Voyageurs National Park ⓘ

The first people to occupy the lands now designated as Voyageurs National Park arrived nearly 10,000 years ago during the Paleo-Indian Period.

Groups entered the area as the waters of glacial Lake Agassiz receded. This ancient lake once covered 110,000 square miles of Minnesota, North Dakota, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan in Canada.

During the Archaic Period (8,000 B.C. - 100 B.C.) people followed a mobile, hunting and gathering lifestyle. Fishing was a major source of food, although the gathering of plants continued to be important as well.

During the Woodland Period (100 A.D.- 900 A.D.) people increased their use of the wild rice that is native to this area. They began to use ceramics to fashion small, side-notched triangular projectile points.

Over 220 pre-contact archeological sites have been documented within the park, including sites that are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Please remember while exploring the park that all archeological and historic resources are protected by law. Do not destroy or collect any items that you find; instead enjoy looking at the items and leave them where you found them.

With an increasing demand for beaver pelts on the European market and the diminishing supply of furs in the east, cargo needed to be transported over longer distances. For this undertaking, the voyageurs, a hearty group of strong, adventurous French-Canadian men, were gathered.

The voyageurs were pivotal in opening the Northwestern United States. Their historic route from Grand Portage to the Lake Athabasca region passed through what is now Voyageurs National Park. They carried trade goods as they headed west from Grand Portage at the beginning of season, when the lakes thawed. While traveling through the area, they used canot de nord , or North Canoes. The indigenous Ojibwe built the North Canoes with birch bark, cedar, spruce resin, and watap or spruce roots. These canoes weighed around 300 pounds and were about 25 feet long and four feet wide. The voyageurs used some of their trade goods to resupply themselves with rice and smoked fish from the Ojibwe Indians in the region. Once the voyageurs reached the Lake Athabasca region, and along the way, they traded their goods for beaver pelts. Various other hides and pelts of muskrat, deer, moose, and bear could be found intermixed in bales that averaged 90 pounds each. A typical North Canoe crew consisted of three different positions. The avant could be found at the front and would guide the canoe. The millieux would be in the middle of the canoe providing the power. The gouvernail would be in the back steering it. A group of North Canoes traveling together would be known as a brigade. Each brigade would have at least one commis , or clerk. An experienced voyageur could become an hivernant who stayed over the winter in the back-country areas. Not only did the voyageurs paddle their canoes with a crew of four to six, but they would also portage their cargo. North Canoes had the capacity to carry up to 3500 pounds including 25 to 30 bales of goods. The voyageurs were expected to portage two bales each time they walked the portage route. Through their adventurous spirit and hard work, the voyageurs created a lasting impact on the peoples and area now known today as, Voyageurs National Park.

The Minnesota wilderness attracted health seekers and vacationers. Recreational fishermen and hunters had visited the area throughout the 1800s, and beginning in the 1880s, summer homes and resorts were developed that catered to wealthy tourists. Rainy Lake was one of the first areas in the region to be developed. It featured exquisite summer homes owned by prominent businessmen from distant cities. Owners built their homes on islands and peninsulas, accessible solely by water transportation. The wealthy members of this elite community became known as the "Rainy Lake Aristocracy." Their summer homes were used to entertain friends and business associates, relocating the social cliques and social stratification from the city to their properties in the wilderness. Despite early interest in touring the Voyageurs National Park area, its inaccessibility kept the volume of recreational travel comparatively low during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Travel was chiefly by water, confining all but the hardiest tourists to the summer months. Summer travel was over waterways, canoe portages, and a few tote roads built by early loggers. Eventually steamboats connected Kettle Falls to Rainy Lake City and Crane Lake. The first seasonal lodging on this route was the Kettle Falls Hotel, built at Kettle Falls in 1910. By the time Voyageurs National Park was established in 1975, over 60 resorts, 97 leased cabin sites, and over 120 privately owned recreational properties were located within the park's boundaries. Many people sold their property to the U.S. government when the park was established. Some people chose to sell their property and leave immediately, while others chose to sell their property, but maintain use for either a lifetime tenancy or a 25-year use and occupancy reservation. As these properties are vacated, the park will remove many structures to restore natural conditions. Twenty properties, containing over 50 structures, will be retained and managed by the National Park Service because of their historic significance. Interested in learning more?

As part of a nationwide conservation movement, the U.S. Forest Service was established in 1905. The Kabetogama State Forest, portions of which were located in what would become Voyageurs National Park, was established in 1917. State Forests were created out of lands that had been abandoned by the lumber companies. Typically, once the lumber companies had removed the timber the land was of no use to them, and was abandoned when it couldn't be sold. These tax delinquent lands then reverted to the State or Counties. In 1927 there were 4 1/2 million acres of delinquent tax lands in sixteen northern Minnesota counties-much of it in Koochiching and St. Louis Counties. Overcoming these financial difficulties and the increasing demand for lake shore property in the 1920s prompted the State to establish the summer cabin leasing program. The first state forests began developing picnic and camping areas, portage trails, and cabins for the increasing numbers of tourists. The construction of a Minnesota Forest Service patrol cabin on Kabetogama Lake established a permanent ranger, who monitored the forests for fire and ensured compliance with fire protection policies by logging companies. In the 1910s E.W. Backus, a wealthy and powerful timber baron, built rock-masonry water storage dams near Kettle Falls that facilitated the movement of logs downstream. Construction and control of these dams affected lake levels, causing unnatural fluctuations in each of the region's large lakes. This damaged wild rice stands and fish habitat, and led to grievances from local environmentalists, including writer and conservationist Ernest Oberholtzer. In 1925 Backus, who had become the second largest paper producer in the world, proposed building several additional dams in the region. It was the most ambitious private hydro-electric development ever launched in America. Opposition by Oberholtzer and other conservationists was strong; they countered with a proposal to preserve the natural beauty of the shorelines for recreation and to preserve the resources that the Ojibwe needed for their traditional lifestyles. Backus's plan instigated a long and contentious debate, which eventually ended in 1930 with the passage of the Shipstead-Newton-Nolan Act. The Act prohibited construction of dams without Congressional approval, restricted logging near waterways, and ended homesteading in some areas. This was a step forward for the conservation movement, and facilitated the later creation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. However, the passage of the Act marked only the beginning of a long line of bitter clashes between the conflicting needs of industrial, commercial, and recreational users and the goals of conservationists. Back to Top

