Pere Marquette
Memorial Cross
A solemn white cross on the Buttersville Peninsula, lit at night and visible for miles — marking the site where Father Jacques Marquette, Jesuit missionary and explorer, drew his last breath on May 18, 1675. Maintained by the Mason County Historical Society and the Pere Marquette Memorial Association.
THE HISTORY
Where an Explorer's Journey Ended
On May 18, 1675, Father Jacques Marquette — Jesuit priest, cartographer, and co-explorer of the Mississippi River — died on the shores of Lake Michigan at what is now Ludington, Michigan. He was only 37 years old.
Two French companions had carried him by canoe toward his mission at St. Ignace, but the illness he had contracted years earlier during his great Mississippi expedition finally overtook him on these quiet shores between the lake and the river that would bear his name. His body was buried near the shoreline.
Two years later, a party of his Indian converts and the two men who had been with him at his death returned to disinter his remains and carry them, with ceremony, back to St. Ignace.
The exact site of his death is not precisely known, but the Buttersville Peninsula — where the Pere Marquette River meets Lake Michigan — corresponds with the earliest French accounts and maps. Today, the river, the lake, and a township all bear Marquette's name. And the stark white cross on the hilltop peninsula has stood, in one form or another, as a marker and memorial to his legacy for nearly a century.
1675 — Year of Death
1955 — Permanent Cross Erected
350+ — Years of Legacy
A Memorial Through the Centuries
1675
Father Marquette Dies at the Shore
Marquette dies on May 18 on the banks of Lake Michigan. A small wooden cross is placed at the site — the first of many to mark this ground.
1800s
Early Makeshift Memorials
Crosses and boulders marking the site are reported by residents throughout the 1800s, though no permanent monument exists. The location is known through local memory and early French maps.
1921
Daughters of America Revolution Plaque
A formal plaque is placed at the site, representing the first organized recognition of the location's historical significance.
1938
40-Foot Timber Cross Erected
A rough-hewn pine cross, 40 feet above ground, is installed as a temporary memorial while plans for a permanent structure are developed. The cross draws regional attention and pilgrims to the site.
1955
The Permanent Memorial Cross Dedicated
Through the efforts of local leaders, labor unions, and community supporters, the permanent stainless steel cross is constructed and dedicated on the Buttersville Peninsula.
1938
State Historical Commission Recognition
The Michigan Historical Commission formally recognizes the site with an official state historical plaque, cementing its significance in the state's heritage record.
2018 - 2020
Major Renovation by PMMA
The Pere Marquette Memorial Association launches a restoration project — rebuilding the base, encasing the 1955 cross in stainless steel, and reinstalling it on June 20, 2020. MCHS partners with PMMA to maintain the site going forward.
Between Two
Bodies of Water
The 2.4-acre memorial site sits on the Buttersville Peninsula — a finger of land between Lake Michigan and Pere Marquette Lake, just north of the Buttersville Park Campground along South Lakeshore Drive. The setting is as peaceful and reflective as the mission of the man it honors.
The cross commands sweeping views across both Lake Michigan and Pere Marquette Lake. It is visible at considerable distance from the water and from the shore, especially after dark when it is illuminated — a quiet beacon in the Ludington night sky that mariners and travelers have noted for decades.
The property includes roughly 400 feet of frontage on Pere Marquette Lake and a developed boat launch facility, making it accessible both by land and water. A parking lot is available on site. The site is open year-round, and there is no admission fee.
Plan Your Visit
Location
Pere Marquette Memorial Cross
Buttersville Peninsula
South Lakeshore Drive (just north of Buttersville Park Campground)
Pere Marquette Township, Mason County, MI
Hours & Access
Open year-round, at all hours, with no admission fee. The cross is illuminated after dark. Parking available in the on-site lot. A boat launch facility provides direct access to Pere Marquette Lake.
Facilities Note
Facilities are limited at this outdoor site — no restrooms are on the immediate property. The nearby Buttersville Park Campground has facilities for visitors.
Getting There
From downtown Ludington, travel south on S. Lakeshore Drive (Business-31 South). The site is located on the Buttersville Peninsula, approximately 3 miles south of downtown. Watch for the memorial sign on your right. The white cross is visible from the road.
Accessibility
The parking lot and site grounds are accessible. The hilltop where the cross is positioned involves a short cement walking path from the lot. The site is dog-friendly on a leash. For specific accessibility questions, contact the Mason County Historical Society at (231) 843-4808.
Pere Marquette Memorial Cross
S. Lakeshore Dr.
Ludington, MI 49431
Get Directions
Explore More Mason County History
MARITIME HISTORY
Port of Ludington
Maritime Museum
Explore 30+ exhibits in the former U.S. Coast Guard Station — including car ferries, lighthouse technology, and the Armistice Day Storm.
OPEN-AIR MUSEUM
Historic White
Pine Village
Thirty restored historic buildings tell Mason County's pioneer and lumbering story, just south of downtown on the same scenic lakeshore drive.
ALL OVER DOWNTOWN
Historic Ludington
Murals
A self-guided outdoor mural walk through downtown Ludington — free, always accessible, and filled with the stories that shaped this community.
Help Preserve These Sites for
Future Generations.
The Mason County Historical Society maintains the Pere Marquette Memorial Cross, the Ludington Murals, and two award-winning museums. Your membership and donations make it possible.