A historic portage trail connecting the Mississippi and St. Lawrence watersheds. French explorer Daniel Greysolon Sieur duLhut, Duluth's namesake, was the first to make a record of his passage over this trail in 1680. His story mentions cutting through one hundred beaver dams on the Bois Brule River. He may have been the first to leave a written account, but it seems reasonable to believe that he learned of the route from Native Americans who had used it for some time.
Approximately one mile northeast of this point, a continental divide separates the watersheds of the Brule and St. Croix Rivers. The Brule flows north to Lake Superior and the St. Croix flows southerly to the Mississippi. A time worn trail connects the navigable portions of these two rivers.
Native Americans were the first to utilize this portage route. Later, voyagers, explorers, missionaries, traders and pioneers also followed it. The first documented use of this portage was in 1680 by Daniel Greysolon Sieur du Lhut, after whom the City of Duluth is named.
Because of its important role in early travel through the region, the portage is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Preservation of the portage was initiated about 1930 by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Today, it is within the boundaries of the Brule River State Forest.
Erected in 1997