In 1919 the Eighteenth Amendment, known as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by the United States Congress. The amendment banned the sale, production, importation, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. The Volstead Act, the name of the enabling legislation, had its roots in the national temperance movement of the 1880s, led by organizations such as the Women's Christian Temperance Union, or WCTU, the Anti-Saloon League, and the Prohibition Party. Prohibition was not agreed upon universally. Most of Minnesota's population favored moderation rather than total abstinence. The year the Volstead Act passed, Minnesota had thirty-seven breweries producing over a million barrels of fermented liquors, distributed to more than 3,000 retail liquor dealers. In 1915 a "county option" bill was passed by the Minnesota legislature. This allowed individual counties to vote themselves dry. The County of Koochiching, which includes portions of present-day Voyageurs National Park, voted to go dry that year. A year later, the authorities in International Falls began a battle with blind piggers (illegal producers of alcohol) and bootleggers (illegal transporters of alcohol) who found the remoteness of the region an ideal place to do business. For the next eighteen years, authorities would feebly attempt to enforce the Volstead Act. Smuggling booze across the international border was common. A bush pilot from Virginia, Minnesota named Dusty Rhodes flew his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis County across the border in the 1920s to 1930s. During Prohibition, he hauled illegal beer, whiskey, and beaver furs across the border in the Sand Point/Crane Lake area. After years of eluding U.S. and Canadian rangers, he was finally caught by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at a resort on Lac la Croix in 1931. Back to Top

The earliest settlers to Minnesota established themselves in the southeast part of the state. The creation of the Minnesota Territory in 1849 and passage of the Preemption and Homestead Acts attempted to stimulate settlement throughout the Territory. The Acts promoted the sale of small tracts and were intended to aid the development of agricultural land. A homesteader had to be the head of a household or at least 21 years of age to claim a 160 acre parcel of land. Settlers from all walks of life came to meet the challenge of 'improving' and keeping this 'free land.' Each homesteader had to live on the land, build a home, and farm for 5 years before they were eligible to prove up and own the land in entirety. A meager fee of $18 was the only money required. By the turn of the twentieth century, a number of individuals chose to call the border lakes home year-round. They were primarily people who worked in the fishing, timber, or mining industries, but included several colorful characters as well. Certain individuals gained a reputation for being eccentric. They lived simply and were either squatters or loners who lived off the land or took odd jobs. They became known as 'shackers.' Back to Top

A recent cultural landscape study details a span of time as preserved in the locations, artifacts, and history found in a specific area. Landscapes change and evolve over time, and reconstructing how an area or community existed in the past is a key challenge to preserving cultural history. Voyageurs is developing cultural landscape studies that represent distinct time spans and locations found throughout the park and its history.

Many stories have been told from the shorelines within Voyageurs. A wide variety of stories can be found in the park's research library and museum collections, but a few have been provided for your enjoyment.

Ingvald Walter Stevens was born in Vang, Valdres Norway in 1885 and immigrated to the U.S. at age 19. In 1932 he purchased a 400-acre island in what is now Voyageurs National Park. “Steve,” as he became known, lived alone year round on the island for nearly fifty years and became a symbol of self-sufficiency and independence. I love solitude, I love the wilderness, I love the wildlife. I do not like crowds. I do not like the city, where even the snow is dirty. I like my own company. I don’t want to live if I can’t take care of myself.

He heated his cabin with wood, grew his own vegetables, ground wheat and baked his own bread, read by gaslight, hauled water from the lake, in the winter chopping through thick ice. Civilization was 16 miles by boat or four miles on skis. An Associated Press article in 1977 made him a celebrity for awhile. A prolific writer, Stevens answered letters, wrote articles for outdoor magazines and kept a daily diary. He left Namakan Lake in 1979 at the age of 94 and lived to be 104.

For photos and excerpts from I. W. Stevens' journal, read " Tales from Namakan Lake ." Back to Top

The collections serve as scientific and historical documentation of the park’s resources and purpose. Voyageurs National Park also preserves over four hundred archeological sites. Archeological inventory in the park focuses on compliance and evaluation of resources for eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. Park staff also work closely with Native groups to identify and protect sensitive cultural resources. Academic archeological research is occasionally conducted in cooperation with the NPS Midwest Archeological Center and other contracted entities.

Many preservation resources for the National Park Service are available online. Check out the following sites for any additional information.

National Park Service History E-Library - The National Park Service's History e -Library contains thousands of electronic publications covering the history of the National Park Service and the units comprising the National Park System. We invite you to learn more about history and how the National Park Service works to preserve it.

Preservation Briefs - Preservation Briefs provide guidance on preserving , rehabilitating , and restoring historic buildings. These NPS Publications help historic building owners recognize and resolve common problems prior to work.

Conserve-O-Grams - Both experienced and inexperienced museum staff responsible for the care and use of museum collections can find short, focused leaflets about caring for museum objects, published in loose-leaf format.

In late July of 1893, while camping on a small island near Black Bay Narrows, he discovered a gold-bearing quartz vein - the "Little American" discovery. Given the good news and gold-bearing specimens, a Black Hills miner was hired to secure a title to the island and arrange financing.

Development of the Little American Mine proceeded rapidly in the spring of 1894, along with the growth of the nearby settlement of Rainy Lake City to support the areas newfound exploration and mining activities. Rainy Lake City was incorporated on March 17, 1894, and by early summer was a bustling community of several hundred people with a school house, bank, general store, hotels, restaurants, a newspaper, hardware store, butcher shop, and several saloons.

