Jesuit Mission to Manitoulin 1648-50
Text from the plaque
In 1648 Father Joseph Poncet, then serving at St. Marie in Huronia, was placed in charge of the Jesuit mission of St. Pierre by his superior Father Paul Ragueneau. This newly created mission was formed to serve the Algonkian-speaking Indians of Manitoulin Island and the north shore of Lake Huron. Poncet, the first known European resident of Manitoulin (called Ile de Ste. Marie by the missionaries and Ekaentoton by the Hurons), served on this island from October, 1648, to May, 1649. He returned to Manitoulin before the end of the latter year, but was compelled to abandon the mission in 1650, following the defeat and dispersal of the Hurons by the Iroquois.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The District of Manitoulin
The Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands
On Highway 6 about 16 km south of Little Current
and about 19 km north of the town of Manitowaning
at a place called "Ten Mile Point"
N 45 52.615 W 81 51.129
Recorded June 2004. Check current access before visiting.
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Visitors' notes
February 9, 2011
My wife and I stopped here on Sept. 30, 2010, while we were traveling from South Baymouth to Sault Ste. Marie. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed resting here for a while. We were early into a 6-week trip around the USA - with a detour from Niagara Falls over to Sault Ste. Marie. We covered over 10,000 miles in 26 states. But, our drive through this part of Canada remains a highlight of our trip. Parker Chesson, Durham, NC, USA