Traveling the Old North Shore

Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP multi-part series focusing on the history of this diverse region.
In this edition, producer Martha Marnocha gathers memories of the jail, liquor store and bar that were part of the former downtown Grand Marais municipal building.
In 1998 the downtown jail was moved to a new law enforcement center location on the edge of town, and the former municipal building was torn down in 2024.

Thanks to Gerilynne Heston, Rhonda Silence, Mickey Brazell and Pat Eliasen for their contributions. Additional information was provided by staff at the Cook County Courthouse and City of Grand Marais, Dave Wirt, Dick Dorr and the Cook County Historical Society.

Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP multi-part series focusing on the history of this diverse region.
In this two-part edition, producer Martha Marnocha speaks with Bill Douglas, a Saganaga Lake resident since 1972, who takes us on a trip to a special lake at the very end of the Gunflint Trail.

Downtown Grand Marais has had many changes through the decades. Producer Martha Marnocha explores a bit of downtown history with help from two long-time residents: Butch Schulte and Sherrie Lindskog.

They share memories of when Santa visited the Shore Theater, North Shore Fish and Freight, Cherry’s Bakery, Jackson’s Cafe’ and other downtown businesses.

Additional credit to Eugene Glader’s Downtown Grand Marais, Volumes 1 and 2, and the Cook County Historical Society archives.

When Santa flew an airplane into the Shore Theater in downtown Grand Marais.

North Shore Fish and Freight in flood conditions, located where the Cook County Co Op is now, in downtown Grand Marais

Frank Cherry’s Bakery, 1934, the location of what is now Superior Creamery

Cabin at site of old border crossing, 1930s. Cook County Historical Society

For several decades Joanne Hart and her family lived on a remote homestead along the Pigeon River – once the site of the former Highway 61 border crossing. It was an isolated location lying within the Grand Portage Indian Reservation.

Joanne was a writer and an academic, and a respected member of the Grand Portage community. Tribal member Rick Anderson recalls his friendship with Joanne.

Former border crossing site, near the Hart homestead. Cook County Historical Society/Joanne Hart

The Hart family eventually transferred ownership of their property to the Grand Portage Band. Remnants of their homestead remain at the old border crossing along the Pigeon River.

Additional thanks to Rick Novitsky, Mary Deschampe, Joe Hart and Cook County Historical Society archives.

Witch Tree – Joanne Hart and Hazel Belvo collaboration

Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP North Shore Community Radio ongoing feature produced by Martha Marnocha.

Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP multi-part series focusing on the history of this diverse region.

In this feature, WTIP producer Martha Marnocha explores an area high above the city of Grand Marais on Pincushion Mountain that was once the town garbage dump.

Looking down, with portion of concrete wall

You can hike to the old dump site on Pincushion Mountain. It’s about ½ mile from the Pincushion Mountain parking area located just off the Gunflint Trail.

Thanks to Sherrie Lindskog and Butch Schulte for their contributions to this feature.

Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP multi-part series focusing on the history of this diverse region.
In this edition, producer Martha Marnocha learns more about one of Minnesota’s three remaining and actively functioning Finnish Community Halls. Petrell Hall is located on the Brimson-Toimi Road, approximately 30 miles north of Two Harbors.

Lace insulation at Petrell Hall. Photo by Tom Thompson

Mural inside the hall. Photo by Tom Thompson.

Petrell Hall dedication. Photo by Tom Thompson.

With thanks to JoAnn Olson for her contribution to this feature. More information on Petrell Hall can be found on their Facebook page.

Monker Lake is a small and somewhat unremarkable lake located near Grand Marais. It was named for Claus and Kristine Monker, early Scandinavian homesteaders in the area.

In this edition of Traveling the Old North Shore, producer Martha Marnocha tells the history of the four years the Monkers lived next to Monker Lake,

and how Kristine Monker left behind piece of Russian history.

Special thanks to the Cook County Historical Society for providing archival records on the family history of Claus and Kristine Monker and a photo of the couple.

Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP multi-part series focusing on the history of this diverse region.

 
Producer Martha Marnocha travels to Toimi, Minnesota, which was once a remote community of Finnish homesteaders, but is now mostly forest and a few scattered buildings along a Lake County highway. But once you leave the main paved road, you may find surprising remnants of the area’s 100-year-old history. The historic Toimi School is located on Forest Highway 11, approximately 31 miles north of Two Harbors. The Toimi Children’s Cemetery is 1⁄2 mile south of the school on Murphy Lake Road (Lake County 15).

Thanks to Ron Johnson of the Toimi School Board of Directors for his contribution to this feature. Other volunteers/Board members who assist with the operation and
maintenance of the school and cemetery include Roy Hansen, Adrian Ranta, Mike and Vicky Harrison, Bill Johnson, Dennis Wagner and Jim Turnquist.

Photos courtesy of Martha Marnocha and Ron Johnson.

Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP multi-part series, focusing on the history of this diverse region. In this feature, producer Martha Marnocha explores the history of an iconic North Shore community called Illgen City.

Special thanks to Tettegouche State Park’s Kurt Mead for his contribution to this feature. Photographs courtesy of Tettegouche State Park: Illgen City family (left); business at London Crossing,1924 (right).

Producer Martha Marnocha and Doug Turner share the history of some very well-known North Shore place names.

Learn about the mysterious case of Donald “Blackie” Kulas, who went missing just north of Two Harbors, never to be seen again. This is the first segment of Traveling the Old North Shore, a WTIP original feature produced by Martha Marnocha.