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Designing Minnesota, 1783-1858: Lessons for the Community Enterprise in the 21st Century

2007 Rural Summit: Thriving By DesignJim Ramstrom, Land Management Information Center (LMIC)MN Department of AdministrationMay 10, 2007

… a Sesquicentennial Story

ReferencesMinnesota: The land of Sky Tinted Waters- A History of the State and its People

• Three time Governor of Minnesota 1925- 1931• Newspaper editor from western Minnesota• Wrote five volume history of the state• Served in U.S. House of Representatives

• Photographs courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society, Visual Resources Database

• Maps from the Turning Points, Wisconsin Historical Society

• Maps from the American Studies Group, University of Virginia

10 Lessons for the Community or Business Enterprise

1. The importance of preparation - Benjamin Franklin

2. Timing makes the difference – Jedidiah Morse, James Doty

3. No Room for intolerance – Lewis Cass

4. Incorporate sustainability – Native American Indians

5. No niche is to small - Lord Selkirk, James J. Hill, Norman Kittson

6. Build a constituency and develop a champion – Henry Sibley

7. Turning a negative into a positive – Henry Hastings Sibley

8. Invest in education – Henry Sibley and Stephen Douglas

9. Inherent environmental conditions constrain success - Mother Nature

10. Develop a transition plan – Fur Traders, The Western Outfit

Minnesota’s Spatial History1783 to 1858

• Viewed as a geographic area, not a territory or state.• Background on Minnesota’s geographic lineage

Eco-Regions: USGS, Bailey- Provinces

Ecological Provinces in the Midwest, Minnesota in 3 Zones

Great PlainsSteppe

Great PlainsDry Steppe

Coniferous Forest

Broadleaf Deciduous

Tall GrassPrairie

American Studies Group. University of Virginia

Major Socio-Political Zones of the U.S. 1800, - Minnesota located in three zones

Land Ordinance of 1775

Federal government had no power to tax

Goal was to raise money by selling unmapped lands west of the original 13 colonies

Establish basis for Public Land survey System (PLS)

Section 16 set aside for public education

Did not define how land would become states or how it would begoverned

Northwest Ordinance 1787

Laid out the process for U.S expansion westward

Established the first U.S. territory and rules of governance

U.S. Expansion would proceed by admitting new states

Banned slavery in the new territory

Set dividing line between free and slave states

ASG, University of Virginia

Minnesota part of…

Northwest Territory of Ohio, 1787 Indiana Territory, 1800


Minnesota as part of…Illinois Territory… central Minnesota part of the Louisiana Purchase


Minnesota as part of…Michigan Territory… and totally with the U.S.


Minnesota as part of…Michigan Territory and Indian Land


Minnesota as part of…

Wisconsin and Iowa Territories


Minnesota as a…Minnesota Territory, 1849


Minnesota as a state…

Minnesota Statehood, 1858

Minnesota’s Geographic Lineage

Original thirteen colonies (1609 Virginia claim)British control of the Red River Basin until 1818French control until 1803 (Louisiana purchase)

1787 Territory Northwest of the Ohio River 1800 Indiana Territory 1809 Illinois Territory 1812 Missouri Territory 1818 Michigan Territory 1836 Wisconsin Territory 1838 Iowa Territory 1849 Minnesota Territory 1858 State of Minnesota



2. Timing is makes the difference – Jedidiah Morse, James Doty








10. Develop a transition plan – Fur Traders and the Western Outfit

Lesson #1 The Importance of Preparation

The Treaty of Paris, 1783

Benjamin Franklin

• Established the northern boundary of the U.S with the British.

• Created Northwest Angle in MN by accident

• Interest in minerals led to inclusion of MN’s arrowhead in the U.S.

U.S. Digital Map Library U.S./ Britain Proposed Boundary

Map of British and French Dominions, John Mitchell,1757, U.S. Library of Congress

Inaccuracies in Mitchell’s Map Lead to creation of Minnesota’s Northwest Angle

Native American Indians mined Copper for thousands of years. Copper Arrowheads (shown above) were traded throughout the region.

Jonathan Carver boasted of seeing Native American copper mines during his early trip in the region (1767).

Carver’s Map, 1767

U.S. Digital Map Library U.S. / Britain Proposed

Boundary

Franklin’s Proposal Corrected Line

Lesson # 2 Timing Makes the Difference

James Doty, GovernorWisconsin Territory

Lewis Cass, Governor Michigan Territory

Jedidiah Morse, Clergyman and Geographer, 1761-1826

… a proposal for an all Indian state

Published geographic textbooks, periodicals and atlases that were widely used in schools, colleges, libraries and homes.

Foremost in the field for of geography several decades.

Clergyman from New England, concerned with treatment of Native Americans

Hired by the War Department in 1820 to visit Native Americans and develop an enlightened Indian policy.

