Use “Tales of the Road” book and website to learn a little history as you drive and stop to explore the Scenic Byway, Scenic North Shore Drive.
http://www.talesoftheroad.net/maps/index.cfm
Gardenwood Resort is honored to be included in author Cathy Wurzer’s book “Tales of the Road- Highway 61.” The following is an excerpt from Tales from the Road, Highway 61, by Cathy Wurzer, the companion book to the public television documentary.
Gardenwood Motel and Tourist Court
“In the early days of motor touring, intrepid travelers would often sleep in their cars or pitch tents alongside the route. Starting in the mid-1920’s, the choices for tired tourists increased with modern campgrounds that had running water and restrooms. If the traveler wasn’t interested in sleeping on the ground in a tent, “cabin camps” or “tourist courts” offered the option of parking right next to a tiny cabin. Some of the “ultra modern” cabins had indoor biffies. Some did not. What they all offered was a little more comfort and privacy than sleeping under the stars.
One vestige of those early tourist courts is the Gardenwood Motel and Cabin Court, located a few miles north of Duluth on “scenic” 61, the original highway that fronts the shore. Built by Victor Elmgren in 1929, it originally was known as Elmgren’s Tourist Court and offered “20 clean, completely modern cabins” at “moderate rates.” The promotional material called it a “hayfever haven,” and Elmgren’s grandson Dudley recalls that people suffering from allergies would come in such numbers that there was hardly a place to stay between Duluth and the Canadian border.
With slot machines in the back room and a gas pump out front, the family found a number of ways to make money. They offered a few groceries, and Grandma Elmgren fried up trout dinners and sold them for a buck.
The Elmgrens sold the place in 1955. Amazingly enough, today’s Gardenwood Motel and Tourist Court has remained virtually the same after all these years, except for repairs and some remodeling. Even a couple of ghosts seem to have stuck around. The current owners say some guests have seen two men wearing robes, smoking cigars, and looking as if they’ve just come out of the old sauna. On second glance, the men vanish. Places like the Gardenwood have also vanished over the years to make way for larger, more modern motels, vacation condos, and townhouses or other development. With luck, the Gardenwood Motel and Tourist Court will remain a piece of highway history that can be enjoyed by future generations-ghosts included.”
