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History

In the 18th century, the waterway that stretched from the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, up to Lake Winnipeg and Hudson Bay, and far into the remote lakes of the Northwest Territories was known as the "voyageur highway." The French-Canadian canoe men who were employed as couriers along this route were known, appropriately enough, as "voyageurs." European cloth, guns, pots, and other manufactured goods were traded with the Native tribes in return for fur pelts.

The life of a voyageur was not an easy one. Voyageurs paddled from before sunrise to after sunset, resting only briefly through the day. On the frequent portages, each man carried two "bales" containing furs or supplies on his back, totaling about 180 pounds. Despite the hardships and backbreaking work, the voyageurs made the best of it, singing and joking as they traveled. Most voyageurs renewed their employment year after year, enjoying the freedom and adventure of the wilderness.