Gooseberry Falls State Park near Two Harbors in Lake County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Cooperation Helps Build a Park
⎯⎯⎯
We Built this Park.

Cooperation Helps Build a Park Marker image. Click for full size.

July 28, 2022

1. Cooperation Helps Build a Park Marker

Inscription.
Cooperation Helps Build a Park In 1910, residents were promoting government involvement in recreational facilities. By 1925, four Two Harbors men brought state officials to waterfalls and urged that the state purchase the land for future generations. In the 1930s, Department of Highways and Conservation, National Park Service, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and US Army helped create the park.

"It is our sincerest desire to make Gooseberry the foremost State Park in not only the State but the Nation, and we look forward to a bright future for the area itself and the entire North Shore."
Edwin S. Cay, 1938
National Park Service

photographs:
The Department of Highways purchased land for a right-of-way and road construction materials, and later donated the land to become a state park.

Picnic Flow Area, 1936

Park Trails ca. 1936

CCC Camp ca. 1938
CCC enrollees built the camp which was run along military lines. They gave camp tours to the public. In 1941, it was closed and buildings were removed.

Erecting Water Tower

The National Park Service planned and developed the area using CCC labor. The

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first jobs were to create trails and to build the campground and picnic areas.

We Built this Park. In 1934, the "CCC Boys" arrived to work. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a government relief program that helped the corpsmen and their families. They worked 40 hours a week, earning $30 a month, but $25-$27 had to be sent home. Here is some of their work.

photographs:
Concession Building (Falls View Shelter)
Look across the bridge and to your left to see this building.
cost: $4,386.44
5,300 man days
1938-39

Campground Water Tower

Refectory (Lakeview Shelter)
cost: $2,049.72
3,874 man days
1935-36

Combination Building
cost: $4,350.32
6,946 man days
1938

Kitchen Shelter (Lady's-Slipper Lodge)
cost: $2,049.72
3,228 man days
1936

Today, the magnificent CCC structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1934.

Location. 47° 8.582′ N, 91° 28.13′ W.

We Built this Park. Marker image. Click for full size.

July 28, 2022

2. We Built this Park. Marker

Marker is near Two Harbors, Minnesota, in Lake County. It is in Gooseberry Falls State Park. It can be reached from Gitchi Gami State Trail. The marker is in Gateway Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3206 Highway 61 East, Two Harbors MN 55616, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region,

in the Iron Range,

and in the North Shore.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Great North Woods,

on the Great Lakes,

on Lake Superior’s North Shore,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

Rupert’s Land,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Having Fun on the North Shore / Cruisin' on the Shore (here, next to this marker); Geology Complicates Bridge Foundation (a few steps from this marker); Building the Wall (within shouting distance of

Cooperation Helps Build a Park / We Built this Park. Marker <i>(left)</i> image. Click for full size.

July 28, 2022

3. Cooperation Helps Build a Park / We Built this Park. Marker (left)

this marker); Ancient Rivers & Lakes (within shouting distance of this marker); CCC Camp Site (within shouting distance of this marker); A Castle in the Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Gooseberry Falls CCC Historic District (within shouting distance of this marker); "C.C.C. Worker" (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Two Harbors.

July 28, 2022

4. Cooperation Helps Build a Park / We Built this Park. Marker (left)

Credits. This page was last revised on April 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2022. This page has been viewed 231 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 21, 2022.

Cooperation Helps Build a Park⎯⎯⎯We Built this Park.

Cooperation Helps Build a Park
⎯⎯⎯
We Built this Park.