By Water and Rail: A History of Lake County, Minnesota

This book is filled with stories and photos illustrating the history of Lake County, Minnesota. As a cabin owner in the deep woods of Northern Minnesota (in Lake County), I found it fascinating to learn about the lives of those who took on the challenging elements of this beautiful and trying land. I learned about the history of the railroad, logging and mining industries. But, more than anything, as I now drive through this same territory going to my own cabin, I wonder, "how did they do that?" The people who came to this area had to be tough. The photos alone depict the challenges and hardships of snow, hard work and the determination necessary to scratch out an existence. I think the challenge in a historical book such as this, is is trying to tell the various stories of so many people, places and industries simultaneously and have them hang together. At times, the stories can seem to be repeated as the thread of one person or an industry or town history crosses into the next. However, I found this helped me get a broader perspective. The greatest part of the book is some of the small stories that still stick with me. Did you know that there was a town Finland, Minnesota before there was a country Finland? (Finland, the country, was still part of Russia until the early 1900's, independent in 1917) On the way to our cabin we pass Lax Lake in Lake County. After reading the book I now know that it was settled by the Axel Waxlax family. Often in the car we still say, "Who would name their kid Axel Waxlax?" "I wonder if he was ever divorced? Would she then be the Ex Axel Waxlax?" "I wonder if he invented ExLax?" Overall, reading, "By Water and Rail", has provided me a depth of feeling, a depth of time, that I sense each time I wander these woods that were home to Native Americans and explored and settled by some amazing and resilient people.