COOK COUNTY, MN HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
*None Listed
Cook County, Minnesota: A Genealogical Overview
Located at the northeasternmost tip of Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region, Cook County is a rugged and sparsely populated wilderness, defined by the dramatic shoreline of Lake Superior to its south and the vast Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to its north. Its history is a compelling story of ancient waterways, the Ojibwe people, the North American fur trade, and hardy Scandinavian and European immigrants who built livelihoods from fishing, timber, and tourism. For genealogists, research in Cook County requires an understanding of its remote character and its relatively recent formation from larger parent counties.
I. County Formation and Evolution
Understanding Cook County’s formation from its parent counties is the first critical step for locating the earliest records for ancestors who settled in the region.
- 1874: County Formed: Cook County was established by an act of the Minnesota Legislature on March 9, 1874.
- Parent Counties: It was created from the eastern portions of St. Louis County and Lake County. Crucially for researchers, any government records for settlers in this geographic area prior to March 1874 will be located in the records of St. Louis or Lake counties.
- Subsequent County Formations: The boundaries of Cook County have remained largely unchanged since its formation in 1874.
- Name Origin: The county was named for Major Michael Cook, a Union Army veteran of the Civil War and a state senator from Rice County, Minnesota, who was a prominent figure in the legislature during the county’s creation.
- County Seat History: Grand Marais has been the county seat since the county’s establishment. The name, meaning “Big Marsh” in French, was given by French-Canadian voyageurs who used the natural harbor as a shelter and trading stop.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The region is the ancestral home of the Ojibwe (also known as Chippewa or Anishinaabe) people. The Grand Portage, an 8.5-mile trail bypassing waterfalls on the Pigeon River, was a vital link in the continent’s fur trade network. The Grand Portage Indian Reservation, home to the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, is located within the county and preserves this deep history.
- Pioneer Settlement and Economy: Following the Treaty of La Pointe in 1854 which ceded the land, the first significant non-native settlers began to arrive. These were primarily fishermen, many of Norwegian and Swedish descent, who established small communities along the Lake Superior shore. The early economy was dominated by commercial fishing and the timber industry. Prospecting occurred, but the county never developed into a major mining region like its neighbors to the west. The stunning natural beauty of the area led to the growth of tourism, which remains the cornerstone of the modern economy.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Cook County.
- Courthouse: The Cook County Courthouse is located at 411 W 2nd St, Grand Marais, MN 55604. This is the central repository for county-level records.
- The County Recorder holds land records (deeds, mortgages), and vital records.
- The Court Administrator holds probate records (wills and estates), civil and criminal court cases, and marriage records.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Minnesota counties began keeping records in 1870. Records from Cook County’s 1874 formation to the present are held by the Cook County Recorder. Statewide registration and the creation of state-level certificates began in 1908; these records are held by the Minnesota Department of Health.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1874 to the present are held by the Cook County Court Administrator.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Cook County Historical Society Museum: Located at 8 S Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604. This is the most critical resource for local family research, holding archival collections, photographs, local newspapers, and family histories.
- Grand Marais Public Library: Holds local history books, census records on microfilm, and local newspapers.
- Minnesota Historical Society: (Located in St. Paul) As the main repository for the entire state, this institution is an essential resource. It holds state census records, extensive newspaper collections, state vital records indexes, and manuscripts relevant to the region.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Lake County, MN
- St. Louis County, MN
- Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada