Episode 7: Jolliet & Marquette by Reenactment

Perhaps nothing in Chicago history is as fundamental as Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette’s expedition of 1673. Their voyage by canoe from St. Anglace down Lake Michigan to the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers and the mighty Mississippi was of epic scale. On the way back north they paddled up the Illinois River passing through the place the Indians called “Chicagoua.” If the City of Chicago had a Mount Rushmore, Jolliet and Marquette would be on it. For Father Marquette the trip was to evangelize the Native Americans, while Jolliet’s focus was exploration, potential trade, as was the first to suggest a short canal to connect the waterway between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River. With the tricentennial of this historic feat approaching it appeared nothing was planned to commemorate it. For Ralph Frese, Chicago’s “Mr. Canoe” this was unconscionable. So he set out the idea of reenacting the Jolliet & Marquette Expedition, picked the crew to paddle it, and built the canoes, while remaining entirely behind the scenes to receive little or no credit. For this podcast, Chris and Patrick were thrilled to sit down with three key crew members of this 1973 re-enactment, Chuck McEnery and brothers Ken & Reid Lewis. Listen as this lively discussion unfolds commemorating the early origins of Chicago history. Filled with laughter and travails they persevered to set the stage for later historical reenactments, like the La Salle II expedition of 1976-77 recounted in Episodes 4 & 5. The re-telling 46-years later still feels fresh as the splash of paddles and songs of the Voyageurs wash across the waters of time. Ken Lewis, Chuck McEnery, & Reid Lewis Reid Lewis, Chris Lynch, & Ken Lewis Jolliet & Marquette 1973 re-enactment Reid Lewis, Pat McBriarty, & Ken Lewis Reid Lewis (red coat) as La Salle and two other crew members claiming Lousiana for France Links to Research and History Documents Documentary of the 1973 Jolliet & Marquette Expedition More information about Jolliet & Marquette Expedition member “The Fox” – Jim Phillips: Chicago Reader article about Jim Phillips aka “The Fox” Outside/In Podcast – Episode 32: Fantastic Mr. Phillips Gary Gordon Productions post: The Fox Is Dead: Long Live The Fox Who’s on First? Chicago Tribune article about Jolliet and Marquette by Jim Sulski on October 26, 1997 Expedition of Marquette and Joliet, 1673 in from the Wisconsin Historical Society.