome, as does the Michigan High School Athletic Association with the upper peninsula's High School football playoffs. The dome also hosts numerous private and public events which draw in thousands from around the region.
The Marquette Golf Club has brought international recognition to the area for its unique and dramatic Greywalls course, opened in 2005. The course features several panoramic views of Lake Superior and winds its way through rocky outcroppings, heaving fairways and a rolling valley, yet is located less than two miles (3 km) from the downtown area.
Marquette also has an extensive network of biking and walking paths throughout the city. The city has been gradually expanding the paths and has been promoting itself as a walkable and livable community. Cross Country ski trails are also located at Presque Isle Park and the Fit Strip.
Camping facilities are located at Tourist Park.
Live theatrical productions are provided through Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre and Black Box Theatre, Marquette's Graverate School Kaufman Auditorium and Lake Superior Theatre, a semi-professional summer stock theatre.
The combination of hilly terrain (a 600 feet (182.9 m) vertical difference from top to bottom) and large area snow falls makes downhill skiing a reality on the edge of town.
Transportation
Marquette is served by American Eagle and Delta Air Lines out of Sawyer International AirportSawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport is a public airport located south of the central business district of Marquette, a city in Marquette County, Michigan, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Marquette County....
with daily flights to Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis, as well as Traverse City, Michigan
Cherry Capital Airport
Cherry Capital Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles south of the central business district of Traverse City, in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States...
and Green Bay, Wisconsin
Austin Straubel International Airport
Austin Straubel International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. The airport is located seven nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Green Bay, in the village of Ashwaubenon. It sits on portions of land encompassing Green...
.
Marquette is served by a private transportation bus system called the "MarqTran
MarqTran
MarqTran is a public bus system operated out of Marquette, Michigan, USA. It provides basic transportation needs to people throughout Marquette County...
" that runs through the city and to nearby places such as Sawyer International Airport and Ishpeming
Ishpeming, Michigan
Ishpeming is a city in Marquette County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,686 at the 2000 census. This is down from a higher population in the 1950s and 1960s when the economically supportive iron ore mines had a much higher employment level...
.
Marquette has freight rail service by the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad. The Canadian National Railway also serves nearby Negaunee, Mich.
Highways
is a major highway continuing westerly and northerly toward CalumetCalumet, Michigan
Calumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
and southerly toward Escanaba
Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in the banana belt on the state's Upper Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,140, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie...
. travels westerly to Wakefield
Wakefield, Michigan
Wakefield is a city in Gogebic County in the US state of Michigan. It is located in the western Upper Peninsula. The population was 1,851 at the 2010 census....
and easterly toward Sault Ste. Marie. provides a direct connection to Sawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport is a public airport located south of the central business district of Marquette, a city in Marquette County, Michigan, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Marquette County....
.
The city is also known for fishing for deep water lake trout, whitefish, salmon and brown trout.
Museums, galleries, lighthouses
The Marquette Maritime Museum is located along the Lake Superior shoreline near the U.S. Coast Guard Station. The museum is open during the summer season and offers an extensive collection of maritime artifacts involving the maritime history of Marquette. Tours of the historic Marquette Harbor LightMarquette Harbor Light
The Marquette Harbor Light is located on Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan, a part of the Upper Peninsula. It is an active aid to navigation.-History:...
house are also available; and just to the north of Marquette, the Big Bay Point Light is operated as a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
.
The Upper Peninsula Children's Museum is located along Baraga Avenue. Those familiar with Marquette's past will recognize the former Bunny Bread sign that is located on the outside of the building. The museum features hands-on exhibits for children to learn and have fun doing so. The museum is open year-round.
The Marquette County History Museum features many exhibits and artifacts of Marquette County's past. The museum includes a library and gift shop and is open year-round.
The DeVos Art Museum is the art museum at Northern Michigan University.
The Oasis Gallery for Contemporary Art is an ongoing project of the Marquette Arts Council.
Climate
Education
Public schools
- Marquette Senior High SchoolMarquette Senior High School, Marquette, MichiganMarquette Senior High School is a public high school located in Marquette, Michigan. The high school serves grades 9-12, with current student enrollment around 1396 - approximately 51% male to 49% female.High-school age resident athletes from the U.S...
