Cook County, Minnesota
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Cook County Facts

Cook County was created on November 3, 1874 (Organized in 1897) from Lake County. The County Seat is Grand Marais. The County was named for Major Michael Cook of Faribault. Territorial and state senator, 1857-62; killed in Civil War at battle of Nashville.

Counties adjacent to Cook County are Ontario Province, Canada (north, northeast), Lake County (west), Ashland County, Wisconsin (south), Keweenaw County, Michigan (east), Ontonagon County, Michigan (east). Cook County Cities and Towns Include Grand Marais. Townships Include Lutsen, Schroeder, Tofte Townships. See also County History and County Courthouse for more details.

The Cook County Official Government Website
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Minnesota County History Name Index: This database is a name index of eleven county histories and plat books for the area immediately south of the city of St. Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Researchers will find the name of the county resident, the book in which the person's name appears, and the page number. Where information is available, town of residence is also given.
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Cook County, Minnesota History Books at Amazon.com
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Records at the Cook County Courthouse

Cook County Tax Records

Cook County Vital Records

Cook County Census Records

Cook County Maps & Atlases

Cook County Military Records

Cook County Genealogical Addresses

Cook County Church & Cemeteries

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Cook County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Cook County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Cook County USGenweb Archives
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Cook County, Minnesota Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

Minnesota County History Name Index: This database is a name index of eleven county histories and plat books for the area immediately south of the city of St. Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Researchers will find the name of the county resident, the book in which the person's name appears, and the page number. Where information is available, town of residence is also given.
Minnesota Crew Lists, 1929-1952: For several decades in the early half of the twentieth century, Two Harbors, Minnesota was one of the busiest iron ore loading ports in the world. This database is an index to the crew lists (NOT passenger lists) of vessels that arrived at Two Harbors,

A BRIEF HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY AND HER PEOPLE

Ages ago volcanoes laid down much of the bedrock of the land that is now Cook County. The present-day Sawtooth Mountain Range is the heart of the mountain range that once loomed here. Lake Superior originated in a past geological age from the shell of a collapsed volcano. Glaciers scraped out its basin as they ground down the mountains and heaped rock and gravel into hills. Lake Superior and the modern landscape emerged as the last Ice Age receded.

The land now known as Cook County was probably first populated by the Dahkotah Indians (People of the Lakes). The Chippewa, also early residents, called them Sioux or Foes. According to tradition, the Chippewa once lived near the eastern ocean and journeyed West over a period of time. The Chippewa developed a semi-nomadic way of life remarkably suited to the rigorous conditions here.

Probably the first white explorer to travel by canoe along the North Shore was Etienne Brule, in 1623 or 1624. The first exploration was directed toward finding a water passageway to the West. Groseilliers and Radisson, however, in 1654-1660, are generally regarded as the first explorers of the Lake Superior region. These first explorations ultimately resulted in French sovereignty over Lake Superior.

During the 1700's most of the activity along the North Shore was involved with a lively fur trade. The center of activity was Grand Portage, where fur pelts were sold or exchanged for supplies at a trading post and stockade owned by the North West Company. In the early 1800's, this bustle of trade diminished, and in 1821 the Hudson Bay Company absorbed the North West Company, moving the majority of the trading to the northern and western parts of Canada.

Among the Chippewa, the harbors of what is now known as Grand Marais were referred to as Kitchi-bi-to-tig (Double Harbor). It was also called Gitch-be-to-beek (Big Pond). The French translated it to Grand Marais (Big Marsh, or Harbor of Refuge). In 1854, Richard B. Godfrey, an independent fur trader from Detroit, came to Grand Marais and became the first postmaster. He returned to Detroit in 1856, and the community was on "hold" until 1871, when new settlers came. Two of these new settlers were Henry Mayhew and Sam Howenstine, pioneer mineral prospectors who might be called the actual founders of Grand Marais.

This era was characterized by hopes to develop mineral resources, particularly silver. Iron ore from the Vermillion Range, however, was what led to eventual development here. As a result of a railroad being built in the late 1800's to carry iron ore from the Range to Two Harbors, many Scandinavians from Norway, Sweden, (and Michigan) came to the county. The 1880 census showed Cook county as having 65 residents; by 1900, there were 810.

Hans Engelsen, an emigrant from Norway, settled on an abandoned homestead near Carlton Peak in 1893. In 1896, he opened the post office with the name Tofte, named after a community in Norway. Tofte means, "seat of a boat" or in the Viking ship days, a "helmsman's seat." The oldest organized township in Cook County is Hovland, organized in 1894. It was the name of the place in Norway from which one of the first settlers came, a man by the name of Brunas.

Around 1900, many people came to the North Shore to get homesteads. In order to homestead they would claim up to 160 acres, clear an acre or so for a garden, and begin building a barn and a home. If this was done within a five year period, the US government would present the settler with a patent title to the land.

