University of Minnesota - Gopher Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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the old world, so they suspended opera- tions in Minnesota. For the next 50 years there was inter- mittent fierce fighting involving Indians French or English. There was also a great deal of exploring in progress, many of the adventurers traveling the same routes that tourists canoe each summer today. But in 1762 France ceded the territory west of the Mississippi to Spain. And when the French lost the French and Indian wars the land went over to the British. Although the United States received its independence, the British didn't move out of the territory for 30 years because they hadn't heard the news of the treaty. Then in l803 the rest of the state fell to the U.S. under the Louisiana Purchase. Following this acquisition President Thomas-Jefferson sent Lt. Zebulon Pike to inform the British that they no longer were owners of the territory. In his trav- els, which carried him as far north as Leech Lake, he also bought the future sight of the Twin Cities for 60 gallons of whiskey and S200 worth of trinkets. Fort St. Anthony, one of the best forts in this part of the country, and at the same time a great fur trading center, was built in 1820. Four years later its name was changed to Fort Snelling. Although it was an excellent fort, it has become frustrated from the lack of use. There has yet to be a shot fired from the fort. Henry R. Schoolcraft and Lewis Cass sailed up the Mississippi with the inten- tion of finding the source of this high- way of early Minnesota. Cass thought that Cass Lake which he had discovered Minneapolis' first electric st 'c , i889

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Washington Avenue in l857, loo Occupying the land following the re- cession of the glaciers were the Indians. The red man was actually the first ex- plorer and discoverer of Minnesota. But he lost the title of discoverer when he failed to record his findings for future historians. In 1898 an ancient stone, called the Kensington Rune Stone, was uncovered in Dakota County. Fifteen inches wide by three feet high, it had the date 1362 inscribed upon it. But according to all available signs, no other white men came to this area for almost 300 years after that. France established a claim in North America when jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River as far as the present site of Montreal. Samuel de Champlain and Jean Nicolet further established the French name in the New king east from Second Avenue Souih World in 1634-when they explored part of the land northeast of Minnesota. Fourteen years later Radisson became the hrst person, excluding the Rune people, to set foot on the land that is now a part of Minnesota. Father Louis Hennepin followed close on the heels of Radisson as his ven- tures carried him up the Mississippi. His word story of his travels up the great river are still accurate. The Priest con- tinued to Mille Lacs where he and two of his companions were adopted by an Indian tribe. After he was freed by Sieur Du Luth, he proceeded to name the Falls of St. Anthony, which, with his weakness for exaggeration, Hennepin later stated to be forty or fifty feet in height. From this time until 1727 the French had more than their share of trouble in

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15 years previous was the source, but Schoolcraft proved to him that Itasca was the actual origin. About 1840 the sound of the steam- boat's whistle meant the start of spring ' N . .431 EA The first passenger and freight station in Minneapolis just as the first robin is the telling sign today. It was also about this time that the fabulous period of the fur trader and the explorer was coming to a halt. The Indians were starting to sign treaties. The future capital of Minnesota re- ceived its beginning when all squatters were forced out of Wisconsin. So they moved across the river. Pig's Eye Par- rant was the hrst settler to camp on the spot that is now St. Paul. He built his home at the place where the Union sta- tion is located today. This was the shaky start of St. Paul. Thomas Williamson established the first church in 1841. It was dedicated to St. Paul. So the steamboat men started calling that area St. Paul's Landing. It was shortened to St. Paul's and then to St. Paul. Now Pig's Eye had become a Christian community. Years later St. Paul was chosen as the city to have the state capitol. But then in 1857 a bill came to the floor to move the capitol to St. Peter. A man from Pem- bina by the name of Ioe Rolette took care of that though. He stole the bill and hid until the legislature broke session. Also, the capitol of the state of Minnesota was almost placed on Nicollet Island. It missed by the margin of one vote. Harriet E. Bishop, coming to Minne- sota from Vermont, started the first school. The first school in St. Anthony Falls was established by Electa Backus. But the real boost to education was ad- ministered by Martin McCloud who as- sured the passage of a bill which made education for those between the ages of four and twenty-one free. At the Stillwater Convention in 1848 the people of this area decided to send A bunk house scene in an early lumber camp Henry H. Sibley as a representative of the Territory of Wisconsin. On arriving Sibley was seated after an extended de- bate within the Senate.