Marquette ( ) is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Marquette County and the largest city in the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan—also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. or Yoop—is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula of ...
, United States. Located on the shores of
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...
, Marquette is a major port known primarily for shipping iron ore from the
Marquette Iron Range
The Marquette Iron Range is a deposit of iron ore located in Marquette County, Michigan in the United States. The towns of Ishpeming and Negaunee developed as a result of mining this deposit. A smaller counterpart of Minnesota's Mesabi Range, t ...
. The city is partially surrounded by
Marquette Township, but the two are administered autonomously.
Marquette is named after
Jacques Marquette
Jacques Marquette, Society of Jesus, S.J. (; June 1, 1637 – May 18, 1675), sometimes known as Père Marquette or James Marquette, was a French Society of Jesus, Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. M ...
, a French Jesuit missionary who had explored the
Great Lakes region
The Great Lakes region of Northern America is a binational Canadian– American region centered on the Great Lakes that includes the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and the Ca ...
. Marquette had a population of 20,629 at the
2020 census, making it the largest city in Michigan north of the
Tri-Cities. Marquette is also the third-largest American city on Lake Superior, behind
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...
and
Superior, Wisconsin
Superior (; ) is a city in Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 26,751 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located at the western end of Lake Superior in northwestern Wisconsin, the city l ...
. Marquette's urban area extends south toward the community of
Harvey and west toward
Negaunee and
Ishpeming, at the base of the
Huron Mountains
The Huron Mountains are located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, mostly in Marquette County, Michigan, Marquette County, and extending into Baraga County, Michigan, Baraga County, overlooking Lake ...
.
Marquette is the home of
Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University (Northern Michigan, Northern or NMU) is a public university in Marquette, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1899 by the Michigan Legislature as Northern State Normal School. In 1963, the state designa ...
(NMU), a four-year public university. NMU's athletic teams are nicknamed the
Wildcats and compete primarily in the
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The
men's ice hockey team, which competes in the
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) is a college athletic conference in the Midwestern United States that participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The current CCHA began play in the 2021–22 season; a previ ...
(CCHA), won the
Division I national championship in
1991
It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...
.
History

The land around Marquette was known to French missionaries of the early 17th century and the trappers of the early 19th century.
The area was originally inhabited by the Anishinaabe
Council of Three Fires
The Council of Three Fires (in , also known as the People of the Three Fires; the Three Fires Confederacy; or the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians) is a long-standing Anishinaabe alliance of the Ojibwe (or Chippewa), O ...
, who referred to the area as ''Gichi-namebini Ziibing''. Development of the area did not begin until 1844, when
William Burt 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
Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...
, 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, Society of Jesus, S.J. (; June 1, 1637 – May 18, 1675), sometimes known as Père Marquette or James Marquette, was a French Society of Jesus, Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. M ...
, 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 gone 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
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...
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
A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...
filled the city's hotels and resorts.[
South of the city, K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base was an important ]Air Force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
installation during the Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, host to B-52H bombers and KC-135
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...
tankers of the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...
, as well as a fighter interceptor squadron. The base closed in September 1995, and is now the county's Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport.
Marquette continues to be a shipping port for hematite
Hematite (), also spelled as haematite, is a common iron oxide compound with the formula, Fe2O3 and is widely found in rocks and soils. Hematite crystals belong to the rhombohedral lattice system which is designated the alpha polymorph of . ...
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 Cathedral, which is the center for the Diocese of Marquette.
Lakeview Arena, an ice hockey rink in Marquette, won the Kraft Hockeyville USA contest on April 30, 2016. The arena received $150,000 in upgrades, and hosted the ]Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
and Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
on October 4, 2016, in a preseason NHL contest. Buffalo won the game 2–0.
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
A first day of issue cover or first day cover (FDC) is a postage stamp on a cover, postal card or stamped envelope Franking, franked on the first day the issue is authorized for useBennett, Russell and Watson, James; ''Philatelic Terms Illustrate ...
of a postal card
Postal cards are postal stationery with an imprinted stamp or indicium signifying the prepayment of postage. They are sold by postal authorities. On January 26, 1869, Dr. Emanuel Herrmann of Austria described the advantages of a ''Corre ...
showing Bishop Frederic Baraga took place in Marquette on June 29, 1984, and that of the Wonders of America Lake Superior stamp on May 27, 2006.
Geography and climate
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 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 in the winter and lift-serviced downhill mountain biking
Downhill Mountain Biking (DH) is a style of mountain biking
Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with ot ...
in the summer, is located in the city, as is most of the land of Marquette Branch Prison of the Michigan Department of Corrections
The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) oversees prisons and the parole and probation population in the state of Michigan, United States. It has 31 prison facilities, and a Special Alternative Incarceration program, together composing appr ...