Following the development of the Little American Mine, several other prospects saw extensive activity during the summer of 1894, including the Lyle Mine north of Dryweed Island, the Big American Mine on Big American Island, the Bushyhead Mine on Bushyhead Island, and the Soldier Mine on Dryweed Island.

Despite all of the numerous attempts to make gold-mining a profitable activity on Rainy Lake, the low production of the mines resulted in a gold-bust by 1898. The "Boom" was over, and the Rainy Lake City school and newspaper office were closed down. By 1901 the city was a ghost town. Back to Top

The depletion of the large stands of white pine in Michigan, Wisconsin, and central Minnesota through logging brought the lumber industry north into the area now designated as Voyageurs National Park.

An initial logging frenzy occurred in the 1880s and 1890s, followed by the development of two major logging companies. The International Logging Company operated primarily in Koochiching County and transported timber to sawmills at International Falls and Fort Frances until 1937.

In order to meet the constant water supply needs of sawmills, dams were constructed at International Falls, Kettle Falls, and Squirrel Falls in the early 1900s.

The Virginia & Rainy Lake Lumber Company controlled much of the area to the east in St. Louis County, Minnesota. They conducted much of their operations until 1929 by rafting logs to Hoist Bay , which can still be viewed by park visitors.

Hoist Bay is named for the machinery that was used to hoist floating logs out of the lake and onto a waiting train. The tracks extended out over the water to facilitate loading. From Hoist Bay the logs were taken to sawmills located in the town of Virginia, Minnesota.

The extensive logging operations that occurred in the park area have altered the composition and structure of the park's forests. White and red pine are now a much smaller component of the park's forests, and there are fewer stands of large, mature trees. Back to Top

Commercial fishing followed the initial logging boom of the 1890s. Large-scale fishing operations began on the Rainy River as early as 1892. At its peak, in the late 1890s and early 1900s, roughly seven or eight large-scale fishing companies operated in the area, primarily on Crane Lake. The production of caviar, the eggs of lake sturgeon, was a major economic pursuit at this time. However, due to the great distance to markets, and the lack of refrigerated transport, these enterprises were relatively short-lived, although some remained in operation until the 1930s.

Small-scale family fishing soon developed as a result, with the largest number or licensed family operations in the area reaching 48 in 1910. These family operations depended on local auctions at Kettle Falls to sell their catch. Commercial fishing was banned on Kabetogama Lake in 1923, and by 1942 only 10 licensed family operations were active in the area. Evidence of fishing camps and net-tarring sites exist in the park today, including the Oveson Fish Camp (ca. 1950s) which has been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Back to Top

The Ellsworth Rock Gardens have been known as the “Showplace of Lake Kabetogama” since the 1940s. Jack Ellsworth, the garden’s creator and a self-taught artist, used natural elements of the native northern Minnesota landscape as his artistic media, creating an original and distinctive art environment on the north shore of Kabetogama Lake. Over a period of roughly twenty years, Ellsworth, a carpenter from Chicago, used art and engineering to create a complex, terraced garden on a prominent rock outcrop. Ellsworth constructed 62 terraced flower beds on the outcrop, which he filled with more than 13,000 lilies and other flower varieties. He then accented his garden landscape with over 200 abstract rock sculptures that have been compared to the work of modern sculptors like Noguchi and Brancusi. The uniqueness and magnitude of Mr. Ellsworth’s creation and the garden’s importance as a recreational destination since the 1940s establish its significance. The gardens are eligible for the National Register for Historic Places and are the most popular day use destination in Voyageurs National Park.

Jack Ellsworth first constructed 62 terraced flower beds on the outcrop, which he filled with more than 13,000 lilies of four varieties. He augmented the lilies with twenty-eight other flower varieties incorporating both annuals and perennials. Working with a hierarchy of local stone, Ellsworth crowned the meandering dry-stacked walls that surround the planting beds with a layer of crushed white quartz, creating a distinctive "frosting."

The terraced beds were connected through pathways subtly indicated by stone gateways, stairways, stepping stones, simple bridges, grass paths and the use of a few painted stone signs including an "Up" sign at the east edge of the gardens. By 1961, Ellsworth had accented his garden landscape with statuary that he created out of native rock and concrete as well as carefully selected and placed rocks and boulders.

He skillfully balanced both small rocks and large monoliths—some as a single stone balanced on point, others crafted into figures, multi-tiered tables, and other sophisticated artistic sculptures. He stenciled the Ellsworth signature on a number of rock tablets placed throughout the gardens. At the top of the gardens, he constructed two stylized tepees of wooden poles. One was covered with a painted canvas and had battery-powered lights fixed in the apex to light the interior. The other was uncovered and left unadorned except for a sheltered stone sculpture. Only the canvas covered tepee remains, the other is marked by a circle of stones on the ground.

Beginning in the mid-1960s, photographs indicated that Mr. Ellsworth’s health was making it difficult for him to maintain the gardens. The once-meticulously mowed lawn was overgrown and some sculptural elements were missing. Mr. Ellsworth did not return to the gardens after 1965. He died in July 1974 and Elsie passed away a few years later. By 1976, photographs taken by the Minnesota Historical Society show that small details were missing, some sculptures had tipped, the dock was collapsed, and the house and other buildings were boarded up. Despite this unkempt appearance, the basic form of the gardens was still apparent.

When the National Park Service acquired the property in 1978, the buildings were put up for sale and the main cabin was removed. Photographs of the gardens from 1979 show that sculptures were largely intact but the forest had essentially swallowed the gardens. For almost two decades, the gardens deteriorated. Yet it still received visitors during the summer months. Pressure from the local Kabetogama Lake community to have the gardens maintained resulted in a day-long vegetation removal effort by the National Park Service in 1996. Since 2000, the Park has obtained funding for and organized an annual “Garden Blitz” that brings contractors and volunteers to the site to clear nonhistoric vegetation, replant historic plant varieties, and repair buildings and sculptures. Planning for stabilizing and eventually rehabilitating the site for visitor use has also occurred during the “Blitz.” These efforts have resulted in restoring historic spatial relationships between the forest, gardens, lawn, and lake, revitalizing bulbs and other remnant vegetation, and a complete inventory of sculpture and a record of sculpture repair.

