Weekly 150: Cavelier de La Salle

There are few tales as compelling as that of René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, a French explorer whose intrepid spirit led him to forge a path into the uncharted wilderness of North America. Amidst the late 17th century’s backdrop of colonial expansion and fierce territorial rivalries, La Salle’s vision and determination laid the foundation for one of the earliest European settlements in the Mississippi Valley—the enigmatic Fort Prudhomme. This week’s story delves into the remarkable story of La Salle and the founding of Fort Prudhomme, a momentous chapter in the early history of Memphis and west Tennessee.