Historical Reflections

Photo courtesy of Cook County Historical Society

Emergency responders from all over Cook County participated in an emergency drill–responding to a plane crash at the Grand Marais Rec Park—on Saturday, April 30. The scenario is not too far from the reallife crash that occurred 63 years ago. This photo appeared in the May 6, 1948 issue of the Cook County News- Herald with the headline Four hurt in plane crash near field here.

The article said “Four local men were injured in a plane crack-up during take-off from the local airport for a sight-seeing flight Tuesday, afternoon.” According to the article, the pilot and plane owner A.G. Porter of the Lutsen Light & Power Company and P.J. Bayle, Cook County Sheriff, were most gravely injured. J. Henry Eliasen, county attorney and Dr. W.R. Smith, the county’s only doctor, “escaped with lesser cuts and bruises.” It was believed that Dr. Smith struck the dome light on the plane from which he received a “large scalp gash requiring 28 stitches.” In the emergency room, Mrs. Smith did the stitching.

The plane had just returned from a brief flight over Grand Marais with passengers Howard Joynes, Val Dalbec, and C. Backlund. That flight went well, however on the next takeoff, the plane failed to gain sufficient altitude as it left the field (which is where the current high school sports fields are). The plane just cleared the “rough area between the west end of the field and the Gunflint Trail when it came down in the ditch beside the road.”

The article said it appeared Mr. Porter cut off his motor in order not to clear the road and crash into the woods beyond, and to avoid a fire.

The plane, a four-place Navion, had just arrived from St. Paul with James W. Clark, who was to address the Aero Club at Sawbill Lodge that evening.

Thanks to Rosemary Lamson of Grand Marais for bringing this story to our attention. She is the daughter of Dr. W.R. Smith and remembers when the accident happened. However, being so young, she was not allowed to see the plane.

Watch for Lee Creech’s recollections of the event in an upcoming Overlook, the Cook County Historical Society newsletter.

Do you have an old picture or a story from years gone by that you would like to share with Cook County News-Herald readers? Give us a call, or stop by our Grand Marais office. 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.