About Us

Our Mission

Dedicated to community enrichment through education, preservation, and celebration of the rich history and the heritage of the Tower-Soudan and Lake Vermilion community through people, artifacts and stories.

TSHS Vision

The Tower-Soudan Historical Society will exceed the expectation of the local community and visitors by promoting an understanding of the history of the Tower-Soudan and Lake Vermilion area by collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting that history and by advocating for broader understanding and education through presentation and celebration of our history to citizens and visitors.

Leadership

The Tower-Soudan Historical Society is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are actively involved in achieving the Society’s mission. Living in the Tower, Soudan and Lake Vermilion area, year-round or seasonally, these folks are excited about bringing history alive—opening windows to the past; finding historic landmarks, artifacts and stories from yesterday and presenting them to our world today.

Board of Directors

Nancy Larson
Soudan MN

Linda Folstad
Soudan MN

Louise Gately
West Des Moines, IA and Lake Vermilion

Diane Meehan
Tower – Kugler Township

Leon Anderson
Tower MN

Cookie Bonicatto
Hayward WI and Lake Vermilion

Richard Hanson
Tower MN

Linda Haugen
Tower – Lake Vermilion

Cliff Koski
Ely, MN

Dick Peyla
Orinda, CA and Lake Vermilion

Kathy Siskar
Tower – Lake Vermilion

Doug Workman
Soudan, MN

Board Officers

Nancy Larson, President
Linda Folstad, Vice-President
Louise Gately, Secretary
Diane Meehan, Treasurer

Advisory Board

The Advisory Board offers the organization specialized information, experience, and skills, and advice pertinent to achieving immediate and future goals as determined by the TSHS Board of Directors.

Joan Broten
Vicky Carlson
Leone Graf
Andy Larson
Eric Norberg
Lynn Olson
Joyce Rypkema
Mary Shedd
Jayne Sundeen
Dianna Sunsdahl

Board Committees

Standing Board Committees	Leader(s)
St. Louis County Historical Society Representative	Linda Folstad
Cemetery-On-Line	Karen Officer
Communications	Louise Gately, Nancy Larson
Fire Hall Management	Leone Graf, Nancy Larson
Fund Raising Pledges, Contribution and Memorials; Capital Campaign; Charitable Gambling	Louise Gately, Nancy Larson
Grant Writing	Nancy Larson
Membership	Corrine Hill
Train Depot Museum & Trains Facility Management	Linda Folstad, Richard Hanson, Linda Haugen, Nancy Larson, Dianna Sunsdahl, Doug Workman
Project Committees	Leader(s)
Annual Meeting	Cookie Bonicatto, Linda Haugen
Can Recycling	Paused
Events/Programs	Louise Gately, Nancy Larson
Life Stories/Oral Histories	Cookie Bonicatto, Kathy Siskar
PastPerfect Web Edition	Nancy Larson
Potter’s Field/Lakeview Cemetery Restoration	Paused
Soudan Mine Miners’ Memorial	Elaine McGillivray

2023 President’s Report – Accomplishments by the Numbers

The story of the individuals that have come before us shaped the world in which we live. Our rich Tower-Soudan-Lake Vermilion history invites us to discover our own personal history in the places, the people and the stories of our families, community, State of Minnesota and our nation.