Historically, the gardens had the appearance of being carved out of the forested wilderness. This boundary between the gardens and forest is one of the primary features of the site. The forest provides a distinct, impenetrable wall, creating a dark, dense backdrop for views within the gardens. A few native spruce or pine trees were left within the gardens, but were "limbed-up" approximately 20 feet to create a vertical focal point, rather than a visual barrier. A solitary red pine, approximately 70 feet tall and with branches only at the top, functioned as a distinctive visual landmark at the top and back of the space. This tree was removed in 2004 because of its deteriorated condition. Other tall pines will be allowed to grow in this area to maintain the sense of verticality.

The irregular shape of the rock outcropping inspired the garden's organic form, and influenced its overall spatial organization. The topography of the site creates a series of flat planes: the lake, stepping up to the mown lawn surrounded by grassy meadow, followed by the uneven, steeply sloped rock outcropping, leading to the level summit area. The open meadow at the base of the outcropping provided a sense of arrival for visitors arriving from Ellsworth's dock on Kabetogama Lake, and provided a space for viewing the main features of the gardens. The forest that surrounded the outcropping and the meadow established a distinct vertical edge. This forest "wall" functioned as visual boundary and established a sense of enclosure to create an impression that the gardens had been carved out of nature. The inherent qualities of water, rock and forest remain unchanged.

The area between Kabetogama Lake and the rock outcropping consists of a relatively level open space. The western half was maintained by Ellsworth as lawn. The National Park Service continues mowing this area today. The eastern half of the clearing was fenced off from the cottage almost to the shore. During the Ellsworth's residence, this area was lawn. A path from the cabin crossed the mown meadow; passing through a wooden gate signed "Spring," ending at the southeast corner of the property where Ellsworth had installed a hand pump.

On and around the granite outcropping Ellsworth modified and capitalized on natural depressions in the rock surface to guide rainwater into a system of crevices and basins, creating three small ponds which he filled with cattails, other aquatic plants and sculptures. He also manipulated the native vegetation to direct views, create intimate-scale spaces, and frame small landscape "scenes." The garden's system of meandering paths linked these spaces, providing controlled views both in and out of the gardens. In some places the uneven topography and tall ornamental lilies that filled the terraced planting beds obscured views out of the gardens. This created intimate vignettes, many of which incorporated sculptural pieces as focal points. He enhanced views by controlling natural features, including "limbing" up trees, removing mosses from the rock to expose a highly polished granite surface, and possibly removing trees to open views of Kabetogama Lake.

Ellsworth's incorporation of textural and focal elements followed the same general hierarchical scheme suggested by the garden's spatial organization. He placed more elaborate plantings at the eastern base to define the garden's edge, and sculptural elements near the western base of the rock outcropping to establish an entry point into the main portion of the gardens. Sculptures were sometimes connected by and beds created by a system of dry stacked stone walls that spanned the full width of the outcrop to form terraces. Sculptures placed along the stairs and pathways marked the progression from the base of the rock to the summit, which features the teepees, ponds, and panoramic views of the gardens and lake. The sculptures, mostly composed of uncarved rocks arranged in compositions resembling animal figures, chairs, tables, and altar-like structures, reinforced the rugged character of the outcropping and, along with the meandering pathways, gave the overall landscape composition an organic quality. Garden hoses, stacks of lumber, and piles of stone gave the gardens a sense of intuitive and continual evolution. The gardens seemed to have grown spontaneously and incrementally from its site, rather than from to a predetermined plan.

The summit of the granite outcropping was the most elaborately articulated space. The largest pond, tee-pee, refined walls, large elaborate sculptures and numerous small-scale features established this space as the principal destination within the gardens. The focal point was an upright stone painted pink and decorated with smaller stones arranged in the shape of an arrowhead. This sculpture is almost entirely intact and in good condition.

At the peak of bloom each summer, crowds of people visited the gardens. In 1962, 5200 people came to see the work of Mr. Ellsworth, who was usually seen watering flower beds or mowing the extensive lawns with his reel mower. Approximately 32 herbaceous ornamental plant varieties grew in the gardens, including multiple shades of nicotiana, dahlias, marigolds, cosmos, phlox, nasturtiums, balsam, and bachelor buttons. The dominant plant was an orange Asiatic lily that grew to about 4 feet in height. These lilies filled beds throughout the gardens, creating a uniform color and texture. They also provided a structural element in the middle ground of views within and emphasized the vertical quality of the gardens. The base of the gardens was planted with roses and peonies. A snowball Viburnum hedge in front of the main cabin is another distinctive vegetation feature that remains on site. It was untrimmed, had large white flowers and a naturalistic appearance. The naturalistic use of vegetation was also evident at the ponds, where water-tolerant species were planted to soften the edge between the water and the rock and add vertical contrast to the water's horizontal surface. When in full bloom, the system of beds created striking blocks of color and texture, which accentuated the way in which the abstract forms of the beds intrinsically related to the irregular, uneven surfaces of the granite outcropping. Viewed from the summit, the gardens became a fantastic mosaic of brilliant colors and soft textures that contrasted with the cool, gray tones of the hard, native rock. Elsewhere in the gardens Ellsworth used vegetation to produce diverse aesthetic effects. He planted roses and peonies in beds near the base of the granite outcropping, and used water-tolerant species in an around the three ponds to create a more naturalistic appearance.

