Chronology

Cook History

04 Apr, John Edblom & Peter Leanderson homestead next to each other in what is now the Leander Community five miles southeast of Cook. Peter Leander's grandson Byron & Ginny Leander still live on this farm. It is the only Century Farm in the area, that is it is an active farm with the same family in residence for over 100 years with Byron being the third generation.

April, John & Martha Olson became the first settler to homestead at what was then known as Little Fork because of the river. Their 160 acre homestead was from what is now the Cook School (Vermilion Boulevard) north one mile. Descents still live on this farm.

April, John Abel Pearson homesteaded south of the Olson Homestead. He had been living on Lake Vermilion with his parents. Abel & his wife Klara's homestead was that area south of the Cook school where the hospital, clinic, Homestead and the Pioneer Apartments and the catholic church are now located. Their land also took in the area that is now the Vermilion Motel, Country Store, Subway Cafe, Zups IGA, McDonalds Cafe and the Lucky Seven Convenience store. Willard & Roy Pearson still live in the Cook area. Willard likes to tell the workers at McDonalds that he used to work there, of course that was over 60 years ago when he was cutting hay in the fields of his parents farm.

Albert & Augusta Peterson also arrived this year. They homesteaded north of Cook on the west side of  what is known as the Peterson's Hill. They were the parents of Alvi, Axel, Carl. Uno, Selma, Ralph, Emily and Annie. Ralph was a long time school bus driver, he married Marjorie Flack and they were the parents of Jermaine, Yvonne "Bonnie (Sam) Pajari, Doris, David and Judy. Bonnie's daughter Lois (Steve) Gams now live on this old homestead.

Oscar & Hilma Magnuson also came at the same time as her sister Augusta & Albert Peterson. Their farm was kitty-corner from Dyke's Body Shop. The old cement silo still stands there.

Originally the community was known as Little Fork but later became  Ashawa which stands for "by the river or across the river". The community name was changed to Cook in 1908.

John T. Joyce homesteaded the land on Lake Vermilion. In Sept of this year he started the resort that later became Pehrson's Resort.

01 Jan, a camp was constructed for the railroad workers near where creamery was later built first store near what is now Cook. The Olgot Anderson home (Eldien) constructed. John Joyce opened what was to become Pehrson’s Lodge

01 Sep. Railroad constructed as far as Idington

1903, May, Rev Lantz homesteaded on the west edge of what was to be the village of Cook. He constructed the first dwelling Cook. His 160 homestead is now First Street Southwest to the Ralph Road. The Simonson Chevrolet dealership was built on this homestead land on highway 53.

1903, May, Anderson Brothers built first store in Cook, it still stands and was last used as the Picek Rental business.

1903, 03 Aug. The Plat of Ashawa was filed with St. Louis County. This map laid out the streets, alleys and lots for what is now the City of Cook.

1903, 17 Aug, Post Office opened as Ashawa until 31 Jul 1908 when the name was changed to Cook. Of course the community took on the new name of the post office. The Postal Department requested the change as a town in Southern Minnesota was named Oshawa and it was confusing as mail was going to the wrong place.

1903, 28 Aug. Nord & Ofstad Families arrived at Angora

1903, 10 Dec. James Gar Field published the first newspaper in Ashawa. He lived between what is now the drug store and the lumber yard.

1903, 31 Dec. First train arrived at the town site. The engine was turned around just north of the bridge and it returned to Virginia.

1904, 01 Jan. First railroad train caboose arrived in Cook. The train turned around just north of the Little Fork River and headed back to Virginia.

1904, 13 Jan. Gust Buboltz arrived in Cook with the first passengers on the train Cook, then known as Ashawa.

1904, 04 Mar, August Buboltz opened the first business in our town. He named it the Little Fork Hotel. It burned in 1912.

1904, the first school in the Leander community was built on land donated by John Edblom, now the home of  Gordon  Anderson.

1904, railroad construction began north of the river through the Engdall farm

1905, 01 Jan. Cook Cemetery started, Fred Ardin was the person first buried there, he was the father of Gust & Carl Ardin.

1905, Fred & Felix Lemoine built a general store that was located on what is now the vacant lot across from the drug store and next to the river. In 1910 he sold it to Ole Leding, his brother Lars joined him as a partner in 1912. In 1948 Walter Miller opened his fire Cook grocery store there. The Vermilion Dry Cleaners operated by Earl Soderberg was the last occupant of this building. It was torn down in 1970.

1906, 20 Feb. Nobel Beatty signed a petition to establish a township, first known as Vermilion township.

1906, 16 Oct. Alango Cemetery was dedicated

1906, 01 Dec, Gheen post office, became Alvina then Gheen again

1906, 10 Dec. Alango Finish Lutheran Church organized

1906, Field Angora Township organized

1906, Little Fork Lutheran Church organized, Church built in 1926

1906, Felix LeMoine built the general store (Leding), maybe 1905

1907, Swedish Baptist established, now the First Baptist Church of Cook

1907, Angora Township organized

1908, 01 Aug, the name of the Post Office was changed because confusion with a village in southern Minnesota named Oshawa. The new name of Cook was in honor of Wirth Cook, an owner of the Rail Road that was constructed through Cook in 1903 and 1904.

1908, Buboltz constructed the two story building that was later Fadum’s Hardware. It is now the Napa parts store.

