Lake Superior Folklore
May 8th, 2022
These Are Some Of The Weirdest Lake Superior Folklore
The North Shore in Minnesota and Lake Superior are beautiful and wondrous places. So it’s no wonder that one of the largest land lakes is the inspiration for many different folktales, myths, and legends. Getting familiar with some of these folklores can make for some spooky stories to tell late at night when you stay at Cascade Lodge. The Lodge is based in Lutsen, MN, off the shores of Lake Superior. These are some of the most interesting Lake Superior folklore from multiple shorelines surrounding this massive freshwater lake.
The Devil’s Kettle
Far up on the North Shore in the Judge C. R. Magney State Park lies The Devil’s Kettle. It’s connected to the Brule River, and the water from this pours over a waterfall just short of Lake Superior. However, it’s not clear where the water goes once it travels down the waterfall. Ideally, it finds its way to Lake Superior, but it’s not immediately noticeable given the appearance that the water pours straight into the Earth.
Mishipeshu
Mishipeshu is an Ojibwe water creature, similar to a panther. According to Great Lake Guide, Mishipeshu has the “head and paws of an enormous cat, the horns of a bison, the scaly body of a snake, a spikey back and tail. Mishipeshu is said to speak in a roaring hiss that emulates the sound of rushing water.” The creature was said to live near Michipicoten Island, on the east side of Lake Superior in Canada.
Great Lakes Merman
The Great Lakes have been the final resting place for 30,000 sailors and 6,000 shipwrecks dating back to the 1700s. Back then, the number of wrecks and loss of life made some believe that something else was at play, like Merman. A man and an Ojibwe woman in 1782 said that they saw a merman off the Canadian shoreline. The man attempted to kill the creature, but the woman protested as she believed it was Maymaygwashi, a water spirit.