The Voyageur's Highway

by Grace Lee Nute

The voyageur's highway was the route from Lake Superior along inland waterways to the Minnesota North Country. Countless people—explorers, fur traders, missionaries, map makers, lumberjacks, miners, naturalists—were drawn to the region's woods and lakeshores. Indians, French Canadians, Scandinavians, and Slavs all used the rich resources of the land to follow an old way of life or to find a new one. In a lively, clear style, Grace Lee Nute tells the fascinating story of their adventures and love of the land.

The Voyageur's Highway serves as a dependable source of historical information on the fur trade era, the opening of the Iron Range, and the loggers' way of life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel, American History, Nature

129 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1941

About the author

Historian and teacher Grace Lee Nute earned an A.B. in American literature from Smith College in 1917, an A.M. from Radcliffe College in 1918, and a Ph.D. in American history from Harvard University in 1921. Nute moved to Minnesota in 1921 and was the curator of manuscripts at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul from 1921-46, and a research associate from 1946-57. She taught Minnesota history at Hamline University from 1927-60, conducted study courses for business women from 1930-34, was a lecturer on Minnesota history for the University of Minnesota Extension Division from 1948-52, was a visiting professor at Macalester College from 1956-59, and the director of the James J. Hill papers project for the Hill Reference Library in St. Paul from 1960-66.

Nute wrote manuals on collection preservation and organization and she pioneered the use of microfilm and photocopies to preserve manuscripts and make them more accessible to scholars. Nute also wrote books and articles on the fur trade and the exploration of Minnesota, including The Voyageur (1931) and Caesars of the Wilderness (1943). Nute was on the editorial board from 1957 on for The Naturalist, the Natural History Society of Minnesota magazine. She was a consultant for the Encyclopedia Britannica film Robert Cavalier, Sieur de la Salle (1950) and Chairman of the Clarence W. Alvord Memorial Commission, Mississippi Valley Historical Association from 1940-56. She received a Guggenheim Fellowship to fund research in Europe from 1934-35, an Honorary Litt.D. from Hamline University in 1943, a Ford Foundation grant in 1945, and an Award of Merit from the Western History Association in 1981.

Reviews

[Anders Broman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Interesting history of the state of Minnesota, the Boundary Waters and the fur traders. At sometimes the book jumped around and seemed unorganized but overall good book. Really good imagery of the setting.

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the 1930s and published in 1941 with plenty of illustrations, this book is definitely dated but full of history.

[Andrew Bornhoft · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times, it can be challenging to follow, but the history is intriguing enough. While it may be considered outdated at times, it still offers valuable knowledge and understanding, particularly in the context of the era in which it was written. Worth a second read now that I have a better grasp of the context and style.

[Daniel Dendler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of the fur trade in Minnesota. Detailed and well-researched even though this book is older it still has good information. More broad than some of Nute's other books. But this book serves as a brief overview of the history of the north country.

[Dave Franklin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace Lee Nute’s, “The Voyageur’s Highway” is a competent overview of the fur trade in northern Minnesota. Nute’s research is solid and her work is informative.

There are maps and illustrations that highlight the author’s narrative.

Altogether, a good read.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, excellent history of the borderland.

[Ridge Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

an essay more than a book. interesting from both historical and historiographical standpoints

[Jolene · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at the history of northern Minnesota. Also interesting in that it was written pre-WW2 and some of the words and names of people groups are reflected as such. I learned alot and I loved the amount of pictures included that gave evidence of what the author was saying. A little dry for non-history lovers as far as non-fiction goes.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was OK. There was a lot of information that was boring or not enough detail. I did learn some facts about northern Minnesota and how people came to live and work in that region. My grandparents lived on the Iron Range so from that perspective it was good.

[Binky Bowberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the Boundary Waters / Voyagers Highway from Lake Superior to Rainy Lake. I think it helps to have traveled in this area to truly appreciate the history of those that have come before.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good read about the voyageur route form Grand Portage to lake of the woods, along the Pigeon and Rainy Rivers. She writes about the rivers, lakes rapids the voyageurs traversed during the days of the fur trade.