Points of Interest

Marinette County Historical Museum

This log museum on Stephenson Island features artifacts of trading posts, Indian culture, logging and lumbering history, farming, fishing, etc. The Evanchek log cabin provides an authentic example of how out area's rural pioneer families lived. In addition to the museum and cabin, there is a small shop that offers souvenirs and toys.

Hours: Summer, Tuesday through Friday, 11am-4 p.m. Group tours by appointment. Call (715) 732-0831.

Menominee County Heritage Museum and Michael J. Anuta Research Annex

Visit the museum, operated by the Menominee County Historical Society, located in the beautiful and historic St. John the Baptist Church, once known as the "Irish church," in the 900 block of 11th Avenue just north of the Menominee Courthouse. The museum features exhibits highlighting the early days in the county's history and the ethic groups who settled here.

Open June 1 to Labor Day, Monday-Saturday. It is one of 1,000 scenic and interesting places featured in Reader's Digest 384-page travel book "Off the Beaten Path." Call (906) 863-2535

The Anuta Research center, located just behind the museum, features local genealogies, city directories, bound volumes of old newspapers and maps as well as other documents of interest to the family historian or local history buff.

Enjoy a picnic in a park

Marinette parks inlcude Red Arrow Park along Green Bay, with extended beach and beautiful marshy area; City park, a leafy, hilly spot in the middle of the city; historic Stephenson Island, once the site of a planing mill and worker homes, now the site of public art, concerts, weddings and picnics. In addition, there are several neighborhood parks, including Teacher's Memorial Park, a formal park on what was once the campus of the old county normal school, or teachers' college.

John Henes Parkin Menominee on Henes Park Drive off M-35 is the work of landscape designer Ossian Cole Simmonds. A 45-acre recreational facility on Green Bay with 2,600 feet of water frontage, the park opened in 1907. It offers picnic tables, grills, two shelters, pavilions, restrooms, playground, baseball field, guarded swimming beach, fishing, nature trails, and ample parking.

J.W. Wells State Park onM-35, 23 miles from Menominee and 1 mile from Cedar River. A 974-acre wilderness area on Lake Michigan's Green Bay with 150 trailer and tent camping sites, electricity, water, flush toilets, swimming beaches, bathhouse, outdoor center, picnic areas, nature trails, and an adventure program throughout the summer.

Great Lakes Memorial Marina Park in Menominee's Historic Waterfront District. A 5.7-acre park with 1,100 feet of waterfront, one of the largest and most beautiful marinas in the Upper Peninsula. The park offers a boat landing, gas dock, pump-out, restrooms, picnic tables, park benches, playground, and 150 parking spaces.

Kleinke Park on M-35, 15 miles north of Menominee. A 24-acrearea on Green Bay with 25 campsites (20 with electricity) picnic area, water, toilets, carry-down boat ramp, fishing, and swimming, Kleinke Park is a popular destination for area families who want to picnic out of town.

River Park off U.S. 41 in Menominee on the Menominee River east of the Interstate Bridge and alongside the M & M Plaza Mall, is a tourist park offering picnic tables, grills, restroom/shower facility, playground, 52 trailer sites, tent area, boat landing, fish cleaning station, ample car and boat trailer parking. Come summer, River Park is its own tourist community!

Shakey Lakes Park off County Road G-12, 12 miles from Stephenson, 30 miles from Menominee. A 215- acre outdoor playground with 100-car parking lot, baseball field, horseshoe pits, basketball hoops, shelters, playgrounds, concession stand on grounds, 102 campsites (80 with electricity), shower building with hot water and flush toilets, and trailer dumping station. Shakey Lakes features six connected lakes with 11,000 feet of water frontage, good fishing, swimming, and water skiing; boat ramp and 2 miles of nature trails provide access. Entrance fee and 11:00 pm curfew.

For additional information on the parks listed call:
Menominee County Parks - 906-753-4582 or,
Menominee County Extension - 800-236-1678

Play a round of golf

Little River Country Club
Shore Drive, Marinette, WI 54143
(715) 732- 2212
Little River offers 18 holes, dinning & banquet facilities and an Indoor driving range.

Menominee River Golf & Dining

North Shore Golf Club
M-35
Menominee, MI 49858
(906) 863-3844
North Shore has 18 holes, dinning & banquet facilities.

In addition, many area organizations hold golf outings to raise money for charity. Watch for more details on the chamber's annual end-of-summer golf outing in September, which attracts up to 40 foursomes.

