Littlefork History

...inhabited this area about 200 years ago. They stopped at the horseshoe rapids to fish sturgeon before continuing to the burial grounds, at the confluence of the Littlefork and Rainy Rivers. This rapids was later known as the Twenty Mile Rapids because they were just 20 miles from the mouth of the river. 

          The first settlers had arrived at the Littlefork Valley by 1884. The first white woman to settle in the area was Emma Keiver who arrived with her husband in 1898. At that time primitive conditions existed; flies and mosquitoes were combated with smudge pots and netting in the summer. In winter settlers fought bitter temperatures. Mud and moss chinked the logs used for the early homes. Travel was by foot or boat in the warm months and sled in the winter. There was a fair trail from here on the Littlefork River to Ripple (the present village of Big Falls) on the Big Fork River. 

          O.C. Olson in 1903, with the help of Alex Vehus, constructed an 18 foot rowboat and installed an upright 1-horsepower steam engine. The Indians called it "Stovepipe." It was used to carry mail from Littlefork to Koochiching (International Falls).

          In May of 1898, William Slingerland filed a homestead claim overlooking 20-Mile Rapids, and that began the homesteading of the area that is now known as Littlefork. In 1903, Ernest Polkinghorne came to work for his uncle John Shaw, and in 1928 he started selling hardware which is still in business today. 

          Northward flowing rivers, dense forest and swampy land made it difficult to transform this frontier from primitive to industrial until the Koochiching Company became involved. Cruisers began scouting the woods, surveyors looked for the best railroad routes, and engineers scanned the power potential of the region. Probably the first professional resident cruiser was Ross Slack. Logging camps were set up along the river when Backus International Lumber Company began operation of Camp B near Littlefork. The bunkhouse held 40 bunks.  Salary was $110 a month for the foreman and $26 a month for the laborers, plus room and board. They had a personal cook and a cafeteria too. In 1924 their cook was Nancy Fry. Neighborhood girls were the cookees (helpers), and their day began at 5 am. All food was cooked on wood stoves at that time.  Another cook in the area was Mrs. Scarlett. At her stopping-off place she served fine meals using venison or sturgeon, and she was well-known for her wild strawberry shortcake.