1908, Mark Twain stayed at the Joyce’s Landing Resort, later to be known as the Pehrson Lodge Resort.

1909, 13 Jan. Gust Buboltz bought the townsite of Ashawa which is now the downtown area of the City of Cook.

1909, Gust Buboltz moved his family into their new house, in 1912 he had the second story constructed. It has been the home of  Don & Muriel Simonson since 1964.

1909, first rural telephone lines were constructed.

1910, 28 Feb. Alango Township organized

1910, 29 Apr. The Leander Baptist Church was organized. The Church building was constructed in 1926. In 1971 they joined with the First Baptist Church.

1910, Apr. Herman Reik arrived in Cook, may have started Ford dealership at this time. In the 1920s he constructed a large barn shaped building north of the river which was know in later years as the Reik's Hall.

1910, O. J. Leding bought the LeMoine store, Lars joined him in 1912

1910, Gas powered engines replace steam engines on Lake Vermilion boats

1910, The first well drilled in Cook, behind Barnes Small Engine shop. Before the well water was carried to the various homes from a spring on the John Olson farm.

1911, 17 May, the first Bank in Cook, the First State Bank was incorporated, it  is now the drug store building

1911, Ed Balliet bought land from the Engdall family, now Balliet’s Addition  to Cook

1911, mail route established to Togo

1911, first creamery built

1912, Buboltz Little Fork Hotel destroyed by fire, it was located between Clarks IGA and drug store

1912, 03 Sep. First State Bank building was constructed, it is now the drug store.

1912, Owens Township organized

1913, First building constructed for the Swedish Baptist, now the First Baptist Church

1913, Brintz constructed a meat market, building now the Montana Café

1911, Buboltz built what was to be the Variety and the dress shop buildings. In 1971 Musech constructed a new steel building for his grocery store.

1911, 02 Jan. Cook Covenant Church was organized

1911, 09 Jun. The plat of "Balliets Addition to Cook" was filed, the first addition to the Village of Cook. 

          April. Dedication of the Baptist Church building near the school.

1911, Dr. J. W. Kurz first doctor in Cook, he was blind, bank bldg (drug)

1915, 18 Dec. Congregational Church organized

1915, Carl & Gust Ardin started confectionary store in the First State Bank, until 1931

1915, Charles Knapp started the News Boy paper

1916, 01 Mar. First telephone switchboard in the village of Cook

1916, 27 Aug 1916 Gheen Post office became Alvina, Gheen again 21 May 1919

1916, Buboltz built what became Ranta’s Store, John Musech tore it down in 1970

1916, A. J. Thomas started Christmas business, moved to last location in 1919

1916, Mission Church founded by Joseph Lantz, their first pastor

1916, Catholic church constructed, it was called the Lady of Good Counsel, later St. Marys

1917, 23 Apr. first service in the new Little Fork Lutheran Church, closed 2 Jan 1947.

1917, 20 Sep. Farmers & Merchants Bank organized, took over State Bank in 1929

1917, The grade school built, two class rooms, teachers lived upstairs. The building was torn down on 10 Jul 1958 to make room for the new gym.

1918, L. F. Luthey started a central telephone exchange in town

1919, 21 May, Alvina became the Gheen Post Office again, seen 1906

1919, Dr. W. A. McKechnie started his medical practice, stayed until 1928

1919, A. J. Thomas moved Christmas business Sony’s Electronics location

1920, American Evergreen Company started by Herbert Ellsworth

1920, Nov. Dedication of the Congregational Church building

01 Jan. Northern Farmers Co-op Credit Union organized, now the Cook Area Credit Union

1921, Leander Church building constructed

1922,

1923,

1924,  Gustie  & Walter Gustafson were in charge of lighting City oil street lights

1925,

1926, 13 May, the Village of Cook incorporated, President and Council elected George Frances served as the first mayor of Cook, until 1930.

1926, 12 Sep, Trinity Lutheran Church was organized by Rev. Julius Fadum

1926, Dr Royal Gray served from 1926 until Heiam came in 1928

1927, 20 Apr. The first recorded great flood in Cook

1927, 01 Jun. Sara Winchell became the telephone operator. The office was in her home. She hired a number of the local young ladies to work for her.

1928, 28 Feb. Dr. William C. Heiam started his medical practice, opened hospital  in 1932

1928, 20 Jun, Norman & Marica Johnson (twins) were the first baby delivered by Dr. Heiam, they were born at home before he opened his Cook General Hospital.

1928, Alango Lutheran Church building was constructed

1928, Bell Telephone took over the Luthey’s telephone exchange office

1929

1929, George Francis still the mayor of our town

1929, First State Bank closed, took over by the F & M Bank

1929, Nels Benson and his son-in-law Axel Lofgren dissolved their partnership

1929, CW Palmer bought the Cook News Boy & the Cook News now the Cook News Herald

1930, Waldo Reichel elected the mayor of Cook, served until 1943

1930, 26 Aug, Nelson Electric Co started providing electrical power in Cook. Arrowhead Electric

1930, 01 Sep, Mike & Anna Sorvari opened their general store. 1st with electricity

1930, Mike Marian, embalmer opened his office, west end of the drug store building

1930, Helmer Gustason opened the drug store in the closed First National Bank

1931, Gust Ardin moved to the former LeMoine Forest Hotel from what is now the drug store building.

