Monroe’s location on the west shore of Lake Erie and its River Raisin made it a natural crossroads for food and transportation that attracted the Potawatomi Tribe of Indians who first lived here. Later, French missionaries, fur trappers, and settlers came for the same reasons. Residents and visitors today continue to find Monroe to be a welcoming crossroads of historic and natural treasures. The city is home to the National Register of Historic Places War of 1812 River Raisin Battlefield. Monroe’s natural environment is showcased and preserved by having the 260-acre Eagle Island Marsh unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge located in it. And the inland sea of Lake Erie offers boating, swimming, camping, wetlands exploration, hiking, and fishing, at the 1,300-acre Sterling State Park on the shores of Lake Erie.