Rendezvous is held each summer on the first FULL weekend  of August. The fur post will be open to the general public on August 6 - 8, 2010. There are displays, demonstrations, music, food, Trader's Row and camping facilities for overnight stays. Family camp for participants starts the week prior to Rendezvous, on Monday.  It is a great vacation experience. If you have an interest in history and enjoy the company of others with like interests, Rendezvous reenactment and participation is a great avenue to explore!

Rendezvous was a very important time to the people of the fur trade. It was a time of celebration when partners brought in trade goods and supplies from back east to meet with the wintering partners and voyageurs bringing out a year's catch of furs. This was a great gathering of people from different social standings, culture, and ethnicity. It's now a time for us to celebrate the lives of those who gave us our rich history and learn a little of the Great Lakes region's early history. We can enjoy all the sounds, smells, tastes and feelings of the Eighteenth Century. Come join us for the fun!

A Great Family Vacation and Learning Experience

Explore with us the daily lives of those who lived in 1798. The excitement of Rendezvous is in the greeting of old friends and in the meeting of new ones. All share in the enjoyment of living and the bounty of summer. Its a time to learn a new skill from your neighbor, tell your story and hear another's, talk about the newest fashions in England, and enjoy the flavors of foods almost forgotten. The sound of music and dance are enjoyed. Competition to prove your skill at shooting, hawk throwing or a game of chance adds to the festivities. After the hardships of winter and the isolation of the wilderness everyone is in high spirits. Now is the time to shop for all your supplies and possibly receive the material ordered last year or the clothing ordered from a tailor in Montreal. There is much business to be discussed, and politics to debate. The smoke of the campfires carries with it the cultures of the people who gather around each. The diversity of the people who gather here is great and the strength of each, a lesson to us all

One of the purposes of Rendezvous and all the activities sponsored by the White Oak Society is to educate visitors not only about the lifestyle of the fur trading era (late 1600's to mid-1800's) but also to showcase its difficulties and challenges. For example, the French voyageurs were a vital part of the fur trade. They often carried two 90-pound packs over a portage , and faced the danger of dying from hernias or drowning. The cold of the winters and great amounts of snow proved to be a great hardship for many with food becoming scarce and the gathering of enough wood for fuel almost impossible. The Native Americans were of great importance to the trade as they provided the furs and also much of the staple foods needed for the outposts survival,and in turn, gained tools and cloth that improved their daily living. The English brought to the interior an international trade of goods and with it the beginning exploration of the wilderness,with both, positive and negative consequences.

History of White Oak

The idea for White Oak Fur Post and Rendezvous began a number of years ago with Ray Nyberg and Chuck Ogee, both living north of  Deer River. Ray was the President of the Chamber of Commerce, and became interested in blackpowder as he heard Chuck practice shootiong  in the fields nearby. They became close friends as they shared their dreams of what might be possible in this northern Minnesota region, so intertwined with history of the fur trade and all the areas that are related. They felt a place was needed for history enthusiasts, and were sent to meet Perry Vining, of Albert Lea, who had organized rendezvous' in Minnesota and South Dakota. A nonprofit organization named the White Oak Society soon formed! A grant from the Blandin Foundation covered the cost of a feasibility study. The study showed us that there was enough tourist traffic to the area to support a fur post reconstruction. The city of Deer River allowed the Society of use an 80 acre parcel of land on the northern edge of the city and with continuing support from the Blandin Foundation, the Society soon started construction.
The true historic post was located just south of Deer River in the town of Zemple on White Oak Point in White Oak Lake thru which the Mississippi River flows. This site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It dates to around 1798 and consisted of one building, probably like that of the subsistence cabin at the 'modern' White Oak Society Fur Post. 

In 2005, White Oak Society, Inc. grew to three major events each year - the August Rendezvous held the first full weekend in August, History School Days Program in May, and The White Oak Sled Dog Classic held each January.

We welcome new members and are a very personable group of local folks to work with, all sharing a common goal. We depend on memberships, volunteers, and donations of time and funding to keep us going.  We are a nonprofit learning center with a wonderful site and facility that can be rented for your personal needs. Call us for information on how you can get involved or use the site. Our office number is 218 - 246- 9393 or email: whiteoak@paulbunyan.net.

Contact us for more information about the White Oak Fur Post and Rendezvous. Information also available on the Workshop and Entertainment page and/or Rendezvous FAQ.

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