1932, 23 Feb. Sherman Granite Quarry opened in Angora

1932,      Dedication of the new Cook High School building

1932, Ray Wilkinson bought the Cook News Herald

1932, Dr. Heiam established his Cook General Hospital, it had four beds

1932, 03 Oct. James Amundson was the first baby born in the Cook General Hospital

1932, Bob Pehrson bought Joyce’s Landing Resort

1933,

1934,

1935, 01 Feb. Cook library opened to the public

1935, 05 Feb. Cook Women’s Club founded

1935, 05 Mar. Archie Mihm farm first rural residence to receive electricity

1935, 01 Jun. John Nylund opened his bakery

1935, 07 Jun. Village of Orr was incorporated. Scott Erickson the first the mayor. Creamery constructed a brick building, own Ohotto Service garage

Spring. Buboltz built the Corner Café building, was Fox Hardware. It was torn down in 1970

01 Feb. Cook Library opened, it was founded by the Women’s Club. Chuck Knapp's mother was the first librarian.

26 Apr. Arrowhead Seed Growers organized in Albert Enzmann’s home

11 Jun. Highway 53 is not yet blacktopped, was built in 1931 thru Cook

01 Jul. Harry Thomas opened his road house. It was located where the Country Supper Club is now.

09 Jul. St. Louis Country garage building under construction in town

09 Jul. Oscar Svedberg is building a tourist cabin court

25 Aug. Waldo Reichel built his barber shop, the brick bldg across from the drug store.

15 Oct. Village considering putting in water and sewer lines

Last Creamery building constructed, now the Ohotto Service garage

1938,

22 Jan. Northern Farmers Co-op Credit Union founded

08 Jun. Village bought a used fire truck from Chisholm

15 Jun. L. D. Gustafson started construction of the Comet Theater

28 Sep. Arnold & Alice Gustafson opened their new Mecca Inn

23 Nov. Joe Helstrom 36 drowned on Elbow Lake

10 Dec. Dedication of the new First Baptist Parsonage water and sewer lines were completed

18 Mar. Bill Lobe bought the Luthey Chevrolet dealership, later become Voyageur, Simonson and now Phillips Chevrolet.

28 Mar. Nelmi Koivu wrote her first article for the Cook News Herald

Spring, what is now the Homestead Mills building was constructed

01 Apr. The Mecca Inn opened, now the BIC building.

11 Jun. Harold Cooper opened his Café, it was in the now vacant building where the NAPA Parts store was before moving in 2002.. 

1942,

          August Buboltz elected mayor of Cook, served until 1945

06 May. Opsahl’s sawmill burned, Marvin Chase later bought this pond site

11 Jun. Village of Cook took over the ownership of the airport

09 Dec. Village voted to operate a Municipal liquor store

01 May. Municipal Liquor store established in Cook

              Dr. Heiam elected mayor of Cook, served until 1965

10 Apr. Earliest the ice has gone out on Lake Vermilion

20 May. Cook's worst fire. Herman Kjellbergs wife and three sons died.

04 Sep. Art Refsdal Standard Oil fuel truck fell through the bridge near the Eldred Burtness home

04 Feb. The Village of Cook bought the land for the airport

01 Dec. Two steam engine train crashed head south of Angora

12 Dec. Gus Gustafson became the Ford dealer

04 Jul. The first Timber Days celebration and parade, a two day event.

     Nov. Walter Miller opened store in old Leding building across from drug store

08 Nov. Village Council closed the bridge behind what is now Riverside Oil

02 Jan. first Sunday Service in the new (present) First Baptist Church building. Their building constructed on site in since 1913, it was then known as the Swedish Swedish Baptist. The old building was moved to Orr and became           the Lutheran Church there.

01 Feb. Arrowhead Power Company of Cook sold to the REA

06 Mar. The Post Office moved into the Brown Building from the Ranta Store building (now IGA). It was moved on 20 Aug 1997 to it's own current building.

12 Jan. Ralph Harvey named the Cook Village Attorney

02 Mar. Bob Ranta bought the Ongalo-Waataja Red Owl Store

20 Dec. Farmers & Merchants Bank moved to the Main Street. This is now the First National Bank of Chisholm.

20 Jan. Walter Barnes opened his station, now the Lucky Seven Convenience store

24 Feb. Wilfred Leinonen started Willies Auto Sales, corner by Covenant Church & the Tire Shop.

20 Mar. The last service in the old Lutheran Church, now Dickson Apt.

01 Jan. Roy 61, 1978 & Erma Hill bought the new Sorvari store, now the Cook News Herald building.

03 Feb. Friday night drawings started in the local business places

03 Feb. Chase’s Addition annexed, area south of the Cook School

18 Jan. Miller-Chase Furniture store opened, now the Subway Café

01 Mar. Dial phones first installed at Cook, Cook News Herald the first place

01 Mar. Gus Ardin sold his Ardin’s Bus Depot to Eghner Edblom & Martin Silvi

07 Mar. Oscar Carlson bought the Standard Oil Agency from Art Refsdal.

11 Jul, the Farmers & Merchants State Bank of Cook paid of the last money owed to depositors from the 1933 Bank Holiday.

27, Feb. Frank Pliml moved his Electrical business to the new bldg, now the

              Laundromat

10 Jul. School house built in 1917 torn down, new gym built in that location

09 Jan. Miller’s IGA grocery store destroyed by fire

16 Feb. Johnnie Cash stopped for speeding through Cook by Richard Harding

05 Mar. Miller's IGA moved to former Miller-Chase building which in now the Subway Cafe building.

26 Mar. Pete Duebendorf sold his Vermilion Boys Camp to the area Lutheran Churches for a Bible Camp.

06 Apr. Mike Wical & Charles Bast bought the Life of Riley Resort      

26 Oct. the Cook Community Hospital opened its doors

17 Mar. Toivo Hiltunen opened his Hiltunen Lumber Yard. Manley & Jerry Burris bought the business in 1978 and closed it that year.

