The St. Ignace Mission was established by the French during their initial occupation in the United States in the 1600s. The first church was built in 1673 under the leadership of the Jesuit Father Jacques Marquette. It was suspended in 1706 but was reopened in 1712 and maintained until 1741. Marquette was buried on the site in 1677. In 1837, a new mission was built, but that structure was moved to the first one in 1954.

Today, the St. Ignace Mission functions as the Marquette Mission Park and Museum of Ojibwa Culture. It features the history of a Huron Indian Village that dates back to the 17th century, as well as the Longhouse Theatre. The site is also the oldest archaeological site in Michigan that has been documented.

The St. Ignace Mission is also one of the first sites to be declared as a National Historic Landmark in 1960.