Grand Portage, Minnesota

According to the United States Census Bureau, the unorganized territory has a total area of {{convert|498.7|km2|abbr=on|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|192.2|km2|abbr=on|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|306.5|km2|abbr=on|order=flip}} (61.46%) is water.

Minnesota State Highway 61 (Old U.S. Highway 61) serves as a main route in the area.

The community of Grand Portage is located {{convert|34|mi|km}} northeast of the city of Grand Marais; and {{convert|6|mi|km|spell=in}} southwest of the Canada–US border.

The following unincorporated communities are located within Grand Portage Unorganized Territory:

• Grand Portage
• Mineral Center
• Pigeon River

Grand Portage has a humid continental climate that is prevalent throughout the state. Its version is significantly cooler in summers than more southerly areas and more severe in winters. Precipitation is dominant in summers, but can render some high volumes of snowfall in winter.

{{Weather box|width=auto

|location = Grand Portage, Minnesota (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1895–present)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 50

|Feb record high F = 56

|Mar record high F = 67

|Apr record high F = 82

|May record high F = 88

|Jun record high F = 95

|Jul record high F = 94

|Aug record high F = 94

|Sep record high F = 87

|Oct record high F = 78

|Nov record high F = 67

|Dec record high F = 52

|year record high F = 95

|Jan avg record high F = 39.3

|Feb avg record high F = 42.7

|Mar avg record high F = 53.0

|Apr avg record high F = 64.6

|May avg record high F = 77.1

|Jun avg record high F = 82.6

|Jul avg record high F = 86.3

|Aug avg record high F = 85.2

|Sep avg record high F = 79.1

|Oct avg record high F = 68.5

|Nov avg record high F = 53.4

|Dec avg record high F = 41.6

|year avg record high F = 88.7

|Jan high F = 20.3

|Feb high F = 24.3

|Mar high F = 34.4

|Apr high F = 45.4

|May high F = 58.1

|Jun high F = 67.7

|Jul high F = 73.6

|Aug high F = 73.0

|Sep high F = 64.8

|Oct high F = 51.4

|Nov high F = 37.5

|Dec high F = 25.8

|year high F = 48.0

|Jan mean F = 10.5

|Feb mean F = 13.1

|Mar mean F = 23.7

|Apr mean F = 35.8

|May mean F = 47.4

|Jun mean F = 56.9

|Jul mean F = 63.0

|Aug mean F = 62.6

|Sep mean F = 54.4

|Oct mean F = 42.4

|Nov mean F = 29.6

|Dec mean F = 17.5

|year mean F = 38.1

|Jan low F = 0.7

|Feb low F = 2.0

|Mar low F = 13.0

|Apr low F = 26.2

|May low F = 36.8

|Jun low F = 46.1

|Jul low F = 52.3

|Aug low F = 52.1

|Sep low F = 44.0

|Oct low F = 33.3

|Nov low F = 21.8

|Dec low F = 9.2

|year low F = 28.1

|Jan avg record low F = -21.3

|Feb avg record low F = -17.8

|Mar avg record low F = -9.6

|Apr avg record low F = 12.7

|May avg record low F = 26.7

|Jun avg record low F = 35.6

|Jul avg record low F = 43.6

|Aug avg record low F = 43.0

|Sep avg record low F = 31.7

|Oct avg record low F = 22.5

|Nov avg record low F = 3.7

|Dec avg record low F = -13.8

|year avg record low F = -24.3

|Jan record low F = -39

|Feb record low F = -48

|Mar record low F = -29

|Apr record low F = -22

|May record low F = 18

|Jun record low F = 25

|Jul record low F = 38

|Aug record low F = 31

|Sep record low F = 24

|Oct record low F = 10

|Nov record low F = -18

|Dec record low F = -28

|year record low F = -48

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 1.35

|Feb precipitation inch = 1.03

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.33

|Apr precipitation inch = 2.79

|May precipitation inch = 3.11

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.58

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.42

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.04

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.13

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.40

|Nov precipitation inch = 2.65

|Dec precipitation inch = 1.74

|year precipitation inch = 30.57

|Jan snow inch = 12.2

|Feb snow inch = 8.0

|Mar snow inch = 8.0

|Apr snow inch = 7.7

|May snow inch = 0.2

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.5

|Nov snow inch = 6.7

|Dec snow inch = 11.9

|year snow inch = 55.2

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 8.6

|Feb precipitation days = 6.2

|Mar precipitation days = 6.6

|Apr precipitation days = 8.6

|May precipitation days = 11.3

|Jun precipitation days = 11.8

|Jul precipitation days = 11.6

|Aug precipitation days = 10.2

|Sep precipitation days = 11.5

|Oct precipitation days = 11.2

|Nov precipitation days = 9.2

|Dec precipitation days = 9.3

|year precipitation days = 116.1

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 8.0

|Feb snow days = 5.6

|Mar snow days = 4.3

|Apr snow days = 2.9

|May snow days = 0.2

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.4

|Nov snow days = 3.8

|Dec snow days = 7.9

|year snow days = 33.1

