Having Fun on the North Shore / Cruisin' on the Shore

In the late 1800s, Minnesota's North Shore was becoming a popular recreational destination, with guidebooks in 1872 promoting the recreational splendors of Lake Superior and a well-developed recreation industry in place by 1895. Depending on weather, the America carried travelers, mail, and goods along the shore, and sport fishing on the Baptism River was a favorite pastime for the wealthy. Families and residents enjoyed lake views at Gooseberry, sledding near Gooseberry, and camping at the Gooseberry River. In the mid-1920s, a new road was built along the shore, ending tourism's dependence on lake travel. As the horseless carriage evolved from experimentation in the late 1800s to automobile manufacturing by 1897, and after Henry Ford produced the Model T in 1908, Americans demanded more and better roads. The Lake Superior International Highway opened with great fanfare in 1925, enabling year-round tourism and giving easier access to places such as the Lewis cafe and grocery and supply store by the Upper Falls of the Gooseberry River, Lakeview Shelter, and Illgen City Travel Service with cabinolas, in an area seen as a retreat for campers, artists, sportsmen, and people seeking relief from summer heat.

Minnesota · United States