10 Years Ago
April 16, 2004
EDA Director John Kremer floated an idea last week which is likely to be the talk of the town and beyond for some months to come – move Grand Marais City Hall to the building vacated by Waters of Superior, raze the current city hall/ liquor store/visitor center and put in a two- or three-story commercial condominium complex. “Three or four businesses have already expressed interest in such a thing,” Kremer told the EDA board. “I believe businesses thrive when they own their own real estate.”
A fire that burned for several hours before being discovered in a six-unit townhouse at Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors did $500,000 in damages. Five of the building’s six units were occupied at the time, but no one was injured. Four of the units sustained most of the damage.
20 Years Ago
April 18, 1994
After coming to the same conclusions as an administrative law judge had done a month earlier, Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce James Ulland ordered Monday that the Bank Charter (Certificate of Authorization) be granted to Cook County State Bank. This is only the second new state bank to be chartered in Minnesota in the last 20 years. The bank’s building, completed in 1993 at the corner of Wisconsin and Broadway in downtown Grand Marais, has been sitting idle for several months.
The board of the Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority has begun its search for a new director to replace outgoing chief Bethany Fountain, who will leave the post in July.
On April 11, Sue Jordan, Jean Rysdahl, Patty Doherty and Cindy Hansen resurrected for the children at Birch Grove School some of the atmosphere and mystique of the school hot lunch program as these women remembered it from their school days. They were the “lunch ladies” with their hair secured in nets, bright red lipstick and neat aprons. They served the school hot lunch in the old tradition of “lunch ladies.” Birch Grove has no hot lunch program, but once a month some of the community women put on a hot lunch for the school kids.
50 Years Ago
April 16, 1964
C.O. Backlund and Sons were low bidders Tuesday on a construction contract at Two Harbors High School. The Backlund bid, for general construction including an addition to the building, was $113,900.
The Village Council hired the Stanley Smiths as managers and caretakers of the Village Trailer Park for the coming season. They succeed the Ed Holtes who resigned.
A thin white worm about as long as its name (Pneumostrongylus tenuis) is now suspected of being at least one cause of sickness and death in the moose herds of Minnesota and Ontario. Moose sickness causes the animal to lose weight, wander about aimlessly in circles and lose its fear of natural enemies including man.
90 Years Ago
April 17, 1924
The steamer Hazel made her first trip out of Duluth to Grand Marais on April 10.
Notice: On or after April 15 any person who has an automobile or truck without a license attached will be arrested, subject to a fine of $100 or 90 days in jail.
The buses have been taken off the state highway until the roads dry up. Passenger cars are now carrying the mail.
E. Luick went to Duluth with the Goldish fish tug Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. James Kinney of Colvill drove to town to do some shopping Friday.
L.P. Hirmer of Marshall, who has been working with the state highway department for about three years, has resigned to go into business in Grand Marais, having purchased the interest of Hans Toftey in the Midway Service Station. He is stepping into a business already established and enjoying a generous patronage.
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.
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