Cook County News Herald

Down Memory Lane




10 Years Ago
· Nov. 8, 1999 • A building that was once doomed by a wrecking ball will soon become a new feature of the Schroeder community.

Last year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, as part of the widening project of Highway 61, purchased the Cross River (Stickney) Store from Bill Jordan. Along with being a former general store, rooms were also rented in the early days of Schroeder and North Shore tourism.

The new improvements on Highway 61 would have effectively closed Jordan’s business for two years. Moreover, parking spaces would have also been a hot commodity.

Instead of demolishing the historic structure, a new plan was developed to save this piece of history. Last month, MnDOT was thanked for conveying the building back to the township of Schroeder, which will rent it to the Schroeder Historical Society for the next 99 years. • The top-ranked Cook County High School Viking football team took its first step to a state championship three-peat on Oct. 30 by soundly defeating Northland- Remer 63-2 in a first round playoff game in Grand Marais. • Lutsen resident Mike Jerabek will be inducted into the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Nov. 13 at a ceremony in Minneapolis.

Jerabek coached basketball and was a math teacher at Prior Lake High School for 30 years.

20 Years Ago
· Nov. 6, 1989 • A long-range project moved forward Tuesday as county commissioners voted 4-1 for a new airport to be sited along a high ridge north of Devil Track Lake.

County Engineer Mike Tardy said the decision would allow the $4.8 million plan to be submitted for funding by June 1990, which would result in a state commitment of Airport Improvement Project funds as early as 1991 and probably not later than 1993.

Ninety percent of the cost would be funded by the FAA in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. • Although two-week layoffs started with the first shift Sunday at LTV’s facilities in Hoyt Lakes, Taconite Harbor won’t be affected, said the firm’s manager of industrial relations.

He said there will be temporary reductions in production, but shipping will continue through Dec. 16 or possibly longer. • Cook County’s recent collection of hazardous household waste in the Tofte area turned up five pounds of lead arsenic poison.

Thecollection also received 30 gallons of oil paint and 10 gallons of latex paint, as well as some flammable liquids and other hazardous waste. There were six participants in the collection.

50 Years Ago
· Nov. 5, 1959 • What was expected to be a mere tonsillectomy at the local hospital Saturday morning turned out to be a major operation for an 8-year-old boy. For several days grave concern was held for his recovery, but he is now considered out of danger.

Given anesthesia in preparation for his tonsil operation, the boy’s heart stopped unexpectedly. The attending doctors immediately performed an emergency operation and massaged the heart back to action. In use is a Stedman pump hurriedly obtained from Duluth. • The Hovland eat shop owned by Mr. and Mrs. William Jessup burned early Sunday morning. Three walls are left partly standing, and the roof was caved in completely. • Chris Broton of Clearwater Lake has modernized his cabin. He built a basement, installed inside plumbing, and hot and cold running water.

He is going soft like the rest of us. • Mrs. A.B. Walker had the misfortune of fracturing a rib while doing housework, but she is able to be about and can do the officework.

90 Years Ago ·
Nov. 5, 1919 • Thehunting season will open on the 15th, and the local nimrods are beginning to lay plans and preparing their camps for the season’s hunt.

It is reported that moose are scarce this year but deer are more plentiful. • The snowstorm of Sunday and Monday has hampered our mail service so no mail was received from Saturday night to Wednesday afternoon. Twelve inches of snow is reported at Cramer, which is badly drifted in places. • Thefarm home of John Backstrom on Maple Hill was completely destroyed by fire this afternoon at 2 o’clock. None of the furniture was saved except a couple of chairs.

Theorigin of the fireis not known. • Thebody of Joseph Scala, 30, who disappeared from here three years ago was found in a shallow grave under a granary on his farm in Albert Lea.

An auction sale was in progress at the farm, and when removing some machinery which was stored near the granary, a skull rolled out.

On investigation the remains of Scala’s body were uncovered; in a shallow grave beside the body was found a pistol and a purse containing $6.


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