125-Year-Old Chippewa Birchbark Canoe Resurfaces for Auction or Sale

In 1881, Captain Willard Glazier purchased the canoe, along with two others, from the Leech Lake Chippewa Indians near what is now Walker, MN. His purpose was to lead an expedition in search of the true headwaters of the Mississippi. Glazier’s findings refuted the conclusions of two previous explorers and sparked fierce debate. Consequently, Minnesota passed a law mandating that public schools only teach students the officially accepted location of the river’s headwaters - Lake Itasca. The subject has been brought up as recently as the 1995 Minnesota state legislature.

The canoe’s amazing survival came to light when the current owners approached HamiltonStore (http://www.hamiltonstore.com) with the intent of putting it on the market. The canoe had been left in Aitkin, MN by Captain Glazier with Warren Potter, a personal friend. It remained in the family barn, passing to Potter’s daughter (the current owners’ grandmother), then his granddaughter and finally, two of his great-grandsons.

The original birchbark remains on the canoe, which is intact and in excellent condition, with the exception of some damage to the bow. “Canoes of this age rarely live this long due to the organic materials of the canoe. They just slip away with time,” said Ferdy Goode, an expert restorer and maker of birchbark canoes and owner of Beaver Bark Canoes in Arbor Vitae, WI. Goode also stated, “With the documentation [the owners] have, it makes the canoe priceless.”

Goode’s comment refers to a notarized and witnessed bill of sale from the estate’s personal representative. The owners also have a “Certification of Authenticity and Witness” document recording the canoe’s removal from their mother’s home address where the canoe was continuously kept until they took possession. In addition, the canoe’s adventures are well documented in Glazier’s book “Down The Great River,” published in 1887 by Hubbard Brothers in Philadelphia, PA.

HamiltonStore will hold an eBay auction for the canoe on June 15, 2006. The keyword will be Glazier. Individuals interested in learning more about the canoe or acquiring the craft prior to the auction can contact Kurt Stoehr of HamiltonStore or visit its Web page at http://www.hamiltonstore.com/canoe1.html.

Contact:


Kurt Stoehr
HamiltonStore

Voice/Fax: (406) 363-1789
Cell: (406) 369-0536
hamiltonstore@onewest.net
http://www.hamiltonstore.com

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