Pierre Bottineau: Explorer, Interpreter, and Guide
Bottineau’s Prairie
Pierre Bottineau was an explorer, interpreter, and guide who founded multiple Minnesotan settlements which would later become the cities of Maple Grove, Osseo, and Breckenridge.
Bottineau was half French and half Chippewa and spoke English, French, Sioux, Chippewa, Cree, Mandan, and Winnebago. He was over six feet tall and was considered by many to be handsome, polite, and kind.
His language skills and mixed heritage made Bottineau a well-known interpreter. He was nicknamed “The Walking Peace Pipe” for resolving inter-cultural disputes. His experience exploring and living in the prairie made him a valuable guide, as well.
In 1853, Bottineau helped survey land for the Northern Pacific Railway with Governor Isaac Stevens. In a letter to his wife, Stevens wrote:
“Bottineau is a great guide and voyageur from Minnesota. He is famous as a buffalo hunter and he surpasses all in his class for truthfulness and great intelligence. Not only is he experienced in all [aspects] of travel and frontier life, being the hero of many interesting events, but he has the broadness of view of the engineer and I am confident he will be of the greatest service to us in finding the way” (www.redlakecountyhistory.org).
He also served as Governor Alexander Ramsey’s chief guide and led expeditions for General Henry Sibley. In 1879, he was awarded a monthly stipend of fifty dollars by the United States Congress for his services.
Bottineau’s influence lives on in Hennepin County, and the names of several public institutions honor him, including the Pierre Bottineau Library, Bottineau Boulevard Corridor (County Road 81), and the Bottineau Light Rail Transitway.
Image courtesy of taoty / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tagged: Beltrami County MN , Hennepin County MN , Wilkin County MN , Minnesota Counties , Minnesota Tourism , Four Score