04 Feb. Cook police officer Richard Harding cashed a stolen City of Cook check

21 Oct. Cook Bank started closing on Saturdays

01 Mar. Frank Pliml opened his laundry mat. Lloyd Gustafson is now the owner of what is now called the Handi Wash

01 Apr. Lawrence & Lorraine Aune bought the Nylund Bakery

01 Jul. The Railroad stopped running the Bud car passenger service. This was a diesel powered one car vehicle for passengers only.

28 Jan. Last Sunday Rev Edwin Bonander as the pastor of First Baptist Church

18 Oct. Lawrence & Lorraine Aune took over the Nylund Bakery

06 Jan. Don Simonson started selling cars for Lobe Chevrolet Company

1965, Douglas Johnson elected mayor of Cook, served until 1970

27 Jan. Dedication of the new Cook catholic church building south of the Cook Community Hospital. The Timber Days Association bought the old catholic church building for a community center.

10 Feb. Russell Duame started his marine business in the Vermilion Small Engine

04 Apr. Art's Addition to Cook petitioned to join the Village of Cook

01 Aug. Minnesota Sales Tax started, 1%

31 Jan. Bill Lobe gave Dr. Bartholdt a $1,000 donation for the Cook Clinic

01 Jan. Lambert Lumber closed. Ray Ronning bought as the buildings and renamed the business the Cook Building Center

09 Jan. Cook Area Development Association was founded for making to loans to local businesses.

27 Feb. Mel Ranta opened the Red Onion, now the Landing Restaurant on Lake Vermilion. This location was Russell Duame's Marina and is now the Landing Supper Club.

01 Mar. Dennis Duame bought Ardin’s Bus Depot from Eghner Edblom who had bought from Gust Ardin. He added Denny’s Café, the building was damaged by a fire in 1979.

24 Sep. The Lofgren store was demolished to make room for a trailer house anda  parking lot.

31 Dec. Ken Leding stopped his private Ambulance service. The hospital rented an ambulance to continue this service.

01 Jan. The Cook Volunteer ambulance service started

01 Jan. Dr. Maasaud Farooq started his practice, Dr. William Heiam retired

31 Jan. First Snow Days celebration, sponsored by the Timber Days Assoc

01 Feb. LD Gustafson sold the Comet Theater to LeRoy Pearson

01 Feb. Ed Novak sold his Mobil Oil business to Don "Undy" Anderson

29 Mar. North St. Louis Rescue Squad organized.

08 Jun. The Great Flood of 1970 started, rained eight inches in 24 hours

10 Jun. the new 1970 Chevrolet Suburban Ambulance put into service

21 Jul. Ernie Lund filed for the County Commissioner election

01 Jan. Leander Baptist Church joined with the First Baptist Church

01 Jan. Wally Refsdal became the mayor of Cook, served until 1973

01 Jan. Don Simonson became a member of the Village Council

08 May, the old Reik's Hall was torn down. It was built in about 1920.

11 Mar. Bill Lobe 55, owner of the Lobe Chevrolet Company dealership was shot and killed by his wife.

15 Mar. Graig Kronholm bought the Bakery from Lawrence Aune

20 Jul. Allan Homer opened his barber shop, first in the Ardin Building

01 Jan. Marvin Chase became the mayor of Cook, served until 1977

07 Jan. Leonard Richard’s house next Congregational Church burned

15 Mar. Don Simonson & Bill Vanne bought the Lobe Chevrolet dealership. In 1975 we moved to Highway 53

10 Apr. Roger & Sylvia Makela bought out the Fox Hardware

29 Apr. Rev. Dennis Morreim installed as the Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, he served until 07 Mar 1982

