Release date is 2012-10-26

Produced by Greg Bergquist and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

"Portage Paths: The Keys of the Continent" by Archer Butler Hulbert is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The text focuses on the significance of portage paths as vital routes in American history that facilitated exploration and communication across the continent. It explores these pathways from the perspectives of explorers, missionaries, and traders, highlighting their strategic importance in geographical and historical contexts. The opening of the work introduces the concept of portage paths as the "Backbone of America," inviting readers to imagine a journey across the continent from the Atlantic to the Mississippi Basin. It describes the challenges faced by early travelers, specifically the "voyageurs," as they navigated these routes while carrying canoes and supplies. The text emphasizes how these paths, often found in rugged terrains, were crucial for connecting waterways and enabling human movement during the early days of exploration, while also hinting at the profound historical implications of these routes in shaping America's development. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified