The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-06-30
PIONEER TIMES.
Paper by Hon. Thos. Hughes on
Territorial Days in the Tin
neSOta VALLEY.

nesota Valley.
The following paper was read by
Attorney Thomas Hughes at the old
settlers meeting held Dec ID, 1899:
AS territorial settlers we are inter
ested in territorial days 1t is my pur-
pose to just mention few events of
that period in the history of our be-
loved Minnesota valley. Until 1850
this great and fertile valley was I'M
known to the civilized world. For a
injury or two prior to this the fur
traders had traversed the region in
their traffic with the Indians and trad,
ing posts had been maintained off and
on at Traverse des Sioux and other
points along the river. Explorers had
occasionally passed up and down this
great valley, and, enchanted by its
beauty, had written glowing reports
about it, but these had been buried in
government documents or foreign
books and had not reached the ordi-
nary reader and homeseeker.
LIE Sueur in 1900 built his Fort LIE
Huiller not far from the mouth of the
Blue Earth, which he abandoned after
spending a year or two searching for
copper in the bluffs of this vicinity,
which bluffs, blythe way, he in his
denominated mountains, about
whose lofty crests the clouds were
forever gathered. In the winter of
176667 Capt. Jonathan Carver spent
about seven months with the Indians
near the mouth of the Big Cottonwood,
and published book on his return to
England full of fabulous stories of his
adventures. In July, 1923, Maj. S. III.
Long explored the Minnesota valley,
but owing to mishap to his boat and
the hostility of the band of Indians
domiciled at the mouth of the Blue
Earth his expedition avoided the loca-
ton of our fair city by short cut
from Traverse des Sioux by way of
Swan lake.
In the summer of 1886 g. W. Feath-
erstonhough led an exploring party
through the valley and searched in
vain upon the Blue Earth bluffs for
LIE Sueur's copper mines. The same
year the missionaries, DR.. Thos. S.
Williamson and Alexander Hug
gins, began their work at Lac qui
Parle and in 1887 they were joined by
Rev. Stephen R. Riggs, who in 1S43
established a second mission station at
Traverse des Sioux.
In 1897 the artist, Geo. Catlin,
journeyed up the valley as far as the
mouth of the Big Cottonwood and
thence to the famous red stone quarries,
making his fine sketches of western
life and scenery.
In the summer of 1889 the great ex-
plorer, Gen. John G. Fremont, and
the naturalist, Jean Nicollet, trayers-
ed this whole country and the latter
gathered his data for his excellent
map of this great Undine region.
In 1S41 and again in 1915 the faith
full Father Ravaux visited, with the
consultations of religion, the isolated
posts of the French traders scattered
up and down the whole length of the
valley.
In spite of these and many other ex-
plorations, the Minnesota valley re-
manned, as have stated heretofore,
practically unknown to the average
American citizen until 1850. 1t was
isolated and secluded from the rest of
the world by nature. Stretched across
the mouth Of the Minnesota, over 100
miles long by so or 60 miles wide, lay
that vast forest, known as the Big
Woods, making complete barrier to
the progress of the immigrant. No ex-
plorer ever had ventured through this
labyrinth of tangled wood, lakes and
sloughs without an Indian guide. Nc
vehicle of any kind could pass through
it. The only way the missionaries
could get a wagon :. through was by
taking..it to pieces and ssrowing.it in
a traders boat to Traverse des Sioux.