St. Ignace in Mackinac County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Heritage of Fishermen in this Area

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013

1. Heritage of Fishermen in this Area Marker

Inscription.
The Great Lakes are known for delicious freshwater fish.

Before the white man came, Native Indian tribes supplied their needs with fresh and dried fish from these lakes.

Later, others joined in the fishing business, many of them from the Scandinavian countries.

In the 1800's sailing ships transported hundreds of barrels of salted fish from nearby St. Helena Island to Chicago and Detroit.

In the early 1900's passenger ships stopped at St. Ignace and picked up fish for their guests. Daily trains also picked up tons of fish to deliver on their routes to New York.

Now in the 2000's commercial fishing is still carried on, mostly by Native American fishermen.

Fishermen's Memorial
These men from Mackinac County lost their lives while commercial fishing.
1851 Michael McCann, 36 Mackinac Island • 1936 Louis Hart, 28 Epoufette • 1936 Robert Goudreau, 33 Epoufette • 1936 Jim Dishaw, 471 Epoufette • 1937 Carl Matson, 28 St. Ignace • 1937 Ray McLean, 30 St. Ignace • 1945 Teddy Paulson, 17 Naubinway • 1946 Frank L. Brix, 38 Naubinway • 1954 John G. Ellison, 63 St. Ignace Twp. • 1954 John J. Ellison, 29 St. Ignace Twp. • 1964 Art Stiebe, 31 St. Ignace • 1969 Terry Halberg, 16 St. Ignace • 1969 Melvin Frazier, 51 Naubinway • 1977 Alvin Gustafson, 67 St. Ignace

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• 1977 Gary Gustafson, 37 St. Ignace • 1980 Cliff Bigelow, 22 Epoufette • 1980 Mike Bigelow, 24 Epoufette • 1983 James Converse Jr., 28 Naubinway • 1983 Edward Moses, 27 St. Ignace • 1986 Edward E. Perkins, 47 Naubinway • 1986 Rusty G. King, 31 Naubinway • 1986 Kirk J. Peterson, 28 Naubinway • 1993 Robert Rickley, 23 St. Ignace • 1993 Rick Wessel, 35 Mackinac Island • 1999 Roy C. Frazier, 25 Naubinway

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 45° 51.949′ N, 84° 43.19′ W. Marker is in St. Ignace, Michigan, in Mackinac County. It is on North State Street (Business Interstate 75) south of Spring Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located in a small grassy plaza on the east side of the highway next to the Huron Boardwalk, overlooking the St. Ignace Marina. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 112 S State St, Saint Ignace MI 49781, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

and on the Straits of Mackinac.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: State Ferries, 1923-1957 (within shouting distance of this marker); France at Mackinac (within shouting distance of this marker); William H. Barnum (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Chief Dock Kiosk

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 25, 2025

2. Heritage of Fishermen in this Area Marker

(about 700 feet away); Antique Railroad Bell (about 700 feet away); The Chief Dock (about 800 feet away); Mooring Facilities (approx. 0.2 miles away); People and the Great Lakes (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Ignace.

More about this marker. Marker is an embossed metal tablet, mounted at waist-level on a rock and masonry pedestal.

Fishermen's Memorial (<i>lake side of monument</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013

3. Fishermen's Memorial (lake side of monument)

Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 18, 2019

4. Heritage of Fishermen in this Area Marker

Heritage of Fishermen in this Area Marker (<i>wide view; St. Ignace Marina in background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013

5. Heritage of Fishermen in this Area Marker (wide view; St. Ignace Marina in background)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 20, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 485 times since then and 17 times this year. Last updated on May 30, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1. submitted on February 20, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2. submitted on May 30, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 3. submitted on February 20, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on September 16, 2019, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. 5. submitted on February 20, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.