Shining big sea water

"Historian Norman K. Risjord offers a grand tour of Lake Superior's remarkable history, beginning with the lake's cataclysmic geological birth. He explores the lives of native peoples along its shore before European contact and during the fur trade, showing how the lake functioned as an unusual "blue water highway" for Indians, early explorers, industries, and settlers. He outlines the development of such cities as Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Ashland, Wisconsin; and Two Harbors, Minnesota, and tells the fascinating histories of lifesaving lighthouses and famous shipwrecks. In the final chapter, Risjord looks to the future, offering an account of the environmental and economic challenges faced by America's largest freshwater lake. Interspersed throughout the book are handy tips for travelers, highlighting historically significant sites that illustrate key pieces of Lake Superior's natural and human history; including national lakeshores in the United States and provincial parks in Canada."--Jacket.