MN Historical Society

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 and 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.