Pere Marquette Park is a 1.9 acre park that sits directly on the Milwaukee River in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Named after the influential French Jesuit missionary and explorer, the park has cultivated an identity that is connected to the history of the entire city, highlighting what it can mean for a monument to bridge the past and present in a way that resonates for audiences of all eras.
From Father Marquette’s Camp to City Landmark
Father Jacques Marquette was one of the earliest French missionaries in Wisconsin. Born in 1637, he first explored the upper Mississippi region in 1673. He made camp around the river very near what would become Pere Marquette Park in 1674. Records indicate that the specific site was around the present Fifth Street and Wisconsin Avenues. A bronze statue of Father Marquette was dedicated on the 350th anniversary of his birth in 1987.
This statue has allowed the park to cultivate a distinct identity that facilities activity on multiple levels. Home to River Rhythms during the summer and Holiday Lights Festival in the winter, Pere Marquette Park also hosts multiple concerts and events throughout the year, highlighting an incredible connection to the community. A rotunda enables organized and impromptu happenings to take place on a regular basis, while breweries have brought one-day street pubs to Pere Marquette Park to allow audiences to try out seasonal and year-round flavors.
The rotunda as well as wide open green space, play areas and spots for temporary pieces of art, Pere Marquette Park showcases what it can mean for a green space to resonate with residents and visitors in a way that cultivates engagement across multiple time periods.
Cultivating an Identity
Recognized as a pleasant urban park and a great spot to sit, relax and enjoy the many distinct sights along the Milwaukee River, Pere Marquette Park is an essential part of the Milwaukee Country Park System. However, the identity that is has cultivated has allowed it to be embraced in a far more profound manner by residents and visitors, highlighting the incredible power that monuments possess when it comes to enabling cultural and economic opportunities.
