Naniboujou Club Lodge
Encyclopedia
The Naniboujou Club Lodge, now a resort and restaurant open to the public, was built as part of an exclusive private club on the North Shore
of Lake Superior
in Cook County, Minnesota
, about 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Grand Marais
. Named after Nanabozho
, a character from the Ojibwa
traditional stories, the lodge's décor has both Native American and Art Deco
influences. Commenced in the twilight of the Jazz Age
, the club's original grandiose plans succumbed to the harsher economic realities of the Great Depression
, and only the clubhouse was built. That building, however, still retains its original design and is listed as a historic property.
planned a resort on 3330 acres (1,347.6 ha) along the newly opened North Shore Highway
, and announced the project in 1927. The name selected was that of a Cree
spirit of the woods, and the membership sales pitch was rooted in Indian legend. Ground was broken in 1928 and the club opened for business in 1929. Membership was to be limited and exclusive, but free memberships were given to public figures of the day in order to attract other members. Members included contemporary celebrities Babe Ruth
, Jack Dempsey
, and Ring Lardner
.
Original plans included a golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, a marina, a 150–room clubhouse, and an inland hunting lodge. These plans were scaled down and only a smaller clubhouse was built. Further financial difficulties were caused by the onset of the Great Depression
, which led to foreclosure in 1935. The facility was sold in 1939. Much of the land became part of Judge C. R. Magney State Park
, but the lakeshore property on which the lodge is located remained in private hands. Thereafter the lodge has had a number of owners, who have operated it both as a hotel chain, and later as a family resort.
. It was nominated for the Register in 1982, as it had retained "its original design in a good state of preservation".
Those design elements include architectural features such as polygonal towers, cedar shakes
, a gambrel roof pierced by dormer
s, and French doors topped by sashes with pointed crowns. The Cree
theme of the lodge is displayed in the common room, which has a 200-short-ton (180 t) native rock fireplace about 12 feet (3.7 m) high. Inset above the hearth is a native welcome symbol in the shape of a sunburst, made of the same water-rounded stone used in the fireplace. The chamber's walls and ceilings were brilliantly painted by the french artist Antoine Gouffee with other native-inspired designs, and have been called a "psychedelic marriage of Art Deco
and traditional Cree Indian patterns".
No longer an exclusive playground for the sporting set, Naniboujou Lodge is now a family-owned and family-oriented establishment open to the public. Modestly priced, its onsite diversions tend to quieter pursuits, and include the restaurant in the former Great Hall club commons, a solarium, and Lake Superior and the Brule River which adjoin the 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) plot on which the resort is located. Across the highway are the exotic rock formations and natural beauties of Judge C. R. Magney State Park
, created from the former club’s lands, including the Devil's Kettle. Nearby are other state parks and the Superior National Forest
, which offer canoeing, hiking, camping, and fishing in the North Woods
and lakes of Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region
.
has also been featured in Minnesota Monthly.
North Shore (Lake Superior)
The North Shore of Lake Superior runs from Duluth, Minnesota, United States, at the southwestern end of the lake, to Thunder Bay and Nipigon, Ontario, Canada, in the north to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in the east...
of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
in Cook County, Minnesota
Cook County, Minnesota
Northern Minnesota offers extreme winter weather. While the averages are low, the extremes provide more details. A third of the year is below freezing . Of those days, 21 are below zero degrees Fahrenheit .-External links:...
, about 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Grand Marais
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais is a city in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,351 at the 2010 census. It is also the county seat of Cook County...
. Named after Nanabozho
Nanabozho
In Anishinaabe mythology, particularly among the Ojibwa, Nanabozho is a spirit, and figures prominently in their storytelling, including the story of the world's creation. Nanabozho is the Ojibwe trickster figure and culture hero...
, a character from the Ojibwa
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
traditional stories, the lodge's décor has both Native American and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
influences. Commenced in the twilight of the Jazz Age
Jazz Age
The Jazz Age was a movement that took place during the 1920s or the Roaring Twenties from which jazz music and dance emerged. The movement came about with the introduction of mainstream radio and the end of the war. This era ended in the 1930s with the beginning of The Great Depression but has...
, the club's original grandiose plans succumbed to the harsher economic realities of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and only the clubhouse was built. That building, however, still retains its original design and is listed as a historic property.
History
Wealthy businessmen from Duluth, MinnesotaDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
planned a resort on 3330 acres (1,347.6 ha) along the newly opened North Shore Highway
Minnesota State Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 61 is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from the junction of Interstate Highway 35 and Minnesota 61 in Duluth and continues northeast to its northern terminus at the U.S.-Canadian border near Grand Portage...
