History Of Koochiching County
MN Fishing Reports
Our Heritage..Is Our History
The history in Koochiching County is rich in memory, and those dwelling into it today, who are looking back into the past, most likely have the same type of excited feelings of those who migrated here long ago. Many came for a variety of reason, and we'd love to share a quick history lesson, that will also shed a lot of light into the great heritage of our county. MN history has always been fascinating when we dwell deep back into the heritage side of things too. Many of the various history societies, and one society that I take a particular interest in, is the "MN Society of History". This group of good people helped shed a lot of light on Koochiching County History, and shedding more broader aspects to our Northern Mn heritage. at the same time.
So many walks of life made it up this way, and so many walks of life were created. When a person goes back in time, and imagine one is there, it's almost impossible to put ourselves in their shoes. Time's were different back then, just as we have seen change taking place through out just our experiences, this sort time we have been here. With out words, pen put to paper, we'd have gotten nowhere on that type of mind journey.
From primitive tools to creating our shelters, to modern day. Here you'll find a small glimpse into the past, and we'll be adding some great updates this 2020 year.
From the explorers, fur traders, lumber jacks, and to those prospecting. They all had one thing in common. Starting a new life, and willing to make a new start, and to take advantage of any opportunity if they arrived. Many of these adventures were also full of risk, and hardships for these new arrivals.
I hope we can uncover more in time. Find more documentation, and retrace their footsteps, yet another step. Perhaps make a little more of it come alive, for those of us who care. I would find it fascinating to get my hands on some of the diaries kept by some back in those days. I personally don't keep one, and assume many back in the day were the same, but those were the days many put into account, their day, to day lives. Maybe a better way of saying it, would be many back in the day documented daily accounts.
Life was very hard for those who settled here in the early days. The weather could be extreme, and very unfriendly. Illness,the isolation, and let us not leave out the bugs & insects that they put up with in those times .It must have been miserable for some in what they had to endure.
Over time schools were built, roads were constructed after years of hard work. Shops opened, and commerce began springing up in small communities. Opportunities arose that attracted others, and that was the major factor that helped turn the wheels of progress. We'll discussing more of that below, so please hang in there.
We'll touch some of the early history, well before we came a county in 1906. doing our best to give the reader a good understanding of our history. We can't cover it all here at the site, but perhaps maybe in time, we'll be able to put a good dent in it.
We'd like to extend a special thanks to the Koochiching Historical Group, for sharing their information here at the site. Great appreciated with an extending thank you.
How we got our name is a little bit of a mystery, but we have the general idea how it was created. It's obviously, and most likely an Indian name, but the definition is a bit fuzzy, but in the end the name comes from a white man's tongue, and really left up to interpretation. It was first a name of the falls of Rainy River, and the community that arose adopted that same name, and now it's known as International Falls. I think this is a part of history, that really failed identification for future onlookers.
The history here goes back 100's of years, and on our next update, we'll be adding the Native American Culture, and it's history in relations to the county. They were the original inhabitants, and to exclude that would be leaving out a lot of important history, and clearly not right thing to do.Not only that, but a lot of their heritage is still here today, passed on by generation, to generation. Their history will be put up top, in the proper order things should be, when it comes to regards to history. There is only one history, and that is truth. Unfortunately in so many case, it's written for the reader's beliefs, and political views. It's been that was since the dawn of time, but sure is nice if a person can get to the truthful history of the time table.
First European Explorers & Adventurers Arrive
One of the first European explorers to arrive in the area was a Frenchman named Jacques de Noyons, and records show that was around 1688. Not long after, the British arrived, and they were laying their eyes on the fur trade. This went on for a good 170 year, then slowed down in the mid 1800's. At that time, before all the logging took place. Northern Minnesota looked like a completely different place.
Trappers, and surveyors who came later not only found beautiful scenery, but a wealth of natural resources in the interior. Things are not as they were back then, due to the over logging of some species of trees, and when doing so in great numbers reduced, and eradicated some of the wildlife that was once present here. Such as caribou & elk.
Then after 1870, tough men like Alexander Baker, Joseph Baker, Henry Metcalf, David Reedy, Thomas McKinstry, Don Campbell and others ventured into the county when it was yet still a vast wilderness. They settled on lands along the river, built log cabins. They began to clear land for gardening, hay and other crops. They hunted, trapped, and lived off the land. They also made side incomes by trapping, and logging.
Then around 1865 prospectors began coming into the Rainy River, and the Rainy Lake area on both the Canadian, and American sides to search for precious minerals. Gold was the main mineral they had on their mind, and their was small deposits discovered, but this rush didn't last long. It was over by the time it started, but it did reveal other mineral sources later on that we'll discuss here shortly.
The largest rush we could say, was the logging era, or better said "the logging boom". That happened through out Minnesota, and actually Minnesota has been logged out several times, which also happened to change the environment to some degree, and even losses of many various specious.
Logging camps were a very important factor for the production of forest products, in the early history of Koochiching County. You can still see some remnants today, from an iron bar sticking out of a rock along the river, or a lake in the county.
