I cannot begin to explain how valuable in history and truth the new local book Minong: TheGood
Place
is.
Isle Royale was taken over by the State of Michigan and turned into a part of Keewenaw County. In 1840 it was illegally taken by the federal government, and when the Indian agent at Grand Portage was fired for screaming out that local chiefs had not been asked to participate, another meeting was called for far away at Madeline Island. Two years later another meeting was called and Grand Portage asked for $70,000 for the huge island. Finally given $500 for it, it was divided amongst hundreds of other Chippewa. They came home then, with nothing.
Thebook by Tim Cochrane tells of the native legends of Isle Royale and the area, and also includes a lot of local history up to today. Read this and you will learn a lot.
Carolyn McGriff
Grand Marais
Leave a Reply