The first residents of the area that is now St. Ignace were the Anishinabeg (Ojibwe) and Iroquoian Native American's. There is archaeological research that shows occupation here dating back up to 50 thousand years. Evidence shows they were migratory, spending their springs gathering maple sugar and fishing sturgeon and smelt. In the Summer they planted crops of corn, potatoes and squash, and developed housing, watercraft, hunting and farming tools.

Photo by Kathy Weiser-Alexander