Pere Marquette River should not be confused with Marquette River.
Pere Marquette River | |
Map: | Pere Marquette River Map US MI.svg |
Map Size: | 288 |
Pushpin Map Size: | 288 |
Subdivision Type1: | Country |
Subdivision Name1: | United States |
Subdivision Type2: | State |
Subdivision Name2: | Michigan |
Subdivision Type3: | Counties |
Subdivision Name3: | Lake, Mason, Newaygo, Oceana |
Subdivision Type5: | Cities |
Subdivision Name5: | Ludington, Scottville |
Length: | 64miles |
Source1 Location: | Lake County, Michigan, United States |
Source1 Coordinates: | 43.8561°N -85.8417°W |
Mouth: | Lake Michigan |
Mouth Location: | Ludington, Michigan, United States |
Mouth Coordinates: | 43.9517°N -86.4603°W |
Basin Size: | 740sqmi |
Tributaries Left: | Little South Branch, Big South Branch |
Tributaries Right: | Middle Branch, Baldwin River |
The Pere Marquette River is a river in Michigan in the United States. The main stream of this river is long,[1] running from Lake County south of Baldwin into the Pere Marquette Lake, and from there into Lake Michigan.
This river is named after the French Roman Catholic missionary Jacques Marquette, who explored the Great Lakes and Mississippi River areas during the mid-17th century. He died in the vicinity of the river in spring 1675 on his way from Chicago to the French fort at Mackinaw.
The upper portion of the Pere Marquette runs approximately from the forks of the Little South and Middle Branches downstream to highway M-37. In 1978, of the river was designated a National Scenic River. This section begins near Baldwin at the junction of the Little South and Middle Branches and continues until the river meets U.S. Highway 31 in Scottville.[2]
The Pere Marquette River is designated a Blue Ribbon fishery.[3]
This river's original native fish was the Grayling, but due to deforestation after the great Chicago Fire, they disappeared from the river. It was then stocked with rainbow trout in 1876. In 1884, the Baldwin River, a major tributary, became the first American river to ever be stocked with European brown trout fish, which were imported from Germany, and is why they are referred to by some as German Brown Trout.[4]
US Route | Ludington | Mason | ||
US Route | ||||
South Main Street | City Street | Scottville | ||
South Custer Road | City Street | |||
South Reek Road | County Road | |||
South Walhalla Road | County Road | |||
South Landon Road | County Road | |||
South Branch Road | County Road | Lake | ||
W 56th Street | County Road | |||
Michigan Highway |