Topography and vegetation are the primary means by which views into, out of, and within the gardens were created and controlled. When the gardens are viewed as a composition from the water and meadow, the forest formed the background, the tree and lily clumps, large sculpture, and rock walls form a middle ground, and the ponds, small sculptures and other site elements provide focus in the foreground. Most of the gardens were visible from the meadow, but once in the gardens, the uneven surface of the rock and the masses of lilies obscured broad views. This quality heightened visitor's expectations and provided a sense of arrival, with the summit as the primary destination once visitors moved through the gardens. The pond, teepee, fire pit and other small-scale features emphasized this space, and created a series of landscape "scenes" that can be viewed from several locations within the gardens. A striking view of Lake Kabetogama and the lower part of the gardens could be seen from the summit of the rock outcropping.

The gardens contain a system of approximately 204 sculptures which vary in size and complexity; some are single rocks featuring an unusual shape or color, others are several large rocks or boulders mortared together. There are a number of chairs, tables, and altar-like arrangements which can be organized into the following typology:

Figures: A series of multiple rocks, usually mortared together, that form abstract shapes that may be interpreted as representational. These sculptures often consist of one large stone with several stones attached.

Tables: There are numerous compositions that feature several horizontally oriented stones stacked with smaller legs to create multi-level tables. They resemble pagoda-like characters.

Monoliths: These vertically oriented sculptures are usually mortared in place as a singular feature. They are found throughout the gardens, but are dominant at the western edge of the summit.

Gateways: Usually found in tandem with stone walls, these sculptures arefixed in place to guide movement through the gardens. They are sometimes single rocks but are also a grouping of rocks graded by size and mortared together.

Spires: Found throughout the gardens, these are smaller elongated shapes mortared in a vertical orientation to larger boulders.

The buildings historically associated with the property were the main cabin and privy, workshop, and the guest cabin and privy. Ellsworth's cabin, privy and workshop, built in 1944, were all frame structures covered with half-log siding. Half-log siding was also used to decorate the doors. The main cabin sat on a poured concrete T-shaped foundation. The primary wing measured 16'x26' (22'x14'), with a 10'x12' (8'x10') kitchen addition at the rear. The cabin was designed and meticulously constructed by Mr. Ellsworth. His skilled craftsmanship was displayed in the expertly joined corners of the half-log siding, uniquely designed windows, the hipped roof featured red roll composition roofing that was hand-cut, giving the building a "thatched roof" appearance. A fieldstone chimney projected at the front, as part of a windowed facade that faced the lake. It was capped with an intricate metal ornament. He accented the cabin by planting a row of snowball Viburnums in front, adding boot scrapers flanking the door, installing gutters that emptied into a rain barrel, and placing a row of flower pots on bright red stools on the east side of the house. Ellsworth carried his penchant for details to the workshop, guest cabin and even the interior of the privy. Near the privy he constructed a clothesline and hung a birdhouse and drinking cup from the decorative support post. A vegetable garden, which was supposedly maintained by Mrs. Ellsworth, was located to the west of the house. The cabin was removed around 1978. The contributing original foundation and chimney now support a picnic shelter constructed in 2001. The non-contributing shelter pays homage to the original cabin's rustic modernist architecture by incorporating the same hipped roof, rolled roofing, and heavy timbers. The small scale features once associated with the main cabin are no longer in evidence.

The workshop measures approximately 12'x10' and the main privy approximately 4'x6'. Both have poured concrete foundation, hipped roof with curved eaves, log slab siding, and asphalt roll roofing; neither has a chimney. The windows and door were replaced in 2004 and the original shutters are still in place. The building is in good condition. The Ellsworth's privy has a sheet steel venting stack. Two small windows and the door are missing. The workshop and privy sit on concrete foundations.

The guest privy, built in 1950, is a frame building with a fieldstone foundation, faux brick asphalt siding and roofing. It measures approximately 4'x4' and has a hipped roof. It has bracketed window hoods and a gabled hood with decorative brackets over the door. The guest cabin was the only structure remaining from the logging camp that preceded the rock garden. Its construction date is unknown, but it was moved to its final location ca 1944-1950. It was removed in 1999, after it was determined that it was deteriorated beyond repair. It had rock pier supports and a half-log door detail that matched the main house. Measuring approximately 22'x16,' it had a gable roof with a tin chimney at the center front. In 2001, the National Park Service constructed a multi-use building on the cabin footprint. Although its massing, construction materials, architectural detailing, and fenestration evoke the former guest cabin, it is considered non-contributing. The door from the former cabin was used in the contemporary building.

Only one of the two teepees located at the top of the gardens is extant, though the rock circle that formed the base of the second is visible, and the poles remain on site. Both were built around 1961-1965. The remaining teepee measures 8' diameter by 20' high with a painted canvas cover over thirteen 3 to 4" wooden poles. . Wiring for a light within the teepee is still intact. Although very delicate in appearance, the log poles and overall structure of the teepee are in good condition. Much of the wall fabric around the lower sections of the structure has deteriorated or was removed but the material that remains provides evidence of how the it was cut, attached to the poles, and painted.

A heavy timber bridge near the house provided access across a drainage ditch and connected to stepping stones that led to the main privy. The bridge was decorated with hanging orange flower pots. At the point the treatment efforts at the gardens occurred, the bridge had almost completely deteriorated. A replica was built by a local craftsman and the NPS installed the new bridge in 2004. It is considered non-contributing.

Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth added numerous small features to the gardens that were built in a rustic style similar to the structures or were prefabricated. These included a heavy timber fence and gate, wooden and stone signs, birdbaths and houses, a sundial, and animal figurines. These features added color and character to the gardens. Water hoses, buckets and other gardening implements also figure prominently in historic photographs of the site. The stone signs remain and the sundial has been replaced. All other features have disappeared over time.

Several contemporary buildings, structures and objects are now located at the site to facilitate visitor access and wayfinding. A dock, wayside exhibits, comfort station, and equipment shed have been added by the National Park Service since it acquired the site. Small features that replicate historic items have also been installed, such as a sundial and a wood sign and post. They are all considered noncontributing.