A 1910 Steam Locomotive 1218 with accompanying coal tender and a 1918 railway passenger Coach Car 81 are gifted to the City of Tower on July 21, 1962 by the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) for display and historical purposes.
The Tower-Soudan Historical Society (TSHS) is established as a community-based nonprofit on March 25, 1963. Mrs. Theresa Jeffrey is the organizer and visionary for an organization that will focus on preserving the rich history of the Tower-Soudan and Lake Vermilion community.
The DM&IR gifts the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company Passenger Station, built in 1916 and referenced locally as the Tower Depot, to the City of Tower.
The 1915 Original Settler’s Cabin is donated to the City of Tower. It was hauled over the ice in the winter from its original site on Lake Vermilion’s Smarts Bay to the Tower City Park.
U.S. Steel donates the 1930s Man Car to the City of Tower. The Man Car was used in the early years to transport miners to their open pit work sites.
The 1901 caboose is donated to the city by a local resident. The caboose was retired from the DM&IR in the 1960s. The City of Tower and Breitung Township work together to move it to the site from a property on Lake Vermilion.
The museum collection is moved from Coach Car 81 into the Tower Depot and the City of Tower and TSHS enter into a lease agreement for use of the train depot as a museum and historical center. TSHS completes a strategic planning process to identify priorities and the Board’s areas of focus. A vision and mission statement as well as an ambitious 5-year Action Plan are created. TSHS volunteers enthusiastically accomplish all goals by 2013.
All train cars are preserved as a legacy for future generations. Coach Car 81, the Man Car and Caboose are renovated by a team of over 60 volunteers working thousands of hours. The steam locomotive and accompanying tender are professionally restored, as are electrical improvements to the train cars.
The City of Tower engages the services of an architectural historian to conduct an Historic Architectural Assessment for the Determination of Eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. Placement on the Register in Washington DC is a special distinction given to properties that meet specific criteria.
The City of Tower engages the services of a historian to research and prepare documentation for placement of the train depot on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company Passenger Station is listed in the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 2013 as reference #13000380.
A strategic thinking session conducted by the Board results in an Action Plan. Opportunities identified include plans to save Tower’s Historic Fire Hall and thereby create a public space for education, community gatherings, and social and economic opportunities for local residents.
TSHS engages the services of a historic contractor to assess the Train Depot Museum building conditions (2014). TSHS engages the services of a historic contractor to assess the conditions, structural integrity and business feasibility of the Historic Fire Hall (2015).
TSHS purchases the Historic Fire Hall in December 2015 with financial support of the Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation.
TSHS engages the services of an architectural firm to create construction documents for the rehabilitation of the Historic Fire Hall. The City of Tower engages the services of an architectural/engineering firm to evaluate the Train Depot Museum drainage and foundation issues.
TSHS launches its development planning for the restoration of the Historic Fire Hall.
TSHS engages the services of historic architect MacDonald and Mack Architects to conduct an assessment of the Historic Fire Hall with a focus on the water intrusion issue and to determine the feasibility of moving a full rehabilitation project forward.
The Historic Fire Hall exterior envelope is sealed to eliminate water intrusion and prevent further deterioration. Original doors and windows restored (2019); Roof replaced (2021); Exterior masonry rehabilitated and repaired (2022-2023).
The Covid-19 pandemic pauses programming and development projects. TSHS uses the year to be deliberate in capital project strategies. TSHS initiates pre-planning for the Historic Fire Hall Capital Campaign.
Historic architect prepares construction documents and scope of work for phases of rehabilitation and restoration of the Historic Fire Hall.
TSHS expands history programming to include the successful “History Talks on Main Street” and “Charlemagne’s Attic Sale.” Tours are conducted at the Historic Fire Hall and the Oral History project expands. Membership registration increases. TSHS updates and expands the committee structure which creates an easier path for community members to serve as TSHS volunteers and broaden community participation.
The Board initiates a community-wide Visioning and Strategic Thinking endeavor. Input is gathered through interviews with key stakeholders and results are discussed in a community forum. During the engagement of this group - which had a broad range of interests, skills and backgrounds - the need is identified for a volunteer recruitment plan to grow the organization, as well as a sustainability plan to ensure its future.
Planning begins for the Historic Fire Hall Capital Campaign. The historic fire hall exterior rehabilitation is completed. Interior masonry rehabilitation begins and is completed in the summer. Walls are readied for HVAC, electrical, south door replacement and other interior restoration.
A new TSHS website is launched. Interior restoration and installment of HVAC and upgraded electrical system begin in summer 2024. TSHS Board approves final plan for the Capital Campaign.

We Need Your Help!

As a community-based non-profit, we rely on the support of those interested in preserving the history of the Tower-Soudan and Lake Vermilion areas.