Redmen and Redettes - Bothwell Middle School, 5th - 8th gradehttp://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/540904/Fifth-graders-to-move-to-Bothwell.html?nav=5006
- Graveraet Intermediate (now Marquette Alternative High School)
- Cherry Creek Elementary
- Sandy Knoll Elementary School
- Superior Hills Elementary School
- North Star Academy
Private schools
- Father Marquette Elementary School
- Father Marquette Middle School
- Crossroads Christian Academy
Universities
- Marquette is home to the Upper Peninsula's largest university at just under 10,000 students, Northern Michigan UniversityNorthern Michigan UniversityNorthern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
.
Media
- Newspaper: The Mining JournalThe Mining JournalThe Mining Journal is the predominant daily newspaper of Marquette, Michigan and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.Like most market-dominant daily papers, the MJ is a seven-day morning paper. The Mining Journal is distributed over a wide area, in part because Marquette is the largest city for a...
, The Northwind, and Marquette Monthly - Television: WLUC-TVWLUC-TVWLUC-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Michigan's Central Upper Peninsula licensed to Marquette. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter on South Helen Lake Road southeast of Republic in rural Marquette County. The station can also be seen...
, WBUP-TV, WZMQ, WNMU-TV and WJMN-TVWJMN-TVWJMN-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Michigan's Central Upper Peninsula licensed to Escanaba. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter in unincorporated Northern Delta County south of the Alger County line. The station can also be seen on... - Radio: WNMU-FMWNMU-FMWNMU-FM is a radio station in the United States, broadcasting at FM 90.1 in Marquette, Michigan. The station, owned by Northern Michigan University, is a National Public Radio member station, airing a large amount of classical and jazz music along with a variety of other local programming...
, WHWL-FM, WUPK-FMWUPKWUPK and WIMK are a pair of radio stations based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
, WFXD-FMWFXDWFXD is a radio station broadcasting a country music format in Marquette, Michigan.The station began broadcasting in the 1970s at 100.1 FM as WUUN, a live-assist Top 40/adult contemporary music station known as "Stereo 100." In 1985, the station moved to its current 103.3 frequency and became WRUP...
, WUPT-FMWUPT (FM)WUPT is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits music format. Licensed to Gwinn, Michigan, USA, the station is currently owned by Radioactive, LLC.-History:...
, WUPX, WJPD-FMWJPDWJPD is a radio station licensed to Ishpeming, Michigan broadcasting a country music format.-Programming:The station carries Premiere Radio Network's syndicated 'Big D & Bubba', every weekday morning from 6am to 10am. Following Big D & Bubba is Mid-Days with Steve Cassidy, airing Monday-Saturday...
, WUPZ-FMWUPZWUPZ is a radio station licensed to Chocolay Charter Township, Michigan serving the Marquette, Michigan market. The station is currently owned by Radioactive, LLC and was granted its license on September 29, 2006. The station signed on in May 2009 with a Top 40 format. WUPZ has a rhythmic lean to...
, WKPK-FMWKPKWKPK is a radio station which is part of the Smile FM radio network licensed to Michigamme, Michigan. It was licensed on July 22, 2008, to operate on 88.3 MHz with 15 kW. The station broadcasts from the same tower used by WFXD and WKQS in Marquette, Michigan. WKPK broadcasts Smile FM...
, WUPG-FMWUPGWUPG is a radio station licensed to Republic, Michigan. The station is currently owned by Radioactive, LLC and was granted its license on April 17, 2008...
, WGLQ-FMWGLQ-FMWGLQ is an FM radio station serving the central portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. WGLQ broadcasts at a frequency of 97.1 megahertz and its studios and offices are located on Ludington Ave in Escanaba, Michigan. The station airs a Top 40 format...
, WRUP-FMWRUPWRUP is a radio station licensed to Munising, Michigan broadcasting a satellite-fed classic rock format from Jones Radio Networks. The station was previously a country and then an oldies station before changing over to the current format...
, WNGE-FMWNGEWNGE is a radio station licensed to Negaunee, Michigan, broadcasting an oldies format. The station first went on the air in July 2001. The station transmits its signal from an antenna with a height of 430 feet with an effective radiated power of 3,600 watts located atop a hill in Marquette...
