Minnesota Spirit Quest - Old Chippawa Indian Cemetery
The cache is not located near a grave. If you find a fallen US flag, please stick it back in the ground. As always, please be respectful, and cache in, trash out. Also, please only search for cache during daylight hours.
The Old Chippawa Indian Cemetery was established around 1865, on the north side of Beaver Bay. There are a total of 22 people buried in the cemetery, but probably the most famous person buried here is John Moquabimetem Beargrease. Born 1855 as the son of an Anishinaabe chief and sailor, John (and his two brothers, Peter and Joseph) became a mailer carrier along the North Shore. Beginning in 1879, he delivered mail twice a week between Two Harbors and Grand Marais. During the winter months, John would dogsled from settlement to settlement, with his fastest time being 28 hours from Two Harbors to Grand Marais. He retired in 1899, after 20 years of service, but continued work as a fur trader. Sadly, on August 1st, 1910, John died after a bout of tuberculosis. However, according to other sources, it is said he died from pneumonia which he contracted after diving into the freezing waters of Lake Superior in order to save another mail carrier, Montferrand. Whatever the case may be, his legend has lived on. The John Beargrease Dog Sled Marathon, named in his honor, is a 411 mile dog sled race between Duluth and Grand Portage that's run annually.
The posted coordinates will take you to a historical marker commemeating the 22 interments. This is where you will find the needed information.
A = Number of letters in the month the marker was erected
B = Second didgit of the year the marker was erected
C = The month the marker was erected
The final can be located at:
N 47° 15.A4A
W 091° 17.B5C