Silence Aloud

Before modern thriving businesses and travelers hotels, Duluth Minnesota was just a small port town for the Native American people. For thousands of years American Indian tribes lived along this coast of Lake Superior. Researches believe that the first Indian tribes were from the Paleo-Indian culture. Over many centuries the area was inhabited by the Old Copper people, the Woodlands people to the current Ojibwa tribes that are still living in the area. Visitors can still find really well crafted tribal goods to add to their collection.

Duluth became a more active port in 1659 when traders came looking for furs in the area. Pierre Esprit Radisson came with Medard Chouart des Groseilliers were the first from the western world to land along the shore. The city finally had a name when Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut came to the area and gave it its namesake in 1679. He came to settle the rivalries that existed between the Dakota Indians and the Ojibwa Indians as well as to solidify the fur trading that was growing. His presence did help the natives to get along better and did indeed make the trade business prosper.

The fur trade was quite the battle of territory for many years until the next big business was founded, mining. There were rumors of copper started around the 1850s. Then the rumors turned to gold which turned into iron ore mining. The port got even busier with ships coming for fur and ore. The area boomed. Then there were more channels created for ships and boats to make it to near by areas. The copper mines dried up so timber became the next export. Due to a nation wide financial melt down, the city was emptied leaving fourteen or so families by 1869. But the town made it’s way back and by the end of the 19th century the city of Duluth was filled with plenty of millionaires.

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