Water transportation provided about the only access to the forest areas, not only that, but they transported logs across the lakes, and river. Being near water served its purpose for the early logging up this way.
Once the railroad reached International Falls, just after the turn of the last century, is when the logging boom really picked up. Several large logging companies came into the area, but due to poor record keeping, a lot of these logging camp locations have been forgotten. it would be fascinating to conduct an archaeological dig, at some of the first logging camps.
We can't express enough that logging was a main factor in what really got this county going, by providing jobs, and with the vast resources of a variety of trees, it laid the foundation for this region of the state, and many others. Including Chicago at the time. Chicago was built with Minnesota trees, and many of these building are standing still today, and in a lot of other foundations around Chicago.
The history up this way is not only rich, but vast.
One thing we're proud of is other researchers documenting, and recording our history to share with others. We have several cemeteries here in the county, and they are very well documented with those laid to rest.
The cemeteries are :
Dentabow Cemetery in Littlefork, Dentabow Township, Koochiching County
Gemmell Cemetery
Homestead Cemetery on the Big Fork River between Littlefork, and Big Falls, Koochiching County
Highway 217 Cemetery in Ray, Koochiching County
Cemetery by Lofgren Bridge, Koochiching County
Lyman Cemetery in Ray, Koochiching County
Oakley Cemetery in Littlefork, Koochiching County
Olson Cemetery in Net River, Littlefork. Koochiching County
Cemetery in Ray. Koochiching County
Riverside Cemetery in Border. Koochiching County
Riverside Cemetery in Loman. Koochiching County
Riverside Cemetery North Lindford Township, Littlefork. Koochiching County
If you're looking for past loved ones, and wondering where they might be buried in Koochiching, then check here. These are some of the best cemetery records a county could ever hope for.
http://usgwarchives.net/mn/koochiching/koochich.html
If you're up this way, make sure to check out the Koochiching Historical Museum. There is a good 10,000 years worth of history there. Exhibits, document the northern Minnesota region, including Native America history, and culture. European settlements displays, that give you a good idea of the fur & logging days long ago. It's just amazing when we dwell back in time, and think about how times were then. It's really great when you can put your hands on it. So make this a stop, on your visit to Koochiching County.
Koochiching County Historical Museum
214 6th Avenue, International Falls, MN 56649
(218) 283-4316
Please Submit Your Data
We'd like to take the time to ask you, if you'd like to share your data, thoughts, or any type of historical records about Koochiching County with our readers. we'd be most appreciate. We're not to picky when it comes to history. If it's history, then it's history. So if you have something you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you. Roberta will get it up. We, and the readers thank you.
Researching our county is what we love, and that's passed down sharing the knowledge we find with others. So thank you for visiting, and we hope to hear from you. As mentioned above, we will be providing plenty of updates in the coming weeks, so please keep checking back to see what has been added.
So many walks of life made it up this way, and so many walks of life were created. When a person goes back in time, and imagine one is there, it's almost impossible to put ourselves in their shoes. Time's were different back then, just as we have seen change taking place through out just our experiences, this sort time we have been here. With out words, pen put to paper, we'd have gotten nowhere on that type of mind journey.
From primitive tools to creating our shelters, to modern day. Here you'll find a small glimpse into the past, and we'll be adding some great updates this 2020 year.
From the explorers, fur traders, lumber jacks, and to those prospecting. They all had one thing in common. Starting a new life, and willing to make a new start, and to take advantage of any opportunity if they arrived. Many of these adventures were also full of risk, and hardships for these new arrivals.
I hope we can uncover more in time. Find more documentation, and retrace their footsteps, yet another step. Perhaps make a little more of it come alive, for those of us who care. I would find it fascinating to get my hands on some of the diaries kept by some back in those days. I personally don't keep one, and assume many back in the day were the same, but those were the days many put into account, their day, to day lives. Maybe a better way of saying it, would be many back in the day documented daily accounts.
Life was very hard for those who settled here in the early days. The weather could be extreme, and very unfriendly. Illness,the isolation, and let us not leave out the bugs & insects that they put up with in those times .It must have been miserable for some in what they had to endure.
Over time schools were built, roads were constructed after years of hard work. Shops opened, and commerce began springing up in small communities. Opportunities arose that attracted others, and that was the major factor that helped turn the wheels of progress. We'll discussing more of that below, so please hang in there.
We'll touch some of the early history, well before we came a county in 1906. doing our best to give the reader a good understanding of our history. We can't cover it all here at the site, but perhaps maybe in time, we'll be able to put a good dent in it.
We'd like to extend a special thanks to the Koochiching Historical Group, for sharing their information here at the site. Great appreciated with an extending thank you.
How we got our name is a little bit of a mystery, but we have the general idea how it was created. It's obviously, and most likely an Indian name, but the definition is a bit fuzzy, but in the end the name comes from a white man's tongue, and really left up to interpretation. It was first a name of the falls of Rainy River, and the community that arose adopted that same name, and now it's known as International Falls. I think this is a part of history, that really failed identification for future onlookers.