. The town of Trowbridge Park (under Marquette Township), is located to the west, Sands Township to the south, and Marquette Township to the northwest of the city.
Climate
The climate is a hemiboreal humid continental ( Köppen: ''Dfb'') with four distinct seasons that are strongly moderated by Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...
and is located in Plant Hardiness zone 5b. Narrative below is based on chart below, reflecting 1991-2020 climate normals. Winters are long and cold with a January average of . Winter temperatures are slightly warmer than inland locations at a similar latitude due to the release of the heat stored by the lake, which moderates the climate. On average, there are 11.6 days annually where the minimum temperature reaches and 73 days with a maximum at or below freezing, including a majority of days during meteorological winter (December thru February).
Being located in the snowbelt region, Marquette receives a significant amount of snowfall during the winter months, mostly from lake-effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises through colde ...
. Because Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...
rarely freezes over completely, this enables lake effect snow to persist throughout winter, making Marquette the third snowiest location in the contiguous United States as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) is an American scientific and regulatory agency charged with Weather forecasting, forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, Hydrography, charting the seas, ...
with an average annual snowfall of . The snow depth in winter usually exceeds . Marquette is the city with the deepest snow depths with a population of more than 20,000 in the United States (and one of the largest in North America outside the western Cordillera or eastern Canada), as temperatures remain low throughout the winter and cold, dry air is intercepted by the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
.
The warmest months, July and August, each average , showing somewhat of a seasonal lag
Seasonal lag is the phenomenon whereby the date of maximum average air temperature at a geographical location on a planet is delayed until some time after the date of maximum daylight (i.e. the summer solstice). This also applies to the minimum ...
, with August averaging slightly warmer than July. The surrounding lake cools summertime temperatures and as a result, temperatures above are rare, with only 3.4 days per year. Spring and fall are transitional seasons that are generally mild though highly variable due to the alternation of air masses moving quickly. Spring is usually cooler than fall because the surrounding lake is slower to warm than the land, while in fall the lake releases heat, warming the area.
Marquette receives of precipitation annually, which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, though September and October are the wettest months with February and March being the driest. The average window for morning freezes is October 15 thru May 7. The highest temperature ever recorded in Marquette was on July 15, 1901, and the lowest was on February 8, 1861. Marquette receives an average of 2,294 hours of sunshine per year or 51 percent of possible sunshine, ranging from a low of 29 percent in December to a high of 68 percent in July.
The City of Marquette has received national attention for its measures to adapt to climate change, such as coastline restoration and moving portions of Lakeshore Boulevard which are flooded by Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...
100 yards inland. Property owners are required to maintain “riparian buffer
A riparian buffer or stream buffer is a vegetated area (a " buffer strip") near a stream, usually forested, which helps shade and partially protect the stream from the impact of adjacent land uses. It plays a key role in increasing water quality ...
s” of native plants along waterways. A county task force has created a guidebook in cooperation with the University of Michigan for landscaping which can reduce the habitat for disease-bearing ticks. A federally funded stormwater drain project will route runoff which flows into Lake Superior into restored wetlands. At the time of a 2014 NOAA climate study, climate change was expected to lead to rising temperatures, a longer growing season, and greater precipitation in Marquette.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 20,629 people, 8,163 households, and 3,651 families residing in the city. The population density was . The racial makeup of the city was 90.5% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 3.6% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.
There were 8,163 households, of which 16% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 55.3% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.7.
The median age of the city was 40.2 years. 11.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 30.2% were between 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 19.9% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 21,355 people, 8,321 households, and 3,788 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 8,756 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.1% White, 4.4% African American, 1.5% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.
There were 8,321 households, of which 18.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.3% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 54.5% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.71.
The median age in the city was 29.1 years. 12.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 30.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.3% were from 25 to 44; 21.9% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.8% male and 48.2% female.
2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 19,661 people, 8,071 households and 4,067 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 8,429 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95% White, 0.8% African American, 1.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 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 $29,918, and the median family income was $48,120. Males had a median income of $34,107 versus $24,549 for females. The per capita income for the city was $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 University
Northern Michigan University (Northern Michigan, Northern or NMU) is a public university in Marquette, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1899 by the Michigan Legislature as Northern State Normal School. In 1963, the state designa ...
