10 YEARS AGO
AUG. 1, 2009
Residents of Third Avenue West in Grand Marais had an extremely unpleasant, but not disastrous, experience on July 22 when utility work caused sewer gas to enter several homes. An affected homeowner discovered that employees of an out-of-town crew working at the corner of Fourth Street and Third Avenue West apparently caused the problem as they were flushing the sewer lines with high-pressure water jets in preparation for checking the lines with a camera.
A search for an Illinois man who was wanted for burglary led to a brief standoff with law enforcement on the Gunflint Trail last Saturday. Cook County officers said they made a special effort to find the man because it was believed he was armed and dangerous, and that he was attempting to leave the U.S. at the Grand Portage border crossing. The man was eventually located as he attempted to get a boat ride across Saganaga Lake into Canada from Way of the Wilderness canoe outfitters, and apprehended when he was stopped driving south on the Gunflint Trail at about 3 p.m.
20 YEARS AGO
AUG. 2, 1999
The Grand Marais City Council, by a vote of 3-2, rejected Gordon Awsumb’s Old Ski Hill development proposal at their regular meeting July 28. Awsumb, who was present at the meeting, was proposing a three-phase development which would eventually build 62 dwellings on one-acre plots on the lower third of the property. The development proposal was accepted two weeks ago by the Grand Marais/Cook County Economic Development Authority, but because the lower portion of the Ski Hill property is owned by the city, council has final say on whether Awsumb could proceed.
Due to the disaster of the July 4 storm, the canoe races at Gunflint Lake have been cancelled until the summer of 2000. Organizers of the races, which raise thousands of dollars for the Gunflint Rescue Squad and Fire Department, were anxious to let those who bought raffle tickets know that the tickets could be refunded.
50 YEARS AGO
JULY 31, 1969
The Minnesota Highway Department, in the interests of highway safety, has decided not to remove the old bridge at the Baptism River, as previously planned. The new $650,000 structure will be open to traffic this fall just upstream of the old one. The old structure will serve as a footbridge for tourists, fishermen, and snowmobilists, thereby decreasing non-vehicular traffic in the new bridge area.
Workers were in the final stages of razing the top two stories of the Arrowhead Hotel yesterday. The walls were taken apart in sections and a crane used to put them down for disposal. The lower part of the building is being remodeled into a first-class drug store.
Maria Montana, who has had a career as an opera singer both in America and Europe, is at her home near Hovland. She says she loves it here and would like to stay, but finds she must be in a warmer climate during the colder months. She has been in California recently.
90 YEARS AGO
AUG. 1, 1929
The fire that was consuming the timber and slashings between Devil’s Track Lake and Brule Lake and which last week destroyed one of the Cloquet Lumber Company camps, has died down considerably in the last few days, following the short rainfall of Tuesday evening. Though the fire is now under control there is still danger in case of heavy winds.
Mrs. Mary Stark, postmistress of Buffalo, Minnesota, was instantly killed when the Essex roadster in which she and her sister-in-law were driving plunged over the bridge at Pigeon River, landing in the bed of the stream 65 feet below. The accident occurred about 6:30 Sunday night. Witnesses state that the car was travelling only about 4 miles an hour and that Mrs. Stark, the driver of the death car, was evidently gazing at the scenery unaware of the proximity of the edge of the bridge.
Vernie Skoog was kicked by a horse last Wednesday while working on the Caribou Lake road and is now on crutches, unable to continue with his work.
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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