The Kabetogama History Society website (kabetogamahistory.org) offers short stories entitled Back in the Day. These stories tell about fishing and hunting, timber work as an occupation of early settlers. Other short stories tell about early school days, building roads and building out of an untamed wilderness area and first settlers to the area. The following are excerpts of stories on this site:

Logging in the Kabetogama/Ash River area

This wooded area was rich in pine, spruce in abundance long before loggers and settlers ventured to it. In the 1880’s the area was surveyed and sold off to lumbermen as highly valued property. Timber rights for Cutover Is land on Lake Kabetogama were sold for $230,000 in 1899. Lumber Companies stored supplies at Ash River. Lumbering died off when the forests were cut and land was generally sold off to pay delinquent taxes. Though the large lumber camps of the past no longer exist, the logging and paper processing industry is still a dominant occupation along with resort tourism in this area.

Most homes were built of milled lumber which had to be hauled from Ray by horse and wagon and the lumber was sawed by hand. Some old log structures remain today including the lodges at Arrowhead Resort, Ash River Visitor Center and Northern Lights resort. Some of the older cabins in the area have log walls covered with modern siding. A few cabins from the late 40’s and early 50’s remain intact as full log structures.

Early Settlers in the Area

The railroad came to Ray, eight miles north of Kabetogama, in 1907. Most settler came by train or by water via Vermillion or through Gold Portage a narrow pathway between Rainy and Kabetogama Lakes. Homesteaders were mostly of Finnish nationality. They were required to build and live on the land within three years of acquiring it. The names of the fist area homesteaders are among those of current residents in the Kabetogama/Ash River areas.

Farming was difficult because of the harsh winters, low, rocky soil and short growing season. Root cellars were maintained to preserve food. Social life was robust and dances at different family farms and sharing of meals and sewing and darning gatherings filled the evenings.

www.kabetogamahistory.org

Early Resort Life on Kabetogama.

Deer Horn Resort was built in 1938 by early Finnish log builders noted in this area for their unique style of log work. Overgrown with trees and brush , it was a challenge to groom the area and prepare it for the summer pleasure of guests. Patricia Hammalainen, whose parents ran the resort in the 40’s,  relates her experiences as a young woman responsible for helping family to succeed in the summer resort business. What were the unique challenges and experiences of this resort family? Find out what unique things they did for fun on the lake in those early resort days.

Contact Pat Hammainen (218) 283-2107 or See her story and pictures of early resort life the Kabetogama Historical Society website

Kabetogama/Ash River Oral History Project

The Voygeur Country Oral History Project is a community history venture involving partners from Ash River, Kabetogama and Voyaguer National Park and includes adjacent areas of Crane and Rainy Lakes. Its mission is capture and preserve the cultural history that links Voyageurs National Park and surrounding communities. Oral interviews conducted by a small group of community members have yielded rich and vibrant stories of earlier times including early resorts, logging, fishing and survival in challenging times. The Kabetogama Historical website :

Among the participants in this project are longtime residents whose ancestors were among the fist resort or summer cabin owners in the area. Their taped interviews reveal stories of bravery, risk taking and sometimes comedic debauchery. Boots whose parents honeymooned here in the 30’s and later bought and maintained a cabin on state leased land has many stories to tell of spending his boyhood here and experiencing many political and cultural changes in the area. He is willing to share insightful and often humorous interpretations of life in this beautiful country that is still his summer home. Nelson

Thor Herseth and Alan Burchell

are among the many former resort owners whose taped interviews provide information on early resort life and unique conditions in the area. These interviewees and others are willing to share their stories For more stories from these long time residents of the area contact:

www.kabetogamahistory.org provides information one of the earliest resort operations in the area and information.

Boots Nelson (952-933-6854)

Alan and Miriam Burchell (218) 875-3126

Thor Herseth (218) 875-2507

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