Lake County Past

Talk about it

From Lake County newspaper archives.

100 years ago, 1911

A.J. Giroux, proprietor of the Bon Ton Bakery, is having an electrically operated bread mixer installed in his bakery. He expects to have it in readiness for operation by next month.

Mail

We are informed from the city clerk’s office that with few exceptions all of the houses and business places in the city have been numbered. As soon as this work has been completed, prompt action will be taken in placing our application for free mail delivery in the hands of the post office department.

75 years ago, 1936

The Board of Education met last week, finding that the cost of closing the schools due to the recent cold wave was approximately $400 a day in state money for the time the schools were closed. As a result, the policy in the future will be to keep schools open on all regular days, permitting parents to use their judgment about sending their younger pupils to school in very severe weather.

Dinner and a movie

The new State Grill, which will be operated by Oscar Anderson, next door to the State Theatre, was finished today and will have its grand opening on Saturday night. The lower floor will be used for the grill and bar and the second floor will be used for dancing.

Hanson is chief

With the resignation of William Hill, John Hanson has been appointed the chief by Mayor M. H. Brickley. Chief Hanson has been in the police service for the past 17 years.

50 years ago, 1961

Suzanne Haugan was crowned Queen of the 1961 Two Harbors Winter Frolic with Mary Lou Anderson as princess.Frank Holmes took home an outboard motor with the top honors in the fourth annual Lake County Civic Association Fishing Derby with a 6½-pound northern. Second place in the derby went to Roy Carlson with a 12-ounce crappie.

Fish tale

Clink Gustafson comes up with a fishing story to end all fishy tales. Gustafson was ice fishing in Canada last week and claimed the fishing was so good that one of his friends pulled in his line and a fish actually followed the bait up through the hole and landed on the ice without being hooked. Gustafson swears it’s true. Our only comment is that those Canadian fish must be hungrier than the ones at Thomas Lake.

25 years ago, 1986

Axel Larson laughed as he faced his 90th birthday, stating: “But I have only been retired since 1952.” Axel took a job as a clerk with the post office after his return from the Army, taking the test for postal carrier in 1928 and winning one of three positions along with Earl Kinnifick and Arthur Jarvi. Axel’s route was the downtown area to the end of First Avenue and up to Fourth Avenue.

Want more history? The Lake County Historical Society is a good place to start. It’s at the Depot in Two Harbors, 834-4898 or visit lakecountyhistoricalsociety.org. There’s also the Bay Area Historical Society in Silver Bay (226-4534), the Finland Historical Society (353-7380 or 353-7550), and the Historical Committee of the Isabella Community Council (323-7644).