The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-05-05
FIRST HABITATION, FIRST
MISSION AND FIRST
CHURCH IN WIS
.CONSIN.
(By Louis Charron, Mission Springs
Resort, Nash, Wis.,

comprising the state of Wisconsin
was built by Pierre d'Esprit Raids.
son, a young Frenchman, on the
shores of Chequamegon Bay, at 9
place now called Shores Landing OF
Lovers lane, opposite the Benz
cottage, near Mission Springs, Mash
Wis.
Sup. E. G. Doudna Of the Wiscon.
sin Rapids Grand Rapids) schools
has written a very interesting little
school history of the state which he
calls "Our Wisconsin" in which, m
der the captain of First Habitatior
in Wisconsin, he writes as follows;
"Three years after their return
the two men (Radisson and Des Gro
SELLERS, the brother-in-law of Rad
isson) determined on second voy-
age. Unlicensed traders were now
forbidden by the king Of France to
go into the Northwest but they left
secretly for the upper lakes. They
left from Three Rivers, on the north
shore Of st. Lawrence river, be.
tween Quebec and Montreal in the
year 1862 Going along the southern
shore of Lake Superior until they
came to Chequamegon Bay, they
continued their explorations.
"They portrayed over Chequameg-
on Point of Peninsula south Che
qquamegon Bay, they continued their
explorations.
"They portrayed over Chequamegon
Point or Peninsula south of Made
line Island. Long Island was then
connected with Chequamegon Point
which has since been separated or
account of the heavy win6 anS waves
forming shorter point a. Che
quamegon Point and an island, Long
Island, where the LaPointe light
house now stands. Near where
Ashland now stands they first built
cache for their furs and spent the
winter with the Hurons at Boyd's
creek. This was shortly after 1863
At about 1861 or 1862 they con-
structed near Mission Springs re-
sort in front of Beno's cottage the
first habitation ever built by white
men in Wisconsin and around II
they built a little fort of stakes out
sid of which was long cord upon
which bells were tied.
The last winter they spent there
was very severe. AS a result they
were reduced to eating boiled skins
ground bone and bark of trees.
"However, when the weather was
favorable they caught SturegonD
Pike etc. in the Bay"
| They returned to Canada and told
the missionaries in Three Rivers Of
tn, two Indian villages at the head
of the bay. It was then that
Father Claude John Claude Jean)
Allouez started for Chequamegor
Bay.
He built small church at Mission
Springs resort in 1865. A year OF
two later he brought carpenters
from Quebec to built chapel which
was an object of wonder for the
wondering tribes of Indians, who
visited the bay to trade with thu
white people, VINO had succeeded
Radisson and sGrosielhers at
Old LaPointe near Nash, Wis.
There two chapels were the frs
Claude Allouez built in Wisconsin
and on the shores of Lake Superior.
In 1910 the Mission was given ~
because the Huron Indians had t
leave before the Dakatos and Siou1
who were threatening them. Tn
Hurons went to Mackinac ISLAM
near st. Ignace. Father Marquette
followed them there. He built
church on the main land near Mac
Ikinac Island. Father marquette
had built another church in 1868 a
Sault Marie, (The Soo) Mich. Thi
church was not on Lake superior
but on the river Saint Marie which
connects Lake Superior with Hurol
and Michigan.
| After Father Allouez lett La
Pointe at Mash for, Depere, nea
Green Bay, in 1869, he built churc
| in honor of St. Francis Xavier, tn
| Apostle of India ard Japan at De
lpere.
So the first habitation, chapel an
mission on Lake Superior and i
| Wisconsin were on Chequemago
Bay.
LOUIS CHARRON,
Mission Springs Resort,