This photograph shows Albertson's Logging Camp Crew and horses at work in the woods. It is one of a series of 41 photographs titled "Logging on the Midway."
This photograph of the A.M. Miller sawmill and crew in front of the mill building shows water barrels on the roof. The barrels were used to attempt to put out fires. Some crew members are sitting on a lumber pile located there. Andreas M. Miller's sawmill was located approximately one mile north of the Village of Thomson on the Midway River.
This photograph depicts the A.M. (Andreas M.) Miller sawmill and a large crew on the mill grounds, with railroad tracks in the foreground. A.M. Miller's mill was located approximately one mile north of the Village of Thomson on the Midway River.
Depicted in this photograph is A.M. Miller's sawmill and yard in Thomson, Minnesota. The Midway River can be seen in the background. Andreas M. Miller operated his sawmill here from 1872 to 1891.
This photograph shows a logging crew, consisting of Henry Perttula, Jonas Perttula, William Perttula, Emil Kangas, Waino J. Heikkinen, and an unidentified man. Sitting are Abel Palkie and Adolph Peterson.
Esther (Sarkela) Huuima wrote that this photo was from a sawmill in Thomson. She identifies her father and her brother, Hugo Sarkela, in the photo, as indicated by the two ink check marks. The check mark in the back center of the photo marks the father, and the checkmark in the front center indicates Hugo Sarkela. Note the four fire fighting water barrels on top of the roof, as well as the teams of horses and wagons. The man in the back with a black suit is probably the boss of the operation.
Depicted here is the homestead of Johan (Piekkola) Jacobson homestead, as well as his family, located on the Forstie Road. Left to right are Johan (Piekkola) Jacobson, Amanda Jacobson, holding Henry (Ham) in her lap; Axel Jacobson, Arvid Jacobson, Hann
Pioneer Charles A. Marks, his family and horses, are depicted in front of their remodeled home. The Marks family settled in Thomson Township in 1878. Charles A. Marks was the second county commissioner of Carlton County to serve from the Town of Thomson, in 1901. His original Finnish surname was Markkus. He operated a productive dairy farm located on the Midway River. One of his dairy cows can be seen between the three unidentified ladies. Presumably Charles Marks is the person holding the horses. He was born in Finland in 1854 and died in Thomson Township in 1921.
This photograph shows a very young John Hegfors and his wife, Kaisa Palkki, and their first child. In 1885, John designed a new water wheel and made repairs to the Palkki gristmill, which was built in 1878 by 18 of the first settlers in Thomson Township.
A typical logging camp scene from 1889 is depicted, with several men identified in writing on the photograph itself as John VaHaNiemi, Sackri Tan, and Eli Albertson, who was labeled as "The Boss" in the photo. One of the largest logging operations in the area, it was known as the Albertson Camp and was located on the west side of Church Avenue near its junction with the North Cloquet Road.
Depicted here is the farmhouse of Alex and Georgina Esko, located on the hillside banks of the Midway River. The baby is probably Isaac Esko. This photograph was taken south of the present Highway 61, looking northward to the bridge over the Midway River. In the background is a hayshed.
Depicted here are Kaisa Maria Sarkela and Erick Sarkela standing in front of their farm house, with a barn and outbuildings in the background. The boy's name is Jalmari Sarkela, and Jenni Sarkela is the girl in the photograph.
This scene shows the pioneer home of Mr. and Mrs. John Niemi, located on the Stenman Road, as well as their large dog sitting in the chair next to Mrs. Niemi. Their surname had been Vanhaniemi and was shortened and simplified to Niemi.
This is a photograph of the farm home of John Winter with two unidentified men and a grinding wheel on a water trough that was used to sharpen tools such as axes and sickles and other farm tools, in front of them. John Winter's surname originally was Wintturi in his native Finland.
This photograph shows Mr. and Mrs. John Juntti, with their daughter Lempi, in front of their home. Lempi appears to be showing off her apparently new shoes.
