During the 18th Century, beavers were more valuable than gold or money in the Illinois Territory. Pelts by the millions were shipped back to Europe where they were made into fashionable hats. River trade provided the economic bedrock for the exploration of the North American continent, as competing trading companies vied for new markets on the "great western sea.” You have the Voyageurs, transportation supermen of the rivers, to thank for the river shipping industry, which began with their incredible efforts.
The Voyageurs arose during a time when most of the Midwest was under French control, and the territorial government in Montréal acted as a shipping hub and regulated the number of furs that passed through. To retain its value, beaver had to stay rare in Europe. Unfortunately, hundreds of coureurs du bois, or woodsmen fur smugglers, threatened to glut the market and drive down the price of beaver. So, to control trapping, Montréal issued permits to trading companies, allowing them to officially sponsor teams of traveling fur traders called Voyageurs.
Voyageur teams made their living paddling giant Montréal canoes across the Great Lakes and only slightly smaller North canoes up and down the Mississippi, Illinois and other rivers, trading axes, knives, beads, and other goods for beaver pelts. When loaded, these massive canoes could fit eight Voyageurs and up to 8,000 pounds of cargo! The Voyageurs not only had to navigate the rivers with this large load, but also carry both canoe and goods over the long overland portages between rivers. Compare the physically taxing Voyageur struggle over portages with today’s mechanical barges, locks, and dams. Learn about these technological advances and their historical context with a visit to Illinois Waterway Visitor’s Center along the Illinois River Road.
Voyageur strength hauled more than goods; it also allowed explorer Louis Joliet and missionary Father Jacques Marquette to search for a route to the Gulf of Mexico. These men became the first Europeans to see and map the Mississippi River along with many other natural landmarks. As they returned northward through the Illinois Territory, news reached them of a faster route back to the Great Lakes: the Illinois River. Joliet and Marquette would continue to the current site of Chicago, and Father Marquette would return to start the first Christian Mission in Illinois near Starved Rock. Today you can follow the strokes of Father Marquette when you paddle into the Illinois River at Starved Rock State Park.
The Illinois River retains the trade value and adventurous spirit from the Voyageur days. If you get the opportunity to travel this river or the byway that follows its shores, consider how the work and sweat of the Voyageurs helped shape Illinois history.
