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The Gunflint Trail Association, one of Minnesota’s oldest tourism groups, hopes to bring together 75 years of members, families and staff for a celebration October 11 of its “diamond” anniversary. The gathering is set for the Hungry Jack Lodge, 2-1/2 miles off Gunflint Trail, 32 miles northwest of Grand Marais.
It was 75 years ago that businesses along the 57-mile Gunflint Trail created the activist group to bring in services, such as telephone and electrical power. Rather than feuding, the businesses decided to work cooperatively and formed an official group in 1936, according to a history sent out by the association.
“Stories from the early days tell of Gunflint Trail Association members
stringing telephone wire over tree branches themselves, just to keep up with the then-modern technology,” the release states.
After establishing telephone, mail and electrical services – and after coming to terms with some signage disputes among the member businesses – the organization
became more of a social group, though it did publish a Gunflint Trail brochure. The group reorganized and became more aggressive marketers after the 1978 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act resulted in reduction of businesses on the trail.
“It was the first organization in Minnesota to use incoming toll-free telephone service, and it began publishing a brochure unlike any others at the time. Each individual business on the Gunflint Trail was given a full page of copy - innovative for the 1980s. A few years later it was one of the first organizations to launch a tourism association website - with each business having its own web page,” the release recounts the history.
Today, the association has more than 20 member business – mostly resorts or outfitters along or near the Gunflint Trail. The association hosted a three-day celebration for its 50th anniversary and the video from the gathering will be shown this year.
For information on the association and on Gunflint Trail businesses, you can logon to www.gunflint-trail.com.