Ludington, Michigan

49431

Ludington is the county seat of Mason County. It was named after James Ludington, an investor who purchased much of the timberland in the region and built a saw mill here in the mid 1860’s. The town was officially platted in 1867 and organized as a city in 1873. This location also marks the death of the ailing Father Jacques Marquette in 1675, renowned missionary to the Ottawa Indians who came ashore at the mouth of the river - eventually named the "Pere Marquette" in his honor. The town expanded during the lumber days, the economy strengthened by the discovery of salt - still mined today. In 1897, Ludington became involved in an extensive networking of ferry boats for lumber and auto transport - and has remained the last city on Lake Michigan maintaining car ferry service to Wisconsin.

Today, Ludington is a prime tourist spot, not only for ferry service, but also because of the dunes and state park to the north near Big Sauble Point, (the furthest stretch of land westward into Lake Michigan), and the many recreational opportunities the Pere Marquette River affords