Long before the dark ages of Europe and the Renaissance, there were First Nations Aboriginal People living off the land in the Lake of the Woods area. You can see traces of the past among rocks with paintings and pictographs that range from 800 to 1200 years old.

The aboriginal people use to mix iron oxide rich soil with animal fat and ground flowers to produce reds and other colors. The paintings were used to mark territories and to guide hunters and gatherers along the waterways. Many of these painting can still be seen to day if you look for them.