Grand Portage National Monument Superintendent Tim Cochrane and Senior Resource Planner Kelley Wilder of The 106 Group in St. Paul, listen as community members share their thoughts about the historic meadow area.
There was a good turnout for the public meeting at the Grand Portage Heritage Center on Monday evening, April 27. Community members came to hear current proposals and share thoughts about how to best preserve and interpret the historic meadow area east of Grand Portage Creek.
Historic photographs of the meadow area were shared by community members and park staff. Members of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa whose families have lived in Grand Portage for generations shared memories of when the meadow area was “Downtown Grand Portage.”
Most all in attendance remember the landscape being more open than it is today and expressed a hope that more open landscapes could be restored.
Some remembered early schools, and homes of friends and the pathways through the meadows that led to all the places both kids and adults wanted to go. Others expressed an interest in keeping the meadow open with traditional pathways restored and wayside exhibits that would commemorate the wide range of community life with stories of the families, homesteads and activities like gardening, Powwow and community gatherings.
Comments were gathered at the meeting and will be accepted through June 1, 2015.
Grand Portage National Monument Chief of Interpretation Pam Neil said, “Everyone is welcome to share thoughts and ideas as to how the historic meadow area should be utilized.”
Comments may be sent to: Grand Portage National Monument, Attn: William Clayton, 170 Mile Creek Rd., Grand Portage, MN 55605 or via email to William_j_clayton@nps.gov.
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