Early History
Vermilion was named for the nearby vermilion deposits used by the Native Americans for paint. There is no evidence that Native Americans permanently settled at Vermilion but it was a popular stopover for Native Americans, Voyageurs, Coureur des bois, trappers, and anyone who traveled the south shore of Lake Superior. Jesuit missionaries were probably the first Europeans to stop at Vermilion in the 17th century. Territorial governor Lewis Cass and geologist and Indian Agent Henry Schoolcraft passed through Vermilion Point with a party of 44 in 1820 on an official expedition along the south shore of Lake Superior. Henry Schoolcraft took overnight shelter from a storm at Vermilion in 1831 when leading a party to vaccinate Native Americans.
Read more about this topic: Vermilion Point
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