Cook County News Herald

Down Memory Lane




10 YEARS AGO

OCT. 27, 2006

Lutsen Town Board Chair Brad Ludlow announced his intention to resign from the board Oct. 17, at the end of his ninth year on the board. “I’m not going to run again. After nine years I feel I’ve served my time. I’ll be stepping down next March,” he said.

At the request of Sheriff Mark Falk, Lutsen joined Tofte and Schroeder in unanimously approving a letter to be sent to the Coast Guard commander in support of extending the seasonal operation of the Grand Marais Coast Guard station until at least the end of September. The action was prompted by a near-tragedy to boaters on Sept. 7. “We (sheriff and First Responders) have no training, equipment, boats or expertise for ship rescue,” Falk said. “It is still trout season through the end of September, even the first week of October.”

20 YEARS AGO
OCT. 28, 1996

The Hedstrom Lumber Company resell lumber yard and hardware store was almost completely destroyed by fire during the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 21. The fire caused a loss estimated at almost $1 million in property and inventory. The cause of the blaze is unknown.

On Oct. 16, Cook County District Judge Kenneth Sandvik found for those parties in favor of an extension of the North Shore Trail 33 miles through lands now primarily used by dog sledders and non-motorized sports enthusiasts, many of whom sought to block the trail with a lawsuit. The extension parallels Highway 61 several miles to the north, winding through heavily wooded terrain above the sparsely populated communities of Colvill and Hovland and the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. Created by an act of the state Legislature in 1975, 146 miles of trail from Duluth to Grand Marais were completed by 1984. But until 1990, the Reservation had refused permission to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to cross its land.

50 YEARS AGO
OCT. 27, 1966

A tragic car accident took the life of a high school senior, and sent two girls riding in the car to the hospital with injuries at about 10:30 Saturday night. The 18-year-old from Lutsen died instantly as the car he was driving left the road at the curve and struck a tree on the Devil Track Road. It was the eighth vehicle fatality in Cook County this year.

The average long distance call went through in about 100 seconds in 1940. The same call today goes through in a little over 50 seconds. If it is customer dialed by Direct Distance dialing, it goes through in less than 30 seconds!

Attorney George Johnson had a heart attack when he was presenting a case at the local courthouse Tuesday and was taken to the North Shore Hospital.

90 YEARS AGO
OCT. 28, 1926

The local telephone company is extending its lines two miles west from Little Marais and moved the exchange to Connor’s residence. Also, the telephone office will be open on election night so that returns from other parts of the county and state may be received.

Verne and Victor Skoog are working in town, digging basement for Elmer Gilbertson.

The State Game and Fish Department this week took a moose for mounting and for scientific purposes. The meat is on sale at Murphy’s, giving the people the benefit of a toothsome repast.

A partridge flew through the window at Nylund’s barber shop Monday, breaking the plate glass.

J.E. Mulligan left Wednesday for Four Mile Lake, where he will stay for a month.

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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