In Shining Big Sea Water, historian Norman K. Risjord offers a grand
tour of Lake Superior's remarkable history, taking readers through the
centuries and into the lives of those who have traveled the lake and
inhabited its shores.
Through lively, informative chapters, Risjord begins with the lake's
cataclysmic geological birth, then explores the lives of native peoples
along the shore before European contact and during the fur trade,
showing how Superior 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 life-saving lighthouses and famous shipwrecks. In the final
chapter, Risjord looks to the future, offering a clear-eyed 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.