MDL Minnesota Studies Resources

The Labors of Mgr. A. Ravoux at Mendota, St. Paul and Other Localities and Reminiscences, Memoirs, Lectures of Monsignor A. Ravoux
Details Monsignor Augustin Ravoux's life and work as a missionary to the Dakota in Minnesota from 1844-1851.

Father Francis Pierz, Missionary book
Father Pierz was in charge of the missionary work among the Native Americans for the Diocese of St. Paul.

Bishop Whipple and his missionary papers
Henry B. Whipple was the first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota and he worked among the Native Americans in the 1860s.

Portraits of missionaries
Several other men and women came as missionaries to preach to Native Americans and convert them to Christianity.

St. Benedict’s Mission at White Earth Indian Reservation
Two priests and two nuns ran this mission and school for the Catholics at White Earth.

Astor Trading Post
John Astor opened an American Fur Company trading post at Fond du Lac in 1817.

Jean-Baptiste Faribault
Faribault was a fur trader with Native Americans and early settlers in Minnesota.

George Bonga
Bonga was a fur trader and translator with an Ojibwe mother and an African American father.

Red River carts
These carts were used to transport furs in northwestern Minnesota into Canada.

Henry Schoolcraft
With the help of Ojibwe guides, Schoolcraft identified the source of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca in 1832.

Ashley Crowl Riggs ledger book 
Riggs recorded his activities as an Indian Agent and an early settler near Monticello in Minnesota Territory from 1852-1873.

Reminiscences of Early Days of the Head of the Lakes
The author discusses early settlers on the North Shore, the first election in St. Louis County in 1855, the first mail route and the first cabins in Duluth.

Autobiography of Alfred Merritt
The author describes his family's experience on the north shore of Lake Superior from 1856 until 1894, including accounts of pioneers, settlers and land claims, and iron mining.

Joe Whitford
Portrait of explorer and founder of Fergus Falls, who named the townsite and built the first cabin there in 1857.

Story of Jake Nelson
Audio clip highlighting an early pioneer settler in the Roseau River Valley.

Old Settlers Picnic, Mankato
Some longtime residents formed associations of original settlers to honor their town's heritage and promote its preservation.

Many early Minnesota settlements and counties created general history books documenting their founding and growth. Some of the books in MDL include:

The Illustrated History of Kandiyohi County, 1905
The first published history book of Kandiyohi County includes information about early settlements and prominent residents.

A History of the City of St. Paul, 1876
This book provides a history of St. Paul and Ramsey County, Minnesota, from prehistoric times through 1875.

Minnesota History Timeline, Part 1
Part 1 of this timeline explores significant moments in the history and development of Minnesota from prehistory to 1900.

Duluth History Timeline
This timeline explores significant moments in the history and development of Duluth, Minnesota, including sections on the first Europeans to arrive in the area.