, the largest employers in Marquette are the Marquette Area Public Schools, UP Health System-Marquette (a regional medical center that is the only Level 2 Trauma center
A trauma center, or trauma centre, is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. The term "trauma center" may be used incorr ...
in the Upper Peninsula), Marquette Branch Prison, RTI Surgical, Charter Communications, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Marquette is known for its breweries, including Ore Dock Brewing Company and Blackrocks Brewery. Five breweries were extant in the city ().
Marquette's port was the 140th largest in the United States in 2015, ranked by tonnage.
Recreation and tourism
Recreational facilities
Presque Isle Park is located on the north side of the city. The largely untouched, forested landscape of the park was the result of a 1891 visit from landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, Social criticism, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the U ...
, who refused to develop a plan for it due to his belief that it "should not be marred by the intrusion of artificial objects." 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. The city has two beaches, South Beach Park and McCarty's Cove. McCarty's Cove is flanked by a red U.S. Coast Guard Station lighthouse on its south shore. 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. A skateboard park is located just outside 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
The Palestra, often called the Cathedral of College Basketball, is a historic arena and the home gym of the Penn Quakers men's and women's basketball teams, volleyball teams, wrestling team, and Philadelphia Big 5 basketball. Located at 235 So ...
, which had been located a few blocks away. Gerard Haley Memorial Baseball field home of the Marquette Blues and Reds is located in the north side along with numerous little league and softball fields. Marquette is home to the largest wooden dome in the world, the Superior Dome—unofficially but affectionately known as the YooperDome. During the football season, the Dome is used primarily for football on its newly renovated AstroTurf
AstroTurf is an American subsidiary of SportGroup that produces artificial turf for pitch (sports field), playing surfaces in sports. The original AstroTurf product was a pile (textile), short-pile synthetic turf invented in 1965 by Monsanto. Si ...
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 that 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 from the downtown area.
The city is also known for fishing for deep water lake trout, whitefish, salmon and brown trout.
Marquette has an extensive network of biking and walking paths. 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.
The combination of hilly terrain (a vertical difference from top to bottom) and large area snow falls makes snowboarding
Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralym ...
and downhill skiing a reality on the edge of town.
Museums, galleries, and lighthouses
* The Marquette Maritime Museum, including the Marquette Harbor Light;
* The Upper Peninsula Children's Museum, Baraga Avenue.
* The Marquette County History Museum.
* The DeVos Art Museum, Northern Michigan University.
* The Oasis Gallery for Contemporary Art.
Festivals and events
* Art on the Rocks—art festival at Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park
* Hiawatha Music Festival Traditional music festival at Tourist Park
* Marquette's July 4 Celebration
* Marquette's Blueberry Festival
* Superior Bike Fest
* UP 200 Dog Sled Race
* Noquemanon Ski Marathon
* Marquette Area Blues Fest
* Marquette Scandinavian Midsummer Festival and Wife-Carrying Contest
* U.P. Fall Beer Festival-hosted by Michigan Brewers Guild
* Ore to Shore
* Marquette Marathon
* OutBack Art Fair
Live theatrical productions are also provided through Northern Michigan University's Forest Roberts Theatre and Black Box Theatre, Marquette's Graveraet School Kaufman Auditorium and Lake Superior Theatre, a semi-professional summer stock theatre.
Transportation
Marquette is served by American Eagle and Delta Connection
Delta Connection is a brand name under which Delta Air Lines has air service agreements with domestic regional air carriers that feed traffic to their network by serving passengers primarily in small and medium-sized cities in the domestic mark ...
out of Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport (MQT, KSAW) with daily flights to Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
and Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
. The airport is located south of downtown Marquette.
The city is served by a public transit system known as MarqTran, which runs buses through the city and to nearby places such as Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport and Ishpeming. The system operates out of a transit center in the adjacent Marquette Township in addition to a small transfer station in downtown. In addition, Indian Trails bus lines operates daily intercity bus service between Hancock and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
. The line operates a stop at MarqTran's transit center.
Marquette has limited freight rail service by the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad (LS&I). The Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States.
CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue a ...
also goes through nearby Negaunee. The LS&I serves the Upper Harbor Ore Dock, which loads iron ore pellets from nearby mining operations onto lake freighters for shipment throughout the Great Lakes.
Three of MDOT's state highways serve Marquette as did a former business route for US 41 and a former state highway.
* are two highways continuing westerly and northerly toward Houghton and Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolit ...
and southerly toward Escanaba
Escanaba ( ), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city and the county seat of Delta County, Michigan, Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsula. The popu ...
and Sault Ste. Marie.
