The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1922-03-03
The HISTORY OF
L'ANSE TOWNSHIP
Written by Gertrude Ccsgrove, the
Winner of First Prize in
LAnse High School
tcontined from Last week)


(Contined from Last Week.
The mission shared its usual pros
perity and during this year several
heather Indians were converted.
These Indians were continuing to i'm
prove in civilization and are being ell
eyated far above what they once were
physically and intellectually ,In their
moral and social conditions. This year
the church numbered fifty-three mem
bers.
The day school was instructed by
Brother Barnum and the pupils were
progressing rapidly. There were one
hundred volumes in the library, good
supply Of primers and question books.
The Indians believed in the Great
Spirit. whom they always located In
the sky. They always regard him as
the hearer Of prayer and supreme IN
mower and they thought he would al
ways do what is right. But at the same
time they were polytheists; they
clothed the fields, forest and waters
with divinities, and regarded every
part of creation as animated with
spirits visible. and invisible. They
thought that in order to keep the good
will Of God they must make sacrific-
es and offerings to them and these
offerings must be followed by fasts to
render them acceptable. While they
regarded the Great Spirit at having
his residence in the sky they located
their minor divinities on earth. They
wcrshiped many little things they
found. Once while near Lake Super
ior, Peter Harksman found a singu-
larly shaped stone, evidently worn by
the water. This, he presented as one
of their Gods, to John H. Pitezei.
Another time John H. Southwind, sne
of the first Of the Indians tc be con-
yerted. presented him with small
image Of an old man carved in wood
designed to represent diety. This
image had been descended through
tour generations. :,
In these early years it was thought
that on account Of Lake Superior's
high latitude it would never be a
coed farming country. Point Kewee-
nav Ia less adapted to agriculture
than the vicinities farther south,
which is true. but along the southern
shore of the lake are immense bodies
of rich land timbered mostly with ma
ME and birch which is adapted TO the
growth Of most of the ordinary crops
of farming. The season is short; but
vegetation natures with surprising
rapidity. The country is good Tor
grazing and oats produce abundantiy:
field peas grow well also. Wheat had
not been fairly tested but since then
It has proved that it will grow very
well. The principal c1bps of this
county now are oats, wheat, hay and
potatoes. In 1919 there was harvest
ed in Baraga county on two thousand
one hundred thirty acres OF land, SIX
ty-eight thousand seven hundred M
ty-four bushels Of oats; eight thou
sand and ninety bushels Of wheat on
six hundred sixty acres; twelve thou.
sand one hundred seventy-our tons OF
hay on eight thousand three hundred
ninety-eight acres: and sixty-seven
thousand seven hundred fifty-four
bushels Of potatoes on six hundred
one acres. These figures show to the
prospective settlers that Baraga coun-
ty is a land Of possibilities, and it is
ar, ideal place in which to locate. The
county is also noted fer its hunting,
fishing and camping, and justly de-
serves the credit Of being called "The
Playground of All Cloverland."
Early History of L'Anse
} About the year 1870 attention was
first called to this point as an outlet
by water for q portion OF the vast
lumber and mineral wealth of the
north end of this peninsula. 1t was
thought at the time that nothing could
prevent a city from being built here,
as rival of Marquette or other cities
for manufacturing and shipping bust
ness. These prospects were so fat
tering that the people foc.sed here
from all parts Of the country to Sc
cure property in authorization of the
future wealth that would come from
the investment. So intense became
the excitement that large houses were
loaded on scows and foated thirty OF
forty miles to this point; people could
not wait to build.
In 1871, in view of the speedy COM
pletion Of the railroad. settlement
was started IN July, 1871 by 8. l.
Smith, Charles H. Palmer and Cap
tain James Bendry. The town was di-
vided into twenty-five blocks, the av.
erage price Of lot on Main street be-
ing from one Thousand to two thousand
dollars, and all were sold. These out
side parties platted large town and
sold their properties It high prices
Several hundred inhabitants fiocked ir
here with the prospects that this town
would become Of considerable import
ance. ~
When the Marquette, Houehton
Ontonagon Railroad was built a
L'Anse In 1871, the railroad compan,
built large freight deck and also Al
ore dock in 1872. The ore dock has
eighty three pockets with . capacit,
Of six thousand six hundred tons
During the year 1884. twenty-fv'
thousand sixty-seven tons Of iron or
were shipped from the iron distric
through TIE ports Of Marquette, Els
canada and LsAnse. When copper VA
discovered IN the northern part of thi
point it wAs hauled from the mine
~ wagons drawn BY oxen and shippe'
fFon kore BY. rail.
Iho rnilrosd company also bull
What y now known ~ The 1I,o1Aa
HOUSE for the ollIcee Of their men
Wbeu Tie terminus Of the railroad Va