At this time timber companies were moving around the south shore of Lake Superior from Michigan to Wisconsin and on to Minnesota, cutting timber. If a person had laid claim to a homestead, he could also file a stone and timber claim. This amounted to $1.25 per acre and was a quick, easy thing to do. Timber cruisers from the lumber companies were eager to help those homesteaders to pick out the "right" acreage, as they could turn around and buy 40 acres for $600 and start cutting timber.

Many homesteaders took advantage of this way to "get rich quick" and abandoned their homesteads to go West to Montana and the West Coast.

The hospitality industry began early in Cook County, C.A.A. Nelson built a wagon trail from Lutsen Resort, following the Poplar River to Brule Lake - a good distance. He would haul guests and supplies to moose camps at Brule or a moose hunt. For $300 he would guarantee the guests a moose. Five shots however, were all they were allowed, after which the guide would shoot the moose. This was the case from the early 1890's to the time of World War I, when moose hunting was closed. Moose hunting closed, not because of over hunting, but because the deer arrived in Cook County around 1908. They had migrated around Lake Superior, following the logging cuts up to the North Shore.

The moose were driven out (or died out) because of the parasite the deer carries that infects the moose. By 1918, moose were scarce. Woodland caribou, also prevalent while moose were here, disappeared even earlier than the moose.

For many years the only supplies and mail came via steamers from Duluth, such as the "America" and "Dixon." As there were few docks along the shore, passengers and freight were transported by skiff to the ships waiting off shore. In rough weather these skiffs were sometimes overturned, or swamped, and all went into the cold Superior water.

In the winter, when the shore ice was too high to reach the ship, the only way to transport mail was by dog sled from Two Harbors. John Beargrease, a Chippewa from Beaver Bay, was one of the colorful North Shore carriers. By rowboat, sailboat, or using dogs or horses, he delivered the mails faithfully from Two Harbors to Grand Marais during the 1890's.

As the wagon/sled road was built up the shore, travel increased. Fishing, logging, farming and tourism became the major industries. Through the 1940's fish caught early in the morning were iced and picked up by trucks traveling down the shore. These trucks would go to Duluth, where the fish were iced again and put on a train at 11 p.m. The next morning these fish were at the fish market in Chicago!

The fishing and farming have declined in the years since. The invasion of the lamprey in the 1950's dealt a tremendous blow to the commercial fishing industry. Few commercial fisherman remain in Cook County, though the lake is recovering from ravages of the lamprey. Farms and homesteads have grown up to brush as younger generations have moved to the cities. Logging and tourism remain as major industries now. Government may also be considered a local "industry," as much of Cook County is government owned, and many government workers live here for varying periods of time.

The Dahkota's came, and the Chippewa; the French came, and the Scandinavians, and the many since; the woods were logged over, and grew up again - and the lakes and the hills remain.

For more information contact the Cook County Historical Society at Box 1293, Grand Marais, Minnesota 55604. 218-387-2883 and The Cook County Historical Museum at 12 So. Broadway, Grand Marais, Minnesota.

County Courthouse

Cook County's original courthouse was a 24 by 30 foot two-story frame building that was used for the first time on New Year's Day, 1889. The building had a hipped roof that supported a tall flagpole. O.A. Norman designed it and it was built by Saul and Skinner, contractors from Tower, MN, at a cost of $3,000. In 1890, a 20 by 32 foot one-story addition was added.

By 1910, the simple wooden buildings were deemed "obsolete, limited in space, and far too modest an expression of the county's future." Voters authorized the sale of bonds to build the present courthouse (pictured above), which opened in 1912. The Classic Revival brick and concrete building features Ionic columns supporting a cornice. Its central bays are recessed behind the columns in a sort of loggia above and covered porch below. Kelly and Lignell, a Duluth architectural firm, designed it and Bowe-Burke Co. of Duluth built it for a total cost of $60,000.

The courthouse stands on a hill overlooking Grand Marais and Lake Superior. The old courthouse buildings were removed from their place just behind the new building in 1912. The old courthouse was relocated to Wisconsin Street and served as a pool hall, ice cream parlor, movie theater, and bakery before it burned to the ground in 1921 because of an overheated wood stove.

Cook County, Minnesota
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Records at the Cook County Courthouse

See Also Minnesota Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Cook County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Cook County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Minnesota

Cook County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Minnesota

Cook County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Cook County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Minnesota

Cook County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Minnesota Genealogical Addresses

Cook County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Minnesota

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History

Cook County, Minnesota History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Records at the Cook County Courthouse

See Also Minnesota Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Cook County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Cook County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Minnesota

Cook County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Minnesota

Cook County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Cook County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Minnesota

Cook County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Minnesota Genealogical Addresses

Cook County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Minnesota

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History

Cook County, Minnesota
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy