My Search for the Headwaters as Lewis Cass

Blogger's Apology: Sorry, if you make it through to the end of this blog you're going to have to have a lot of interest in Minnesota history, the Mississippi Headwaters, me, or have a lot of time on your hands. I debated making this into two posts, an intro and the story, but decided to go this way lest the two get too separated. Some relief however, if and when you get through this intro, the rest is just a few dozen photos with captions telling a relatively short story, but there's lots of pics.

Here in my 60's, I appear to have regressed to high school and have regained interest in acting, writing, photography and film. I've given up politics and had to replace it with something, and so far this is more sane and fun. I've done two plays...a Christmas Carol twice in '10 & '11, (If you know me that's odd from a registered humbug) and also a documentary film that has historical reenactments ala the history channel, as you will see if you stick with it.

Eventually, "True Source" or Veritas Caput will be an interactive web site for the classroom about that history, but also a documentary film to be finished sometime in 2012. (Will it make the History Channel?) 

A trailer for the film has already been produced. Click on the links below for Veritas Caput web page, facebook page, and film trailer. You really ought to look at the trailer, it's good...might entice ya to come back and read all of this. ;-)

See True Source Trailer:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAiJ4C_d8xM

You can already interact with maps and still photos (eventually also with film) and learn all you could possibly want to by visiting the Veritas Caput Website:

Veritas Caput Web Page:   http://veritascaput.homestead.com/

And finally, you can learn even more about the process and become a friend of the Headwaters by visiting Veritas Caput Facebook page:

Veritas Caput Facebook Page  http://www.facebook.com/VeritasCaput.TrueSource?sk=info

BACKGROUND on Lewis Cass

Veritas Caput

Did you know that Henry Rowe Schoolcraft journeyed to northern Minnsota TWICE, in search of the Mississppi River Headwaters? In addition to his trek of 1832 in which Ojibwe leader Ozawindib guided him to Lake Irasca, he was actually along on an earlier trip in 1820, in which he accompanied Governor Lewis Cass (of Michigan) up the Mississippi River as far as Red Cedar Lake.

Cass determined that Red Cedar Lake was probably the source of the Mississippi and, having had enough of the clouds of mosquitos in the north woods, turned around and went back home to Michigan! Red Cedar Lake was subsequently renamed Cass Lake in his honor--but Schoolcraft suspected that one of the tributaries of Cass Lake would lead further upstream to the ultimate source of the Mississippi, so he vowed to return someday and explore further.

We are getting ready for scenes depicting the young Schoolcraft on his first journey with Cass, as well as his later journey with Ozawindib. We would like to introduce you to the latest addition to our cast of explorers, Michael Meuers of Bemidji, who will be playing Lewis Cass.

Michael has long been active in local politics, having served for many years as chair of the Beltrami County Democrats. He is a civic and community leader involved with many community- building committees and programs, most recently helping to establish the Bemidji-area Ojibwe Language Project. He has also enjoyed theater since his first time on the stage in high school, and was most recently seen in the Paul Bunyan Playhouse production of "A Christmas Carol." Welcome Michael!

Background on the Project: Veritas Caput

"Veritas Caput" is a special film project that will result in the creation of both an historical documentary, and an interactive on-line map featuring audiovisual materials (music, soundscapes, photos, and film vignettes) to create a virtual expedition through the Mississippi Headwaters Region.

It is a project of the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education (MAGE), initiated with support from a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society's Historical and Cultural Legacy Grant program. It will also include a soundtrack produced with grants from the Minnesota Region II Arts Council, and will be linked as an educational resource to the curriculum projects of MAGE's "Mapping Minnnesota" program, and the National Geographic Society Education Foundation's Freshwater Education Initiative.

Filmed, written, produced, and Directed by Janet Rith-Najarian and Norwood Hall...along "with a little  help from their friends."

All photographs copyright 2011 by Janet Rith-Najarian of Rivers Edge Geographics, except in the case of public domain images and/or as otherwise noted. (The shots above either I or Barb took as well as a couple at the end.)

Here's the story, hope it doesn't bore you by being too long. Oh, one more note, if you double click on a photo, all photos will come up and you can look at them in larger format one at a time.

Governor Cass winds his way from Michigan into the north woods!

Lewis Cass was the governor of Michigan in 1820, which meant that the unorganized Minnesota territory was under his jurisdiction.

Curious to see what resources lay in the western "frontier" of his jurisdiction, he agreed to lead an expedition to explore it in May, 1820.

Clearly, such an expedition could result in improvements on this map!

And what an expedition it was! Beginnng near Detroit, the survey party headed north, skirting Michigan's Upper Peninsula...

...then they paddled west to the Apostle Islands and on to Duluth on the west end of Lake Superior

Governor Cass picked the young Indian agent Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to assist with the natural history survey of the trek, as Henry had studied a bit of geology--as well as linguistics-- during his time at Middlebury College.