09 Sep. Carl Brown put a gable roof on what is now Gustafson Motors building

04 Feb. Account Bill Corcoran moved into what is now the Vermilion Small Engine building

15 Mar. Gunnar Kronholm's wife Eunice kidnapped, later set free.

10 Apr. Lloyd Beaurline bought Mecca Inn and renamed it the BIC building

10 Oct. The bridge over the Little Fork north of Celina was damaged by fire.

05 Jan. Dean Buchanan bought the Cook Building Center Ray Ronning

01 Mar. Mike Haney started as the Pastor of the Covenant Church

05 Mar. Simonson & Vanne moved the Voyageur Chevrolet dealership to highway 53

03 Aug. Trinity Lutheran Church dedicated their new sanctuary and downstairs Sunday School rooms

29 Jan. Residents started moving into the Homestead Apartment building

07 Feb. Nels & Joyce Rude opened a feed business in the old Lobe Chevrolet Co building

06 Mar. Mike & Diane Suomela bought the Hanson Furniture Store

01 Jan. Mike Popelka served as the Mayor of Cook until 1979

09 Mar. Mike Holmes became the Hospital Business Manager

10 May. Johnson's One Stop destroyed by fire. This location is snow the Country Store and Vermilion Motel.

05 Jan. Bruce & Kathy Hively bought the Spring Bay Resort from Yale Corcoran

03 Mar. Radio tower set at the hospital for communalizations

01 Apr. Gary Albertson bought the Cook News Herald from Wayne Evans.

08 May. Mecca Inn/BIC building damaged by fire.

25 May. Voyageur Chevrolet became Simonson Chevrolet-Olds, Inc.

01 Nov. Cook Fire Departments first modular ambulance put in service

01 Jan. Judy (Schelde, Hensen) Anderson served as the Mayor of Cook until 1981

15 Jan. Mike Sarazine opened his Optical Shop in what is now the Great Northern Lending office.

20 Jan. Fire damage the old Ardin Bus Depot and Confectionary store

01 Feb. Tim VanSoest sold the Northwoods Dairy Bar to Bill Green

01 Feb. Kris Squires started working at the Credit Union

20 Feb. IRRRB tore down the Ardin Hotel bldg that was damage by the 20 Jan fire

27 Jan. Howard Lindsey & Shirley Wells died in their house fire 

09 Feb. Musakka log house burned, ten miles south of Cook 

20 Feb. Joe Barrnett became our City police officer replacing Tom Whitebird

24 Feb. Fire damage at the Cook School gym, smoke filled the rest of the building

16 Mar. Gary Hokkanen won the first "Beargrease" dog sled race

01 Aug. Arne Ojanen bought the Brown Building from Carl Brown.

            Yale Corcoran served as the Mayor of Cook until 1987

10 Jan. Jill Duame named to head the Cook Post Office

02 Feb. Don Simonson retired, Chief of the Cook Fire Dept & Ambulance Squad

09 Feb. Dennis Rinne named Chief of the Cook Fire Department

27 Feb. Bob & Jacki Heglund opened the Driftwood Café, was Jim’s Grille

09 Jan. Mark & Teresa DuMarce’s house destroyed by fire, was Sara Winchell’s home for many years

07 Mar. Rev. Dennis Morreim left the Trinity Lutheran Church to serve a Lutheran Church at Cloquet.

02 Jan. the Bell Tower was set at the Trinity Lutheran Church

20 Jan. Dan Bogren opened a parts store in the old Jim’s grille, his son Dan now owns it

19 Feb. Residents started moving into the new Pioneer Apartment building

04 Mar. the Potlatch plant south of Cook four miles started  producing "Oxboard". 116 employed. Takes 600 cords a day.

18 Jan. The Cook School Teacher went on strike

26 Jan. end of the hot lead printing at Cook News Herald, new four until Goss Printing Press

01 Feb. Mary Farrington opened her Mary’s Nettle Net in Reichel building

05 Mar. Melvin "Bud" Ranta started working for the City of Cook.

31 May. The Harrigan Bridge was closed, reopened in1986

20 Sep. Darlene Bakk Simonson opened a new beauty shop on the Main Street in the building that is now the Floral Shop. This building is now the home to Sarah Niska's Floral Shop

08 Feb. First Street Sign in Cook, Simonson Boulevard

17 Feb. David Wicklund’s last Sunday as the Pastor of First Baptist Church

     Farmers & Merchants Bank second story added

07 Aug. The new Harrigan Bridge was opened to traffic

13 Jan. Loren Lind became the Mayor of Cook until 1989

01 Feb. Eb Schmolling became the post master of the Cook Post Office

08 Jan. Police officer Tom Whitebird resigned, to the Eveleth Police Dept.

6 Jan. Al Hietala started with the Cook Police Department, he is now the Chief.

09 Feb. School Board voted to close the Alango School

02 Apr. First Chamber Egg Hunt held at the Simonson Chevrolet dealership.

10 Jan. Don Simonson served as the Mayor of Cook until 1991.

10 Jan. Don Simonson sold his dealership to Lee & Larry Phillips

30 Jan. 911 started in Cook. Before that we did not have house numbers

14 Feb. Jim & Ruth Black bought the Brown Building from Arne Ojanen. They sold to Rick Scheuring who operates a Taxidermy 

01 Mar. Bill & Joan Clazmer bought the Country Club from Albertson & Pascuzzi

01 Feb. Al Vogt named the Administrator of the Cook Community Hospital.

22 Mar. Rodney Edblom bought the Pump business from Chuck Nicholas.

04 Jan. Edwards Lucky Seven Convenience Store opened

10 Jan. Doug Nakari became the Mayor of Cook

12 Feb. Mike Lantry became the City of Cook Attorney

11 Mar. Bill Pasch started as a Cook Police officer, left on 1 Oct 1999

27 Jul. Cook airfield renamed Raymond Hill Field

16 Oct. new Bridge opened, Rice River south of Cook, Ralph Road.

      Greg Burckhardt bought the Cook Bldg Center from Dean Buchanan

10 Jan. Darrell Lindgren served as the Mayor of Cook until 1998

06 Aug. Airport Beacon installed

08 Aug. Picek Tire Shop building damaged by fire

29 Nov. A logging truck destroyed the bridge on the Reik Road

01 Jan. Farmers & Merchants Bank sold to Chisholm First National

28 Jan. meeting at the Cook school in regard to selling the REA

01 Mar. IRRRB removed the old parsonage next to the First Baptist Church

14 Jan. Human Touch II Gift Shop opened in the old American Legion building

29 Mar. 3rd story of the Comet Theater under construction.

04 Oct. Co-op Store building destroyed by fire, it included the office of the Credit Union.

09 Jan. Don Price moved the Cook Motor office from the McDonald site, 

     now Culbert office.

