Cloquet to Detroit Lakes, MN - June 8-14, 2015

What a trip down memory lane these past 5 weeks, as we cleared out Mom’s house getting it ready to sell. We arrived in Cloquet May 8 to begin this arduous task. Thankfully, my brother Ron and his wife Debby arrived from Roseau, MN to spend a week with us.

Over the years Mom had collected numerous English bone china cups and saucers from her trips across the border into Canada—these were her souvenirs. For a number of years she had also worked at Bergquist’s Swedish Imports, headquartered in Cloquet. While there she collected many, many pieces of Scandinavian glassware, pewter, and silver; she also had a collection of 24K gold plated pieces, including napkin rings, candle holders, bud vases, etc. All these wonderful items filled one entire shelved closet, the top shelves in her bedroom closet, her curio cabinet, and kitchen cupboards. I remembered her using many of these pieces, and remembered who shared a cup of coffee with Mom and Dad, using those cups and saucers, or special dishes.

In addition, she was a wonderful cook and baker; and, on occasion she also did catering. This in no way diminishes her desire to create the very best of everything she made. Her kitchen bore tribute to this, as there were dozens of baking pans and utensils, serving pieces, various pots and pans, and all manner of cooking/baking stuff.

Also, she collected recipes and cookbooks, so there were hundreds of hand-written recipes in a specially made recipe file, all categorized, many with notations she had made over the years.  

Mom's house with our "house" in front.

We really should’ve taken photos of everything as we wrapped up those many items, as just writing about them doesn’t give the impression of how much there was. She took special joy and satisfaction in using all her pieces, serving the special creations from her kitchen. No one went away hungry or wanting when you visited their home. (I attempt to continue this tradition...)

Many of the items were given to family members, although there was a lot that went to Goodwill, as well. (They love us in Cloquet!)

Mom at Inter-Faith Care Center

The home was listed with a realtor and sold within 4 days. Then came the inspection. In this home that was built in the early 1960’s there was a bit of updating that needed to be done; all will be accomplished by closing the end of July. It was a bitter-sweet experience for me, as I had spent only 3 years there; it was home while Mom and Dad were there—but now it’s just a house.

We visited Mom at Inter-Faith Care Center quite a few times, and when weather permitted took her out into the garden. We’re so thankful she’s there, where she can receive the care she needs 24/7. Oh, and while we were in Cloquet we took in a few of niece MacKenzie’s soccer games, to cheer on her team.

MacKenzie, #13

Our new shoe rack!

Dick also installed our new shoe rack in our RV on the outside wall as you go toward the bedroom. Pretty slick, huh! It'll hold up to 6 pair! Woot-woot!

(photo of shoe rack)

Last week Dick and I played Pegs & Jokers with MacKenzie and her BFF Peyton. Mac and I took on Dick and Peyton, and I have to say, we beat them all 4 games! Again, I say, "woot-woot!"

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Thought I’d share a bit of history of my home town, Cloquet, pronounced kloh-KAY. Cloquet is located along the St. Louis River, about 20 miles west-southwest of Duluth, MN, along Highway 35 (which leads to Minneapolis/St. Paul). The 2012 census lists the population at just over 12,000 people. It’s sort of a bedroom community to Duluth, although there are industries in Cloquet, that continue to bring people to the town.

Cloquet was incorporated in 1884 from 3 smaller settlements clustered around 3 sawmills: Shaw Town, Nelson Town, and Johnson Town. “Cloquet” is a French surname, but historians found nothing definitive so have just speculated as to its origin. Tragedy struck October 12, 1918 when the historical Cloquet Fire destroyed most of the town, including homes and businesses, killing about 500 people. This fire also destroyed 6 nearby towns and villages. Rebuilding took the courage and perseverance of the local people, once again making these towns thriving economic communities.

For a small town, Cloquet made its mark in American economic history because before and after WWII it was home of the strongest consumers cooperative in the country. The Cloquet Cooperative Society, founded in 1910, operated 2 stores which sold food, shoes, dry goods, and furniture. Other services included a building supply store, a coal yard, a mortuary, an auto repair shop and a gas service station.