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web |url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=dlh |title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |accessdate = June 23, 2021 }}{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00213296&format=pdf |title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020 for Grand Portage, MN |work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020) |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |accessdate = June 23, 2021 }} }}

Beginning in the 17th century Grand Portage became a major center of the fur trade. See Canadian Canoe Routes (early). It was at the point where a major canoe fur trade route of the voyageurs left the great lakes. It was so named because the route began with a huge 9 mile portage.{{cite book |title = Fur Trade Canoe Routes of Canada/ Then and Now |first = Eric W. |last = Morse |publisher = Canada National and Historic Parks Branch |year = 1969 |page = 75 }} A portage is a place where the canoes and equipment are carried over land. The French established this trade with the Native Americans until the British took it over in the 18th century after the Seven Years' War. The North West Company established the area as its regional headquarters. Soon Grand Portage became one of Britain's four main fur trading posts, along with Niagara, Detroit, and Michilimackinac.* {{cite book |title = The Grand Portage story |last1 = Gilman |first1 = Carolyn |last2 = Woolworth |first2 = Alan Roland |publisher = Minnesota History Society Press |location = St. Paul, MN |year = 1992 |isbn = 978-0-87351-270-1 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=i0vd8rNSfkYC |page = 74 }} Even after the American Revolutionary War and victory by the rebellious colonists, the British continued to operate in the area. Under the Treaty of Paris in 1783, Britain had to cede former territory to the United States, including this area.

Finally with the signing of the Jay Treaty in 1796 defining the northern border between Canada and the US, British traders planned to move from Grand Portage. They wanted to avoid the taxes the US put on their operations, in its effort to encourage American traders instead. In 1802 the traders planned to move north to create a new center, what they called Fort William. In 1803 following the Louisiana Purchase, in which the U.S. acquired the lands to the west of Grand Portage, the British finally moved from Grand Portage to the new post in Canada.* {{cite book |title = Annual report of the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors |author = Association of Ontario Land Surveyors |publisher = Henderson & Co. |location = Toronto |year = 1902 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=xxgAAAAAMAAJ |page = 108 }} The North West Company moved its headquarters northward to what they named Fort William. After British fur traders abandoned the area, it rapidly declined economically until fisheries and logging became popular in the 19th century.

As of the census{{cite web |url = https://www.census.gov |publisher = United States Census Bureau |accessdate = January 31, 2008 |title = U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 557 people, 247 households, and 137 families residing in the unorganized territory. The population density was {{convert|7.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 286 housing units at an average density of {{convert|3.9|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the unorganized territory was 35.73% White, 57.81% Native American, 0.36% from other races, and 6.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.97% of the population.

There were 247 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the unorganized territory, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.

The median income for a household in the unorganized territory was $30,326, and the median income for a family was $31,771. Males had a median income of $26,458 versus $22,232 for females. The per capita income for the unorganized territory was $15,782. About 18.9% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

• Grand Portage National Monument
• Grand Portage Indian Reservation
• Grand Portage (community), Minnesota – Unincorporated community located within both the reservation and unorganized territory
• Territorial era of Minnesota

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.grandportage.com/ Grand Portage's Website]
• [https://www.nps.gov/grpo/index.htm Grand Portage National Monument]
• [http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/mn/grandport.htm information on the Grand Portage band of Chippewa]
• [http://ontarioplaques.com/Plaque_ThunderBay06.html Ontario Plaques - Grand Portage]
• [http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/5/v05i01p014-027.pdf The Story of the Grand Portage]

{{Cook County, Minnesota}}

{{coord|47|57|50|N|89|41|05|W|type:city_region:US-MN|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Populated places in Cook County, Minnesota

Category:Unorganized territories in Minnesota

Category:Minnesota populated places on Lake Superior