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George Cochrane, lumberjack, successful logger, and large
land owner, decided back in 1913 that his property on the north end of
Lake Bemidji would be an ideal place to construct a few cabins. It's
excellent beach, wonderful fishing, and scenic grandeur could prove
attractive to the very few pioneer vacationers starting to discover
northern Minnesota. He had his lumberjacks build three log cabins
along the beach. Evidently they were very popular, because two years
later he built 15 frame cottages and a three story lodge which boasted a
picturesque lake side dining room, lobby, and a few rooms. With the
lake so handy, George Cochrane saw no need for bathrooms
in either the lodge or cabins!
Most of the guests came by train from Grand Forks and were
transported by launch from the depot in Bemidji to the north end of the
lake to the Lodge. The resort proved to be very successful and many
guests enjoyed the location and lake so much they bought property nearby
and built their own summer cottages. The cottage which adjoins the
resort on the west side was, and still is, owned by the Jacobi family, and
was the birthplace of their granddaughter, Jane Russell. |
Horseback riders in front of the Hotel
Cochrane's Birchmont Beach Hotel c. 1920
In the alternate picture you can see that the same
trees have grown a little in the last 80 years! |
Present cottage 9 in 1915
The new resort building built in 1921, on the site
of the original lodge
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Everything was going fine, until tragedy struck. On
September 2, 1920 the resort's main lodge caught on fire and was completely
destroyed. Fortunately, the resort was almost closed for the season
and there were few guests. No one was hurt, but Cochrane decided
he'd had enough of the resort business and sold the entire property to a
group of Bemidji business investors. They formed the Birchmont Beach
Hotel Company and expanded the resort by constructing more cottages and
building a 50 room hotel and convention hall. Modern contractors
should note, the new lodge was constructed in 60 days in May and June of
1921 without the use of power tools. It opened on schedule July 3, 1921.
The new resort owners, deciding that inside
plumbing was here to stay, modernized all the original cottages.
The 20's saw the Birchmont Beach Hotel prosper and become
one of the few really fine resorts in Minnesota. So many guest
brought their own chauffeurs and personal maids that a special dining room
was set up for them and unless a guest's chauffer was driving a Packard
Twin Six, he hardly felt like pulling into the driveway. Dress for
dinner was a must in those days - the record for clothes was set by a
social leader from Washington D.C. who had 22 trunks sent including
(according to her personal maid) 80 pairs of shoes. Most of the
people came from Texas and Oklahoma; oil millionaires who loved the cool
invigorating climate. One prominent person from Iowa, the former
secretary of Agriculture Mr. E. T. Meredith, (Meredith Publishing, Better
Homes and Gardens, etc.) brought his large family
every summer. They were joined for many years by Mrs. Woodrow
Wilson. |
