French River, Minnesota Explained

Official Name:French River
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Pushpin Map:Minnesota
Pushpin Label:French River
Pushpin Label Position:left
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Minnesota
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Saint Louis
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Duluth Township
Population Total:110
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation Ft:650
Coordinates:46.8981°N -91.8972°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:55804
Area Code:218
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:661327

French River is an unincorporated community in Duluth Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States; located on the North Shore of Lake Superior.

The community is located 13 miles northeast of the city of Duluth, at the junction of North Shore Scenic Drive (County 61) and Ryan Road (County Road 50).

History

French River had also been known by the name Clifton during the early settlement years. Clifton, the first townsite surveyed in the United States section of the North Shore, was platted west of the mouth of the French River in 1855. The river was known to early explorers as and to the Ojibwe as, meaning 'Floodwood River'.[1] Rumors of nearby copper deposits resulted in widespread prospecting and townsite planning in the 1850s. Like many of the projected towns, Clifton never developed. From 1864 to 1866, the French River Mining Company and the North Shore Mining Company dug several exploratory shafts, but failed to locate profitable copper deposits. Extensive lumbering operations were carried on in the vicinity during the 1880s.[2]

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Upham, Warren . Minnesota geographic names; their origin and historic significance . 1920 . . 492 . Archive.org.
  2. Web site: Keith L . HMdb.org – The Historical Marker Database . Near Duluth in St. Louis County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains) . J. J. Prats . April 16, 2012.