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.
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.
The proud staff of the Arrowhead Creamery are posed in front of their fairly new delivery truck. From left to right at Charles Marks (or Charles Markus, as his name is written on the back of the photo), the chairman; Charlie Stenman, Albert Olson, Evertt Mylymaa, Niila Seikula, Andrew Wolanen, Nels Johnson, Charlie Antilla, Oscar Johnson, A.L. Winterquist, and T. Larson, Manager.
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.
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.
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.
Finland's President Urho Kekkkonen shown with the main street crowd in the center of Esko. Note the businesses in the background: Moses' Chevrolet; the Esko Truck Stop and Coffee Shop; Esko Co-Op Store; and Otto Juntunen's Eggs and poultry business located in the old Arrowhead Creamery. The Phillip's 66 Gas Station is in the background.
Here is the proud graduating class of 1933 from the Esko High School, including Millard Olson, Henry Anadahl, Anne Nygren, Elvira Thompson, Albin Johnson, Iver Olson, Bill Stenman, Mr. A. L. Winterquist, Irene Lukkanen, Lila Frederickson, and Lillian Fredrickson.
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.
The farm house of J. Alfred Kusicko was built after the 1918 Forest Fire, since his previous house burned in the fire. His name is listed as J. Alfred Kusicko as well as Alfred Kusicko, with his surname being spelled Kuusikko and Kuusiko also.
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 the Polar League Sub-District Boys' Basketball Champion team and their coach. Standing, from left to right, are Dale Luokkala; Jim Manisto; Harold Hultberg; Coach Les Knuti; Richard Richardson; Allan Lennartson; and Duane Davidson. Seated are Marv Heikkinen; Denny Juntunen; Don Pykkonen; Calvin Bohren; Darrell Lassila and Jim Juntunen.
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.
Shown in the photo are adults who participated in the Thomson Community Band in 1930. It was directed by Mrs. A.L. Winterquist, wife of Thomson Township School superintendent, A.L. Winterquist.