Marquette Underwater Preserve is a protected area in Lake Superior near Marquette, Michigan, established in 1990 to conserve submerged historical resources tied to the region’s maritime past. Managed as part of Michigan’s underwater preserve system, it includes the Marquette Unit, which follows about 24 miles of shoreline to the 200-foot depth contour, and the Huron Islands Unit around a cluster of granite peaks about 12 miles offshore. The area’s significance grew after iron ore was discovered at Marquette in 1844, making it a major shipping port. Heavy vessel traffic, combined with Lake Superior’s fog and gale-force winds, caused numerous shipwrecks whose remains are now protected.