Town of Old Backus
Located west of an old logging camp,
Old Backus is actually the historic site
of E.W. Backus & Brooks Lumber
Camp that began business in 1885.
My father on lumber pile on the right.
International, Falls lumber mill. 1920's
Click on images to enlarge.
International Falls the way I remember it. North-------->Canada
Merchants
Hillsteads Garage Log Cabin Bar
Grand Theatre
Drug Store
Palm Garden Bar
Hardware Iltis Drug-Chinese Laundry Grocery
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Fourth Avenue
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First Nat’l Bank State Bank Keyes
Elk’s Drug Store
Swede Charley’s Bar
Boston Café
Stevenson’s Shoe Store
Woolworths Business
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Third Avenue
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Rex Hotel V.F.W. Bill’s Bar & W.H.
Victoria Hotel
Krohn’s Ice Cream
Klumby Saloon
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Second Avenue Fort Francis-->Canada
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North side of main street.
<--South North--> Towards Canada
Falls Creamery
Fifth Avenue-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Log Cabin
Iltis Drug-Chinese Laundry
Fourth Avenue----------------------------------------------------------------------
State Bank
Drug Store
Swede Charley’s
Jims Lunch
Chicago Café
Dove Clothing
Stevenson’s Shoe Store
Boston Cafe
[Bar]
Nick’s Hotel
[Bar on corner]
Third Avenue--------------------------------------------------------
Victoria Hotel
Krohn’s Ice Cream
Klumby Saloon
Second Avenue Second Avenue-----------------------------------------------------------Fort Francis---> Canada
South side of main street.
<--South North-->
Fifth Avenue-------------------------------
Hillsteads Garage
Grand Theater
Border Theater
Drug Store
Palm Garden
Hardware
Fourth Avenue------------------------
First Nat’l Bank
Elk’s
Loyal Order Of Moose
Sher’s Jewelry
J.C.Penny
[business]
Woolworths
Third Avenue---------------------------
Rex Hotel & Tavern
Second Avenue Second Avenue-----------------------------------------------------------Fort Francis---> Canada
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2ND. STREET 1901
1902
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International Falls first named Koochiching.
Itasca County then Koochiching County
Rainy Lake City: 1894-1906 Gold discovered July 1893, 1894 400 residents, 1906 one resident left
Gold Mines: Little American 1894-1897, Lyle 1895-1897, Bushy head 1895-1897, Gold Harbor 1894, Holman 1894, Big American ?
Buildings torn down and moved by barge to International Falls
Koochiching: Plat: filed June 22, 1894 Moved inland: 1905-07
First resident: Alexander Baker was the uncle of Joseph Baker born April 8, 1861 Edinburgh, Scotland, Joseph married Mary Agnes
Carson of Perth, Scotland on August 20, 1892
First store: Tim Herrington’s store was the first in town
First Doctor: 1903 M.E. Withrow born August 21, 1870 married Agatha Mahoney on June 28, 1904
Postmaster: July 1, 1895, October 13, 1895 first postmaster Urelles M. Thomas
Ferry: L.W. Wilson’s American Ferry [American Ferry. One Trip L.W. Wilson\\rev blank 25mm alum. Atwood #410a ]
Foot bridge: over the falls to Fort Francis built December 1894
Saloons:
1. September 1, 1901 John J.Stone
2. September 1, 1901 George Rutledge lot 34 block 2 [original townsite]
3. September 1, 1901 Roger Mercier lot 33 block 2 [original townsite]
4. September 1, 1901 Joseph Eano & Richard Walsh lot 38 block 2 [original townsite]
5. December 5, 1901 George W. Clark [Clark Bros.] [original townsite]
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. 1905
11. February 25, 1904
12. 1908 William Paulman & Barney Collins Midway Saloon
Buildings: known to exist these dates
June 1894: the only people living within the plated area were Alexander Baker, the Joseph Bakers, Abner B. Jameson, Eric Fanson,
and W.G. Paulman]
August 1894: frame & 4 log buildings & 16 tents which housed 2 general stores, a hardware store, a lumber yard, a wholesale liquor
store, and a wholesale cigar store]
1894: Fall of 1894 A, P. Jameson’s new 2 story 22’ x 36’ grocery was opened under the management of his son William.
1895: McKenzie’s Hall
1897: Cottrell Hotel
1898: School House, October 3, 1898 [First school at the Falls probably started in 1896, L.A. Ogaard was the first teacher]
1901: Hose tower, fire engine house & Jail [erected 1901]
1902: Burton The Clothier
1902: Customs Office of George H. Walsh
1902: C. Kohls Confectionary
1902: Joe Eno [aft. 1904 moved to 2nd. St. & 3rd. ave.][burned for 3rd. time in 1906]
1902: McPhee
1902: J.J. Stone Saloon & Hotel International
1902: Tim Harrington Store
1902: W.J. Paulman 2 buildings attatched
1902: John Berg Store
1902: John Holler Post Office
1902: Second public school completed 1902, 7th. Ave. & 5th. St.
1903: Alexander Baker’s cabin
1903: Baptist Church & Parsonage
1903: Bennett & Hoover Pool Room
1903: Border Budget Charles Jameson Editor & Postmaster-Post Office
1904: The Echo owned by C.B. Montgomery, [1982 located at 426 4th. Street opposite post office]
International Falls: Named March 9, 1904
Dam: Koochiching Falls: Dam building started in 1905, commenced again in 1908
Bridge:1912
Mill: Backus-Brooks Company
1905: Telephone Service
1905: N.J. Johnson Dealer In General Merchandise [building moved to new site in 1905]
1905: Woodmen’s Hall,
1905: International Hotel
1905: Catholic Church May 1905 Koochiching Company donated lots 1,2,3 in block 40 at the intersection of Fourth Street & Ninth
Avenue
1906: Keyes Bros. General Merchandise second avenue after the move.
1906: International Falls city & fire hall built in 1906, condemned by the state in 1930’s;
used as hall untill 1949. In 1979 housed Busy Bee Saloon & apartments on 4th. Avenue. [Busy Bee/Int.Falls/Minn.\\Good For/15c/In
Trade 26mm brass rd. ]
1908: Third public school completed 1908, 3rd. st. & 8th. Ave.
1909: Koochiching County Court House dedicated July 13, 1909
1909: August 3rd. ground broken for Northern Minnesota Hospital opened in November.
1910: Unique Theatre opened April 1910
Ferry: Elias Hutchinson operated the ferry between Koochiching, Minnesota & Fort Francis, Ontario, Canada
First White girl born in what is now known as International Falls was Nellie Baker
Frog Town: Southeast of International Falls aka French addition.
Goldville: Addition of International Falls, located southeast of the main village.
Hollers Addition: Later South International Falls
Ernest & George Holler & their families came to Koochiching in 1899
Jameson’s Addition:
Rainier: Incorpoated 1908, had 210 residents.
1910 Minnesota, Dakota, and Western Ralroad built by E.W. Backus
[Between Int’l Falls and Rainier there were two bridges] between the two bridges was where the sawmill was located and the
area was called Slabtown. Just past the second bridge was a fork in the road, the left went to Jameson’s addition and the right
was to an area called French addition aka Frog Town.