DAY TRIP DESTINATIONS: NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY By Katie Leibel | Photos courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
The Lower Sioux Agency site features a visitor center and self-guided trails that interpret agency and Dakota history.
Native American History Minnesota dedicates many sites to Native history with educational programs, exhibits
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his month we travel all over the state to learn more about history, specifically, the history of Indigenous people in Minnesota as this is an important part of our story. After all, the words “Minnesota” and “Mankato” come from Native languages. With many museums and attractions closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting historic sites might not be as easy as it would be in years past, but some adaptations have been made to continue efforts to educate.
Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum
Just down the road from the Fortune Bay Resort and Casino on Lake Vermilion, you can find the Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum. The site includes many activities — educational and
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recreational — for those stuck with the winter blues. The museum, owned and operated by the Bois Forte Band, is dedicated to telling the Bois Forte Ojibwe story, as their name, Atisokanigamig, or Legend House, implies. This group is one of seven in the Minnesota Chippewa tribe. “We have ice fishing available at the Fortune Bay Marina, snowmobile trails and the resort where you can stay and visit for the weekend or however long you intend to stay,” said Kyle Littlewolf, the visitor service manager. Guests can enjoy these activities and learn about the Bois Forte, with context not found in most history books. “We found our way migrating through the Great Lakes and fought for our lands. We also had visions of finding the food that grew on water, which lead us to where we are now,” Littlewolf said.
