As I See It

To whom it may concern,

My name is Jessica Moritz, formerly Jessica Nelson, and I was born and raised in Grand Marais, Minnesota. I also happen to be the granddaughter of the late Richard “Dick” Eckel, commercial fisherman and former owner of the Scott Fish House. After high school, I left Grand Marais and couldn’t return permanently due to my job, but my parents, friends, and many family members still reside there. I visit multiple times a year and have a deep connection to the community. I was blessed with the opportunity to grow up visiting my grandpa at the fish house and got to pick nets with him before the sun rise. The sight of the fish house elicits vivid and nostalgic memories that bring me back to my childhood: the smell of the wet wooden shakes on a cold, damp morning, watching the men and women who could clean a fish in less than 10 seconds with just the flick of a knife, the yellow and orange rubber overalls worn by the fishermen, the sight of the shimmering herring scales stuck to the wooden surfaces, the smell of the fresh fish, the sound of the rocks crunching under your feet and the wheels of vehicles and wagons, the smell of the fresh lake water and the sound of the waves rolling against the rocks. These sights, sounds, and memories are a part of my identity, and the identity of many community members who have been raised on the shores of Lake Superior.

I am writing this letter to express my concern regarding the potential relocation of the Historic Scott Fish House and the proposed new construction in its place by the North House Folk School. The Grand Marais area is rich with history involving Ojibwe people, French fur traders, and Scandinavian settlers. James Scott built the fish house by hand in 1907. He dedicated his life to commercial fishing at that fish house, on that property, and on that dock. His blood, sweat and tears are on those rocks—it is the very ground his feet touched. He was an industry and community leader. He founded a fisherman’s cooperative, a congregational church, and was the president of a local bank. He even died on that dock, collapsing while working in 1947. It’s not just the fish house that holds significance, it’s the land. The land is still used today to carry on the tradition and industry of commercial fishing by the Smith and Brisson families. They are carrying on a historic tradition that is over 115 years old at that very location. It is one of the very few commercial fishing operations that exists today and provides a livelihood for their family and members of our community. The relocation of the fish house and alteration of the land would disrupt and hinder their livelihood, causing unnecessary strife and undue hardships to tax paying members of our community.

If you think about it, moving a building is a big deal. Especially if that building is on the National Register of Historic Places. After all, you’re moving something that was never supposed to be moved. The structure was put there so that it would withstand storms, time, and use. The builders of it never even thought for a moment that it would ever rest anywhere other than where they built it. Moving a historic building is sometimes the only way to save it from being destroyed by nature or being a public safety hazard, but such an action should be undertaken only as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted. When a historic building has been moved, it loses its integrity of setting and its “sense of place and time”—important aspects of the historic character of a building and its environment. The Scott Fish House is neither in danger of being destroyed by the environment nor is it a public safety hazard; therefore, there is no reason to move it. All options for the North House expansion have been far from explored or exhausted. Relocating it for leisure is wreck less, irresponsible, and selfish.

The relocation of the fish house and the alteration of the land hold far more negative implications that positive ones. Of the minimal reasons given for justification of the project, trash and snow removal have easy work arounds where small improvements can be made without moving the fish house or altering the shoreline. They should hold no significance in decision making. In addition, it wouldn’t solve the problems of parking, street congestion, pedestrian safety, and potential for expansion. The site is self-limiting and would not solve current logistical issues.

It is important we “share the shoreline” and be stewards and ambassadors of the Lake and provide an example of compromise and humility. The North House has a large area of shoreline and multiple buildings to be enjoyed by patrons, public, and students. The historic fish house provides a symbol of who we are and where we came from. It is all linked together: the light house, the harbor, the break wall, the Nee-Gee, and the fish house. They are all pieces of a puzzle in history and their current locations hold deep cultural and community symbolism and identity. I see the declination of the variance and the recent acquisition of the large lot near the Birch Terrace by the North House as an amazing opportunity to improve upon the plans the North House already has while solving the issues that the relocation and building in that space cannot solve. The North House can choose to consider this a positive opportunity to maintain the historical significance of Grand Marais and provide for more educational opportunities for North House students by shifting their mindset and creating new, better, and more inclusive plans by relocating the new project building plans to the new lot. The students would still have full access to the lake shore campus and would be able to enjoy its beauty, while preserving the historic fish house and its land.

It cannot be forgotten that there is no actual approved location for the fish house to be relocated to. So much of this proposal seems to be hinged on the relocation of the fish house, but there is no actual site of relocation. Until there is an approved site, the idea of relocation is just an empty promise. Why would the North House want to have such a contingency for a large project, unless they never planned on fulfilling that contingency, which is a valid concern.

The mission of the North House Folk School is “to enrich lives and build community by teaching traditional northern crafts in a student-centered learning environment that inspires the hands, the heart and the mind.” Their four values are: people, place, craft, and culture. Within those values, they state that they are committed to multi-generational community building, respect, individuality, and appreciation; and that they are committed to traditional crafts that provide a powerful linkage between people and resources and connects the past, present and future. This project proposal goes against the direct mission statement of the North House Folk School and contradicts their stated values.

Thank you all for taking the time to read, listen, and consider the content of this letter. I am hopeful that the right, fair, and most inclusive decision will be made to leave the Scott Fish House in its current location and to preserve the land that it is on. This decision is paramount to the identity of the community and its members, while paying tribute to its past. This gives the North House the opportunity to relocate the project plans to the new lot, solving many (if not all) of the logistical problems and allowing for improvement, growth, and expansion for years to come.