History of Hungry Jack Lodge

Unusual and unforgettable is the history of Hungry Jack Lodge to those who have had a part in building it and to those who have visited it. Hungry Jack Lodge is situated on Hungry Jack Lake in the heart of the Superior National Forest. The journey to the lodge is one of the most beautiful drives in the country. From the North Shore of Lake Superior, at Grand Marais (a town whose principal industries are still logging and fishing), you travel back into the woods half way up the Gunflint Trail to the resort. The surroundings are astoundingly alive and pure. You can smell the clean air, hear the solitude, and taste the flavor of the wilderness.
Hungry Jack Lake received its name in 1884 when U.S. Government surveyors were plotting the land and charting and naming the lakes. The surveyors had hired
Andrew Jackson Scott Sr. (Jack Scott) (1843-1930) a noted guide, hunter and trapper, to guide them through the country that he knew so well. It was late fall when they reached the shores of what is now named Hungry Jack Lake and set up a winter camp. When they ran low on food supplies, the surveyors decided to snowshoe 32 miles into Grand Marais for the necessary provisions. When they arrived, a blowing snowstorm hit. This storm plus holiday celebrations in town prevented the surveyors from returning to camp for two weeks. When they finally returned, poor jack who was nearly starved to death heard them approach and ran from the shack. One surveyor yelled "Hey are you hungry Jack?" Jack replied "Am I hungry Jack! I'm nearly starved to death!" And from that day on, the lake has been named Hungry Jack.
In 1923 the Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais was extended to Hungry Jack Lake as a forest fire prevention and fighting trail because of its central and key location to the canoe routes through Superior National Forest. A lodge was built at this point in 1924 by Jesse Gapen, grandfather of Dan Gapen - Gapen Tackle Co. Of Minneapolis.
Hungry Jack thus served as a "gateway" to this lake and forest region, hence the lodge was named. Though the Gunflint Trail was extended, Gateway-Hungry Jack Lodge, at the end of this original road, remained as a "gateway" to an unspoiled wilderness region. Jesse's' original lodge was a very rustic log cabin, sturdy and homey, however, fire destroyed it in 1931. Though the depression had hit hard and things were tough, Jesse was determined to rebuild the lodge. He hired 40 men and foreman Bob Zimmerman. Together they cut down huge white pine trees from the shores of Hungry Jack Lake, floated the logs to the lodge site and pulled them from the lake with teams of horses. The men worked through the winter of 1931-32, and the new lodge was open for business the summer of '32. The lodge was the largest log structure in the Midwest, measuring126 feet by 64 feet. The center ridge pole ran the entire length of 126 feet. It was magnificent! Throughout the following years, local craftsmen carved furniture and utilized natural material including cones, deer and moose hides, birch bark, etc. Many people came to stay at Hungry Jack Lodge and returned again and again.
In 1958 the lodge and resort was sold to the Patrick McDonald family. They proudly ran it for 14 years, then sold it in 1972 to Jerry Parson - A Duluth native. In purchasing this beautiful resort, Jerry fulfilled his life's dream of owning a lodge and living in the wilderness he so loved.
In December 1972, the lodge was entirely destroyed by fire again! The magnificent structure was reduced to ashes with only part of the fireplace left standing. This time the fire was believed to have started from a faulty flue in the chimney. It was indeed a tragic and sorrowful fate. Though sad and discouraged, Jerry's true pioneer spirit kept him from giving up and he began making plans for a new lodge. He found a beautiful log structure in Grand Marais owned by the Department of Natural Resources - State of Minnesota. It was previously used as the game wardens headquarters and was unoccupied. Jerry purchased the building from the state of Minnesota and planned to move it to Hungry Jack Lake. However, the building could not be moved in one piece as it was too wide for the roadways. This obstacle could be overcome by dismantling the building log by log and transporting it piecemeal. So the very painstaking labor ensued of removing each log, marking it, and transporting it 32 miles to Hungry Jack Lake. This laborious task was accomplished by a local logging contractor who use a large boom truck semi. It took two months to dismantle the building and one day to transport the logs.
Construction of the new lodge began on the same site as the previous lodges. It is certainly the most spectacular site on the lake where the land forms a point and the lake therefore surrounds the lodge on three sides. A full basement was dug and laid. Before the lodge was built, all the logs were restored to their natural finish, as they had linseed oil on the inside and yellow paint on the exterior. This was done by stripping each log by hand using a draw knife. The logs were then reconstructed in their original position with fiberglass insulation placed between each one. No lifting equipment was used, only the strong backs of Bill Gentry, Jerry Parson, and Archie Kirk, Jr. These three men worked long hard days to complete this mammoth project as winter was approaching and the lodge had to be completed by Christmas 1973. A full house of guests has been promised lodging for the holidays. Happily, Jerry moved into the new lodge on December 15. It was quite a day. The two large stone fireplaces were lit and much rejoicing followed.

The lodge stands large, sturdy, and beautiful. A local artist has painted a wall mural depicting "Wild Life in the North Woods." Much of the furniture is hewn from logs and hand carved. It has a very rustic and warm atmosphere. The resort also has 13 smaller cabins for accommodations all facing the lake. May the new lodge be longstanding.