Beloved Historic Resort in Minnesota Burns to the Ground Leaving Residents Heartbroken
A truly great resort can leave a lasting impression on you that lasts for years after the trip itself has faded into a distant memory. I still remember a beautiful forest resort in New Hampshire that my dad brought us to a few times when I was a kid. It supposedly closed years ago, and I don't even remember its name now, but it always makes me sad that I'll never be able to return to this precious place in my memories.
Unfortunately, another widely-beloved, historic hotel has now met the same fate, surviving only in the memories of its former guests. The Lutsen Lodge, a renowned Minnesota resort, burned to the ground yesterday, leaving countless Minnesotans heartbroken.
Nearly a century and a half of history was lost when the iconic Lutsen Lodge, a staple vacation spot on the North Shore of Lake Superior, burned down last night. As @kare11news reported, Minnesotans across the state were crushed upon hearing the tragic news. Even Minnesota State Senator Amy Klobuchar lamented the loss of the lakeside resort, calling it "a sad day for all Minnesotans."
Some of the very firefighters who were on the scene for the Lutsen Lodge's demise had fond memories of the place. "Some of us have worked here, some of us have met our wives here, some of us have been married here, so there's a lot of good memory here," one of the firefighters reflected sadly, looking out over the smoldering ashes that used to be the beloved resort.
According to MPR News, no one knows what triggered the fire yet, and the cause is currently being investigated. Fortunately, nobody was injured- at least physically- in the fire. Now, former resort guests and locals alike await to see if the Lutsen Lodge will truly be lost to time or if something new will arise from the ashes like a phoenix.
A Brief History of the Lutsen Lodge
On their website, Lutsen Lodge boasts the tagline "140 years in the making." The serene lakeside lodge was established in 1885 by Swedish immigrant Charles Axel Nelson and his family. It originally started as a modest fishing lodge, but over the years, as more and more people were drawn there by the area's natural beauty, the Lutsen Lodge grew and evolved into the Minnesota icon that it is today.
The Lutsen Lodge is a popular wedding destination and honeymoon resort. With its lakefront location and close proximity to the ski areas in the Lutsen Mountains, it's always been a popular spot for summer and winter vacationers alike. Its cherry-red wooden exterior, instantly recognizable to countless guests over the years, stands out like a Christmas ornament amongst the dark green conifers that surround it- or at least, it did until yesterday.
But perhaps not all hope is lost for the Lutsen Lodge just yet. Over its decades of history, the Lutsen Lodge has burned down twice before, but each time, it was quickly built back on its original foundation. The lodge was last rebuilt in 1951. The resort's general manager, Edward Vanegas, told MPR News that their plan was to rebuild by taking the lodge's 1951 plans, modernizing them, and restoring the resort.
The loss of the Lutsen Lodge is still a tragedy. Even if you only go back to its most recent rebuild, that's still the better part of a century's worth of history lost in just one night to a devastating fire. But it seems that the Lutsen Lodge will someday rise again, ready to make lasting vacation memories for a new generation of Minnesotans.
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