Cook County News Herald

Down Memory Lane




10 Years Ago ·
Jan. 10, 2000

• A long-standing agreement between the Grand Marais Rec Park and area churches came under scrutiny last week when the Park Board began discussion aimed at forging a long-term policy.

Under the existing arrangement, the North Shore Recreation Ministry is given the use of a campground lot free of charge in exchange for providing ecumenical outreach and counseling to vacationers. The agreement has recently been questioned by some disgruntled residents and campers who wondered “why they (churches) don’t have to pay like everybody else.”

• Twice last week searchers were called to the Gunflint Trail to locate skiers who didn’t return to their lodges on schedule. In both cases the skiers were indeed lost, but unharmed.

• Residents at the North Shore Care Center are now able to look out the window and see the American flag, thanks to a gift from the American Legion Auxiliary Post 413. Members of the auxiliary donated funds for the purchase and installation of the 30-foot flagpole.

20 Years Ago ·
Jan. 8, 1990

• Members of the Rainbow Family, a nationwide group best described as latter day hippies, are planning to hold their annual three-week summer gathering in Minnesota this year and are investigating Cook County as a possible site.

The gatherings typically attract over 10,000 people and have been held since 1972.

• Pincushion Mountain Ski Trail was a busy place on New Year’s Eve. There were 50 cars at the Scenic Overlook and 20 cars at the bed & breakfast.

Thetrail is in excellent shape and was alive with skiers.

• With 150 racers already signed up, sponsors of the Jeep 500 snowmobile marathon expect a field of more than 200 machines to cross the starting line in this year’s fourth annual event.

This year’s race starts in Thunder Bay. Skyport Lodge is a refueling stop and Grand Marais an overnight stop.

50 Years Ago ·
Jan. 7, 1960

• Numerically, about two-thirds of the population of the county was either admitted or treated at the local hospital during its first year of existence.

There were 370 patients listed as admitted and who had spent a minimum of one day in the hospital. This figure did not include babies born there, unless they were detained for some reason after their mothers had left. The number of outpatients treated was 1,629.

That gives a total of 1,999; the last census gave the population of the county as about 3,000.

• C.O. Backlund and Sons of Grand Marais is one of 16 hardware firms to be honored at the 63rd annual convention of the Minnesota Retail Hardware Association in Minneapolis next week. The award is in recognition of a quarter-century of service in the hardware business.

• A group of about 30 persons, including children, enjoyed the get-together at the Hovland Town Hall New Year’s Eve. There were games, cards and dancing for those who wanted to participate and at 11 o’clock a delicious put luck lunch was served.

85 Years Ago ·
Jan. 8, 1925

• Adolph Backlund had a snap jerked through his arm when he was tying a cow. The cow gave a jerk and the snap went through his wrist.

He will be unable to work for some time. • The children of Grand Marais are requested to slide on Monroe Street where there are not so many cars nor so much danger of accidents. The automobile drivers are also asked to avoid Monroe Street with their cars as much as possible and help make sliding there safe for the children.

• Milk will be given to every student taking his lunch for 15 cents per week.


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