Schroeder Lundie/Vacation Home Tour

Cook County is a natural destination for those seeking simple pleasures, whether for just the weekend or planting one’s roots in one of its small North Shore towns. On Saturday, July 7, visitors can see several of the area’s cabins and vacation homes, which are open to the public during the 14th Annual Lundie/Vacation Home Tour for a $150 donation. (Proceeds from this tour cover up to 15 percent of the Schroeder Area Historical Society's $80,000 annual budget.)

History of the tour

The annual tour started in 2004, featuring cabins designed by Edwin Lundie during the 1940-50s. The St. Paul-based architect designed the famous Lutsen Lodge and 14 cabins and summer homes along an 80-mile stretch of the North Shore. Lundie modeled his cabins after 19th Century rural Scandinavian folk buildings, combining a rustic look with detail.

Almost all of Lundie's cabins have been on the tour since 2004. Now the lineup has expanded to include other cabins and vacation homes along the shore. This year, tour participants will visit six home sites along the North Shore, which are architecturally significant, including one designed by architect David Salmela of Duluth. Dale Mulfinger and Scott Berry, both architects from Minneapolis, will be on the tour to answer questions. During the past 14 years, 60 different sites have been on the tour.

This year, a dream vacation home built a few years ago by a couple from Northwestern Illinois, Dave and Pam Lemon, will be on tour. The three-bedroom home with fabulous vistas of Lake Superior was recently featured in the Duluth Tribune.

The tour also features a Lundie cabin – the 1,600-square-foot Olson cabin, completed in the early 1950s and named after the original owner – which Schroeder Historical Society Board Member Steven Lukas of Minneapolis bought in 1999 and restored. “We love the Lundie style, which has been welcoming to friends and family, regardless of season.”

Noted Minnesota architect Edwin Lundie

According to the Minnesota Historical Society, throughout a 50-year career in St. Paul, architect Edwin H. Lundie (1886-1972) designed more than 300 projects, predominantly residences, many utilizing either Northern European or Early American themes. His architectural designs are collectively considered the best work of Minnesota architects in the 20th Century. What set Lundie apart from his colleagues was his devotion to detail and love of fine craftsmanship. Architect and teacher Dale Mulfinger has written The Architecture of Edwin Lundie, which is available in paperback on Amazon. The book displays 30 profiles of individual buildings by Lundie, with photos, floor plans, and drawings.

Sign up for the day-long tour

At 10 a.m. in the morning at the Schroeder Township Hall, Dale Mulfinger will discuss his new book, The Family Cabin, and have a book signing that is free and open to the public. Registration for the tour is at Cross River Heritage Center in Schroeder, Minnesota, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 7, 2018. Introductions and bus loading starts at 1 p.m. and the tour ends at approximately 5:30 p.m. A Lake Superior ledge rock picnic at the Olson cabin follows the tour and ends at 7 p.m.

To reserve a spot, a donation of $150 per person is required. Schroeder Area Historical Society is a 501-C3 non-profit organization. You may sign up now, on-line at http://www.crossriverheritage.org/events.php?#e61 or you may mail a check to Schroeder Area Historical Society, PO Box 337, Schroeder, MN 55613.

See this web page for more information: https://www.visitcookcounty.com/event/lundie-tour/.

The local historical society operates the Cross-River Heritage Center in the former 1920s-era Stickley Inn along U.S. Highway 61. The center houses a Lundie room, featuring exhibits of the architect's work and North Shore legacy.

About Visit Cook County

Visit Cook County encompasses the northeastern Minnesota communities of Lutsen, Tofte, Schroeder, Grand Marais, the Gunflint Trail and Grand Portage, commonly referred to as “the Arrowhead” and the “North Shore of Lake Superior.” Grand Marais has earned several national accolades – most recently it was named USA Today’s Best Midwestern Small Town, Outside Magazine’s The 16 Best Places to Live in the U.S. 2016, and Budget Travel’s 2015 Coolest Small Town in America. Rekindle your sense of adventure by exploring the Superior National Forest or paddling through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Discover what makes the communities of Cook County, Minn. “Naturally Unforgettable.” Connect on social media using #visitcc, Twitter @CookCoVisitors, Facebook, or Instagram @donorthmn. Learn more at www.visitcookcounty.com.