Birch Bark Canoe

[pklonowski]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...success=36&failure=0&set=oa.10150251127993983

These are images of a birch bark canoe, which is hanging in the rafters of the main lodge at a camp that my daughter frequents. The story at camp is that an elderly Native American gentleman brought it to camp in 1949, they paddled it out to the island & back, and it has been hanging in the rafters ever since. The camp's new owner would like to learn more about this canoe, so any educated guesses/ speculations/ comments would be welcome!

 

[Kathryn Klos]

The owner may not know much about birch barks in general, and you could begin by showing him some of the images posted here of bb construction. Most people have no idea about all the handwork and the natural materials that go into a bb canoe. Even if it can't be determined who built it, the canoe says a lot about birch barks in general.

 

[beaver]

Possible building location

I have added some pictures taken by me last summer of a birch bark canoe here in the Northwoods of Wi. According to the owners oral history of the canoe and from other birch canoes I have studied in this area, I have come to the conclusion that this canoe was probably built by the Ojibwe Indians at Lac du Flambeau, Wi. some time in the early 1900's.