Resources

The following list is a guide to help people who are creating programs, studying, or trying to find a French Canadian community with resources in their area. The history and culture of French Canadians from communities throughout the area have many commonalities, from genealogy to the underlying economic reasons for early development in the region, to faith, food, and family. It is impossible to extricate and isolate one area’s French Canadian culture from the broader Great Lakes regional French Canadian culture although there are certainly exceptions to this statement. To suggest additions to this list or to report a broken link, please contact the editor or leave a comment. UPDATED 2/2024

Social Media

FACEBOOK: French-Canadians & Métis of the Great Lakes and Upper Louisiana

CANADA/ONTARIO

The BUXTON MUSEUM is an excellent general resource for the study of French Canadians who were involved with helping escaped slaves along the Underground Railroad. For a look at how some French Canadians responded to this moral imperative, see page 51 of the November 4, 1932 issue of the Border Cities Star (forerunner of the Windsor Star) for some local history that includes details about The Soup House – an organization that served the escaped slaves, especially children.
CENTRE COMMUNITAIRE LA GIROUETTE
COMMUNITIES OF THE VOYAGEUR METIS (org defunct, for archive purposes only)
DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY
DUFF-BABY HOUSE
ESSEX COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
LES FEMMES DE LA ROUTE 11: LES ELLES DU NORD
FIDDLE AND SASH ASSOCIATION, WALLACEBURG
FRENCH ONTARIO IN THE 17th and 18th CENTURIES
OUTAOUAIS’ FOREST HISTORY Bilingual (English and French) multimedia website designed exclusively for secondary school teachers and students on the history and culture relating to the forests of the Ottawa region.
VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF FRANCO-ONTARIAN HERITAGE
8 femmes, 8 mars…celebrating “les paroles de femmes en Ontario français”

ILLINOIS

ANTOINE OUILMETTE by FRANK GROVER (pdf)
CHICAGO PORTAGE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHICAGO, French and French Canadians in Chicago
FRENCH CANADIAN INTERVIEW PROJECT, Kankakee
FRENCH CANADIANS IN THE KANKAKEE VALLEY
KANKAKEE FRENCH HERITAGE MUSEUM
WILMETTE HISTORICAL MUSEUM

INDIANA

THE BAILLY HOMESTEAD
CENTER FOR HISTORY South Bend, Early Indian, to 1779
FEAST OF THE HUNTER’S MOON Annual festival in LaFayette, Indiana
OLD FRENCH HOUSE AND INDIAN MUSEUM
SPIRIT OF VINCENNES RENDEZVOUS

MICHIGAN

L’ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DETROIT
DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY: FRONTIERS TO FACTORIES This multi-unit resource includes an extensive section on French Detroit, 1701-1760, including extensive curricular guidelines on teaching Ribbon Farms, Fur Trade, and Habitants and Voyageurs. A background essay places the topic in a broader context.
ENCORE DÉTROIT Part of the organization Alliance Français, Encore Détroit is dedicated to sponsoring and promoting French cultural events in the Detroit area and building French language opportunities, drawing historical local culture as their inspiration.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DETROIT
FORT ST. JOSEPH A mission site from the 1680s, it is now an archaeological site run by Western Michigan University
THE FRANCOIS DELOEUIL HOUSE ABD BLACKSMITH SHOP by Patrick Tucker is an excellent resource for archaeological and historical information on the area around present-day Monroe, Michigan, including Frenchtown and River Raisin, particularly through the prism of early blacksmith Francois Deloeuil.
FRENCH SCHOOL OF DETROIT
MACKINAC STATE HISTORIC PARKS Numerous resources for teachers and kids, including lesson plans, curriculum guidlines, and information about site/in-school visits.
MACKINAC FOR KIDS A special website from Mackinac State Historic Parks just for young people!
MICHILIMACKINAC HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MONROE COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM
MONROE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MTU ARCHIVES AND COPPER COUNTRY HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
RIVER RAISIN NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD, Monroe, Michigan Excellent resources for teachers, students and travelers. Note Professor Muskrat and Major Muskrat!

MINNESOTA/NORTH DAKOTA
FRENCH-AMERICAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION of MINNESOTA
INITIATIVES IN FRENCH Publishes IF Midwest Journal and sponsor of Franco-Fête
NORTH AMERICAN VOYAGEUR COUNCIL Educational organization dedicated to knowledge of the fur trade.
MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Strong fur trade collection, including artifacts, publications, and artwork, and free access to many articles on French Canadian and Metis culture and history.

MISSOURI
FELIX VALLE HOUSE STATE HISTORIC SITE
HISTORIC STE. GENEVIEVE
LES AMIS: FRENCH CREOLE CORRIDOR
MARDI GRAS SOULARD
OLD MINES AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PAW PAW FRENCH
SOULARD, ST. LOUIS

NORTH AMERICA

CENTER FOR FRENCH COLONIAL STUDIES
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FRENCH CULTURAL HERITAGE IN NORTH AMERICA
FRANCO-AMERICAN DIGITAL ARCHIVES
FRENCH IN AMERICA CALENDAR This gallery of images was part of a calendar project sponsored by Alliance Franco-Américaine du Midwest (AFAM), Conseil pour le Développement du Français en Louisiane (CODOFIL), Société Historique Franco-Américaine de la Nouvelle-Angleterre (SHFA) from 1985-2002.

WISCONSIN

ROGERS STREET FISHING VILLAGE
WISCONSIN’S FRENCH CONNECTIONS

MICHIGAN FRENCH CANADIAN HERITAGE