As early as 1615, Frenchmen settled along the St. Clair River in the area now known as Algonac and Clay Township to trade furs with Native Americans. Despite Louis XIV s determination to build a colonial empire in this region, the French fleur-de-lis was replaced by the British Union Jack in 1760 and then by the American Stars and Stripes in 1783, making it one of the few regions in Michigan to have flown the flags of three nations. Following the decline of the fur trade, three major industries lumber, boatbuilding, and salt production provided pioneers with the means to amass fortunes. By...