St. Ignace in Mackinac County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Mooring Facilities
St. Ignace Downtown History
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013
1. Mooring Facilities Marker
The four large cylinder shaped structures that you see in place out in the bay are called "mooring dolphins". A dolphin is "a man-made marine structure that extends above the water level and is not connected to shore". These particular dolphins were built in 1957 to provide a mooring facility for Great Lakes tanker ships carrying jet fuel to the area to be offloaded.
Connected to one of the mooring dolphins was a pipeline that traveled underwater and carried the jet fuel from the tanker ships to above ground storage tanks, which were previously located on the St. Ignace shoreline. The jet fuel was stored in, and pumped from these onshore storage tanks through an underground pipeline directly to the now defunct Kinross Air Force Base (also known as Kincheloe AFB) located 37 miles north of St. Ignace. The AFB was used for national defense as a refueling base for Alaska-bound aircraft and as a base for the defense of the Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1957.
Location. 45° 51.94′ N, 84° 42.998′ W. Marker is in St. Ignace, Michigan, in Mackinac County. Marker can be reached
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Chief Dock (a few steps from this marker); Antique Railroad Bell (within shouting distance of this marker); The Chief Dock Kiosk (within shouting distance of this marker); France at Mackinac (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Michigan's Underwater Preserves (approx. 0.2 miles away); Heritage of Fishermen in this Area (approx. 0.2 miles away); State Ferries, 1923-1957 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Ignace.
More about this marker. Marker is a framed composite plaque, mounted horizontally on a waist-high metal post.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 31, 2017
2. Mooring Facilities Marker
Photographed By Joel Seewald, August 19, 2019
3. Mooring Facilities Marker
View looking east along the Huron Boardwalk. The Mooring Facilities marker is on the left side of the boardwalk at the yellow arrow; The Chief Dock marker is on the right.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013
4. Mooring Dolphin (telephoto view from near marker)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 8, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 20, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 368 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 20, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2. submitted on August 17, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on September 24, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. 4. submitted on February 20, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