Emil Sota is the driver of the steam powered tractor, Albert Olson is his engineer, and also present in the photo are Henry Juntunen from Cloquet, Jalmer Juntunen, Ed Juntunen of Meadowbrook Dairy, Joseph Juntunen, and Selma (Juntunen) Dickinson who probably worked in the office there.
This is a photograph of Thomson Road in its early days, near the village of Thomson, with Henry Ruikka's fields and hay shed in the background. Note the fence posts, rocks piled along the fence line, and the horse's tracks in the middle of the wagon's tracks in the road. This was the first road linking the then Village of Thomson to what would become known as "Esko's Corner," and was a challenge for both man and horse in the early days.
This oil painting by John Ruikka (April 16, 1880, to May, 1965) depicts the original Palkki gristmill, which was built on the Midway River and located on property of pioneer Erick Palkki. It was used from 1878 to approximately 1916, was built by pioneers to grind grain into flour, and was water powered. Please note that the original spelling, in Finnish, is "Palkki." The spelling as "Palkie" is an Americanized spelling of the name.
The center figure in the photograph is Henry Ruikka standing in his general store that was located in the Village of Thomson, Minnesota. Located 3.5 miles from the town center of present day Esko, it was much easier to travel by horse-drawn wagon to buy supplies here than to make the arduous, day-long round trip to Duluth. This was one of the first stores in the area, and early Thomson Township and Esko residents traveled to the Village of Thomson by horse and wagon to buy their home and farm supplies. The Village post office was also located in this store. It was reportedly the first Finnish business establishment in Carlton County, having been established in 1891.
This is the house of the first store keeper in Thomson Township in the very early days, Henry Ruikka, his wife, and their eight children, with two bicycles in front.
This photograph depicts the Henry Sunnarborg farm, for which the land located on a hill above the Midway River in Thomson Township was purchased in 1889. Their team of horses and hay rake are in the foreground, with Mrs. Henry Sunnarborg and their adopted daughter, Julia (Mattinen) Sunnarborg, in between.
This is a photograph showing the first storekeeper of the first general store in the area, Henry Ruikka, and his family on their farm located on the edge of the Village of Thomson.
The John Kangas log house shown here was built by Hanse Annala about 1898. There are a rake and several scythes hanging on the wall, with a washtub used for doing laundry on the far left of the photo. Originally the house had a birch bark roof. It was donated to the Finnish American Memorial Foundation of Esko - now the Esko Historical Society - and land was obtained for its current placement as a building of the museum in 1965. The back of the postcard has handwriting saying, "built by Hansi Annala John Kangas home about 1898 Birch Bark Roof."
Depicted in this photo is Abraham Mallinen and his family, in of their farmstead, along with their horses. He was the first licensed minister of the Town of Thomson and served as pastor of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of Esko when it was first organized. He settled in Thomson Township with his family in 1883 on his farm, which was located west of the present day Thomson Road and north of the Palkie Road.
This is a photograph of the farm home of Charles Gustafson, which he purchased in 1899 from John Kajander. Charles Gustafson sold the farm to Charles Kinnunen in 1925, and two years later he sold it to Victor Maki, who turned it into the Cloverhill Dairy.
From left to right in this photo of the Joseph Juntunen Sr. family and his farmyard, known as Meadowbrook Dairy, are twins Joseph and Hjalmer Juntunen, Ed Juntunen, Lydia Juntunen, Grandma Elsa Juntunen, Selma Juntunen, Ida Juntunen, Anna Juntunen, Kate Juntunen, and Grandpa Joseph Juntunen in the wagon. Joseph Juntunen Sr. was the founder of Meadowbrook Dairy.
This shows the John Marks' family farm that was located in section 14 on the Marks Road and bordering the Midway River. Pioneer John Marks brought the first steel plow into the area. Notice the hay rake and hay mower, as well as the plow behind the family and their horse. The family settled on the Midway River farm in 1874. Possibly what looks like a flag pole in the background is a Finnish type of well. It was photographed by a Moose Lake Photographer, Adry Carlson.
This photograph is of the Luokkala family's house, with their barn and other farm buildings in the background. The two women and baby in the foreground are unidentified.
