1915 Settler’s Cabin

The story of the cabin that sits among some cedars on the western side of Tower’s City Park is also the story of Mike Smulter, the man who built it.

Mike Smulter was born in Finland. He and his parents emigrated to Minnesota in the early 1900’s and they settled in the Embarrass area. As Mike grew into a young man he also acquired excellent carpentry skills and was considered a “craftsman”.

One early spring day in 1912, Mike bought a train ticket to Tower. After boarding the train, he refused to sit in the smoking section of the train. Smoking his pipe caused such a commotion that the conductor stopped the train and ejected him. A short time later, an ore train came down the tracks and Mike, trying to catch a ride, slipped under the car wheels. One of his legs was amputated below the knee.  Mike eventually recovered. A skilled craftsman, he carved a wooden leg for himself.

Mike then decided to find some land to “squat” on and soon found a 40-acre section on Smarts Bay, where he built a 13 by 17-foot cabin. Using only a double bit axe, and a “buck saw” Mike cut down trees that were about 14 inches in diameter and made the round logs into 10-inch square ones with a broad axe. He then fit these logs using “dovetail joints” so tight no chinking or plastering was needed. He completed the cabin with a tin roof.

Mike, a loner, happily lived on this property for many years, trapping, hunting, fishing and making fine furniture which he sold in Tower to tourists. He eventually left the area and his cabin, which sat vacant for many years.

In 1965 the Tower-Soudan Historical Society started a search for a Finnish homesteader’s cabin that could be moved to the Tower City Park. Bob Olson, Frank Franson and “Chub” Shoberg knew where Mike’s abandoned cabin was located. It had been vacant for many years.  The photo shows the cabin as they found it.

In 1968, the Historical Society took ownership of the cabin. It was moved during the winter over the ice to Moccasin Point and then by road into Tower to its new home in the Tower City Park.  The original tin roof was replaced with wood shingles, windows were replaced, and some of Mike’s tools were put on display. Historical Society’s members have been researching the type of metal that made up the original roof and they hope to replace it one day.