The history here goes back 100's of years, and on our next update, we'll be adding the Native American Culture, and it's history in relations to the county. They were the original inhabitants, and to exclude that would be leaving out a lot of important history, and clearly not right thing to do.Not only that, but a lot of their heritage is still here today, passed on by generation, to generation. Their history will be put up top, in the proper order things should be, when it comes to regards to history. There is only one history, and that is truth. Unfortunately in so many case, it's written for the reader's beliefs, and political views. It's been that was since the dawn of time, but sure is nice if a person can get to the truthful history of the time table.
First European Explorers & Adventurers Arrive
One of the first European explorers to arrive in the area was a Frenchman named Jacques de Noyons, and records show that was around 1688. Not long after, the British arrived, and they were laying their eyes on the fur trade. This went on for a good 170 year, then slowed down in the mid 1800's. At that time, before all the logging took place. Northern Minnesota looked like a completely different place.
Trappers, and surveyors who came later not only found beautiful scenery, but a wealth of natural resources in the interior. Things are not as they were back then, due to the over logging of some species of trees, and when doing so in great numbers reduced, and eradicated some of the wildlife that was once present here. Such as caribou & elk.
Then after 1870, tough men like Alexander Baker, Joseph Baker, Henry Metcalf, David Reedy, Thomas McKinstry, Don Campbell and others ventured into the county when it was yet still a vast wilderness. They settled on lands along the river, built log cabins. They began to clear land for gardening, hay and other crops. They hunted, trapped, and lived off the land. They also made side incomes by trapping, and logging.
Then around 1865 prospectors began coming into the Rainy River, and the Rainy Lake area on both the Canadian, and American sides to search for precious minerals. Gold was the main mineral they had on their mind, and their was small deposits discovered, but this rush didn't last long. It was over by the time it started, but it did reveal other mineral sources later on that we'll discuss here shortly.
The largest rush we could say, was the logging era, or better said "the logging boom". That happened through out Minnesota, and actually Minnesota has been logged out several times, which also happened to change the environment to some degree, and even losses of many various specious.
Logging camps were a very important factor for the production of forest products, in the early history of Koochiching County. You can still see some remnants today, from an iron bar sticking out of a rock along the river, or a lake in the county.
Water transportation provided about the only access to the forest areas, not only that, but they transported logs across the lakes, and river. Being near water served its purpose for the early logging up this way.
Once the railroad reached International Falls, just after the turn of the last century, is when the logging boom really picked up. Several large logging companies came into the area, but due to poor record keeping, a lot of these logging camp locations have been forgotten. it would be fascinating to conduct an archaeological dig, at some of the first logging camps.
We can't express enough that logging was a main factor in what really got this county going, by providing jobs, and with the vast resources of a variety of trees, it laid the foundation for this region of the state, and many others. Including Chicago at the time. Chicago was built with Minnesota trees, and many of these building are standing still today, and in a lot of other foundations around Chicago.
The history up this way is not only rich, but vast.
One thing we're proud of is other researchers documenting, and recording our history to share with others. We have several cemeteries here in the county, and they are very well documented with those laid to rest.
The cemeteries are :
Dentabow Cemetery in Littlefork, Dentabow Township, Koochiching County
Gemmell Cemetery
Homestead Cemetery on the Big Fork River between Littlefork, and Big Falls, Koochiching County
Highway 217 Cemetery in Ray, Koochiching County
Cemetery by Lofgren Bridge, Koochiching County
Lyman Cemetery in Ray, Koochiching County
Oakley Cemetery in Littlefork, Koochiching County
Olson Cemetery in Net River, Littlefork. Koochiching County
Cemetery in Ray. Koochiching County
Riverside Cemetery in Border. Koochiching County
Riverside Cemetery in Loman. Koochiching County
Riverside Cemetery North Lindford Township, Littlefork. Koochiching County
If you're looking for past loved ones, and wondering where they might be buried in Koochiching, then check here. These are some of the best cemetery records a county could ever hope for.
http://usgwarchives.net/mn/koochiching/koochich.html
If you're up this way, make sure to check out the Koochiching Historical Museum. There is a good 10,000 years worth of history there. Exhibits, document the northern Minnesota region, including Native America history, and culture. European settlements displays, that give you a good idea of the fur & logging days long ago. It's just amazing when we dwell back in time, and think about how times were then. It's really great when you can put your hands on it. So make this a stop, on your visit to Koochiching County.
Koochiching County Historical Museum
214 6th Avenue, International Falls, MN 56649
(218) 283-4316
Please Submit Your Data
We'd like to take the time to ask you, if you'd like to share your data, thoughts, or any type of historical records about Koochiching County with our readers. we'd be most appreciate. We're not to picky when it comes to history. If it's history, then it's history. So if you have something you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you. Roberta will get it up. We, and the readers thank you.
Researching our county is what we love, and that's passed down sharing the knowledge we find with others. So thank you for visiting, and we hope to hear from you. As mentioned above, we will be providing plenty of updates in the coming weeks, so please keep checking back to see what has been added.