Jacques de Noyon 1668-1745

Jacques de Noyon was the first white man to explore this region. Born at Trois Riviéres, Noyon worked in the fur trade as a coureur de bois. In 1688 he led an expedition beyond Lake Superior into territory previously unknown to fur traders. he and his men ascended the Kaministiquia River, crossed Dog lake, and, through several portages, reached Rainy Lake. After wintering southwest of here on Rainy River, they pushed on to Lake of the Woods in 1689. There Assiniboines told Noyon of a route to Lake Winnipeg and the Red River. Noyon's report on his trip was used by La Vérendrye when he explored westward to Red River in 1732.