La Verendrye Parkway

La Verendrye Parkway. . , The upper Rainy River has been the centre of activity for centuries. The waterway was traveled by the First Nations and later the fur traders traveled the route to reach trading posts located on the lower river. , Ship builders, docks and manufacturing plants dotted the riverbank in the early 1900's. Excursion boats, ferry services and pleasure craft and work boats utilized the waterway. Sawmills began to establish and until the mid 1970's the river became a sea of logs for the large mills and paper plant. , By the 1990's the development of the two mile upper river as a recreation area was well underway. , La Verendrye. , Pierre de Varenes, Sieur de La Verendrye was a noted explorer who traveled much of this area in the 1700's. , After arranging his explorations with King Louis of France, LaVerendrye set out in 1731 on an expedition to discover a route to the Western Sea. , By August 26th of 1731, La Verendrye had reached the Grand Portage at the mouth of the Pigeon River. A company of men under the leadership of Christopher Dufrost de la Jemeraye, LaVerendrye's nephew and lieutenant, were directed to push on to Rainy Lake and build a fort there. , In the spring of 1732, La Verendrye joined La Jemeraye at the new post, Fort St. Pierre. The expedition pushed on to Lake of the Woods. For twenty years La Verendrye explored much of Northwestern Ontario, Southern Manitoba, and North Dakota, establishing many posts.