This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Hafeman keeps birch bark canoe tradition alive in Minnesota
William Hafeman, at the Bigfork River site near Bigfork, Minnesota, preserves birch bark canoe making learned from Chippewa and Algonquin craft. He built 30 and 37 foot Voyageur canoes and sold his first small canoe for 25 dollars during hard times. He later branched into wooden resort boats post World War II, employing several workers and producing thousands of boats.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bigfork
State Historical Society Museum
St. Paul
Grand Portage
Lake
Duluth
Canada
Great Lakes
Hafeman
Ely
Washington
Minnesota
McLean
Fred McLean
Deer River
Sand Lake