14 Jan. Train derailment at the Homestead Mills

15 Feb. Cook Library opened in the new location, was the Fire Hall

17 Mar. Northern Farmers Co-op Credit Union renamed to the,

     Cook Area Credit Union.

13 May. Mt. Iron First National Bank opened  in the new Zup’s grocery store

31 Oct. R & J Cafe damaged by fire

02 Jan. Ron Waggoner became the State Farm agent for the area

15 Mar. Don Simonson sold the Montana Cafe to Valerie Martinson

15 Jul. Dan & Jodi Julkowski opened their new Northwoods True Value Hardware store on Highway 53. They are have a lumber yard.

11 Jan. Jamie Nelson won her 4^th Beargrease Dog Sled Race on the North      Shore of Lake Superior. She and Ken live in Togo.

17 Jan. Loggers demonstration in Orr with over 1000 in attendance, 200 logging trucks lined the highway.

23 Mar. Dr. Travis Shearer joined the Cook Dental Clinic, left in soon

10 Jan. Harold Johnston served as the Mayor of Cook until 2002, re-elected

05 Feb. Cook Credit Union ATM (automatic teller machine) installed

16 Mar. Don Simonson started the www.cookmn.com website

22 Jan. Heiam’s old Cook General Hospital totally destroyed by fire as it burned to the ground, it was last used as the Amundson Apartment complex

31 Mar. Cafe 53 opened, was the R&J Cafe now Great Northern Lending office.

2001,

2002

22 May, Tom & Lisa Ojanen opened their Subway Cafe

2003

01 Feb. The Cafe 53 closed to become the office of the Great Northern Lending Company.

10 Feb, Clark's IGA grocery store was destroyed by fire.

01 Apr. Dr. Mrosak joined the Cook Area Dental Clinic

2004

18 Jan. Pastor Marcus Hess left after serving since 1993

Some of the first settlers were: John & Martha Olson,  Abel & Klara Pearson and Karl & Ellen Engdall. This area had just recently been opened to homesteading. Homesteads in Minnesota consisted of 160 acres which were free if you "proved up".  To prove up on must live on the land for five years and improve the property. After this time the homesteader needed three witnesses to state he had qualified. The United States Government then issued a patent stating this land belonged to the settler.

Olson's 160 acres homestead was northeast of what is now Cook and it included what is  now the Cook School and the First Baptist Church.  Pearson's homestead was directly south of  Olson's and is now the Cook Community Hospital, the Homestead and Pioneer Apartments plus many of the newer houses in Cook.  Engdall's homestead bordered Olson's to the west and  included that area north of  the river to what is now the Ashawa Road. In the year of 1904 the railroad cut through his land at angle to the northwest.

The first white baby born in this area was to John & Martha Olson on the 8th of June 1902, she was named Florence (see the pioneer families listed below).

1903, 03 Aug. Charles McGaginnis filed the "Plat of Ashawa". This plat took in the present downtown area of Cook including some land from Karl Engdall.  August Buboltz bought the townsite from McGaginnis in 1909.

Why was the townsite located here, because the railroad crossed the Little Fork River at this point.  The steam engine locomotives had a healthy appetite for water. The river was dammed under the bridge to maintain enough water for the storage tank, the train than stopped next to the tank to fill its reservoir. The railroad was started from Virginia in 1902 and reached International Falls in 1907.

1903, the railroad was completed to the Little Fork River from Virginia. The first train arrived on the 21st of December. The first passenger train (caboose) arrived on the 31st of December. The fair was $2.50 one way.  With the railroad coming this far the Virginia Rainy Lake Lumber Company started buying pine logs in this area for their sawmill in Virginia which was about 26 miles to the south. Many families' complete livelihood was from the forest. Spruce sold for $6 a cord delivered to the rail. After cutting the timber many of the homesteaders cleared the land for farming.

1903, 10 December. The first newspaper was published in Cook, by James Gar Field, it was called the Northland Farmer. It was first printed in a tent that sat between what is now the drug store and the lumber yard.

The Anderson Brothers, John & Algot constructed the first store building in what was to become the village, this log building still stands and is presently used for a tool rental business.  James Field was one of the earliest settlers.

1903, 31 December. August Buboltz arrived on the first passenger train. He constructed the first hotel and saloon and opened it on the 4th of March of 1904. It was located on the corner of  what is the parking lot next to Clark's IGA store..

During the early summer of 1900, the first homesteaders arrived in what is now

known as Cook, it was called "Ashawa" by the Indians that used this area as a

stopping place in their travels to and  from Lake Vermilion.

John & Martha Olson

Some of the first settlers were: John & Martha Olson,  This area had just recently been opened to homesteading. Homesteads in Minnesota consisted of 160 acres which were free if you "proved up".  To prove up on must live on the land for five years and improve the property. After this time the homesteader needed three witnesses to state he had qualified. The United States Government then issued a patent stating this land belonged to the settler.  Olson's 160 acres homestead was northeast of what is now Cook and it included what is  now the Cook School and

the First Baptist Church. 

