Maybe a quarter of the way from Duluth to Grand Marais, yesterday, in a drizzling rain, I stopped in at this place (5797 N. Shore Dr.), and bingo! The trading post is filled with stuffed animals, old tools, guns, and skins on the walls, plus a ton of trinkets, moccasins, Native American-oriented stuff, what have you. I talked to one of the owners, Bill Weckman, about a bunch of things and we were on the same page, as they say. After a while, he said, “Have you got 10 minutes?” “Well — yeah,” and he took me out in the back where there are a number of buildings with old logging tools, a blacksmith shop, a sauna (Finnish loggers), all giving you a clear idea of what life was like right here back in the day. Also a beautiful flock of chickens and two mystical black llamas. Below are some pics. (Wish I didn’t have to do this kind of dumb layout; such is the fate of a non-programmer.)
The Big Horned Sheep was huge. As was the buffalo; look at the mystery and majesty and power of that head. Cattle are so lame by comparison.
The horse contraption holds a horse immobile while it is beings shoed. That’s a wooden (horse-drawn) school bus.
What a great sharing post! Thanks much. And I love your comment about buffalo versus cattle. So many books I read about that time period, that very thought has been echoed again and again. We've lost so much…
Love this!
The chain saw collection is awesome. – Margy