The Historical Alliance of Cook County is pleased to announce the return of Storytelling from the Back Roads of Cook County. Now in its 4th year, this annual event will take place on Saturday, October 3, at 2 p.m. at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. The afternoon will feature speakers from each organization in the Alliance sharing stories of local lore and history. 

The speaker for the Cook County Historical Society is Arnold R. Alanen, a Minnesota author and cultural landscape historian who studies how human activity shapes and transforms physical environments over time. His newest book, The Scenic Route: Building Minnesota's North Shore (University of Minnesota Press, 2025), was published after more than a decade of research. 

The Gunflint Trail Historical Society will host Jim Wiinanen, an avid canoeist, history lover, and Cook County resident for over 60 years, who will talk about the rich history of the resorts and colorful characters of Seagull Lake. 

Skip Lamb will present on behalf of the Schroeder Historical Society. Lamb has lived in Cook County for over 50 years and is a known historian and community figure in Schroeder, Minnesota. 

Finally, representing the Tofte Historical Society, author Brian Tofte will discuss his book, Tofte: A Norwegian Immigration Story, co-authored with Terry Tofte and published in November 2025. The book details how Norwegian immigrants established and built the North Shore community through fishing, farming, and logging, and how the town eventually adapted into a tourist destination.

Formed in 2023, the Historical Alliance of Cook County collaboratively shares the history of the land, its people, cultures, and their interactions over time, bringing understanding to how cultural heritage shapes, inspires, and informs Cook County. The Alliance consists of the Cook County Historical Society, Gunflint Trail Historical Society, Schroeder Historical Society, and Tofte Historical Society.

Learn more: cookcountyhistory.org/cook-county-historical-alliance