Although the house is gone and other site details are missing, the property remains a coherent expression of Ellsworth's vision and an intact representation of his efforts. The gardens possess high integrity for location and setting, as their boundaries and surrounding natural environment have not changed. Over time, mortar on the sculpture has failed, causing the rocks to loosen. Portions of sculptures have fallen, or been pushed or removed by visitors. Although disarticulated pieces have been found and sculptures reassembled as part of the "Blitz" efforts, some sculptures have been lost forever. The bed patterns are still evident in plan, though some of the three-dimensional qualities that directed visitors have been lost. As a result, the level of design has deteriorated. With the exception of historic plantings, the gardens materials are intact. Through the volunteer and park activities, the quality of workmanship has been retained. Sculptures have been stabilized or repaired using the Ellsworth's mortar mix, and the application of new mortar has been consistent with his approach. Between the time Ellsworth left the site, and the recent maintenance activities, the garden's character changed from a highly maintained and colorful showplace to a more private destination that possessed a feeling of mystery and discovery. With the removal of nonhistoric vegetation, the garden's sense of vibrancy has returned, though the level of detailed care it received during the historic period has not been replicated.

The history of Kettle Falls is as colorful as the red roof on the hotel. Constructed by timber cruiser Ed Rose and reputedly financed by Madame Nellie Bly, the Kettle Falls Hotel has accommodated and entertained travelers since 1913. Robert Williams bought the hotel in 1918 for $1,000 and four barrels of whiskey. From its somewhat scandalous past, grew a long tradition of hearty home cooking and hospitality served by the Williams family. This historic hotel was renovated by the National Park Service in 1987 so you, too, can enjoy a hearty meal, relax on the veranda or spend the night.

Kettle Falls Hotel is the only lodging within Voyageurs and is only accessible by water. For lodging information at the Kettle Falls Hotel, view the hotel web site . For other nearby lodging options, see what our local gateway communities have to offer.

Many centuries ago, Kettle Falls was a main artery of the travel route along the wilderness border region. Native peoples gathered, hunted, and speared sturgeon at the falls, voyageurs paddled and portaged through the area carrying their goods and furs, and prospectors traveled to the picturesque stopping place on their way to the Rainy Lake gold mines. Around the time construction of the dams at Kettle Falls began in 1910, the Kettle Falls Hotel was built. The stonecutters and masons who built the dams were early patrons of the hotel, followed by lumberjacks, commercial fisherman, trappers, and traders. When the logging era came to an end and commercial fishing declined, tourism became the major industry and sports fishermen and families came to Kettle Falls. In advertisements from the 1930s, the Kettle Falls Hotel was a "Hay Fever Victims Sanctuary" where sufferers found relief due to the purity of sun-washed pine scented air and there was "not a sneeze on the border". Located on the Minnesota - Canadian boundary at the eastern edge of the Kabetogama Peninsula, the historic hotel is still a destination of fishing enthusiasts and families and the air is still pine scented and pure.

The cabin is representative of the early recreational period of what was to become the national park. In the 1930s the effects of the great depression were lessened for some and passable roads were built, bringing a proliferation of automobiles to the northland. This made lakes, such as Crane Lake, accessible to tourists. Some of these tourists fell in love with the area and purchased property for summer cabins. This was the case of the Casareto Summer Cabin.

The Casareto Summer Cabin located on the northern shore of Crane Lake just within the southeastern border of Voyageurs National Park.

In the summer of 1933 Dr. Jake Casareto, while on vacation between college and his pending dental practice, discovered Crane Lake. He found a piece of property on the north shore which had a beautiful sand beach and level ground perfect for the cabin. It was for sale and he immediately purchased it.

Jake Casareto was attracted to Crane Lake primarily because of its beauty and great fishing. However, it is also known for its historical significance. Located on the voyageur and Ojibwe people’s canoe route from Lake Vermilion to Sand Point Lake, archeological evidence shows the Crane Lake area has been inhabited for over 6500 years. Later, the Voyageurs canoed these same waters during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. A map dated around 1820 shows a North West Company Post close to the Casareto cabin.

Jake Casareto began construction at his cabin site in 1933. He started with a small shed and the next year had the beginning of the existing cabin built for $500.00. A dock was built and a well was dug. For the Casareto’s this was the start of a long relationship with Crane Lake.

In a typical year lake cabins as Casareto’s Summer Cabin would be opened up in mid May as soon as the ice left and fishing season began. Weekend use would change to full time occupancy as soon as school was out for the summer. Summer vacation for other family members and friends would add to the guest list. More space would be needed and these extra visitors would become extra labor.

This would go on until Labor Day weekend and the beginning of cooler temperatures and a new school year. Many lake cabins would close down for the season then but some would stay occupied for late fishing and hunting. With snowmobiling becoming popular in the 1960s, some cabins began to have some winter usage.

The Casareto family sold their lake cabin to the National Park Service in 1977. They continued to occupy it under a 25 year lease agreement. In 1988 they sold the remainder of their lease to another family. In 2002 the cabin became vacant. The Casareto Summer Cabin will remain the responsibility of the National Park Service. Rehabilitation to the cabin, of buildings and grounds has been completed. Interpretive media are planned.

The sheer granite cliffs of Grassy Bay rise 125 feet above the surface of Sand Point Lake and reach one of the highest points within Voyageurs. This Lac La Croix biotite granite batholith (a body of magma that cooled underground) is the largest and youngest igneous intrusion in the area, dated at 2.64 to 2.69 billion years old.

In summer, these cliffs are accessible by boat and in winter by snowmobile. There are currently no amenities at this Visitor Destination.

The bedrock that makes up Voyageurs was shaped and carved by at least four periods of glaciation. The most recent continental glaciation in North America ended about 10,000 years ago. The Pleistocene Era began more than 40,000 years ago when Earth's summer temperatures averaged around 27° Fahrenheit and were not warm enough to melt the thick sheets of ice that covered the landscape.

