 In 1671 , France signed a treaty with a number of tribes to allow trade . Shortly thereafter , French trader Daniel Greysolon , Sieur du Lhut arrived in the area and began trading with the local tribes . Du Lhut explored the western area of Lake Superior , near his namesake , the city of Duluth , and areas south of there . He helped to arrange a peace agreement between the Dakota and Ojibwa tribes in 1679 . 
