Lutsen Wave Season is Just Around the Corner – Lutsen, MN
A show from Mother Nature, and a free night! Wave Season is just around the corner, take it the views from Lutsen Resort!
November 1, 2020 thru November 30, 2020
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Legendary Lutsen Resort was the home of the Nelson Family for more than one hundred years. In 1881, Charles Axel Nelson immigrated to the United States from his home in Norkoping, Sweden. He came to Duluth and secured employment as a tug boat captain. From his travels on Lake Superior, he became fascinated with the wild and rugged beauty of the North Shore. The land that now constitutes Lutsen Resort was especially appealing to “C.A.A.,” as he was called. At that time, the mouth of the Poplar River formed a suitable harbor for small craft— providing protection from the winds and waves of Lake Superior; and the hillside was not only picturesque, but also a fine building location and a good source of lumber.
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C.A.A. filed for a homestead and erected a cabin on the hill above the lake, at the site of the present Main Lodge. He plied the waters of the lake and worked the land as a fisherman, logger and trapper. As these enterprises prospered, C.A.A. brought his brothers and parents from Sweden and enlisted their help in enlarging the family business. C.A.A. named his growing homestead “Lutsen,” commemorating the battle of Lutzen in Germany where King Gustav Adolph II was killed. Thus, the resort and the town received their name.
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In the early days, supplies were delivered by boat and supplemented by garden products and domestic livestock. A long dock was constructed, extending out to the large rock. Passenger and freight boats generally “hove-to” off-shore; they were met by skiffs, which then carried passengers and freight to the dock where they were unloaded. When the last boat of the year came through in early December enough supplies would be stocked to carry the operation until the following June. Mail was delivered by boat and later by horse-drawn vehicles.
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The present Swedish-style Main Lodge, with its hand hewn pine timbers, ornate carvings and massive fireplaces was built in 1952. It was designed by Edwin Lundie, a prominent architect specializing in Scandinavian design, who received an award for “Exceptional Architectural merit demonstrating timeless characteristics of the thoughtful and considered design.” The conference hall was added in 1967. In 1988 the resort was sold to Scott Harrison and Nancy Burns. In 1993 they began developing the cliff area west of the Main Lodge with luxury log cabins overlooking Lake Superior. In 1998 the Poplar River Condominium development was started on the east side of the Poplar River. In 2005 the Cliff House Townhouses were built in the location of the original Cliff House.
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Recently in August of 2018, the resort changed hands. It was purchased by North Shore Resort Company, a family company owned by Bryce Campbell and his mother, Sheila. As with any new owners, the Campbells intend to add their own touches to the resort, while maintaining the extensive legacy.
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