The Marquette Council of the Knights of Columbus was chartered in 1897 by Father Richard E. Shortell,Pastor of St. Mary Roman Catholic Church.   It has served the town of Ridgefield, CT and the surrounding community ever since.

The name of the council comes from Jacques Marquette, S.J., a French Jesuit Missionary, who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan.   The council was awarded this name when it was chartered.

Marquette Council had the building at 55 Catoonah St. in Ridgefield (across from St. Mary Church) as its "clubhouse" for decades.   It finally sold the building to St. Mary Parish in 2005, which now uses the building for its parish offices.

Marquette Council #245 is part of Connecticut District 17, which also includes Councils #29 (Danbury), #30 (Danbury), #40 (New Milford), #48 (Bethel) and #12968 (New Fairfield).

Marquette Council's Fourth Degree Members participate in the John D. Kennedy Assembly #99 which is based in Danbury, CT.

Marquette Council meets on the first and third Thursdays each month in the St. Mary Parish Barn which is behind the church at 55 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877.