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Superior: Under the Shadow of the Gods
The history of Lake Superior's magnificent shore is explored in all its drama in this remarkable book. An inland ocean of incredible power, Superior is an ancient and mysterious dwelling place for the gods. Its spirit rises far above that of an ordinary lake. Explorers, dreamers, and industrialists moved in to plunder and possess, but Superior took them all to task. The book is filled with compelling stories of the adventures, failures, triumphs, and deceits of those who came to fulfill their dreams. Tales of ghost villages, islands, shipwrecks, the railway and POW camps will fascinate anyone intrigued by the world's largest freshwater lake. For those travelling by land or by water, the books 200 sites, maps, and archival photographs will enrich your journey from Sault Ste. Marie past Thunder Bay to the Minnesota border.
- GenresNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 25, 2024
Superior: Under the Shadow of the Gods
Barbara Chisholm (editor), Andrea Gutsche, Russell Floren
Like Michener the authors begin their discussion of Superior with a creation story involving lava flows and tectonic plates. Some of the jargon used is lost on a lay person.
It goes on to document conflicts with First Nations which continue to this very day.
The boom and bust economy repeats itself here, big shots exploit a resource until it is exhausted then pull out leaving their workers unemployed. The cycle is repeated with fish, forests, ore.
As the survey of the coastline begins in the Sault Jesuit Missionaries lay the groundwork for the European Capitalists that followed them. Those Capitalists may have had little interest in the Pagan’s Souls but they recognized the value of the contacts the Jesuits provided them.
Much of the book describes shipwrecks, the Edmund Fitzgerald a prime example. And dramatic rescues and the men who performed them.
The building of Highway 17 is quite another tale. As was Van Horne and the CPR.
Agawa Canyon on the Algoma Central Railway
My trip didn’t hit peak foliage. Since the mine closed the track is no longer properly maintained and the train crawled near walking speed. The allowance was not cut back so there was very little to see along the way bit bush.
Canada still retains 51 staffed lighthouses. A thousand including famed Peggys Cove were termed redundant. In flagrant disregard for the welfare of its lighthouse keepers bean counters ceased the practice of providing ships to deliver lighthouse keepers to and from remote islands. With Island lights up to 65 miles from shore this became a death sentence for many.
Not to be forgotten are the characters who inhabited this wild rocky shore. I particularly like the codger who sat his rocking chair reading and finished his chapter before looking up to say “Hello”.
In prison solitary confinement is considered a cruel form of punishment but lightkeepers in bad weather were often abandoned for months at a time and fishermen, trappers, and miners often embraced a solitary existence. Making pets of beaver, groundhogs, squirrels, and even snakes provided companionship and rodent control.
The first people who came to Superior’s North Shore came for its natural resources: Furs and Fish, Forests and Mines. When the asset was depleted they departed. Others came or were brought to build highways and railbeds. Today those same highways bring tourists intent on admiring the area’s natural beauty.
Barbara Chisholm (editor), Andrea Gutsche, Russell Floren
Like Michener the authors begin their discussion of Superior with a creation story involving lava flows and tectonic plates. Some of the jargon used is lost on a lay person.
It goes on to document conflicts with First Nations which continue to this very day.
The boom and bust economy repeats itself here, big shots exploit a resource until it is exhausted then pull out leaving their workers unemployed. The cycle is repeated with fish, forests, ore.
As the survey of the coastline begins in the Sault Jesuit Missionaries lay the groundwork for the European Capitalists that followed them. Those Capitalists may have had little interest in the Pagan’s Souls but they recognized the value of the contacts the Jesuits provided them.
Much of the book describes shipwrecks, the Edmund Fitzgerald a prime example. And dramatic rescues and the men who performed them.
The building of Highway 17 is quite another tale. As was Van Horne and the CPR.
Agawa Canyon on the Algoma Central Railway
My trip didn’t hit peak foliage. Since the mine closed the track is no longer properly maintained and the train crawled near walking speed. The allowance was not cut back so there was very little to see along the way bit bush.
Canada still retains 51 staffed lighthouses. A thousand including famed Peggys Cove were termed redundant. In flagrant disregard for the welfare of its lighthouse keepers bean counters ceased the practice of providing ships to deliver lighthouse keepers to and from remote islands. With Island lights up to 65 miles from shore this became a death sentence for many.
Not to be forgotten are the characters who inhabited this wild rocky shore. I particularly like the codger who sat his rocking chair reading and finished his chapter before looking up to say “Hello”.
In prison solitary confinement is considered a cruel form of punishment but lightkeepers in bad weather were often abandoned for months at a time and fishermen, trappers, and miners often embraced a solitary existence. Making pets of beaver, groundhogs, squirrels, and even snakes provided companionship and rodent control.
The first people who came to Superior’s North Shore came for its natural resources: Furs and Fish, Forests and Mines. When the asset was depleted they departed. Others came or were brought to build highways and railbeds. Today those same highways bring tourists intent on admiring the area’s natural beauty.
April 15, 2018
Even if you are not going traveling but want to find out about the Canadian Side of the Lake, this is the book. If you are going to go on a trip through the area this will enhance the trip exponentially.
November 21, 2025
Excellent source material for my forthcoming book about Lake Superior. I love the detailed history of the Ontario shoreline, especially strong between Sault Ste. Marie and the Rossport area. You can find the accompanying video on YouTube, but the book is so much deeper.
May 19, 2019
Great book of its kind, gives you a new appreciation for Lake Superior and the peoples who lived there long ago.
March 22, 2008
This is a remarkable collection of stories from the Canadia north shore of Lake Superior. I picked it up on my way from Michigan to Minnesota last summer. I wish I could have taken a month to explore the many towns and settlements lost to history along that beautiful but desolate stretch.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the region.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the region.
July 22, 2018
I grew up along the north shore of superior. This is a great account of what occurred before my time. I enjoyed it!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews