Chippewa consulted about Isle Royale

Isle Royale looks to public, tribes about preserving cultural heritage

By Mike SimonsonOne of the most isolated national parks in the lower 48 states, located in the middle of Lake Superior, is reaching out for ideas about ways to preserve its cultural history.

The human history of Isle Royale and its 200 surrounding islands dates back 4,500 years to aboriginal prehistoric copper mining with quarries that still exist to newer things like the four 19th century lighthouses.And:DePasqual says the National Park will hold four listening sessions asking for ideas from the public as well as state and tribal governments. That’s good news for the nearby Grand Portage Tribe on Lake Superior’s North Shore. Victoria Raske is the tribal historic preservation officer.

“This is a great effort,” she says. “This is the first time that the tribes have been contacted about something like this by the National Park Service of Isle Royale.”Comment:  The existence of prehistoric copper mines contradicts the stereotype that Indians were Stone Age people who knew nothing about metals.

For more on Isle Royale, see Review of American Indians and National Parks.