It was mid October 2015 and The Troutbirders were off on another field trip with Historical Adventure & Travel Tours. President John Grabko has spent 30 years within the fields of history, tourism and recreation. He is fulfilling a life-long dream and passion of sharing America's story and past with "adventure travelers" of all ages. On this occasion were heading off to see the spectacular fall colors in Northern Minnesota, visit the "Lost Forty, and travel back in time to see a nineteenth century lumber camp, the Hinckley Fire Museum and Judy Garlands childhood home in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Let's Go!!!
The lumber boom in Northern Minnesota in the late 1800's saw much of pine forest eliminated. Slash left from logging operations accumulated till forest fires wrecked havoc. One, the Hinckley fire, saw 5 towns destroyed in a "perfect storm" of drought, high winds, rampaging fire and hundreds of deaths. A visit to the Hinckley museum told the story.
Before the fire:
Hinckley was a booming logging town, with a sizeable sawmill, hotels, restaurants and more than a thousand residents.
Hinckley had a volunteer fire department, complete with a new fire hall and modern firefighting equipment.
But they were no match for the firestorm and were forced to flee, searching alongside their neighbors for ponds, rivers or any water at all to escape the fire.
The firestorm over four miles high could be scene hundreds of miles to the south as far as Des Moines, Iowa...........
Next post: Our visit to a lumber camp at the
This sounds like a wonderful, educational way to have fun, TB. I appreciate your passing your experiences on to us.
ReplyDeleteGood way to enjoy the final weeks of warmth in Minnesota. I love fall tours. With a historical expert along, it makes for a very interesting trip for you.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a neat trip through Minnesota history. I visited that museum, hmmm ... almost 30 years ago. I wonder if it has changed??
ReplyDeleteFun to see the areas he had researched so well.Went trout fishing today, was a bit slow.7 in 3 hours.
ReplyDeleteI have visited the history center many times years ago, I use to have a cabin on Lake Pokegama. Actually it was more like a chicken house than a cabin, It sounds more impressive if I say cabin.
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds like it's right up your alley. Hope you enjoyed it! And what a great combo--history and some fine sights as well
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great, fall tour to me. Looking forward to hearing/seeing more. I cannot imagine a firestorm of that magnitude.
ReplyDeleteI sure wish we had such tours here. What a great way to take guided a trip into history.
ReplyDeleteFires are just so devastating.
Thanks for taking us on your journey. I've toyed with the idea of going on one of those bus tours and may do it now, thanks to your example.
ReplyDeleteWas that the same year as the Chicago Fire? I know there were a lot of fires north of us that year due to the drought.
ReplyDeleteYou were kind of in my back yard. I've been to several of those places, but not for awhile. Hope you got to see the Mine View in the Sky, which is now closed forever. Meanwhile we got to go on a bus trip from Northern Mn to Washington D.C.
ReplyDeleteThe Hinckley Fire was September 1 1894. The Chicago Fire was October 8 1871.
ReplyDeleteOf course I had to look it up as I was curious too.
I hope you got to see some Fall Color on your trip! Hi to Mrs. T:)
I'm ready for more of the trip.
ReplyDeleteI wonder, were the fires worse then than now? Five towns lost must have been dreadful. Looking forward to more of your trip.
ReplyDeleteThe fires were worse because hundreds of acres were cut in a few years of giant virgin pines, the logs hauled away and the branches left on the ground. that "slash" was the basis of the gigantic fires...
DeleteWow! Looking forward to the rest of the trip.
ReplyDeleteCarla
What a fun trip this must have been. I love the itinerary. Can't wait to read more.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrible day that must have been! I mean the huge fire, not the day you went on your trip!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi troutbirder, I enjoyed the field trip report and info on Hinckley and the firestorm. I guess I never really considered it but northern Minnesota must have been as much into logging as was the Pacific Northwest a hundred years ago. Interesting! Now, regarding your last comment on my blog where you mentioned you spent time during childhood on the high bluff overlooking the Mississippi and the tracks of the three major northern transcontinental rail lines between Chicago and Seattle. I have to ask, Did you ever seen the "Olympian" ... that was the premier passenger train the Milwaukee Road ran across country. If you did see that, then I have to ask another question: Were you into photography at that age and did you take any photos of the trains? Thanks for stopping by my blog and your comments!
ReplyDeleteSorry John. We lived in my paternal Grandparents upstairs during WWII on "Daytons Bluff above the river, tracks and St. Paul Airport. I was born in 41 and my parents built a home were we moved when I was ten. My childhood playground was the as I described. I took up photography at a much later age. My dad often picked up a neighbor on Saturdays who was a Yard Engineer for the Milwaukee and I often got to ride on the steam engine in the "Yard" where I stoked the boiler, tooted the whistle , and even got to take an engine onto the "roundtable" into the "shed." Needless to say I was envied all lot by my childhood friends....:)
DeleteIt seems like a most interesting day.
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