Evidence of glaciers is abundant in Voyageurs National Park. Rocks of various compositions were transported from the north by glaciers and deposited randomly over the landscape as the glaciers melted. These glacial erratics range in size from pebbles to large boulders.

The advance and retreat of these Pleistocene glaciers left an imprint on the rock and shaped the Voyageurs landscape we see today.

Harry Oveson Fish Camp is a Visitor Destination site that displays the lifestyle of commercial fishing. It is a testament and reminder of the hard working life that commercial fisherman like Harry experienced.

Today, visitors can still experience the seclusion and lifestyle of Harry’s legacy. This Day Use site has a picnic table and fire ring. Visitors are welcome to enjoy a shore lunch while immersing themselves in Voyageurs’ fishing history. Peek into the ice house, relax, watch for birds, and enjoy Harry Oveson’s life on Rainy Lake.

Given most commercial fishing camps were in remote locations, ice was critical to operations. Every other January, Harry would leave his winter home in Arizona to make the trip up north for the sole purpose of harvesting ice so a summer’s catch could be refridgerated.

The initial process of cutting ice meant the clearing of lake surfaces. Large “cakes” of ice were cut using a power saw. The next step required a few helpful friends and tools such as: a car or snowmobile, long rope, pulleys, and an ice hook. After about four laborious hours, the icehouse would be filled 16 by 10 feet and 8-feet high of tightly packed ice. Harry would finish up by packing a thick layer of insulating sawdust on top of the ice. The ice house walls filled with cedar shavings and complete with a vapor seal and a layer of sawdust did a remarkable job keeping ice frozen. In fact, while most commercial fishermen would harvest ice annually, Harry’s ice house was so well insulated, his ice would last two summers.

Harry Oveson was one of the last commercial fishermen to operate on Rainy Lake. Increased popularity of sport fishing ultimately led to the demise of commercial walleye fishing on Rainy Lake. On July 1, 1985, the State of Minnesota paid Harry and two other remaining Rainy Lake walleye netters $17,633.31 each to surrender their licenses. Harry Oveson closed up camp and moved to Arizona where he died in 1990 at the age of 84.

Camp Marston, a Visitor Destination site located in Browns Bay on the eastern end of Rainy Lake, was a summer camp for engineering students at Iowa State University. The isolation of the area enabled the university to mimic primitive frontier conditions and create the most authetic surveying experience possible .

Today the only remains of Camp Marston are the cabin known as “Polaris”, where the camp professors stayed, and the foundations and chimneys of the student’s cabins.

There are currently no amenities at this Day Use site, but you can still walk the grounds and see the chimneys and foundations of the cabins and mess hall. Walk to the very end of the peninsula and you can sit in the natural amphitheater where campfires were held by these aspiring civil engineers. Upon departing this beautiful place, you will be reminded that the land still holds the memories made at the Iowa State University Civil Engineering Summer Camp, fondly known by many as Camp Marston. Sit quietly and maybe you can hear some of the stories told by Professor Dodds and the lessons experienced by the students. In summer, this site is accessible by boat and in winter by snowmobile.

Established in 1923, the site was named for Anson Marston, the first Dean of Engineering at Iowa State University. The camp could shelter up to forty or fifty students and four or five faculty members.

The trip to the camp was not always easy given the fact that it was so remote. The first two days were spent traveling by rail from Ames, Iowa to Rainy Lake. Once the students arrived they were assigned a task. These tasks included setting up tents, preparing wood, and camp construction.

The students were also assigned to a camp detail where they had different routine jobs that they had to do. The men recorded the weather, raised and lowered the flag, cleaned the campsite, burned garbage, chopped wood for the cook, and brought in ice from Big Island two miles away. Starting in the mid-1930s students would build a new cabin each year as part of their training. Actual field work began on the third day of camp.

During the years that Camp Marston was in operation, an average of thirty-five men (no women were allowed) per season spent six weeks working twelve hour days at the camp.

In 1938, Dean of Engineering, Thomas Agg, visited the camp to evaluate the site. He believed Camp Marston was too remote, too archaic, and lacked the amenities a camp ought to have. In addition the buildings needed major repairs, and fuel was in short supply for the long trip from Ames to Rainy Lake. The camp was finally closed in 1940, and the property was divided into state lease lots.

Voyageurs National Park is situated on the southern tip of what is known as the Canadian Shield, a gigantic dome of volcanic bedrock that forms the heart of the North American Continent. This bedrock dates from the birth of North America. Some 2.8 billion years ago, massive volcanoes erupted through this area and deposited layer after layer of ash and lava, building up the island landmasses. These island arc volcanoes collided forming still larger landmasses. Subsequent uplifting, folding, superheating along with tremendous pressure created igneous and metamorphic rock to form the present day granite and schist of the Kabetogama Peninsula. Eons of erosion then wore down these volcanic mountain ranges to the landscape you see today.

Anderson Bay exemplifies the outstanding scenery for which Voyageurs was established. The exposed white granite cliffs of Anderson Bay rise 80 feet from the water and provide spectacular views of the bay and Rainy Lake. It is one of the most photographed areas of the park. There are picnic tables, fire ring, and privy at this Visitor Destination and Day Use site. Visitors can also hike the 1.75-mile loop trail to see the bluffs from the top. In addition, this is the northern trailhead for the 9.5 mile, one way, Cruiser Lake Trail system that crosses the Kabetogama Peninsula to connect with Lost Bay on Kabetogama Lake.

The voyageur - a French word meaning traveler - the namesake of Voyageurs National Park - began journeying through these interconnected waterways over 250 years ago; waterways that are one of the most important segments of the fur trade route used to open the "Great Northwest".

As park visitors travel the lakes today, it is easy to imagine the voyageurs of the past dipping their canoe paddles into the clear, dark waters to the rhythm of their songs, gliding past the rock and pines of this northern landscape.

