Next month, the Cook County Historical Society will officially celebrate 100 years in existence as an organization. The preservation of local history began with a group called “Old Settlers’ Clubs” well before the Historical Society was formed. The club was a means for early white settlers to share and commemorate their experiences and preserve their personal narratives - usually through an annual picnic or meeting at the Cook County Courthouse. However, while these clubs provided opportunities for community and some historical preservation, they often lacked a consistent approach to documentation. Additionally, the clubs frequently excluded the perspectives of Indigenous populations. As the popularity of the informal Old Settlers’ Clubs grew, so did the interest in creating more official historic preservation efforts. The Arrowhead region of Minnesota was influenced by a man named William E. Culkin of Duluth, MN, to expand historical record-keeping through the creation and designation of official county historical societies. Culkin was a staff member of the Minnesota Historical Society in the 1920s and helped countless other counties form their own societies, and had experience working as president of the St. Louis County Historical Society. He was instrumental in officially organizing the Cook County Historical Society on October 28, 1925. The first task was to appoint a nominating committee of five, which would consist of Chas. J. Johnson, F.B. Hicks, S.C. Murphy, W.C. Smith, and William Clinch. He guided the new organization to focus on a mission: to "discover, preserve and disseminate" knowledge about the county's history - one that we follow to this day a century later. Acknowledging that the roots of local history organizations focused primarily on white settler experiences, often excluding Indigenous perspectives and participation, today's Historical Society is committed to creating an accurate and inclusive history of Cook County and all of its inhabitants. Culkin’s reach in NE Minnesota is honored and memorialized at the rest stop off northbound I-35, around Cloquet, MN. The building is named after him, and a plaque hangs outside. To mark this milestone of preserving and sharing the stories of the area for the past 100 years, we are hosting a celebratory dinner and fundraiser on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at North House Folk School. We'll be kicking off the evening with our annual meeting at 4:30 p.m. Members and non-members are welcome to join and hear what we've been up to this past year. At 5:00 p.m., we’re excited to announce that live music from Portage Band will begin before dinner at 5:30 p.m. Attendees can choose from three separate entrees, including the return of planked trout, homemade fishcakes, or vegetable lasagna. Sides for all entrees include roasted vegetables courtesy of the Cook County Co-op, coleslaw from South of the Border Cafe, bread, and for dessert, carrot cake from Crosby Bakery. Lemonade, coffee, and water will be available as well. We will also have Centennial merchandise available for purchase, including mugs, 2026 calendars, and a sneak peek (with the option to preorder) of the 2025 Centennial Celebration Cookbook. The cookbook includes over 225 recipes, 50 photos, and is over 200 pages in length! Reservations are requested by September 16. Orders can be placed electronically or by downloading an order form (found on our website) and dropping it off at the Cook County History Museum, Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery (see specific site for hours), or mailing it to: PO Box 1293, Grand Marais, MN, 55604. A huge thank you to all of our event sponsors, including North House Folk School for providing the venue, Monica Anderson and Ed Hedstrom for the centerpieces, North Superior Fisheries for the trout and fishcake batter, Margaret Hedstrom for the vegetable lasagna, Crosby Bakery for the cake, Cook County Co-op for the roasted vegetables, and South of the Border Cafe for the coleslaw. About the Cook County Historical Society The Cook County Historical Society (CCHS), which is celebrating its centennial in 2025, is committed to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of Cook County history, connecting it to the state of Minnesota's narrative. CCHS manages five historical sites: the Cook County History Museum (1896 Lightkeeper's House), the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, St. Francis Xavier “Chippewa City” Church, the Bally Blacksmith Shop, and a 1930s fish house replica featuring the fishing tug Nee-Gee.
>https://www.cookcountyhistory.org/2025-centennial-celebration-dinner-fundraiser