Henry was to work closely with David Bates Douglass, who was brought along to study and collect plants, as well as doing topographic surveys during their journey

James Doty, secretary to the Michigan legislature, came along and kept a journal of the expedtion. His first entry, describing the mission of their journey, was dated May 24, 1820.

Adding to Doty's journal, Schoolcraft was to keep a weather log to aid in understanding the local climate. Fortunately he had in his possession a brand new thermometer of his very own, which made it possible to measure air temperature every day. His records demonstrate that the summer of 1820 was unusually cold! Nightime temperatures often dipped into the low 30's. He even reported puddles turning to ice on some nights, even in mid-July!

Measuring water temperature was one of Schoolcraft's jobs too.

So how does today compare to yesterday? Unfortunately, along with the cool temperatures, it is often rainy and cloudy--and this means difficulty assessing their bearings, since a view of the sun is needed to get latitude readings. It also means clouds of mosquitos! — with Reed Olson and Michael Meuers.

Meanwhile, Schoolcraft goes off into the woods to search for interesting rocks...

...brings back lots of new ones for his collection.

Schoolcraft explains to Cass why basalt stones might be found along the north shore of Lake Superior: volcanoes must have existed there years ago!

What else lies under the surface of the hills west of Lake Superior?

Cass and Schoolcraft examine a stone with interesting red striations, probably due to bands of iron. Might that Range of hills over yonder be rich with iron depsoits?

Having collected a variety of rock specimens and observed many different rock layers exposed along Lake Superior's shores and cliffs, Schoolcraft begins to piece together a schematic for the geologic hisotry of the region.

Meanwhile, David Bates Douglass meets up with the gang, eager to show them the treasure trove of interesting plants he's found while checking out the woods near their campsite.

Such a rich and interesting understory!

The land of pine and birch also has pockets of deciduous forest and herbaceous undergrowth, full of plants previously undescribed in the scientific record.

Douglass shows off some of his earlier findings, already pressed and dried in his trusty plant press.

Using a magnifying glass, he examines the characterisitcs of this new plant

Cass and Schoolcraft check it out as well. Could this plant have any economic use?

Probably not useful as an economic plant, but we should check with the Ojibwe neighbors to see what they think!

And as far as science goes...Do we know the genus? Or even the plant family? ...And should we care?

Of course, Douglass does care. One of the advantages of botanizing among unclassified plants is the principal of "Finders-Keepers-Namers." Douglass's journal describes his collection of a tiny purple flower in the mustard family, now named Purple Cress. Its scientific name is "Cardamine douglassii," which of course he named after himself!

Hey, wait, Hullllloooooo! Could it be that another boatload of voyageurs is headed our way?

Cass gets out his trusty telescope

Ahoy, indeed! A Voyageur canoe approaches.

Visitors headed our way! Make camp ready! And Schoolcraft, would you kindly rustle up a pot of coffee for the newcomers while I change? I need to look my governorial best!

Amongst the the voyageur contingent is fur trader William Morrison, now head agent at the Fond du Lac Fur post. So tell us, Morrison, is it true that the headwaters of the Mississippi River are near Lake of the Woods, and that we should travel on the Rainy River to get there? Pshaw, says Morrison, certainly not! That will add a month on to your trip, plus get you to the wrong place. West and slightly north from Fond du Lac is where you want to go! I'll sketch you a map to show you how to get to Red Cedar Lake, and from there you can go up the Biche River to Lac la Biche if the water isn't too low. — with Michael Meuers.

Morrison sketches out the suggested route with charcoal ink on birchbark

So, you pick up the St Louis river at Fond du Lac, hang a right, then portage left. Once you get to Sandy Lake you can pick up the Missippi River and go west from there.

Cass compares Morrison's sketch map to their official--but limited-- map of the western Great Lakes. The official map was made by Lewis and Clark, who never travelled to northern Minnesota but guessed on the details so that the map of their expedition up the Missouri wouldn't show a blank empty space in the adjacent territory.

What a coincidence that the Cass party crossed paths with William Morrison! Having spent the past 16 years in the Headwaters region, first as a fur trader in the hinterlands west of Lac Travers, and now as head agent of the fur post at Fond du Lac, Morrison knows his way around the territory. But now he needs to continue on his journey east for a rendezvous at Mackinac. Thank you, sir, for the good advice! — with Amos Miller.

Alrighty, then, says Schoolcraft, let's revise the expedition plan! — with Scott Alan Merschman and Reed Olson.

Here's an idea: the St Louis River empties into Lake Superior and can be followed upstream heading west, then north. However, its a treacherous rocky river! We can lighten the loads in our canoes, thus reducing our danger in travelling, if we split our group and send some backapacking overland all the way to to Sandy Lake.