* previously ran through downtown Marquette before the streets carrying it were turned back to city control in 2005.
* is a highway providing a connection to Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport and Gwinn.
* previously ran along a section of Division Street on the south side of the city before it was turned over to city control in 2005
Education
Public schools
The City of Marquette is served by the Marquette Area Public Schools. The district is the largest school district in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin, with about 3,100 students and 420 faculty and Staff.
* Marquette Senior High School, grades 9-12 (Marquette Area Public Schools)
* Marquette Alternative High School at Vandenboom (Marquette Area Public Schools)
* Bothwell Middle School, grades 6-8 (Marquette Area Public Schools)
* Cherry Creek Elementary (Marquette Area Public Schools)
* Graveraet Elementary (Marquette Area Public Schools)
* Sandy Knoll Elementary School (Marquette Area Public Schools)
* Superior Hills Elementary School (Marquette Area Public Schools)
* North Star Academy (public charter Montessori K-12)
Private schools
* Father Marquette Elementary School
* Father Marquette Middle School
Universities
* Marquette is home to Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University (Northern Michigan, Northern or NMU) is a public university in Marquette, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1899 by the Michigan Legislature as Northern State Normal School. In 1963, the state designa ...
, the Upper Peninsula's largest university at just under 10,000 students.
Public libraries
* Peter White Public Library
Media
Multiple media outlets provide local coverage of the Marquette area.
* Newspaper: ''The Mining Journal
''The Mining Journal'' is the predominant daily newspaper of Marquette, Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Like most market-dominant daily papers, the ''Journal'' is a six-day paper. ''The Mining Journal'' is distributed over a wide ...
'', '' The North Wind'', and '' Marquette Monthly''
* Television: WLUC-TV
WLUC-TV (channel 6) is a television station licensed to Marquette, Michigan, United States, serving the Central and Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan as an affiliate of NBC and Fox. Owned by Gray Media, the station has studios on US 41/ M-28 ...
/ WLUC-DT2 (NBC and Fox), WBUP-TV/ WBKP (ABC), WNMU-TV (PBS), WJMN-TV
WJMN-TV (channel 3) is a television station licensed to Escanaba, Michigan, United States, serving the Central and Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan as a satellite of ABC affiliate WBUP (channel 10). The station is owned by Sullivan's Landi ...
(MyNetworkTV), WZMQ (CBS and MeTV)
* Radio: WNMU-FM, WHWL-FM, WUPK-FM, WFXD-FM, WUPT-FM, WUPX, WJPD-FM, WUPZ-FM, WKPK-FM, WUPG-FM, WGLQ-FM, WRUP-FM, WNGE-FM, WKQS-FM, WCMM-FM, WMQT-FM, WDMJ-AM, WZAM-AM
Notable people
* Stephen Adamini, politician
* Mike Bordick
Michael Todd Bordick (born July 21, 1965) is an American retired professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball from 1990 to 2003 with four teams: the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays ...
, baseball player
* Edward Breitung, mines owner, mayor, State and US Congressman
* Leonard Brumm, college hockey coach
* Alfred Burt, composer of Christmas carols
* Kyle Carr, speed skater
* Curtis L. Carter, academic and founder of the Patrick and Beatrice Haggerty Museum of Art
* Tony Chebatoris, the only person executed in Michigan since 1846
* Sallie W. Chisholm, oceanographer
* Robert William Davis, politician
* Shani Davis, speed skater
* Susan Diol
Susan Vanita Diol is an American actress who has played supporting roles in over forty television series, including '' Quantum Leap'' (1989–1993; 2022–2024), '' Night Court, One Life to Live'', '' Wings'', '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' ...
, actress
* Dallas Drake, NHL player
* Nita Engle, artist
* Robert Erickson
Robert Erickson (March 7, 1917 – April 24, 1997) was an American modernist composer and influential music teacher. He was one of the first American composers to explore the twelve tone technique and to compose tape music.
Education
Erickson ...
, composer
* Joe Fine, mayor of Marquette 1964–1965 and prominent businessman
* Justin Florek, NHL player
* Vernon Forrest, boxer
* James Henry Garland, Catholic bishop
* John Gilmore, NFL tight end
The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
* Patricia Hogan, professor
* John Henry Jacobs, former mayor
* Louis Graveraet Kaufman, banker
* Alfred V. Kidder, archaeologist
* Reynolds R. Kinkade, justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is the highest court in the U.S. state of Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution. The court has seven members, a chief justice and six associate justices, ...