, WKQS-FMWKQS-FMWKQS-FM is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Negaunee, Michigan, and serving the Marquette, Michigan area, it first began broadcasting in 1998....
, WCMM-FM, W291BH, WMQT-FM, WDMJ-AMWDMJWDMJ and WIAN , The Talk of Marquette, are a pair of radio stations broadcasting a news-talk format.- Sources :**-External links:...
, WIAN-AM and WZAM-AMWZAMWZAM is a radio station affiliated with ESPN Radio. Licensed to Ishpeming, Michigan, it has also used the call signs WMVN and WUPY....
Suburbs of Marquette
- HarveyHarvey, MichiganHarvey is an unincorporated community, known in the early years as "Harvey Location", in Chocolay Township, Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
- Chocolay Township
- Trowbridge ParkTrowbridge Park, MichiganTrowbridge Park is an unincorporated community in Marquette Township, Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan bordering on the city of Marquette. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes, with no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
- Marquette TownshipMarquette Township, Marquette County, MichiganMarquette Charter Township is a charter township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,286 at the 2000 census...
Accolades and Awards
- 2010 Distinctive Destination – National Trust of Historic Preservation (Voted #1 Fan Favorite)
- 2008 Top 10 Winter Family Getaways – Weather Channel
- 2008 #7 Best Place to Live for Hunters and Anglers – Outdoor Life Magazine
- 2008 #7 in Mid-West in Rural America – Progressive Farmer
- 2005, 2007, 2008 One of the 100 Best Communities for Young People – America's Promise: Alliance for Youth
- 2006 #7 Place to Build a Vacation Home – Men's Journal
- 2005 Top 10 Summer Vacation Destination – Sherman Travel
- 2004 Most Livable Community – Partners for Livable Communities
- 2004 Michigan Cool City – Governor Jennifer Granholm
- 2003 All America County – National Civic League
- Tree City for 28 Years
- Top micropolitan area- Site Selection Magazine
Festivals and events
- Art on the Rocks – An art festival originally held at Presque Isle Park, but moved to Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park in 2009.
- Hiawatha Music FestivalHiawatha Music FestivalThe Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival in Marquette, Michigan is held each year during the next-to-last full weekend of July and features traditional, acoustic, American music. Each year's main-stage line-up can include bluegrass, old-time, Cajun, Celtic, acoustic blues, Gospel, etc. The line-up...
Traditional music festival at Tourist Park (30th Annual 18–20 July 2008) - Marquette's 4 July Celebration
- Superior Bike Fest
- Ore to Shore Mountain Bike race.
- All Nation's Club International Food Fest
- Seafood Fest
- UP 200 Dog Sled Race
- Noquemanon Ski Marathon
- Marquette Area Blues Fest
- Marquette Scandinavian Midsummer Festival and Wife-CarryingWife CarryingWife carrying is a sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle track in the fastest time...
Contest - U.P. Fall Beer Festival- hosted by Michigan Brewers Guild
Sister cities
Marquette has two sister cities. HigashiōmiHigashiomi, Shiga
is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 117,557 and the density of 303 persons per km². The total area is 388.58 km²....
(Japan) since 1979 Kajaani
Kajaani
Kajaani is a town and municipality in Finland.It is the capital of the Kainuu region. It is located southeast of Oulujärvi , which drains to the Gulf of Bothnia along the Oulujoki . There are inhabitants and city surface area is of which is water. The population density is . The town is...
(Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
) 1997
See also
- Big Bay Point Light
- Joe FineJoe FineJoseph "Joe" Fine was a well known businessman and politician in Marquette, Michigan. Born in Lithuania, Fine became a citizen of the United States and lived most of his life in Marquette. In the 1960s he was active in city politics. Offices he held included mayor, city commissioner, and member of...
, mayor of Marquette 1964–1965 and prominent businessman - Shipwrecks of the 1913 Great Lakes stormShipwrecks of the 1913 Great Lakes stormThis is a list of shipwrecks during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913.-References:*Brown, David G. . White Hurricane. International Marine / McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-138037-X.*-External links:***...