Vineland in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Mille Lacs Indian Boat Works

— Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post —

Photographed by McGhiever, July 12, 2016

1. Mille Lacs Indian Boat Works Marker

Inscription.

It's mid-summer, 1929. You're standing here looking at a two-story wooden building with large rooms and lots of windows.

That building was the Mille Lacs Indian Boat Works, run by Trading Post owner Harry Ayer. From 1929 to 1939, a crew of Mille Lacs Band members built 200 boats. Ayer rented many of the boats out for fishing expeditions, and sold others to resort owners, vacationers, and the U.S. Forestry Service.

What Happened to the Boat Works?
In 1939, Ayer sold the factory and tools to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The land, which was held in trust for the Mille Lacs Band, was soon used for a new school building and playground.

Look carefully for the last remains of the boat works—concrete footings from a large storage shed built next to the main factory building.

Erected by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.

Location. 46° 10.587′ N, 93° 45.306′ W. Marker is in Vineland, Minnesota, in Mille Lacs

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

County. It is at the intersection of Oodena Drive and U.S. 169, on the right when traveling east on Oodena Drive. The marker is at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, southeast of the museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 43411 Oodena Drive, Onamia MN 56359, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Minnesota.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Tourist Cottage (a few steps from this marker); Harry & Jeannette Ayer House (within shouting distance of this marker); Meet the Three Sisters (within shouting distance of this marker); Okosimaan (within shouting distance of this marker); Mashkodiisiminag (within shouting distance of this marker); Mandaamin (within shouting distance of this

Mille Lacs Indian Boat Works site and marker at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post image. Click for full size.

Photographed by McGhiever, July 12, 2016

2. Mille Lacs Indian Boat Works site and marker at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post

marker); Izatys (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Kathio Villages (approx. 1.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vineland.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2023, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 288 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 14, 2023, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.