Since then, the community on the Lake Superior shore has seen many changes and transitions, but Raddison's impression of the Grand Marais harbor and its surrounding area still holds true. It appears that as long as there has been human life around Lake Superior, Grand Marais harbor was a place of safety and a source of sustenance. Its isolated location made it a prime place to flee danger on the water and weather a storm along Lake Superior's south eastern shoreline. Grand Marais' kidney-shaped bay naturally protects from rough water. The unique environment of the Grand Marais area makes it a source of a variety of things.
Cold streams provide trout.
Fields of blueberries and pockets of wild leeks are plentiful. Hardwood and conifer forests provided large stands of birch and cedar. All the essential ingredients for the lifestyle of the Native American. It is the setting of Native legends and is considered a sacred area. When the French explorers first came through, it is believed they stopped there, possibly as early as 1619.