Pere Marquette Park, Muskegon
Postcard cover from Pere Marquette, MI
Pere Marquette Park sign
Rail cars at Lake MI Park---preceding Pere Marquette Park's establishment
Pere Marquette Park is the most popular park (by attendance) in the immediate Muskegon area. There are certainly a wide variety of beaches and parks in this area that I will be sharing with you, yet it all seems to center around this beach area for good reason. It resides on the south side of the Muskegon Channel, representing an extensive (and growing) expanse southward. There is so much history associated with this beach and immediate area, I will parse this out over time and continue to grow this destination’s content for you. The park is named after Father Jacques Marquette who had traveled through the area. The park was formally dedicated on August 3, 1927. Pere Marquette is also referred to as “The Ovals”, due to the winding and circular nature of the main street. The main beach has extensive parking (for a fee during summer months), playground equipment, public bathrooms (much of the year), and wide expanses of beach areas.
Pere Marquette Park- North End
Muskegon Channel and Lights
Muskegon Lake is considered by many to be the best deep water port in Michigan, on Sea Michigan. There is an extensive history here too. Originally, this was a meandering river, feeding water from Muskegon River (and its tributaries) and Muskegon Lake ...into Sea Michigan. On multiple occasions, channel pier walls were formed, the channel widened, and deepened. What was originally about a 13 feet deep access, has become over 35 feet deep to accommodate larger ships of the past 150 years. The original lighthouse in 1851 was literally that...a house that had a lantern room at a focal plane of 30 feet was added on and stood alongside the channel between the shoreline and Muskegon Lake.
The first lightkeeper’s name was Alexander Wilson, and was paid the handsome sum of $350/year to look after the light. Subsequently, the second lighthouse was built in 1872 at the shoreline and near the entrance to the channel,with the light being 36 feet above the water. A wooden pierhead beacon was erected at the outer end of in the 1870’s. During this time frame, this area was still referred to as Port Sherman...the original name for the port. As variations on the channel walls were constructed over time, the current South Pierhead Light was constructed in 1903. Interestingly, the lantern room from the 1872 lighthouse was re-purposed and is what now adorns the top of the South Pierhead Light. The south channel wall was extended another 1050 feet and a light placed there. (not too far away from the current South Break Wall Light). A catwalk was constructed to go all the way out to the end of the pier. In 1931 the South Break wall was created, and the current South Breakwater Light was erected. At this time, the south pier wall was removed, back to where the current light stands. I urge you to check out Muskegonlights.org for more photos and information. This non-profit organization offers tours inside the South pierhead light roughly May-September and is a unique opportunity to see the shoreline from a very special viewpoint!
View of the channel, NOAA Station
Pere Marquette Beach’s North End
Pere Marquette Beach’s North End
On the north end, protected by the break walls, the water is a mix of Muskegon River/Lake water and Sea Michigan water...and thus tends to be consistently calmer and warmer. In a way, this tends to extend the season for swimmers. Also, this area is a favorite for boat owners to moor here (and also on the north side of the channel within the break walls), and spend the afternoon with other like-minded folks or party animals.
In much of this end of the park, is where the Lake Michigan Park resided for decades. It included a large roller coaster, dance hall, multiple smaller pavilions, etc. and was a huge attraction in the late 18th and early 19th century. Rail service was developed to encourage attracting local and regional demand. Pere Marquette Railway owned much of the beach and conveyed the property to city of Muskegon this land in January 1924. The current location of The Deck restaurant includes a part of the only remaining structure from the original buildings, which was an open-air pavilion. (see photo) The park being built literally on the shoreline, met its fate via multiple strong storms (since the current break walls did not exist at that time).
This is the area that multiple events take place on the beach, including volleyball and beach soccer tournaments plus other events.
A rare chance to have a fire at the beach
Pere Marquette Beach’s South End
Here, this lovely beach continues and represents “the main beach”. The Muskegon Water Works building resides where the street bends toward the water, and the beach continues! In 2022, a ship got stuck at the entrance to the harbor, and the sand that was dredged out was deposited at this location at and south of the water works. The following year the same ship got stuck again! Yep...dredging took place again and further expanded this “new” Pere Marquette beach! By itself, it is a beach that many could only dream of, and much of it did not exist two years ago!
New beach area at the south end of the park