A Random Ride Up North

    I’ve been sharing a lot of my adventures from this last summer and am finally up to the first week of September. I’d taken a few days off from the day job to help Hubby paint the living room, but that long story is going to have to wait. With Autumn quickly waning, I wanted to replay one of the last nice days we had to take a drive.

September 3, we took off for a ride up north. One of our first stops was this building with its very sad history.

The Lac du Flambeau Boarding School opened in 1895, with a capacity of 200 students. Here the Whites who had moved into the area sought to eradicate the Native American culture from the original residents. The school was originally built by the Bureau of Indian Affairs with the intention of trying to strip the local Ojibwe children of their culture. Children ages five to fifteen were taken from their homes, made to live in dormitories and forced to abandon all Native American traditions.  

There were originally 18 buildings in the complex, but this is the only one still in use. It is being preserved to be developed into an interpretive center, an archival storage facility and center for learning traditional skills. It is also a reminder of a dark time in American history.

Strawberry Island, in the middle of Flambeau Lake, is considered sacred and called the place of the spirits according to tribal tradition. They consider it the heart of their reservation. In 1745, the island was site of the last battle between these Ojibwe and the Lakota Sioux.

The Vista Flowage and the Powell Marsh State Wildlife Area.

 No wildlife, just wild flowers.

Lake of the Falls County Park in Mercer.  

 I’ve been here a few times. The first time it was camping with my two sisters. Another time it was in the dead of winter.

I’m sure there’s a name for this part of a dam, 

 but darned if I know what it is.

Lots of memories from this place though. 

 Sandhill cranes on our way home.