Abel & Klara Pearson

Pearson's homestead was directly south of  Olson's and is now the Cook Community Hospital, the Homestead and Pioneer Apartments, the Catholic Church, plus many of the newer houses in Cook. 

Karl & Emma Engdall

Engdall's homestead bordered Olson's to the west and  included that area north of  the river to what is now the Ashawa Road. In the year of 1904 the railroad cut through his land at angle to the northwest.

The first white baby born in this area was to John & Martha Olson on the 8th of June 1902, she was named Florence (see the pioneer families listed below).

1903, 03 Aug. Charles McGaginnis filed the "Plat of Ashawa". This plat took in the present downtown area of Cook including some land from Karl Engdall.  August Buboltz bought the townsite from McGaginnis in 1909.

Why was Cook located here?

Why was the townsite located here, because the railroad crossed the Little Fork River at this point.  The steam engine locomotives had a healthy appetite for water. The river was dammed under the bridge to maintain enough water for the storage tank, the train than stopped next to the tank to fill its reservoir. The railroad was started from Virginia in 1902 and reached International Falls in 1907.

1903, the railroad was completed to the Little Fork River from Virginia. The first train arrived on the 21st of December. The first passenger train (caboose) arrived on the 31st of December. The fair was $2.50 one way.  With the railroad coming this far the Virginia Rainy Lake Lumber Company started buying pine logs in this area for their sawmill in Virginia which was about 26 miles to the south. Many families' complete livelihood was from the forest. Spruce sold for $6 a cord delivered to the rail. After cutting the timber many of the homesteaders cleared the land for farming.

1903, 10 December. The first newspaper was published in Cook, by James Gar Field, it was called the Northland Farmer. It was first printed in a tent that sat between what is now the drug store and the lumber yard.

The first store

The Anderson Brothers, John & Algot constructed the first store building in what was to become the village, this log building still stands and is presently used for a tool rental business. 

James Field was one of the earliest settlers in the town of Ashawa as he set up a printing press and published the first paper in

1903, 31 December. August Buboltz arrived on the first passenger train. He constructed the first hotel and saloon and opened it on the 4th of March of 1904. It was located on the corner of  what is the parking lot next to Clark's IGA store..

The town's name was changed

Originally the new community was called Little Fork after the River. There was

an Indian trail that crossed the river and they called the place "Ashawa" meaning

beside the river or near the river. The first post office opened on 17 Aug 1903.

On 01 Aug 1908 the name of Ashawa was changed to Cook by request of the 

U.S. Postal Department. There was a village in Southern Minnesota by the name

of Oshawa that was being confused with our Ashawa. As they had first claim to 

the name.  The name of Cook was chosen in honor of Wirth H. Cook, a Duluth

lumber dealer and a railroad official and the chief promoter of the construction of 

the railroad through this area.

13 May 1926,  Cook became an incorporated Minnesota Village with a President and Trustees.  The first election was held this year with 93 voters. The candidates chosen were progressive business men interested in the welfare of the village. The election resulted in George Frances being named the President;  Adolph Johnson, O.J. Leding and Verner Bergren Trustees. A.H. Erickson was elected the Village Clerk. Walter Freudenberg the Justice of the Peace and Carl Nelson the Constable

1887, in April,  John Edblom landed in Boston Harbor as he immigrated to the United States from Sweden.  He made his way to Tower, Minnesota. 1892, 13 June he married Emma Johnson in Tower.  John operated a general store in Tower for a time.1892, John Edblom and his friend from Sweden, Peter Leanderson traveled from Tower via Lake Vermilion to what is now the Frazer Bay Landing. They walked the Tower-Itasca Tote Trail which ran southwest to what is now Sherman's Corner. They spotted the land they wanted and established rights in 1893. This area had been surveyed in 1884 and opened soon there after for homesteading.

1894, 23 April. John & Emma Edblom settled on their homestead in what is now known as the Leander Community.  Homesteading that very same day and on property adjacent to John was his friend Peter Leanderson.  In later years Peter was known as Peter Leander.  The community of Leander came about with the train crossing Peter's land in 1903. About 40 construction workers used Peter's house for a dining room, thus the railroad company named the landing and the siding Leander.

1901, 9th day of October. John Edblom applied for citizenship with the court to become a United States Citizen.  This had to be done before a person could gain title to a homestead. John's wife Emma did not have to apply, as she automatically became a citizen with her husband.

To improve their homestead the family built a log house 22 x 26 feet with a board floor and a cellar below. There were four rooms, seven windows and two doors, cost $200. The barn was 30 x 60 feet and cost $1,000. Also a chicken house, a combination blacksmith shop, store house and wood shed 12 x 45 feet, cost $100. Also they had cleared 35 acres at the cost of $750, with 18 to 20 of them under cultivation.  A curbed well 20 feet deep at the cost of $40. The stock consisted of; 14 head of cattle, two horse and 35 chickens.   This all done by the time he applied for a patent (title) in 1901.