Take a boat ride

Sail the Green Bay or boat in the Menominee River. We've got marinas, boat landings and a boat charter service, Fish Tales Scenic Boat Cruise, (906) 863-2267.

Dock your boat at Nestegg Marine, 300 Wells Street, Marinette, WI, (715) 732-4466, or at Menominee's Great Lakes Memorial Marina.

Ride a bike

The annual River Century Ride attracts hundreds of cyclists to our area on the last Sunday in June.

Explore our historic neighborhoods

In Marinette, drive down beautiful Riverside Avenue and see the homes of lumber barons and philanthropists, many of them many restored.

These homes, built in the late 19th and into the mid-20th centuries, feature Queen Anne, Eastlake, Georgian, American Foursquare and Contemporary architectural styles.

This winding street is lined with old-fashioned street lamps, casting a mellow glow. Drive down Riverside in the evening and you'll feel you have stepped back into the past.

In Menominee, drive down historic 1st Street, where you'll also find many restored homes, representing further archectural styles from Colonial to Tudor Cottage.

This lovely street runs from the foot of the Ogden Street Bridge to Sheriden Circle. It was once lined with lumber mills. Eighteen blocks long, the street's center blocks include a good portion of they city's L-shaped historic waterfront downtown.

See our monuments and public art

Marinette monuments include tributes to Queen Marinette, the legendary businesswoman for whome the city is named, and philanthropist and United States Senator, Isaac Stephenson, both along Riverside Avenue.

In 2002, a bronze statue, "The Young Swimmers," was erected on nearby Stephenson Island. This lovely piece of public art was paid for by donations from area residents who wanted an artistic reminder of the area's location on two bodies of water.

In Menominee, view a stylized tribute to the community's past in front of city hall at 2511 10th Street. Much of Menominee's preserved architecture is itself a form of public art.

 

Visit our downtowns

Both Marinette and Menominee offer downtowns featuring historic buildings and small retail and service establishments.

Our downtowns offer gift shops, bookstores, antique shops, beauty salons, day spas, restaurants and parks.

Both downtowns feature farm markets during the growing season.

Marinette's farm market is held at Merchant's Park, corner of Main and Wells streets, on Tuesday and Friday mornings.

Menominee's farm market is held in front of the Timeless Treasures Antiques Mall on 2nd Street on Saturday mornings and Thursday evenings. In 2009, a winter market debuted.

Access the downtown Website at www.downtownmenominee.com

See our lighthouse

The historic Menominee lighthouse, North Pier Light, is located along the bay near downtown Menominee.

The lighthouse, a favorite local icon, was recently obtained by the City of Menominee.

 

Shop at local malls

The M&M Plaza in Menominee at the southern end of 13th Street recently received a facelift. Here you can buy groceries, order Chinese takeout, shop for garden and hardware items and even shop for your pet.

Opened in 1978, Marinette's Pine Tree Mall offers a variety of stores, including anchor stores such as Younkers, Walmart and JC Penney.

 

Visit our Civic Center

The Marinette Civic Center, 2000 Alice Lane, Marinette, 54143, is a domed sports facility with an indoor artificially-cooled ice rink, indoor tennis courts and outdoor swimming pool.

Call (715) 732-0558.


Go Fishing

The secret is out! Some of the country's best fishing is right here in Marinette and Menominee.

We offer great spots along the Menominee River and in the bay of Green Bay, and we are host to several fishing derbies.

 

See a Play at Theatre On The Bay

This lively campus-community theatre group was founded by Herbert L. Williams in 1967.

Over the years, hundreds of local actors have learned their technique here, performing in plays from "Mame" to "Working" to "A Streetcar Names Desire."

Now, all plays are held in the Herbert L. Williams Theater of UW-Marinette's Fine Arts Building on the soon-to-be dedicated Nancy Gehrke Stage.

Call: (715)735-4313.

See a Concert on Stephenson Island

Marinette's SunSet concerts series runs on Tuesday evenings from mid-June to August.

Concerts are coordinated by the chamber and sponsored by local businesses. Performance time is 7 p.m.

All concerts are held in the Chamber of Commerce Performance Center, a Victorian-style pavilion on west side of the island.

Concerts are free and open to the entire ecommunity.

Listen to the Music at the Menominee Bandshell

The chamber's Concert in the Park series runs from mid-June to Mid-August.

All performances take place at 7 p.m. at the Menominee Bandshell in Great Lakes Memorial Marina Park.

Bring a sweater, even on warm nights, because the breeze off the bay is a natural air conditioner.

All concerts are coordinated by the chamber and sponsored by local businesses.

