10 Years Ago
· Nov. 15, 1999 • A 53-year-old Grand Portage man was killed last Wednesday after the walls of a 25-foot-deep hole in which he was working collapsed and buried him.
According to the Cook County sheriff, the victim was one of three men who were setting a riser for a manhole near the marina on the Grand Portage Reservation. • Thehouse on County Road 7 in front of the Law Enforcement Center will be demolished.
That was the decision made by the county commissioners at their Nov. 9 meeting. The county bought the house from a local resident last year and has been considering whether or not to move or wreck the structure. • Schroeder Township supervisors voted last week to repair a stormwater runoff problem they say was created by the state during a recent road construction project. But who will pay for the work remains to be seen.
“We know one thing for sure: We can’t afford to let it be,” said Supervisor Bill McKeever.
20 Years Ago
· Nov. 13, 1989 • A fire at Gene’s IGA the night of Nov. 4 destroyed the well-known grocery store and caused an estimated loss of nearly half a million dollars.
A week later, owner Gene Lashinski was still uncertain as to the future of the now-blackened store.
The blaze broke out in the compressor tower section at the southeast corner of the building. It was reported at 10:56 p.m. by a passing motorist who drove immediately to the Law Enforcement Center. In all, there were 26 firemen on the scene, and no assistance was required from other departments. • Theboulders are in place at Grand Marais’ new park on Coast Guard Point, and native vegetation will be planted on the site at an Arbor Day ceremony next spring.
Boulders from the city street project were hauled to the park and arranged by Thoreson Contracting. The park will contain an 18-place gravel parking area that will be screened from the open area along the harbor by boulders and vegetation. Some benches and picnic tables will be scattered in the three-quarter-acre park. • A man who disappeared while camping near the cascades on the Pigeon River north of Grand Portage Oct. 11 is still missing, said Cook County Sheriff John Lyght.
“Every so often someone will run up there and take a look, but so far nothing has turned up,” he said.
The missing man is thought to have fallen into an impenetrable gorge along the river. An intensive search and rescue effort turned up no trace of him.
50 Years Ago
· Nov. 12, 1959 • Thenew post officebuilding in Grand Marais which is to be dedicated Nov. 21 is one of 3,000 such buildings built or placed under contract for construction since 1953. • A layer of snow — a couple inches in most places — greeted deer hunters on their first day out Saturday. Consequently many were able to get their deer. • The First Baptist Church of Grand Marais will celebrate its 35th anniversary this coming weekend in the church.
The organization of the church took place on Dec. 10, 1924 with 13 charter members. Six of these members still belong to the church and reside locally.
90 Years Ago
· Nov. 12, 1919 • Theworst storm for many years struck the North Shore Monday evening and reached its height about midnight. The wind was from the southwest, and the sea was more terrific than has been seen from that direction for many years.
The lighthouse was nearly wrecked, the sea tearing a hole in the south and north walls, allowing the water a clear sweep through the lower part of the building. The machinery of the fog bell was torn from its base and washed to the end of the pier, held there by the cable to the hammer. Much of the timbers of the pier were torn off. • School was suspended on Tuesday, “Armistice Day,” and during that time the school house was fumigated in order to kill the unwelcome smallpox germs. • R.E. Olmsted of the University Extension Division arrived on the stage Saturday evening to organize farmers’ clubs in the county, but the bad weather and condition of roads has made it difficult for him to do anything.
He will try his luck at moose hunting before returning.
Leave a Reply