The Rainy River (; ) is a river, approximately long, forming part of the Canada–United States border separating Northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota.<!-- Keep parallel construction of which jurisdiction is noted first -->
History
thumbnail|left|200px|A map of the river charted by an expedition in 1825
The river issues from the west side of Rainy Lake (French: lac à la Pluie; Ojibwe: Gojiji-zaaga'igan) and flows generally west-northwest, between International Falls, Minnesota, and Fort Frances, Ontario, and between Baudette, Minnesota, and Rainy River, Ontario. The Couchiching First Nation (the Ojibwe name spelled in transliterated form) is associated with this river, where it had traditional territory.
The name of Koochiching County, Minnesota was derived from the Ojibwe term. Rainy Lake and the river were named by French colonists. These names were translated and adopted into English by British colonists. The town of Rainy River, Ontario was not developed until the late 19th century and not named until the early 20th century.
American author Tim O'Brien's novel The Things They Carried (1990), set during the Vietnam War, includes a chapter, "On the Rainy River," referring to this territory.
See also
- Pigeon River
- Winnipeg River, for exploration and fur trade
- List of rivers of Minnesota
- List of longest streams of Minnesota
- List of international border rivers
- List of Ontario rivers
- Rainy Lake
- Lake sturgeon
References
External links
- State of Minnesota: Rainy River Basin