This information was taken from a copy of the original homestead proof papers that were witnessed by Peter Leanderson, John Oberg, Nels Anderson and Andrew Berg when John made application for a patent on the 11th day of October 1901 at Duluth, Minnesota. The notice was published in the Tower Weekly Newspaper once a week for six weeks between the 9th of August 1901 and the 13th of September 1901. Ashawa/Cook did not have a newspaper yet.  Many newspapers were founded just to publish homestead notices as advertising was not enough to support the publisher, until the community grew.

John Edblom was born in 1867, died 1961, Emma Johnson Edblom, born 1869, died 1948. Children; Helga 1893-1987 & Ole Olson 1887-1973,  John Arthur 1894-1931 & Martha Trygg 1907-1989,  Hulda 1896-1969 & Peter Anderson 1996-1961, Helen 1898-1997 & Magnus Johnson 1899-1945,  Jhalmer 1900-1916, Eghner 1901-1990 & Edith Kjelberg 1902-1997, Martha 19093-1995 & Adar Engberg 1890-1934,  Rudy 1905-1989 & Anne Mravinc 1914-1985,  Herbert 1907-1987 & Lucille Eldien 1912 and Richard 1909-1996 & Adelia "Dil" Bakk 1916-1997.

Adolph Carl Johnson, is best known as a Deputy Sheriff in the Cook and Orr areas. Adolph was born in Sweden on the 6th of July 1890. Adolph served in the Swedish military from 1909 to 1913, he also served as a palace guard in Stockholm.   At the age of 23 and not able to speak English, Adolph immigrated from Sweden, he arrived in Cook on the 31st day of December
1913. He soon found work on a farm west of Cook.  The next summer he worked in the woods as a lumberjack. In 1917 he and Verner Bergren started a bus line from Cook to Virginia and later to International Falls. In those days the roads were nothing but trails. In 1930 Adolph was appointed a deputy sheriff for St. Louis County, he served until he retired in 1957.
1919, Adolph married Viola Kjellberg of Cook. Her parents were Charles 1870-1959 and Augusta Anderson Kjellberg 1862-1943, they were also Swedish immigrants. The Kjellbergs had lived at Rock Creek, Minnesota before moving to the Cook area in 1903. They had four children; Herman 1894-1965 & Leona Gordon 1911-1945,  Beatrice "Beda" 1898-1964 & Albert Ferguson 1880-1960,  Viola 1900-1977 & Adolph Johnson 1890-1985 and  Edith 1902-1997 & Eghner Edblom 1901-1990. Viola's mother was a charter member of the First Baptist Church of Cook when it was founded in 1907.  Adolph & Viola had three sons;  Richard Adolph & Carolgene,  Russell & Emile and Curtis & June.
Adolph's son Dick,  a retired State Farm agent from St Cloud, Minnesota has written a very complete history of his family, a copy is this book is on file at the Cook Public Library. What a wonderful credit to his parents, everyone should write a book. Dick's legal name is Adolph Richard Johnson but was known as Richard while in school.  After his military service he added
A. Richard to his name being there are so many Richard Johnson's..

1904, Pioneers started arriving in this area in greater numbers when the land was opened for homesteading in the area west of Cook. George's brother Norman, who never married, settled first in what is now Linden Grove, he urged George to come from near Long Prairie, Minnesota. In June of 1904 George and his wife Mary O'Toole their children left their farm for Ashawa. They traveled by covered wagon pulled by a team of oxen. Also traveling with them were Mary's brother Joe O'Toole & wife Hattie.  When they arrived in Virginia on the 4th of July they camped near what is now the golf course. They traveled from Virginia by train to Ashawa. To reach their new home they traveled partly on the Little Fork River and walked the rest of the way. They had to leave most of their personal belongings until later. There homestead was 11 miles west of Cook, they cleared land and built houses of log. George established the first post office in Linden Grove in his home. They named the community after what they thought were Linden trees, they were aspen. These farms are still in the family. George was born in 1879, died in 1928, his wife Mary O'Toole Lindsey was born in 1875, died in 1952.  Their children were: Violet 1894-1988 (Mike) Mellak, Lillie 1896-1994 (Elmer) Thon, Rose 1899-1912, Pansy 1901-1987 (Steve Mellak & Peter Starkovich), Norman 1903-19.. & Helia Bergman, Mrytle 1907 (Floyd) Mann, Goldie 1909 (Archie) Mihm, Howard Lindsey 1911-1980, Gladys (Tony) Palma and Olive 1917 (Clifford) Rasch..

1900, John & Martha Olson homesteaded on 160 acres of land in 1900. Their land included three 40s running north from the corner of North River Street (Hwy 24) and Vermilion Blvd where the Cook school is located, the Baptist Church and past Dyke's Body Shop, Bart Anderson and to the Sam Keister farm. It also included a 40 east including Clark & Barb Brenna's and Norman & Betty Johnson's homes to the Larson Road. Their daughter Florence was the first with baby born in this area.

John Olson was born in 1862, died in 1950, Martha Erickson Olson was born in 1868, died in 1958. Their children:  Olof 1887-1973 & Helga Edblom 1893-1987,  Sophie 1889-1971 & Gottfried Carlson 1892-1975,    Anna 1892-1920,  Matilda 1894-1908, Martha 1908-1991 & Gunnar Bakk 1904-1995,  and Florence 1902-1991 & Cameron Johnson 1900-1953 and her second husband Carl Bergstrom 1891-1973.   This farm became the home of Cameron & Florence, then their son Gerald (1925-1995) & Bev Hendy who still lives there.