The rest would take the river route, and then the shorter Savannah Portage.

Lets get our bearings...then off we go!

The river contingent heads off for the St Louis River, ferrying Governor Cass with them. Meanwhile, Schoolcraft and the overland group strike out for what should be a several day hike through the woods, but becomes days of slogging through miles of knee deep mud and getting lost in endless tamarack bogs.

Fortunately, both groups had plenty of provisions for lunch breaks! Lots of jerky and hard tack — with Scott Alan Merschman and Michael Meuers.

Finally, days later, the overland group straggles into the fur post at Sandy Lake, and meets up with the rest of the gang. Cass wonders, where have you been? I can show show you on the map, says Schoolcraft, but as for how it went...you don't even want to know...

Were the mosquitos really that big? Yes indeedy, and the swamp muck made us their prisoners for days...been there, done that, not doing it again!

At any rate, after all that slogging through bogs, we could use a good washing up...

At Sandy Lake, Cass decides to leave most of the group behind to rest up for awhile, and organizes a small survey party of several men and 3 small canoes who will foray ahead.

The plan is to paddle as quickly as possible up to Red Cedar Lake, then as quickly as possible back to Sandy Lake, meet up with the rest of their group, and then go down the Mississippi River from there to Fort Snelling.

To keep the canoe loads light en route to Red Cedar Lake, the survey party leaves the tents behind at Sandy Lake, and will pick them up on their return. This means a blanket for each man, and tons of mosquitos as bedfellows

SCHOOLCRAFT!!! Tell one of the boys to build a smoky fire, too many mosquitos are buzzing around my head and they're driving me NUTS! — with Michael Meuers.

After each sleepless night, it's an early start to the next day's paddle...and they're off again! Fortunately, other than one portage around Pokegama Falls, navigating the river is fairly easy.

Between Lake Winnipee and Red Cedar Lake, endless beds of wild rice blanket the shoreline. Botanist David Douglass is, of course, intrigued!

Finally, the survey party arrives at Red Cedar Lake. They see Star Island ahead of them, but don't have time to explore it.

Instead, the skirt the north shore, looking for the fur trader's outpost they've been told is located there.

Upon landing, the survey party encounters the local fur trader's Metis wife, picking berries. She invites them back to the cabin for a hot meal — with Anita Marocco.

You gentlemen stay here, I'll see what I can rustle up for dinner!

The gang has been up and paddling since 5 am, took a quick lunch break, arrived at the fur traders outpost at 4 in the afternoon, and plan to paddle back downstream on the river another 13 miles before the day is done, so, yes indeed, a nice hot meal is very welcome!

The fur trader's wife apologizes that she has so little to offer, but it was a late spring, and there hasn't been much to harvest yet from the fur post garden. However, she does have some freshly made wild rice and venison sausages, boiled and seasoned young potatoes, wild rice cooked with maple sugar, and of course, fresh berries! After days of dried beef jerky and hard tack--same old, same old--this meal looks like a feast.

Some coffee to top off your meal, good sir? — with Anita Marocco

At the mention of coffee, Schoolcraft is reminded that he has gifts for his hostess. First, a bag of his own coffee, which he roasted in a skillet over the fire and ground by pounding it with rocks. Hmm mmm, good coffee! Schoolcraft is, after all, known to be quite a coffee conoisseur. — with Scott Alan Merschman and Reed Olson.

Thanks so much! You brought me coffee just in time to replenish my waning supplies! And Waabooz brand coffee is my favorite! — with Anita Marocco, Reed Olson and Michael Meuers.

But that's not all, Schoolcraft has another gift to present. Oh my, what have we here?

Copper nuggets! Schoolcraft collected them on the Keewanaw peninsula in Lake Superior. Perfect for a new necklace!

Having enjoyed a good meal, feeling satisfied that Red Cedar Lake was the headwater source of the Mississippi River, having approved Schoolcraft's suggestion that the lake be renamed Cassina Lake in honor of Governor Cass, the crew is ready to turn around and go back downstream. Bon Voyage! — with Scott Alan Merschman.

However, Schoolcraft wasn't convinced that Lake Cassina--later called Cass Lake-- really was the great river's source...he wondered about the tributaries that fed into it, and vowed to come back some day to investigate them further. So, in the end,assisting Cass on his 1820 expedition set the stage for Schoolcraft's own later expedition to Itasca in 1832, and his subsequent fame....and infamy! Stay tuned for the rest of the story....

Amos and Amos. Miller and Einerson. Miller is the son of Known Only Locally musicians Jim and Kristi Miller. Einerson is a good liberal who's been promoting solar energy forever, and the Father of Sarah Jane. The rustic old cabin where the picnic above was held is on the Einerson property.