Report to the Secretary of War in 1822

Jedidiah Morse “Father of American Geography”

United States from Morse’s School Atlas, 1820

1820- Cass, Doty and Schoolcraft Reconnaissance of Michigan Territory

GeneralizedArea CoveringProposedIndian Settlement1841-1842

H.H. Sibley- Rhoda Gilman, MHS

Proposed Doty Treaty 1841-1842

• Governor of Wisconsin Territory put together the treaty

• Acquisition of 30,000 acres in Minnesota and Dakota

• Establish an “all Indian Territory and eventually a state”

• “Settled living” and full citizenship

• Support from traders and politicians (H.H. Sibley)

OppositionThe champion and

architect of westward expansion

Connections to John C. Fremont and Joseph Nicollet

August 29, 1842 Senate refused to ratify treaty on vote of 26-2

The Great American Desert … an 1820’s concept

Concept for the area west of the Mississippi in the early 19th Century,devoid of wood, limited water and uninhabitable by man.

The early explorer’sview...

…was Minnesotaincluded?

The concept of Manifest Destiny was, advertised publicized and argued by politicians throughout the nation

American Progress by John Gast

“We are the nation of human progress, and who will, what can, set limits to our onward march? “ John L. O’Sullivan on Manifest Destiny, 1839

Lesson #3 No Room for Intolerance

“…should [Indians] stay the march of cultivation and improvement, and hold in a state of perpetual unproductiveness, immense regions formed by Providence to support millions of human beings?”

Lewis Cass, Governor Michigan Territory

Intolerance is the lack of ability or willingness to tolerate something. As a social construct, it is open to interpretation. Some define intolerance as an expressed, negative or hostile attitude toward another's views, even if no action is taken against them. - Wikipedia

Lewis Cass 1782-1866

“Like the bear, the deer and the buffalo of his own forests an Indian lives as his father lived, and dies as his father died. He never attempts to imitate the arts of his civilized neighbor. Lewis Cass, Governor Michigan Territory

Lesson #4 Incorporate Sustainability

What did Governor Cass fail to consider?

““Man is a blind, witless, low brow, Man is a blind, witless, low brow, anthropocentric clod who inflicts lesions anthropocentric clod who inflicts lesions upon the earth.”upon the earth.” Ian McHarg Landscape ArchitectIan McHarg Landscape Architect

Lesson #5 “No Niche is to Small”

• Wished to improve the lives of Scottish farmers.

• In 1811, purchased a huge tract of land in the middle of North America.

• An area of 116,000 sq. miles was granted from the Hudson Bay Company to start an agricultural settlement.

• A small colony of settlers struggled through starvation, hostile attacks from traders, floods, epidemics, locusts and crop failures.

Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk, Scotland

• 1819 Grasshopper plague, had to import seed (wheat, barley, peas) from Prairie du Chien

• 1821 Alexis Bailly drove cattle up the St. Peter and along the Red River to Pembina.

• On the return trip he brought the Swiss settlers back that were allowed to squat on the military reservation.

• 1826 saw a great flood that washed away homes, 240 of the Selkirk settlers came south.

• By 1834, it grew to 2,751

Selkirk Settlement

Norman Kittson, 1814-1888

• Early fur trader, expanded trade by using ox-cart with Metis

• Helped break the monopoly of HBC

• Developed Red River steamboat trade

James J. Hill, 1838-1916

• Handled land freight by ox cart routes

• Partnered with Kittson to form the North-West Transportation company

Legacy of Selkirk’s Settlement

• Minnesota’s first settlers immigrated to Fort Snelling in 1826

• Experienced natural disasters that would later inflict Minnesota

• Established Minnesota’s direction for future trade and commerce

• Gave birth to future transportation corridors with ox cart trials, steamboats roads and interstate highway.

• Once established, provided huge export market for agricultural products.

• Established prairie town that grew to grew to 250,000 by 1926

1890 Advertisement

Lesson # 6 Build a Constituency and Develop a Champion

… becoming a territory

Métis- his constituency

Stephen Douglas, the Champion

Library of CongressU.S. Senate Historical Office

Photo Courtesy MHS

Central figure- H.H. Sibley

Henry Hastings SibleyExtensive relations with fur trade business and politicians

First a clerk, then partner in American Fur company at Mendota

Delegate in Congress from Wisconsin Territory in 1848

First Governor of Minnesota and General during U.S. Dakota War of 1862How did Sibley build early political

influence?• 1848 was first public sale of lands west of the St. Croix River

• Sibley, long time trader, represented claimants who were technically squatters

• Pre-emption rights held in an extra-legal organizations called “claiming clubs”

• Sibley was a representative for 14 men with claims in St. Paul

• Intimidation discouraged “bidding” against Sibley

• French Canadians (Métis) held Sibley in such high esteem- he held their deeds.

