Traveling the Old North Shore

Series produced by WTIP

Series image

Minnesota's North Shore stretches from Duluth to the Canadian border. Known for its dramatic and pristine natural landscape, the area also has a history as unique and diverse as its geography.

Minnesota's North Shore stretches from Duluth to the Canadian border. Known for its dramatic and pristine natural landscape, the area also has a history as unique and diverse as its geography. In this WTIP series, producer Martha Marnocha invites listeners to join her on a retrospective exploration of the region's people and places.

Arts, cultural and history features on WTIP are made possible in part by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Special thanks to the Cook County Historical Society for access to their archives and photographs.


13 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
The Grand Marais Downtown Jail
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
In this edition, producer Martha Marnocha gathers memories of the jail, liquor store and bar that were part of the former downtown Grand Marais mun...

  • Added: Jun 29, 2024
  • Length: 09:20
Saganaga Lake - Part 2
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
In this two-part edition, producer Martha Marnocha speaks with Bill Douglas, a Saganaga Lake resident since 1972, who takes us on a trip to a speci...

  • Added: Jun 16, 2024
  • Length: 08:49
Saganaga Lake - Part 1
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
In this two-part edition, producer Martha Marnocha speaks with Bill Douglas, a Saganaga Lake resident since 1972, who takes us on a trip to a speci...

  • Added: Jun 16, 2024
  • Length: 08:47
Traveling the Old North Shore – Downtown Grand Marais
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Caption: Inside Jackson's Cafe, Credit: Cook County Historical Society
Downtown Grand Marais has had many changes through the decades. Producer Martha Marnocha explores a bit of downtown history with help from two long...

  • Added: May 01, 2024
  • Length: 09:34
Joanne Hart and Life at the Old Pigeon River Crossing
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Caption: Cabin at site of old border crossing, 1930s, Credit: Cook County Historical Society
For several decades Joanne Hart and her family lived on a remote homestead along the Pigeon River – once the site of the former Highway 61 border c...

  • Added: Mar 18, 2024
  • Length: 10:42
Traveling the Old North Shore – The Pincushion Dump
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Caption: The Road to the Pincushion Dump, Credit: Martha Marnocha
WTIP producer Martha Marnocha explores an area high above the city of Grand Marais on Pincushion Mountain that was once the town's garbage dump.

  • Added: Jan 05, 2024
  • Length: 07:21
Traveling the Old North Shore – Tame Tom Parent & Wild Bill
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
Silver Island Lake lies inland from the Tofte/Schroeder area along Lake Superior’s North Shore. It’s a remote part of northeast Minnesota even toda...

  • Added: Oct 25, 2023
  • Length: 10:09
Traveling the Old North Shore – Petrell Finnish Community Hall
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
In this edition, producer Martha Marnocha learns more about one of Minnesota’s three remaining and actively functioning Finnish Community Halls. Pe...

  • Added: Jun 19, 2023
  • Length: 10:17
Traveling the Old North Shore – Kristine Monker
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Caption: Courtesy of Cook County Historical Society
Monker Lake is a small and somewhat unremarkable lake located near Grand Marais. It was named for Claus and Kristine Monker, early Scandinavian hom...

  • Added: Mar 17, 2023
  • Length: 05:32
Traveling the Old North Shore – The Toimi Children’s Cemetery
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
Producer Martha Marnocha travels to Toimi, Minnesota, which was once a remote community of Finnish homesteaders, but is now mostly forest and a few...

  • Added: Jan 14, 2023
  • Length: 08:46
Traveling the Old North Shore – Illgen City
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Caption: Photo courtesy Tettegouche State Park
Traveling the Old North Shore is a WTIP multi-part series, focusing on the history of this diverse region. In this feature, producer Martha Marnoch...

  • Added: Jun 30, 2022
  • Length: 09:02
Traveling the Old North Shore – What’s in a Name
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
Producer Martha Marnocha and Doug Turner share the history of some very well-known North Shore place names.

  • Added: Jun 30, 2022
  • Length: 07:56
Traveling the Old North Shore--The Mysterious Disappearance of Blackie
From: WTIP
Series: Traveling the Old North Shore
Piece image
Learn about the mysterious case of Donald "Blackie" Kulas, who went missing just north of Two Harbors, never to be seen again.

  • Added: Jan 11, 2022
  • Length: 05:05