Grand Portage National Monument facts for kids
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Grand Portage National Monument
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The Great Hall at Grand Portage
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Cook County, Minnesota |
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| Nearest city | Grand Portage |
| Area | 710 acres (2.9 km²) |
| Visitation | 68,856 (2007) |
| Website | Grand Portage National Monument |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000111 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Designated HD | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NMON | January 27, 1960 |
Grand Portage National Monument is a special place in northeastern Minnesota, located on the north shore of Lake Superior. It protects an important area where the fur trade used to happen. It also celebrates the history and culture of the Anishinaabeg Ojibwe people. This spot was one of the four main fur trading centers for the British Empire in North America, along with places like Fort Niagara and Fort Detroit.
The Grand Portage itself is a long footpath, about 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long. It was used to get around waterfalls and fast-moving water on the last 20 miles (32 km) of the Pigeon River before it flows into Lake Superior. This path was a key part of a historic trade route. French-Canadian voyageurs (travelers) and coureur des bois (wood runners) used it to carry goods between their winter camps and trading posts.
This route, made up of the Pigeon River and other streams, lakes, and portages, was super important a long time ago. It gave quick water access from Canada's settled areas to the fur-rich lands of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory. About 50 miles (80 km) upstream from Lake Superior, this trade route crosses the Height of Land Portage. This spot is on the Northern continental divide, connecting South Lake (which flows to the Great Lakes) with North Lake (which flows to the Rainy River and then to Hudson Bay). So, Grand Portage was a vital link between two huge river systems.
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History of Grand Portage
People have used Gichi-onigaming, or "the Great Carrying Place," for a very long time. As far back as 2,000 years ago, Indian Nations likely used this path. They traveled from their summer homes on Lake Superior to their winter hunting grounds.
In 1729, a Cree guide named Auchagah drew a map for some of the first French fur traders. He showed them how to reach the "western sea" of Lake Winnipeg. Over time, Grand Portage became the main entry point into rich northern lands full of fur-bearing animals. It connected distant trading posts to valuable international markets.
The Grand Portage trail is an 8.5-mile (13.7 km) path. It connects Grand Portage with Fort Charlotte on the Pigeon River. Voyageurs from the Rupert's Land area would bring their furs by canoe to Fort Charlotte. Then, they would carry the bundles of fur over the portage to Grand Portage. There, they met traders from Montreal. They exchanged furs for trade goods and supplies. Each group of canoes then returned to where they started. The fur traders built Fort Charlotte as a trading fort at Grand Portage. They also built the Grand Hall in the French colonial style. This building was used for meetings, as a general store, and for other activities.
After the Jay Treaty was signed in 1795, and the U.S./Canada border was set in 1818, British fur trading in Grand Portage faced challenges. The United States wanted the British to stop competing with American traders in this area.
In July 1802, leaders of the North West Company, a very successful fur trade company, met at their Grand Hall in Grand Portage. They decided to move their summer headquarters. They moved it about 50 miles (80 km) north to the mouth of the Kaministiquia River. This new location, called Fort William, was far from U.S. land. The company took apart its 18 buildings and moved the materials north by ship. These buildings were made from squared spruce, pine, and birch wood. They were surrounded by over 2,000 cedar pickets (tall fences).
In 1854, the Ojibwe people signed a treaty with the U.S. government. This treaty made Grand Portage part of their reservation. A school was built for tribe members, and a post office opened in 1856. In 1887, the government decided to end the reservation, opening it up for general settlement.
In 1951, the area was named the Grand Portage National Historic Site and opened to visitors. In 1958, it became a National Monument. The portage trail is also a Minnesota State Historic Site. The monument's 710 acres (2.9 km²) are entirely within the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. The trading post was rebuilt to help people learn about the fur trade and Ojibwe ways of life. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
What You Can See and Do
The portage trail today is much like it was in historic times. Visitors can hike the 8.5 miles (13.7 km) from Lake Superior to the Pigeon River.
Volunteers and park staff at the monument dress in old-fashioned clothes. They work in the Kitchen, Great Hall, Canoe Warehouse, Ojibwe Village, and Voyageur Encampment. They explain what life was like at the trading post around the year 1800. In the second weekend of August, Grand Portage National Monument hosts a rendezvous re-enactment. At the same time, the Grand Portage Indian Reservation holds a pow wow. Both events attract many Native Americans and visitors. The Rendezvous and Pow Wow happen during the Perseid meteor shower, which is a cool bonus!
The four rooms off the Great Hall each show a different part of the fur trade. One room is a shareholder's bedroom. Another is a trading post with examples of furs and goods that were traded. There's also a room showing a London streetscape with finished goods made from the furs. Finally, a hatter's shop shows how beaver pelts were turned into fancy felt hats.
Grand Portage Heritage Center
The Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center opened in 2007. It has exhibits about Ojibwe culture and the fur trade. There's also a bookstore, videos, park offices, and a classroom. This center is a team effort between the National Park Service and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. It looks out over the rebuilt fur trading post.
The Grand Portage Trail Today
The Grand Portage was created to avoid many short portages (places where canoes had to be carried). It starts at the stockade on Grand Portage Bay of Lake Superior. The 8.5-mile (13.7 km) trail goes west into the wilderness. It leads to a spot on the Pigeon River, bypassing many rapids and waterfalls. The most famous waterfalls are Middle Falls and Pigeon Falls. You can see Middle Falls easily from Pigeon River Provincial Park on the Canadian side.
The portage starts at Lake Superior, which is about 600 feet (183 m) above sea level. It climbs as it goes west through two gaps in the Sawtooth Mountain range. It levels off around 1,000 feet (305 m) after about 2.6 miles (4.2 km). After another 1.5 miles (2.4 km), you reach an inland highway. From there, the trail is flatter, rising to 1,300 feet (396 m). This is the highest point on the trail. Then it drops back down to 1,260 feet (384 m) at Fort Charlotte on the Pigeon River. The highest point of the trail is where water starts to flow towards the Pigeon River. This area has become a large beaver pond. There's a boardwalk over the beaver dam for visitors to walk on.
Images for kids
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The Grand Portage depot and dock as seen from the top of Mount Rose
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Informational sign located at the midway point of the Grand Portage Trail
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A visiting reenactor in the reconstructed trade shop located in the Great Hall
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Rendezvous camp at Grand Portage August 2008
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Great Hall in the fall of 1983. Mount Rose rises behind the hall.
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Lake Superior Band of Chippewa Pow Wow at the Grand Portage Indian Reservation in 2009
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The Route of the Portage
