National Register of Historic Places

Savanna Portage

McGregor, Aitkin County, Minnesota
Listed
April 22, 1973
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
73000963

About this property

Savanna Portage State Park is a state park in the U.S. State of Minnesota established in 1961 to preserve the historic Savanna Portage, a difficult 6-mile (9.7 km) trail connecting the watersheds of the Mississippi River and Lake Superior. The portage trail crosses a drainage divide separating the West Savanna River, which drains to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, from the East Savanna River, which flows in an opposite direction to the Saint Louis River, Lake Superior and the Great Lakes, and the Saint Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean. Savanna Portage was a canoe portage used by Native Americans for centuries before being used by European explorers, fur traders, Voyageurs, coureurs des bois, and missionaries of the 18th and 19th centuries. It was a vital link connecting the Mississippi waterways to the west with the Great Lakes to the east. The portage was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 for having state-level significance in the themes of commerce, exploration/settlement, and transportation. The park which contains it is 17 miles (27 km) north and east of McGregor, Minnesota, and approximately 50 miles (80 km) west of Duluth, Minnesota.

Location

McGregor, Aitkin County, Minnesota
46.84511, -93.13489

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Nearby Historic Sites

Western Bohemian Fraternal Union Hall
Civil War
23.1 mi
Church of St. Joseph (Catholic)
Civil War
23.6 mi
National Woodenware Company Superintendent's Residence
Industrial
24 mi
Church of Sts. Joseph and Mary-Catholic
Industrial
26.1 mi
Gran, Frank, Farmstead
Industrial
26.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Sandy Lake Tragedy — Ojibwe Removal (1850)
1850Indian Wars
5.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Savanna Portage listed on the National Register?

Savanna Portage was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 22, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Savanna Portage?

Savanna Portage is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Savanna Portage?

The period of significance for Savanna Portage is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Savanna Portage?

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