Agates & Tarballs: July 2

Setting history straight

An Agate to Ruth Himes of Finland, who set the record straight on a photo we ran with a story about the Tettegouche Club last month. She writes:

*Enclosed is a picture (from the June 4 News-Chronicle) that listed the women’s names at the Tettegouche Club. Tyyne Nikolai should have been listed as Shaffer, she wasn’t a Nikolai until several years later.

*Sue Puterba and her husband were caretakers at Tettegouche for Mr. Quinn. Sometimes a couple of local women worked there for a day if needed. None of the women in the picture ever worked there. They were visiting Sue.

*Nancy Archibald is still living in Baxter. Her dad was the head of the Forestry Department and the CCC Camp 721 of Finland (Civilian Conservation Corps).

*Edit and Gunnar Palm owned the store, Palm’s Store, which is now Our Place. Edit married Otto Enger several years after Gunnar died.

*Anna Sonju married Cliff Halverson. I think Ethel Eckbeck married a Gauthier in Duluth.

*I am 91 years old and knew all these people. I worked for the Archibalds and the Palms.

Maybe this is all irrelevant, but I just thought I’d let you know.”

Fix the darn road

Tarball to the city of Two Harbors for its neglect in repaving a portion of Seventh Avenue near Subway after doing some work under the road early this past spring. It was acceptable to put down some gravel and wait for some hot mix as the road construction season got into swing but the fact that we have reached July and the height of tourism season without at least a patch is ridiculous and unsafe. The gravel disappears, leaving a hole that runs the risk of breaking an axle. The city doesn’t even have the conscientiousness to place a cone there so people might avoid the hole. The “Bump” sign does not suffice. It should say “Car Swallower” instead. It’s a shameful statement on what the city thinks about its residents and others who use the streets here. It would be cheaper to fix the darn thing than wait for a repair bill or a lawsuit.

Do you have an entry for Agates & Tarballs? It’s a place to vent cheers (Agates) and jeers (Tarballs) toward the daily events in life. It’s not personal, so don’t use this column to settle scores. Do use it to right community wrongs, celebrate what makes life good, or make note of the quirky things that make living here worthwhile. Call 834-2141 or email us at chronicle@lcnewschronicle. com

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