The story of our Enchanted Water or as some call it Spirit Water and named by the Indians Mini-wakan, and the entire area in the neighborhood of the city of Devils Lake is an interesting one, perhaps more intriguing than that of any other city or place in North Dakota.
For many years the Hudson Bay Company claimed control of this area, if not almost actual ownership of a great part of North Dakota including Devils Lake and probably as far south as the Sheyenne River.
We do know that the United States Governmentin 1839 sent Joseph Nicolas Nicollet and “The Pathfinder” John Charles Freemont to the then Enchanted Water, accompanied by a distinguished group of scientists and others.
…In conformity with the President’s plan, Nichollet and Fremont explored portions of Minnesota in 1838 returning that fall to St. Louis.
…The explorers left St. Louis in the American Fur Company’s steamer Antelope, making its regular voyage totrading posts on the upper waters of the Missouri. It took 70 days to reach Fort Pierre, 1300 miles from St. Loouis.
…At ft. pierre the party gave the Indian chiefs the usual gifts and were assured of safe passage over Indian country.
…”Enchanted Water” was described as “a beautiful sheet of water, the shores being broken into pleasing irregularity by promonitories and many islands.”
Taken from the front page story titled “Story of our Enchanted Water Intriguing; It starts in 1926 from the Devils Lake Daily Journal Diamond Jubilee Edition June 28, 1957, Section Two.