This photograph shows Henry Sunnarborg and his wife, as well as their dog, standing in front of their farmhouse located on the western banks of the Midway River, north of Highway 61. The younger lady standing to the right of Mrs. Sunnarborg is their adopted daughter, Julia (Mattinen) Sunnarborg. Henry was born in 1859, moved to Duluth in 1880 and Thomson Township in 1885, then to Bessmer Michigan in 1887, moved back to Thomson Township in 1889, passing away here in 1929. His wife died in 1918. Julia lived with them from the age of 5 onward. The house and its barn still are still standing in 2012.
First through eighth grade pupils are depicted, with two teachers, standing in front of the one-room Maunu School. This building was located on the present site of the intersection of the present Canosia Road and Forstie Road.
This is a photograph of pupils and teacher in Esko one-room School with desks in foreground, blackboards, and clock in background. The Esko one-room school was used from 1897 to 1920, and was located at Thomson Road and Highway 61, and was also known as Mallinen's School. The building itself was moved in 1959 and can be toured at the Esko Historical Society site as the school building. Although the teacher and many of the pupils are not identified, some of their names can be read on the black board, including, #10 - Juntunen, Ida; #11 - Juntunen, Eddy; #12 - Juntunen, Joseph; #13 Juntunen, Yalmer; Kangas, Selma; Mattinen, Mary; #16 - Mattinen, Yalmer; #17 - Peterson, John; #18 - Peterson, Yalmer; #19 - Peterson, Adolph; #20 - Polo, Olga; #21 - Polo, Charles; #22 - P., Hilda; Isaac; #23 - Perry, Charles; #24 - Perry, Bessie; #25 - Point, Eddy; Sunnarborg, Julia; ?; Charles; Annie; Matthews, Geo.; #1 - Esko, Henry; #2 - Esko, Fred; #3 - Hiukka, Alice; #4 - Hiukka.
This postcard shows Albin Ruikka and John Ruikka in their Maxwell ragtop convertible. The Maxwell automobile company was formed in 1904 and ceased to exist in 1925. The back of the postcard has handwriting saying, "Albin Ruikka John Ruikka in old Maxwell."
Early settler Charles Marks is sitting in his horse-pulled buggy, with his family in front of their house. The Charles Marks farm was located on the south end of the Marks road (the west side thereof) and extended north from the Harney Road. The family's pet cat is sitting on Mrs. Marks' lap. It was photographed by a Moose Lake Photographer, Adry Carlson.
Teacher Anna Swanson (top row, right) with her students in front of the Pantsar School in rural Thomson Township in 1905. Included in the photograph are Mary Marks, Mary Pantsar, Alice Carlson, Clara Moe, and teacher Anna Swanson in the top row. The second row of students are identified as Arthur Johnson, Robert Carlson, Emil Johnson, William Mattson, Edgar Olson, Hjalmer Mattson, Ed Kinnunen, Mayme Pantsar, Ida Sakrisson, Ida Point, Teena Sakrisson, Esther Olson, Anna Holm, and Mayme Point. In the third row are Olaf Moe, Arthur Point, Fanny Skarp, Oscar Pera, Thomas Holm, Ed Juntti, Charles Pykkonen, Emil Moe, Ray Palkki, Charles Point, Eino Poutinen, John Holm, Jacob Holm, Agnes Tweith, and Effie Holm. Sitting in the front row are Abel Palkki, Herman Skarp, William Perttula, and Eino Juntti. The Pantsar School was a one-room school in early Thomson Township, located northwest of the Church Road and Harney Road intersection. In the 1920s the building was moved by Ed Kinnunen and was converted into Mannila's Store.
This postcard shows a team of horses hauling loose hay, two men on top pitching the hay, and a woman watching them. The card has written on it in the lower left, "In the Good Old Summer time." The back of the postcard shows that it is number 492 of a series entitled, "Vacation Series Postcards." It was sent to Mrs. A.L. Winterquist from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
This photograph of Matt Kkonu, his wife Laura, and their children in 1907 was taken in front of their farm house with the barn and other buildings in the background. The farm was located on the Erickson Road, bordering on the Midway River. The two oldest children in the family are in the picture, and are Sanni Konu, the oldest one in the family, and then Ida, the second oldest.