, and announced the project in 1927. The name selected was that of a Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
spirit of the woods, and the membership sales pitch was rooted in Indian legend. Ground was broken in 1928 and the club opened for business in 1929. Membership was to be limited and exclusive, but free memberships were given to public figures of the day in order to attract other members. Members included contemporary celebrities Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
, and Ring Lardner
Ring Lardner
Ringgold Wilmer Lardner was an American sports columnist and short story writer best known for his satirical takes on the sports world, marriage, and the theatre.-Personal life:...
.
Original plans included a golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, a marina, a 150–room clubhouse, and an inland hunting lodge. These plans were scaled down and only a smaller clubhouse was built. Further financial difficulties were caused by the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, which led to foreclosure in 1935. The facility was sold in 1939. Much of the land became part of Judge C. R. Magney State Park
Judge C. R. Magney State Park
Judge C. R. Magney State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It was named for Clarence R. Magney, a former mayor of Duluth and judge on the Minnesota Supreme Court, who was instrumental in getting 11 state parks and scenic waysides established along the...
, but the lakeshore property on which the lodge is located remained in private hands. Thereafter the lodge has had a number of owners, who have operated it both as a hotel chain, and later as a family resort.
| Ownership Chart | ||||||||||||||
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Architecture and Décor
The Naniboujou Club Lodge is on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It was nominated for the Register in 1982, as it had retained "its original design in a good state of preservation".
Those design elements include architectural features such as polygonal towers, cedar shakes
Shake (shingle)
A shake is a basic wooden shingle that is made from split logs. Shakes have traditionally been used for roofing and siding applications around the world. Higher grade shakes are typically used for roofing purposes, while the lower grades are used for siding purposes...
, a gambrel roof pierced by dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
s, and French doors topped by sashes with pointed crowns. The Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
theme of the lodge is displayed in the common room, which has a 200-short-ton (180 t) native rock fireplace about 12 feet (3.7 m) high. Inset above the hearth is a native welcome symbol in the shape of a sunburst, made of the same water-rounded stone used in the fireplace. The chamber's walls and ceilings were brilliantly painted by the french artist Antoine Gouffee with other native-inspired designs, and have been called a "psychedelic marriage of Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and traditional Cree Indian patterns".
The Lodge Today
Now known as Naniboujou Lodge and Restaurant, the property is a privately owned hotel and restaurant. The sleeping wings contain the hotel rooms, and the former common area, still bearing its original decoration, is now the dining hall. Later changes to the building have continued the Cree theme.No longer an exclusive playground for the sporting set, Naniboujou Lodge is now a family-owned and family-oriented establishment open to the public. Modestly priced, its onsite diversions tend to quieter pursuits, and include the restaurant in the former Great Hall club commons, a solarium, and Lake Superior and the Brule River which adjoin the 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) plot on which the resort is located. Across the highway are the exotic rock formations and natural beauties of Judge C. R. Magney State Park
Judge C. R. Magney State Park
Judge C. R. Magney State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It was named for Clarence R. Magney, a former mayor of Duluth and judge on the Minnesota Supreme Court, who was instrumental in getting 11 state parks and scenic waysides established along the...
, created from the former club’s lands, including the Devil's Kettle. Nearby are other state parks and the Superior National Forest
Superior National Forest
Superior National Forest, part of the United States National Forest system, is located in the Arrowhead Region of the state of Minnesota between the Canada – United States border and the north shore of Lake Superior...
, which offer canoeing, hiking, camping, and fishing in the North Woods
North Woods
The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province, also known as the North Woods, is a forested ecoregion in Canada and the United States. In Canada it is found in Ontario around the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River through Quebec to Quebec City...
and lakes of Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region
Arrowhead Region
The Arrowhead Region is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota, so called because of its pointed shape. The predominantly rural region encompasses of land area and comprises Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis Counties. Its population at the 2000 census was 248,425 residents...
.
Naniboujou in Modern Culture
Naniboujou Lodge has been featured in various books on tourism in Minnesota or the North Shore. Monica Ferris' murder mystery novel Unraveled Sleeve is set at Naniboujou Lodge. Naniboujou Club LodgeNaniboujou Club Lodge
The Naniboujou Club Lodge, now a resort and restaurant open to the public, was built as part of an exclusive private club on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Cook County, Minnesota, about east of Grand Marais. Named after Nanabozho, a character from the Ojibwa traditional stories, the lodge's...
has also been featured in Minnesota Monthly.