The St. Louis River also played an important role in the history of Cloquet. The river was an important waterway for early Native Americans, the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes, supporting a whole industry during the mid-1700s and the fur trade. Later, it was the lifeline for the local lumber industry with the arrival of the railroads, after 1870, which also allowed for rapid growth of the local agricultural industry. Many of the workers in these early industries were immigrants from over a dozen European countries and Canada, providing the rich cultural heritage still enjoyed and evident in succeeding generations. (Thanks to them, I was introduced to the Finnish sauna, complete with hot rocks, steam and cedar branches!)

Cloquet grew quickly, from around 2,500 people in the late 1800’s to over 7,000 within 2 decades. Hotels, boarding houses, stores, saloons and specialty shops were prevalent.

Above: Gordy's when I was in high school.
Below: Gordy's now

Last year in one of our blogs I mentioned a local establishment, Gordy’s Hi-Hat, a local drive-in eatery, that’s been around for quite a few years. Opened in 1960 by the Lundquist’s, it’s still family owned and operated. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see Gordy in the kitchen on an almost daily basis. Famous for their hamburgers, Gordy’s still does it the old-fashioned way with fresh hand-patted hamburgers, hand-battered Alaskan fish, homemade onion rings, and blended shakes and malts. In 2010 Gordy’s Hi-Hat was selected and featured on The Food Network’s Diners, “Drive-Ins and Dives.” Folks come from miles around for their food.

Another famous landmark in Cloquet is Ray Lindholm’s gas station, designed by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright. Knowing Lindholm was in the oil business, Wright presented him with a proposal to design the gas station. (This was the only service station Wright designed.) Wright also designed Ray Lindholm’s house which was completed in 1952. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 11, 1985, for its architectural significance. A cantilevered copper canopy extends over the gas pumps; the angular end of the canopy points to the St. Louis River, just north of the station. In his original plans, Wright wanted to install overhead gas pumps suspended from the canopy to add space, but local safety regulations prohibited this, so conventional ground-based pumps were installed instead. An observation lounge with glass walls is located beneath the canopy, intended to be a social center. The stations’ service bays are built from stepped cement blocks; these and the recessed mortar between rows of blocks provides a horizontal element to the building. Skylights allow sunlight into the service bays. Roughly 4 times the cost of the average filling station during that time, the station ultimately cost $20,000. Even though its construction was only a partial success for Wright, the station’s design elements, particularly the triangular cantilevered canopy, became common in later Phillips 66 stations.

Photo taken from the Web

That’s enough about Cloquet. It’s a great place for families; kids can still ride their bikes or walk to school, the local store or the library without fear.

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We left Cloquet on Sunday, June 14, driving north on Highway 33 to Highway 2 West, then Highway 200 West, and on to Highway 34 to Detroit Lakes, MN. As we drove west we passed many east-bound rigs, hauling 4-wheelers that looked as though they had been at a “mud” rally. In the pack we noticed a pickup pulling a flat-bed gooseneck trailer with Dad’s old pickup camper mounted at the front of the trailer and a monster mud machine loaded right behind it. Small world!

Leaving Cloquet at 10:45 Sunday morning, we arrived in Detroit Lakes at 2:30. Our next 4 days would be spent at Forest Hills Golf and RV Resort, just 3 miles west of Detroit Lakes on Highway 10. With 332 sites, this resort is more suited to the avid golfer than to RVers, as there’s a golf course on-site. Rather than RVs, the park is home to 90-95% park models or double-wide homes. There is an on-site restaurant, Izzo’s, as well as an ice cream parlor and miniature golf course. In the clubhouse there’s a workout room, a swimming pool, and a family activity room with free WiFi; however, there’s no WiFi or cable in the rest of the park.

The city of Detroit Lakes was founded in 1871 by Colonel George Johnston. With the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad, the city grew quickly, and by 1884 Detroit Lakes had quite a few businesses including 2 large hotels, a bank, a newspaper, and an opera house. Today, the town is just over 8,000 people strong. Two of the most notable folks who are from Detroit Lakes are David Reichert, US Senator from Washington State, and Jessica Lange, who lived here during her junior year in high school before moving to Cloquet to finish high school. (She was a year ahead of me at Cloquet High School.)

That’s it for this blog. Thursday we head to Medora, ND to spend 4 days before heading further west.

Stay safe, healthy and strong.

Sending hugs your way.

RJ and Gail