This shows an Esko one-room school, during the 1907-1908 school year, showing a teacher and the students. The far left person is identified as "Esko Boy - Janitor." The teacher is identified as Hilder Swenson (Archer). All the youngsters were Finnish except one, it was noted. On the back of the photo it was written that this was ""a one-room school near Esko Corners where I taught Sept. 1907 to May 1908. All were Finnish but one family, the Johnsons, with whom I stayed. I am the one in the doorway with the funny hat that must have been home made. One of the Esko boys was janitor."" The back of the photo has a small cut-out photograph of Hildur Archer and Olga Johnson to her right, who was the oldest daughter of the Johnson family with whom she stayed.
Pictured are students and a teacher at the Esko Corner one-room school during Christmas time in 1907. Sitting on the floor are Adolph P., George Tan, Arvid O., Fred Esko. In the second row are Ellen Hiukka, Helen Johnson, the teacher Hilda Swenson, Hilda Esko, Selma Juntunen, Isaac Esko, Sophie Johnson, Henry Juntunen, Sophie Peterson, Erick Tan, Charles Polo, Emil Peterson. Students identified in the third row are Lydia Peterson, John Peterson, Ed Juntunen, Alice Hiukka, Sophie Tan, Joseph Juntunen, and Hjalmer Juntunen. The tallest girl in the back center is Julia Sunnarborg. The rest are unidentified.
Two young boys, Fred and Isaac Esko, stand in front of the home of Alex Esko and Eva Esko, their parents. Fred was two years older than Isaac, and is the taller boy, while Isaac is the one wearing a white shirt. The house depicted here is probably the third in a series of several expansions. The original log home was constructed in 1895 and was basically in the shape of a rectangle that was parallel to Highway 61, on the south side. If you look very closely at the lower left corner of the house, you can see a black line extending west from the corner. This represents the bridge that crossed the Midway River. To the right, the settlement of Esko would begin its development about a decade later.
Alfred Kuusiko's farm home in Thomson Township, before the 1918 Fire, in 1909. Daughter Esther Kusicko was 14 years old in 1909. The surname originally in Finnish would have been Kuusikko, but the Americanized spelling is Kusicko.
The students and teacher are posing in front of the Maunu School, which was an old one room school located near intersection of present day Canosia Road and Forstie Road.
This is a photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Esko, their children Hilda Esko, George Esko, Isaac Esko, Fred Esko, and Henry Esko, and their farm home. The namesake of Esko, Alex Esko purchased the farm in 1890 from Timber baron Andreas M. Miller. Alex Esko was born in Finland in 1862 and came to the Village of Thomson in 1880 and to Thomson Township in 1890 when he purchased the farm. He was a railroad agent, county commissioner, member of Thomson Township School board, and Thomson Township Town Board.
This photograph shows an early road leading to the Victor Sariin farm, located about a half mile east of the Erickson Road and north present day Highway 61. Note the barbed wire fence, rocks piled along the fence line, as well as the deep wagon ruts and planks crossing what was evidently a low and wet spot in the middle of the road.
The family is taking a break in the field with their dog and puppies, as well as a small wagon and buggy. The woman holding the puppies is "Liisa of Kalajoki." In his "History of the Thomson Farming Area," written in Finnish in 1935, John A. Mattinen wrote that the Fred Johnson farm was also known as Liisa of Kalajoki's farm and that Liisa (who died in 1924) was Fred's mother.
This photograph depicts a hay shed, with a brush-lined wagon road. It is thought to be the Victor Sariin farm. The Victor Sariin farm was probably located north of Highway 61, about a half mile east of the Erickson Road.
Local woodsman Mike Mattila is standing in a large pine stump which appears as if it is going to devour him. The fact that this massive stump was hollow indicates its core had rotted out by the time the photo was taken. Whether Mattila felled the tree himself is not known, but if he did, he most certainly used something other than the tool in his left hand.