Clifton - French River
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 46° 54.054 W 091° 53.955
15T E 583839 N 5194739
Historical marker commemorating the early exploration and development in the area.
Waymark Code: WM2QVH
Location: Minnesota, United States
Date Posted: 12/09/2007
Views: 34
Clifton - French River
Clifton, first townsite surveyed in the United States section of the North
Shore, was platted west of the mouth of the French River in 1855. This
river was known to early explorers as Riviere des Brancais. 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 located profitable
copper deposits. Extensive lumbering operations were carried on here in
1880s. ~ text of marker