Plans to enhance Father Marquette National Memorial site

Plans are in the works to enhance the Father Marquette National Memorial site in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  The state Department of Natural Resources says a draft plan for the site in Straits State Park in Mackinac County will be unveiled June 18 at St. Ignace Public Library. The Straits of Mackinac Heritage Center Collaborative is hosting an open house and the public will have opportunities to comment online as well.

The Meijer Foundation and several individual donors have contributed or pledged funding that will leverage time-limited matching funds from a $500,000 National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant. Those involved in the project initially committed to raise $1.5 million.

The site celebrates 17th century French missionary Father Jacques Marquette, who was among the first Europeans to explore the Great Lakes.