Up North
To Minnesotans, "Up North" is more than a direction. It’s a way of life. Northern Minnesota is a land of lakes, forests, cabins, resorts, and campsites that evoke pleasant memories of family and friends. Mosquitoes, not so much.
Some say that Up North began in the 1920s when the logging industry left Northern Minnesota. To keep the economy growing, the hospitality industry began marketing the region as a place to fish, boat, sunbathe and swim. And automobiles made getting there easy.
Geographers call it a perceptual region. It's a sense of place brought on by something you see or imagine. Suzanne Kindler says it well.
"It's the place people go to escape, a place made of cabins, pine trees and lakes. But no matter how far you drive, there's no sign to say, ‘You've Arrived,’ so just follow your heart until you find...your special place that brings peace of mind, as you breathe in the air and unwind, your cares are all left behind. It's no mystery where the Northwoods start...When you arrive ‘Up North’ you'll know it... in your heart."
Growing up in Minneapolis, I remember going Up North on multiple occasions as a child and young adult. Swimming, canoeing, fishing, and water skiing in lakes surrounded by pine trees are some of my fondest memories.
Later, my parents treated our young family twice to vacations at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge near Deerwood, Minnesota.
My parents Leo and Emily Derus, daughter Caroline, wife Christine, and son John at Ruttger’s in June 1984
It’s the resort we now visit each summer with our children and grandchildren.
July 2023 at Ruttger’s. Back Row: Jim Cook, Caroline Derus Cook, Me, Christine, Blake Weis, Lisa Derus, Cathy Derus, John Derus. Front row: Ben and Josh Cook, Leo Weis, Alex, Cecilia and Monica Derus. A photo today would also include Dottie and Frankie Weis.
The Shot
The North Shore of Lake Superior is among my favorite places Up North. So, when I have a photographic excuse to return, I take it.
In August of 2023 I was in Grand Marais, Minnesota. While there, I drove to nearby Devil Track Lake for sunset. As the colors in the sky intensified and the loons began to call, I knew in my heart that I was Up North.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck Derus