• In up coming election, the St. Paul vote was solidly behind Sibley

Influence and Power

…becoming a territory

Stephen A. Douglas“The Little Giant”

• Held powerful and influential position of Chairmen of the Committee on Territories

• Part of a group of Congressmen who knew development couldn’t stop on the edge of the great plains.

• Envisioned the need to have all the land along a central rail road route under territorial jurisdiction control

The champion at work…

…becoming a territory

• Measuring the political landscape

• Coaching the delegate

• Seating the delegate

• Presenting the case in the best light!

• Playing hardball- threaten Interior bill that the House wanted

•President Polk signed territorial bill, March 3, 1849

Stephen A. Douglas “The Little Giant”

1851 Map of the Minnesota Territory, Cowperthwait

Lesson # 7 Turning a Negative into a Positive

Henry Hastings Sibley

“ Minnesota’s land was considered a desert country, that its cold winters made it unsuitable for habitation, and its land would therefore never have much value.” -Christianson

…the general opinion about Minnesota in 1849 by Easterners…

Becoming a territory…

Long/Keating Map 1824 (Whittaker, London)

Geographic Knowledge Was Poor in 1820’s

The Great American Desert

Concept for the area west of the Mississippi in the early 19th Century,devoid of wood, limited water and uninhabitable by man.

The early explorer’sview...

…was Minnesotaincluded?

Lesson # 8 Invest in Education

Sections 16 and 36 contained valuable stands of timber and minerals to support schools

Minnesota’s 1849 Territorial Act left its mark on the landscape

Source: MN DNR, Land and Minerals

School trust lands still make an important contribution to Minnesota education

• Sections 16 and 36 reserved 2.9 million acres of land for the public school trust

• Quick sale of southern Minnesota’s lands before 1900 to private interests with varying results

• By 1901, management policies changed and permanent school trust funds were created.

Source: Datanet Online, Census 2000Mapped as a % of MCD

Source: Datanet Online, Census 2000

Mapped as % of the MCD

Source: Datanet Online, Census 2000

Mapped as % of the MCD

Becoming a state…

• Between 1849 and 1858, the Minnesota Territory added 150,000 in population.

• Newspapers the Pioneer and the Chronicle were established almost immediately

• By 1856 railroads were on our door step at La Crosse, Wisconsin, ready to push north and west. • 256 post offices covered the territory in 1856

• By 1858 we had major institutions of a State Capitol, a penitentiary, and a fledgling University

• Minnesota admitted May 11, 1858 (President Buchanan)

Henry Rodgers and Alexander Johnston, National Map 1857

► "Johnson's New Railroad and Township Copper plate "Johnson's New Railroad and Township Copper plate Map of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota & Nebraska From Map of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota & Nebraska From The Latest and Best Authorities."The Latest and Best Authorities." New York: A.J. Johnson New York: A.J. Johnson and Chicago: P. Wyckoff, 1858. 27 x 31. Lithograph transfer and Chicago: P. Wyckoff, 1858. 27 x 31. Lithograph transfer from copper plate engraving. Original hand color and from copper plate engraving. Original hand color and elaborate decorative border. Full margins. Some minor elaborate decorative border. Full margins. Some minor staining and chipping at margins. Separated at old folds; staining and chipping at margins. Separated at old folds; expertly joined and conserved. Overall, very good condition expertly joined and conserved. Overall, very good condition and appearance.and appearance.

► A very rare, large scale map of a group of mid-western A very rare, large scale map of a group of mid-western states.states.

Samuel Mitchell Map of Minnesota, 1860

Lesson # 9 Inherent Environmental Conditions Determine your Success• Geology

• Topography

• Soils

• Climate

• Growing Season

• Drainage

• Wildlife

• Ecology

GIS examines the interrelationships

Minnesota’s Minnesota’s Glacial Glacial historyhistory

Minnesota Geological Survey

Glaciers deposited an unsorted mixture of rocks, sand and clay known as till.

Glaciers also created for many surface features such as moraines, kames, drumlins, and eskers.

