Portage Paths: The Keys of the Continent

"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.)

Archer Butler Hulbert, FRGS, historical geographer, writer, and professor of American history, son of Rev. Calvin Butler Hulbert and Mary Elizabeth Woodward, was born in Bennington, Vermont. His father later became President of Middlebury College. Hulbert was married twice. On September 10, 1901 he married Mary Elizabeth Stacy, who died in 1920. On June 16, 1923 he married Dorothy Printup. He had two daughters by each wife.