* John Kivela, former mayor
* Joseph Kondro, murderer and suspected serial killer
* John Munro Longyear, former mayor and land developer
* Mary Beecher Longyear, philanthropist
* John Lautner, architect
* Francis Joseph Magner, Catholic bishop
* John D. Mangum, politician
* Aghasi Manukyan, wrestler
* Helen Maroulis, wrestler
* Beverly Matherne, writer
* C. V. Money, coach
* Jon Morosi, sportswriter and reporter
* Ignatius Mrak, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette
* William J. Olcott, mining executive and college football player
* Weldon Olson, hockey player
* David Palumbo, illustrator
* Jimmy Peters, Sr., NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
hockey player
* Hjalmar Peterson
Hjalmar Peterson (7 February 1886 – 24 June 1960) was a singer and comedian from Sweden, who achieved great popularity during the 1910s and 1920s. His stage name was Olle i Skratthult (Olle from Laughtersville).
Life
Career
Hjalmar Pete ...
, musician and comedian
* Joseph G. Pinten, Catholic bishop
* Jeremy Porter, rock musician
* Robert Roosa, economist
* Chris Rothfuss, Wyoming
Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
politician
* Ralph Royce, USAF
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
general
* Mark Francis Schmitt, Catholic bishop
* Bernard F. Sliger, former president, Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
* Sycamore Smith, folk musician
* Matthew Songer, surgeon
* Frederic Dorr Steele, illustrator
* Mary Stein, actress
* Wendel Suckow, luger
* Jane Summersett, ice dancer
* Alfred P. Swineford, former mayor and newspaper editor
* John Vertin, Catholic bishop
* Peter White, businessman
In popular culture
* John D. Voelker (who wrote as Robert Traver) set his novels ''Anatomy of a Murder'' (1958) and '' Laughing Whitefish'' (1965) in Marquette. The film version of ''Anatomy of a Murder
''Anatomy of a Murder'' is a 1959 American legal drama film produced and directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Wendell Mayes was based on the 1958 novel of the same name written by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker under ...
'', dramatizing a 1952 murder that happened in the area and the subsequent trial, was partly filmed in Marquette and Big Bay. Much of it was filmed in the Marquette County Courthouse in Marquette, where the actual murder case had been tried. Traver's ''Danny and the Boys'' (1951) is a collection of short stories set in and around Marquette.
* Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo (born June 10, 1941) is an American author and journalist. He is best known for '' A Rumor of War'' (1977), a best-selling memoir of his experiences during the Vietnam War. Caputo has written 18 books, including three memoirs, five ...
set his novel ''Indian Country
Indian country is any of the self-governing Native American or American Indian communities throughout the United States. Colloquially, this refers to lands governed by federally recognized tribes and state recognized tribes. The concept of tri ...
'' (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.
* A large portion of the graphic novel
A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...
''Blankets
A blanket is a swath of soft cloth large enough either to cover or to enfold most of the user's body and thick enough to keep the body warm by trapping radiant body heat that otherwise would be lost through conduction.
Etymology
The term ...
'', by Craig Thompson
Craig Matthew Thompson (born September 21, 1975) is an American graphic novelist best known for his books ''Good-bye, Chunky Rice'' (1999), ''Blankets (graphic novel), Blankets'' (2003), ''Carnet de Voyage'' (2004), ''Habibi (graphic novel), Hab ...
, takes place in Marquette.
* The Adult Swim
Adult Swim (stylized as dult swimand s is an American adult-oriented television programming block that airs on Cartoon Network which broadcasts during the evening, prime time, and Late-night television, late-night Dayparting, dayparts. T ...
television series '' Joe Pera Talks with You'' was partially filmed at and takes place in and around the city.
Sister cities
Marquette has two sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there ar ...
.
* Higashiōmi (Japan) ''since 1979''
* Kajaani
Kajaani (; ), is a town in Finland and the regional capital of Kainuu. Kajaani is located southeast of Oulujärvi, Lake Oulu, which drains into the Gulf of Bothnia through the Oulujoki, Oulu River. The population of Kajaani is approximately , w ...
(Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
) ''1997''
See also
* Arch and Ridge Streets Historic District
The Arch and Ridge Streets Historic District is a historic district located in Marquette, Michigan, United States, running along Arch and Ridge Streets from Front Street to Lake Superior. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Place ...
* Big Bay Point Light
* List of shipwrecks of the 1913 Great Lakes storm
References
External links
*
{{authority control
1849 establishments in Michigan
Cities in Marquette County, Michigan
County seats in Michigan
Michigan populated places on Lake Superior
Micropolitan areas of Michigan
Populated places established in 1849