by Nikki Rajala | Oct 12, 2017 | Featured
Guess what I finally found — the voyageur statue in Ely, Minnesota, plus the owner and the artist. (I’ve been trying to find it for a couple of years.) The Midwest’s massive monuments to their uniqueness are pure fun. My community has a large largemouth...
by Nikki Rajala | Jun 16, 2017 | Voyageur
Why were the blades of voyageur paddles red? Was it to show them how deep they should paddle? (Darcy) Hmmm. After only a few hours of paddling, canoeists wouldn’t probably need a marker on their paddles — they would instinctively know how deep to paddle. I’ve...
by Nikki Rajala | Jul 15, 2014 | Voyageur
What were voyageurs paid in the early 1800s? Were there different skills that voyageurs needed? (Rachel, age 15) Good question. They received trousers and a shirt or two, a blanket, tobacco and food while working. And money — 400 livres (I’ll find out how much that...
by Nikki Rajala | Jun 30, 2014 | Voyageur
Could anyone become a voyageur in the 1700s or 1800s? (Dylan, age 15) Nope. If you were tall — over 5 feet 6 inches tall, your legs wouldn’t fit in the canoe. So that was one requirement. Voyageurs had to be strong, willing to work long hours and live apart from their...
by Nikki Rajala | May 30, 2014 | Voyageur
What is a voyageur? (Avalyn, age 13) Think of the word “voyager” — a person taking a voyage or a trip. Voyageurs were canoemen who traveled about 1,200 miles, from near Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to Grand Portage (on the Minnesota side of Lake Superior) — and...
