The last chieftain of the local Ojibwe, Charlie Kawbawgam, who died in 1903 at the age of 103, is buried at the park alongside his wife, Charlotte.

Peter White has been credited with inducing the federal government to grant the land to the city of Marquette for the purpose of turning it into a park.

White also raised the money needed to plant Lombardy Poplar trees in the park, and to build a paved road to and around it.

The park is itself a small, oval-shaped peninsula connected to Marquette by a narrow neck of land and surrounded by sandstone cliffs.

It is largely covered by natural forest and also has marshes, rocky outcrops, secluded coves and pebble beaches.