DATE |
EVENT |
1891 |
Minnesota State Legisture passed a concurrent resolution requesting that
the President of the United States establish a national park between
Crane Lake and Lake of the Woods. |
1959-1961 |
NPS personnel carried out reconnaissance surveys of the Kabetogama
Peninsula to determine its potential as a national park. |
Fall 1961 |
NPS Director Conrad Wirth authorized advanced studies of the Kabetogama
area as recommended by NPS staff. |
1962 |
Minnesota Governor Elmer L. Andersen hosted a tour of the Kabetogama
area with guests NPS Director Conrad Wirth, State Parks Director U.W.
Hella, Minnesota Historical Society Director Russell Fridley, Naturalist
Sigurd Olson, and George Amidon, the official representing the Minnesota
and Ontario Paper Company, the principal landowner on the Kabetogama
Peninsula. Governor Andersen wrote a consensus statement for the group
recognizing the potential of the area as a unit of the National Park
System. |
1963 |
NPS completed report on proposed Voyageurs National Park extending from
Rainy Lake to the mouth of Vermilion River at Crane Lake. This proposal
was circulated "in-house" only. |
1964 |
The first official park proposal was published for public
information. This proposal described a park located on the
Kabetogama Peninsula and adjacent waters of Rainy Lake and
Kabetogama Lake. |
1965 |
Voyageurs National Park Association was organized to promote the
establishment of a national park on the Kabetogama Peninsula. |
October 1967 |
A Citizens Committee for Voyageurs National Park was established to
generate public support for the park proposal across the state. |
November 1967 |
Governor Harold Levander sponsored a special workshop on Voyageurs
National Park in Virginia, Minnesota. Levander endorsed the park in
December. |
1968 |
NPS published a Master Plan for the proposed Voyageurs National Park. |
April 1969 |
Representative John Blatnik introduced a Voyageurs National
Park bill in the Congress. His proposal extended the park beyond
the Kabetogama Peninsula to include Namakan and Sand Point
Lakes. |
August 1969 |
The House Subcommittee on Parks and Recreation held field hearings in
International Falls, Minnesota on the Voyageurs National Park
legislation. |
July 1970 |
House Subcommittee on Parks and Recreation held hearings in Washington
D.C. |
October 1970 |
House of Representatives approved Voyageurs National Park legislation. |
December 4, 1970 |
Senate Subcommittee on Parks and Recreation held hearings on Voyageurs
National Park bill in Washington, D.C. |
December 22, 1970 |
Senate approved Voyageurs National Park bill after adding amendments. |
December 29, 1970 |
House agreed with Senate amendments and Voyageurs National Park bill was
sent to the President for signature. |
January 8, 1971 |
President Nixon signed bill authorizing Voyageurs National Park. |
May 1971 |
Minnesota State Legislature approved donation of state lands for
Voyageurs National Park to comply with Congressional requirements. |
June 1971 |
Myrl Brooks appointed Project Manager for Voyageurs. Brooks became the
first superintendent of the park after its formal establishment. |
April 8, 1975 |
Voyageurs was formally established as the 36th national park. |