Originally published in 1837 in Europe in German, French, and Slovenian editions, and appearing here in English for the first time, Frederic Baraga's Short History of the North American Indians is the personal, first–hand account of a Catholic missionary to the Great Lakes area of North America.

When Frederic Baraga, a young Roman Catholic Priest from Slovenia, arrived on the upper Great Lakes frontier in 1831, his objective was to bring Christianity to the Indigenous peoples of that quarter, particularly those of the Ottawa and Ojibwa (Chippewa) tribes. His travels to many outposts of the old fur trade, to Indigenous communities, and to the new mining camps of the region earned him the nickname "the snowshoe priest."

This is the account of Frederic Baraga’s first years in Michigan territory, composed for the enlightenment of his supporters in Europe, particularly the membership of his sponsoring agency, the Leopoldine Society of Vienna. This detailed, first-hand account sheds light on the nature of mid–nineteenth century Catholic missions to the New World, and includes detailed observations of Indigenous life on the shores of Lake Superior.

Graham MacDonald has worked as a historian, teacher, librarian, and park planner. He is the author of A Good Solid Comfortable Establishment: An Illustrated History of Lower Fort Garry, and Where the Mountains Meet the Prairies: A History of Waterton Country (University of Calgary Press).

Graham A. MacDonald's profile page