10 Years Ago
Jan. 30, 2004
A semi-truck loaded with wood chips from Hedstrom Lumber Co. lost its brakes on the Gunflint Trail on Monday about 5 p.m., barreled across Highway 61, crashed through Tommy Eckel’s fish house, skidded along a dock and then overturned into Lake Superior barely missing the schooner Hjordis, which was moored in the next dock. The driver used the mooring lines from the Hjordis to climb out of his partially submerged cab onto the ice-encrusted dock in very cold temperatures. He was uninjured, but the historic fish house was demolished. It was determined that five out of the eight brakes that were inspected on the truck were out of adjustment and deemed insufficient.
Two Grand Marais residents won $1,391,513 in the Jan. 20 Gopher 5 jackpot drawing from the Minnesota State Lottery. The jackpot was the highest in Gopher 5 history. The winning ticket was purchased at the Grand Marais SuperAmerica.
20 Years Ago
Jan. 31, 1994
The Schroeder Citizens Group met Jan. 25 and approved a motion to recommend to the town council and populace acceptance of a preliminary design for a boat launch ramp and harbor of refuge at Taconite Harbor. Construction funding would be arranged through the Department of Natural Resources and the North Shore Management Board.
Out of 340 sleds that started the I-500 in Thunder Bay, 308 made it to Grand Marais. About 265 were humming the next day en route to Duluth.
The Lutsen Tofte Tourism Association and the Resident Management Committee of the Superior National Golf Course both passed resolutions opposing the use of the golf course clubhouse as headquarters for a commercial snowmobile rental business.
50 Years Ago
Jan. 30, 1964
Presence of mind and quick thinking were given credit for saving the lives of a mother and her 7-year-old daughter about 15 miles north of Schroeder on the Cramer and Consolidated roads last Friday night during a blizzard. The two were on their way to Rudy Hill’s camp with clothing and other supplies when the car motor died and would not start again when clogged with drifting snow. The temperature was well below zero. After two hours of walking, they went into an abandoned shack and started a fire in the stove. After three trucks had passed the shack without knowing someone was inside in trouble, the mother threw a log across the road with a note attached, calling for help. Eventually another truck came by and rescued the women and they were taken to Smith’s Motel for rest and sleep.
The snowmobilers and skiers are happy this weekend – but the snow shovelers are not. We needed more snow, all right, but the weatherman didn’t need to get so enthusiastic about it – especially the big winds that went with the snow and heaped every hollow with a lot of white heavy stuff.
The barometer went down to 28.8 this week. It is the lowest that has been seen at Gunflint Lake during the winter for quite some time.
90 Years Ago
Jan. 31, 1924
E. Luick, lighthouse keeper, has turned the light off for the season.
Albert Gilbertson drove the snow plow east Sunday. Elmer Gilbertson went with him as his helper.
Earl Worthing of Lutsen was in town Saturday. He cleaned up all the checker sharks in A.P. Anderson’s billiard parlor.
Two more children at the Andrew Larson home have come down with scarlet fever.
All sizes in funeral goods always in stock at Aug. J. Johnson’s second hand store. (adv)
Do you have an old picture or a story from years gone by that you would like to share with the Cook County News-Herald readers? We’d love to hear your Historical Reflections Call (218) 387-9100; e-mail starnews@boreal.org; or stop by our office at 15 First Avenue West.
Leave a Reply