St. Clair Shores in Macomb County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Lake St. Clair (Lac Sainte Claire)

Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 1, 2017

1. Lake St. Clair (Lac Sainte Claire) Marker

Inscription. French explorers discovered and named Lake Saint Clair on August 12, 1679. Among the party of 34 men were voyageur Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle and Roman Catholic friar Father Louis Hennepin. Aboard the Griffon, the first sailing vessel on the Upper Lakes, the group sailed from the Niagara Falls area on August 7, 1679, and entered the Detroit River on August 11. They reached Lake Saint Clair the following day and named it Lac Sainte Claire in honor of Sainte Claire of Assisi whose feast day fell at that time. It was Sainte Claire who established the order of Franciscan nuns, the Order of the Poor Claires. Government officials and mapmakers later changed the spelling to the present form of Saint Clair. This led to some confusion as to the true origin of the name of the lake.

Erected 1979 by Michigan History Division, Department of State. (Marker Number S520.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Religion & Religious Structures • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical date for this entry is August 12, 1679.

Location. 42° 29.743′ N,

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82° 53.215′ W. Marker is in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, in Macomb County. It is on Lac Park Lane. The marker is at the entrance to Lac Ste. Claire Harbor, on Lac Park Lane, behind the St. Clair Shores Administration building. The marker is about 460 feet from Jefferson Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 27600 Jefferson Avenue, Saint Clair Shores MI 48081, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan

and in Greater Detroit.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Selinsky-Green Log House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lake Shore Church (about 700 feet away); VFW Post 1146 Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Corporal Walter F. Bruce VFW Post 1146 (approx. 0.4 miles away); the Davis Block (approx. half

Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 1, 2017

2. Lake St. Clair (Lac Sainte Claire) Marker

A canal leading to Lake Saint Clair runs in front of the houses on the right. The lake itself can barely be seen in the background, past the harbor, about 0.2 miles away.

a mile away); St. Gertrude Roman Catholic Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); St. Clair Shores Police Officers Gordon McAllister and Harry Davis (approx. 1.1 miles away); Labadie Farm (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Clair Shores.

Also see . . .
1. René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. Wikipedia article about René-Robert Cavelier. (Submitted on April 3, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

2. Louis Hennepin. Wikipedia article about Father Hennepin. (Submitted on April 3, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

3. Le Griffon. Wikipedia article about Le Griffon. (Submitted on April 3, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 1, 2017

3. Lake St. Clair (Lac Sainte Claire) Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 3, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 1,837 times since then and 150 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 3, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.