Voyageurs National Park was established in 1975, but is filled with evidence of over 10,000 years of human life and use. Signs of Native Americans, fur traders, and homesteaders, signs of logging, mining, and commercial fishing are scattered throughout the park.

The Organic Act of 1916 created the National Park Service and decreed that nature and culture were to be protected hand-in-hand. Voyageurs National Park protects and shares a rich, unique cultural history that was shaped by the picturesque, rugged nature of its water and lands.

People Many different cultures or people have created the past and present of Voyageurs National Park from the Native Amercians , to the Fur Trade , and European Settlement . Discover the impressions they have left in these north woods.

Places Voyageurs offers a variety of historic sites and cultural landscapes to explore while visiting this unique park.

Cultural resources programs strive to understand, preserve, and provide for the enjoyment of cultural resources. Learn about our program areas, along with links to preservation resources for the National Park Service.

Voyageurs National Park is a mosaic of land, water, wetlands and sky where auroras shine over 2.7 billion-year-old rocks, fire and beavers alter ecosystems that help sustain thousands of plants and animals, and on-going research increases our understanding of nature’s interconnectedness.

Supporting uniquely adapted plants and animals, park wetlands are being restored for wild rice and other native vegetation to thrive.

Few things are as old as the rocks in Voyageurs. These 2.7 billion old rocks lie right at the earth's surface for all to see and touch.

Melding at horizon, water, air, and sky become one in the interconnected ecosystems of Voyageurs.

Sun-basking otters, stately bald eagles, howling wolves, prehistoric sturgeon, and hundreds of other animals inhabit Voyageurs' habitats.

Pink lady's slippers show off among over 1000 plant species found in the park as northern hardwood forest transitions to southern boreal.

Invasive species not only can harm native species and ecosystems but also may have recreational and economic impacts on humans.

For millennia, fire has been vital in rejuvenating forests. Today balancing fire, forest health, and visitor use is essential in Voyaguers.

Voyageurs National Park lies in a transition area between the southern boreal forest to the north and temperate deciduous forest to the south and east. It is composed of a variety of ecological systems, including conifer forests, hardwood forests, bogs, swamps, marshes, rocky outcrops, and lakeshore environments. The park is home to over 50 tree and shrub species, over 40 fern and moss species, over 200 grass, sedge, and rush species, and over 400 wildflower species.

Historically, fire and wind were the primary influences on the park's ecosystems. Today, past logging, beavers, exotic plants, and climate change affect these ecosystems. To increase awareness of some of these issues and promote the benefits of native plants, the park created an ethno-botanical garden on the grounds of the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. In addition, the park is cultivating a native plant nursery to assist with re-vegetation efforts in disturbed areas.

Trees & Shrubs Traveling the waters of Voyageurs, one can enjoy the same views the French-Canadian voyageurs witnessed – majestic white and red pine interspersed with spruce, fir, aspen, birch, jack pine, and red maple. Disembarking on a rocky shoreline, one can find the same delicious blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and hazelnuts that sustained the voyageurs on their journeys as well as the bearberry they smoked in their pipes and the birch bark they used to patch their canoes. Woody plants, whether six inches or 100 feet in height, continue to thrive in the park as they have done for thousands of years.

Wildflowers From the earliest violets in spring, to the last asters in fall, the forests and wetlands of Voyageurs are alive with color. Over the course of the season, watch the colors change as over 400 wildflowers bloom.

Ethnobotanical Garden Many of the plants found in the park have been used by people for centuries. Some of these plants are important sources of food, while others have been used for shelter and clothing. Visitors to the garden can learn what these plants are, how they were used by earlier residents of the area, why they are important, and how exotic plants harm native plant communities.

Exotic Plants The forests and wetlands of Voyageurs are healthy, but they are also threatened. One of the more significant threats is exotic plants . These are plants that are not native to the region. Some of these exotics are relatively harmless, while others have the potential to take over large swathes of habitat, displacing the native plants and the animals that depend on them. Staff work diligently to prevent these invaders from establishing in the park, and to remove them when found.

Voyageurs is a water-based national park All campsite types (except primitive) require a watercraft in summer All camping types require a reservation/permit Lakes can remain ice-covered until mid-May, but ice-out dates vary greatly Lakes typically begin to freeze up in November If winter camping or venturing onto the ice, check the most recent trails report Planning a camping trip at a water-based park comes with extra considerations, but by understanding the options below, you can be sure to find an adventure that best suits you! Click on a camping type below to learn more about planning your Voyageurs adventure!

Winter Camping Campsites in the park may also be accessed by foot and snowmobile when proper winter conditions and safe ice are present. With the proper precautions and winter safety guidelines in mind, Voyageurs National Park is an ideal winter adventure destination! Site Types and Amenities Available Voyageurs National Park has a variery of site types to accommodate visitors, from overnight campsites to day use areas for picnics and swimming. Here's a breakdown of all the site types you can find in Voyageurs National Park. Leave No Trace Principles In a water-based National Park with remote campsites, we hope that visitors feel compelled to do their part in keeping this special place pristine for the enjoyment of future visitors. The stewardship mindset is so very important in maintaining the health and beauty of this and all protected places. Please keep these simple yet impactful Leave No Trace principals in mind to help guide you in leaving the places you visit better than you found them.

Frontcountry, Backcountry & Primitive Campsite Map All frontcountry and backcountry campsites require travel by boat. Primitive sites do not require a boat but require hiking several miles. Click on any site below to see more detailed information and make reservations on recreation.gov. Use the map's measuring tool to find distances between sites or plan paddling routes.

Have access to a watercraft? These 137 sites are located on the park's large lakes and are directly accessible from any park boat launch.

Looking for a secluded camping trip that incorporates backpacking? These remote sites require a boat ride to a trailhead followed by hiking.

Want a backcountry experience without leaving the mainland? VNP has two hike-in campsites along the Kab-Ash Trail that don't require a boat!

Prefer a campground you can drive a car or RV to? Click here for nearby campground options outside the boundaries of the park.