See Marinette County's Legendary Waterfalls

Follow this link to the Marinette County Waterfalls Map. Please be patient as the page will be slow to load.

Visit the DeYoung Family Zoo

This petting zoo is located approximately 1.5 miles west of U.S. Highway 41 and 1 mile south on County Road 577 in Menominee County.

The DeYoung Family Zoo focuses on exotic felines and gives each visitor the opportunity to interact with these magnificent creatures one-on-one.

Other animals at the zoo include bears, emu, peacock, raccoons, and many others. Learn more at www.deyoungzoo.com or call (906) 788-4093 for more information.

Drive to Hermansville for the IXL Historical Museum, Inc.

The IXL Historical Museum was built in 1882.Step into the 19th century office of large lumbering and flooring manufacturer whose mottoe was "I excell." See a large collection of records and artifacts at this National Historic Site.

Call: (906) 498-2181

Camp at City Park in Marinette

City Park is a woodsy, hilly park in the heart of Marinette, between Carney Avenue and Mary Street.

Camping Overnight camping is available in designated area west of the pavilion. Sites providing electrical hookups are available, so are showers and dump station are available. Campfires are prohibited.

An enclosed pavilion is available for rental seven days per week on a first-come/first-serve basis from May through September each year. Pavilion amenities include two cook stoves, two refrigerators, a long buffet counter with outlets for serving, hot and cold running water and sink for cleanup. Indoor seating capacity for approximately 60 individuals and additional outdoor seating for more than 200. Outside and adjacent to the pavilion are; two permanent charcoal grills, horseshoe pits and a playground. Call the city clerk's office at (715) 732-5140 for reservations.

Spend Time at Red Arrow Park

Located at the end of Leonard Street on Marinette's east side in the neighborhood known as Menekaunee, Red Arrow park has been a gathering place for area families for generations.

A large sandy beach area along with nature trails make this one of Marinette's most popular destinations.

An enclosed pavilion is available for rental seven days per week on a first-come, first-served basis from May through September each year. Pavilion amenities include a large cooking range, refrigerator/freezer, a long buffet counter with outlets for serving, hot and cold running water and sink for cleanup. Inside seating capacity for approximately 60 individuals and additional outdoor seating for more than 200 people. Outside and behind the pavilion a large charcoal grill is available along with a nearby playground. Call the City Clerks office at 715-732-5140 for reservations

An open sheltered pavilion with picnic tables is available for rental seven days per week on a first-come, first-served basis from May through September each year. Electrical outlets are available. Call the city clerk's office at 715-732-5140 for reservations.

Enjoy Fred Carney Park

An enclosed pavilion available for rental seven days per week on a first-come, first-served basis from May through September each year. Pavilion amenities include a cooking range, refrigerator, hot and cold running water and sink for cleanup. Inside seating capacity for approximately 30 individuals and additional outdoor seating for more than 20-30. Outside the pavilion a basketball court is available along with a nearby playground. Call the City Clerks office at 715-732-5140 for reservations.

A softball field for informal games and practices available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Play Ball at Daggett Street Park in Marinette

Visit this baseball and softball field field, available for informal games and practices available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Take advantage of a playground and basketball courts with four hoops. There is also an open-shelter pavilion available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Visit Stephenson Island in the Menominee River

This historic island once held a planing mill in the days when lumber was king. It is accessible from the Interstate Bridge.

Chamber of Commerce Performance Center: This enclosed stage/gazebo is available for rental seven days a week on a first-come/first-serve basis from May through September each year. Call the Marinette city clerk's office at (715) 732-5140 for reservations.

Open Pavilion: An open sheltered pavilion with picnic tables is available for rental seven days per week on a first-come, first-served basis from May through September each year. Electrical outlets are available. Call the City Clerks office at 715-732-5140 for reservations.

Also on the island the Marinette County Historical Society's Logging Museum and the city-operated Tourism Center is just across the river channel via the steel footbridge.

Launch a Boat 

The cities of Marinette and Menominee operate several boats sites.

In Marinette, launch permits are valid at Red Arrow Park, Stephenson Island, Boom Landing, and Sixth Street Slip, and can be obtained at Marinette City Hall, 1905 Hall Avenue, as well as from other locations throughout the city. Call (715) 732-4140. Annual or daily launching permits are required at all four launching piers in the City of Marinette. A fish cleaning station is located at Boom Landing. County permits cannot be used at city launches.

All parks close at 10:00 p.m., with the exception of Red Arrow, which closes at dusk.

Menominee offers boat ramps along the bay and river. Annual permits are required. Call (906) 863-2656 for more information.