MinnesotaMinnesota

ElevationElevation- Shaded Relief

Vegetation, 1847-1907

Pioneer Settlement Lacked Pioneer Settlement Lacked Knowledge about the LandKnowledge about the Land

1977 Forest Cover

Normal Temperature

Digital Composite Map

+ =

Date of Public Land Survey 1847-1907

1851 Survey and Vegetation Before Settlement

1851 Survey Coniferous Forest

We exploited resources… …

Courtesy MHS … the quality was magnificent

… the harvest increased Courtesy MHS

The number of lumberjacks increased to 20,000 in the 1890’s

Courtesy of MHS…the quantity seemed endless

… railroads and steam power increased efficiency

Courtesy of MHS

Natural systems were pushed to their limit…

Taylor Falls log jam of 150 million feet

Courtesy of MHS

Courtesy of MHS ...it took one lifetime to remove centuries of growth

Learning to manage our resources meant a lot of trial and error… Courtesy of MHS

Courtesy of MHS

World’s Largest LoadHauled, 1909World’s Largest Load in MN or Wisconsin, 1909

Courtesy of MHS

… the plow flows the axe

Courtesy of MHS

Reduction of the Big Woods

1850’s

1977

…land clearing, Hubbard County, MN, 1913

Courtesy of MHS

…little thought to reforestation

Courtesy of MHS

Forest fires gave rise to environmental problems…Courtesy of MHS

Slashing after government logging…

Courtesy of MHS… we lacked the social institutions to manage forests

Courtesy of MHSMany wildfires threatened our communities…

42 lives lost, 150,000 acres

Chisholm, 1908

Cloquet Fire, 1918

Courtesy of MHS

…Loss of 500 lives and $20 Million of property

Moose Lake Wildfire 1918

..the bakery

Courtesy of MHS

...hospital

Courtesy of MHS

…a homestead

Courtesy of MHS

Resource management issues were not confined to forestry….

Contour plowing, Wabasha County, 1937

Courtesy of MHS

Intensive Agriculture started in Southeast MN

Wheat, 1879 Wheat,1920 Wheat, 1974

Wheat, 2002

Crops turned to dust…

… a combination of cut worms and heat destroyed crops, east of Appleton, Swift County, 1936

Courtesy of MHS

Area most affected by 1930’s drought

July Annual Precipatation, 1941-1970

HighLow

LowHigh

Dust storms turned day into night…

NOAA Photo

“The soil is the one indestructible, immutable asset that the nation possess. It is the one resource that can not be exhausted” Federal Bureau of Soils, 1878

“…on Minnesota highways motorists had to operate their cars with lights turned on in the middle of the day.” T. Christianson

… the drought brought men to their knees

South of Beardsley, Big Stone County, 1936 Courtesy of MHS

Dust covered the fence poles…

Swift County, MN 1935

Courtesy of MHS

Farmsteads were abandoned …

Near Breckenridge, MN. 1936

Courtesy of MHS

Rivers and wells ran dry...

… the St. Croix River, 1931Courtesy of MHS

Wet Prairie atTime of Settlement

Source: Marschner, MN Environmental Atlas

DNR estimates that 90% of the prairie biome wetlands have been drained

Source: MSU/ Tester Natural Heritage

Photo’s Courtesy MHS

Marietta, Lac qui Parle County, 1910

In summary, it would be very easy to criticize the management of our resources during our pioneer days.

Our mistakes had exceptional visual impacts on the landscape.

The challenges today may be even greater. As Art Mehrhoff’s book points out, “ One of the most fatal flaws in the new global economic system is its inability to recognize that it consumes the very source of its existence.”

We do not see or pay for the environmental damage that occurs half way around the world.

Lesson # 10 Develop a Transition Strategy

“No enterprise will last forever”

Whether it is your business or community, it will go through a natural life cycle. As your enterprise reaches maturity and begins to decline you need develop a transition plan. A community may find ways to renew itself or a business may re-invent itself, but one thing is for sure…

…story of the Western Outfit

MHS Treaty Story

U.S. Bureau of Ethnology … the fur trade lasted 200 years in Minnesota

The Fur Trade…

• In the Fall, credit would be extended to Indian trappers

• Indians would receive guns, ammunition, traps and provisions

• In the spring, Indians would return with furs to repay credits

• Failure to repay meant “bad debts” were carried on the companies books

• Neither the costs of the supplies nor the future value of the furs were always clear to the Indians

• Hardship (illness or death), bad luck, poor hunting or a declining market price were charged to the growing Indian debt

• By 1835, Minnesota fur trade was in decline

• The fur resources of mid-west were over hunted

• Acquisition was more difficult, more costly and lower quality

• Traders faced outside competition and changing tastes

• Indentured labor force was disappearing

The decline….

The transition plan…

1837 Treaty with the Ojibwe- Fur traders received 75% of the money. The American Fur Co. received $3,500 of the $4,700 given to the Ojibwe.

1842 Proposed Treat Failed - American Fur company closed 12 days later (departments sold)

Western Outfit (created from AMC) involved Hercules Dousman, Henry Sibley, et al were partners in the company. Also, major players in the treaty negotiations.

1851 Treaty- One more attempt to bail out the failing fur trade.Traders were needed to convince Indians to sign. Traders needed to recover losses on their books.

The highest level partners in the fur trade could pursue new ventures in land speculation, timber or politics.



2. Timing makes the difference– Jedidiah Morse, James Doty








10. Develop a transition plan – Fur traders, The Western Outfit