Cloquet, Minnesota, Fire (1918)

In October 1918, a massive fire devastated large swaths of northern Minnesota. Centered in western Carlton County, the fire was especially ruinous to the municipalities of Cloquet, Kettle River, and Moose Lake. The 1918 Cloquet fire was the most destructive natural disaster ever to hit Minnesota in terms of lives lost, as over 453 people died as a result of the catastrophe and an additional 52,000 persons were injured or displaced. The fire was also very damaging to property interests, obliterating 38 communities, burning over 250,000 acres of forest and other land, and causing nearly $75 million worth of damage. In response to the Cloquet fire, over $13 million of federal assistance was provided to assist with the recovery.

Carlton County is located in northeast Minnesota, immediately south of Duluth and St. Louis County. During the early 1900s, Carlton County's primary industry was logging, and years of timber harvesting had left large swaths of untended, treeless land. In response to the needs of the lumber industry, railroads had moved into Carlton County during the latter half of the 19th century. Large lumber mills were built to handle the timber that was cut and, in addition to the railroads, the St. Louis River was used to move logs that were to be processed. By the early 20th century, a number of farms had also been established, often using land that had been cleared of timber. Numerous stores and cooperatives served the growing, prosperous population that was comprised of a large number of Finnish immigrants.

The summer of 1918 had seen very little precipitation, leaving the land dry and susceptible to fire. As the United States was involved in World War I at the time of the fire, rumors initially spread that the disaster was [Page 74]the handiwork of enemy agents, although these were quickly discredited. Severe deforestation, dry conditions, and few precautions to contain sparks from the railroads onto untended land are generally believed to be the causes of the fire. Once it began, the fire spread quickly, exacerbated by strong winds. Municipalities were destroyed in a matter of minutes, with great loss of life in some areas. The Duluth Country Club and Children's Home were both completely destroyed, as were the municipalities of Adolph, Arnold, Brevator, Brookston, Corona, Moose Lake, Rice Lake, Twig, and Thompson. Hundreds of corpses were recovered, and sometimes dozens were piled together in the streets.

Response to the fire was quick, with the Minnesota Infantry National Guard called in and arriving within 24 hours of the beginning of the disaster. Although early efforts were made to extinguish the fire, these proved largely futile, although several important successes were achieved; for example, the St. James Catholic Orphanage and the Nopeming Sanatorium were saved. Attention soon turned to assisting the survivors. With over 50,000 persons displaced by the Cloquet fire, shelter, food, and water were immediately needed. The American Red Cross assisted in the constructing of shelters, building over 200 within a month. Assistance from individuals who had not been displaced, churches, and local and state governments also provided aid. The Cloquet fire damaged communities in inconsistent ways. Duluth's economy, which focused on transportation and mining, suffered little damage and was able to carry on with minimal impact from the fire. However, many smaller communities were completely destroyed, and Cloquet itself suffered a great deal of destruction. The Northern Lumber Company, one of Cloquet's primary employers, was ruined, although the Northwest Paper Company was able to resume production one week after the fire. Recovery efforts focused on rebuilding homes and assisting industries in ravaged areas.

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