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Early life

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Margaret Oldenburg was born June 27, 1892, in Carlton, Minnesota, the daughter and only child of Henry and Margaret Oldenburg. She grew up in a yellow brick mansion (now on the National Register of Historic Places) on the outskirts of Carlton, near Jay Cooke State Park which her father helped create in 1915.[1] Oldenburg received a B.A. from Vassar College in German and physics in 1915, as well as a B.S. in education from the University of Minnesota in 1921. She spent several years teaching in high schools in Minnesota (in Coleraine, Jordan, Northfield, Hibbing, and Chisholm[1]) before earning a B.S. in library science from the University of Minnesota in 1929. Oldenburg served as a catalog librarian at Walter Library at the University of Minnesota from 1929-1939.[2]

Oldenburg resigned from the University in 1939 and moved to Grand Marais, Minnesota. She spent the following decades travelling extensively throughout the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and numerous destinations along the Canadian Arctic coastline, often using Aklavik as a home base. She traveled by ship, dog sled, canoe, fishing boat, and floatplane.[1]

At every stop, Oldenburg picked up plants and soil samples, recording the exact location of every specimen.[1] As she described in her memoirs:

All of my trips ashore followed the same pattern: a frantic scurrying about to try and find every kind of flower, grass and moss and lichen, picking up stones as I went.[1]

She pressed the plants in boxes and packed the boxes next to ship boilers to dry them. Back home, she glued them to archive paper, with maps and notes, pinpointing their original location.[1] The botany specimens were donated to the University of Minnesota Botany Department and the Canadian Museum of Nature.[1][2][3]

Oldenburg made 11 trips to northern Canada through 1952,[1] and as of 1951, she had given the University of Minnesota more than 10,000 samples from over 90 locations.[4]

Oldenburg said she preferred to travel alone, and in 1948 was listed as “lost” by a Duluth newspaper reporting an Arctic aircraft mishap.[1][5] The plane and nearby party was missing for 2 days.[6][7]

Oldenburg also made one trip to South America by tramp steamer, also collecting botanical specimens.[8]

While in Aklavik, Oldenburg contributed to the local newspaper and published a cookbook with ingredients found in the north, such as seal liver.[3] It was sent to Hudson's Bay posts, mission schools and hospitals, and trading posts in the Arctic.[8]

Indigenous Canadians helped Oldenburg collect plants and guided her across thousands of miles of tundra. She expressed repeated admiration for their hospitality and resourcefulness, but also treated them with a certain amount of condescension; she wrote of a common habit of visiting villages and throwing handfuls of candy on the ground to watch the residents, young and old, scramble to pick it up.[1]

Oldenburg never married, and passed away at age 80 in a flophouse hotel just outside downtown Minneapolis.[1] She died c. August 24, 1972 and is buried in Hillside Cemetery in her hometown of Carlton.[9][1]

Legacy

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Fifty years after she died, Oldenburg's work is being recognized as an exactingly documented example of Arctic flora before climate change started to alter the high latitudes.[1] “In going through those specimens, we're able to tell a lot about the biodiversity of the most rapidly changing ecosystem on the planet” Sokoloff said.[1]



Daughter of Henry Oldenburg, a lawyer for the Weyerhaeuser lumber empire.[1] She grew up in a sprawling yellow brick mansion (now on the National Register of Historic Places) on the outskirts of Carlton, near Jay Cooke State Park which her father helped create in 1915.[1] Oldenburg Point, a vista in the park, was named in his honor.[1]

Margaret Oldenburg died August 21, 1972 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

One of the greatest influences on Margaret was a canoe trip into the northern boundary waters with her father and another Carlton father-daughter team in 1911 after her high school graduation. The area had begun attracting attention through the writings of Minnesota conservationist Ernest Oberholzer, who had created one of the first written descriptions of canoe routes in this area in 1909. The newspaper reported on the Oldenburg's "Novel Trip": Henry Oldenburg and daughter, Miss Margaret and William Shells and daughter, Miss Delia, left on Tuesdayfor an extended outing. They will go by rail to International Falls, andfrom there they will embark on a 200-mile trip up into Canada, making the trip with canoes the entire way. They are expected to be gone about ten days. The trip ended in Rainy Lake (where Oberholzer would soon take up residence), and a photograph from the trip shows a grinning Margaret perched on rock outcropping along a lake shore. Margaret and her fathertookannualtripsforthenextseveralyears. Ononeroutein1913,theOldenburgsleftCloquetfor Tower, going to Warroad by canoe, whereby "the entire route to be made on water is about 250 miles."85 A trip in 1915 required travel by boat from Duluth to Grand Marais, a twenty-five mile "hike with canoes and baggage to the Rainy river" (presumably on the Grand Portage), where they paddled to Port Arthur and return home by steamer. Thetripisaninterestingone,inwhichthepleasuresoftheoutingaremixedplentifully withlotsofhardworkandanelementofdangerthataddsspiceandzesttothetrip.[10]

After her father died in 1926, several properties in Carlton County were held for her in a trust until 1930, when her mother died.[10]

traveled to Europe, South America, the Canary Islands, Thailand, Mauritius, China and Japan.[10]

Henry Oldenburg

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Oldenburg was an attorney and politician who owned numerous parcels of land in Carlton and throughout the county in his lifetime.[11]

Originally from Green Bay, Wis., Oldenburg came to Carlton County in 1884 after earning a law degree from the University of Wisconsin. He was elected county attorney in 1886 and served two terms. Oldenburg was a conservationist who believed in the management of natural resources. He was chair of the Jay Cooke State Park Commission, helping to found the park and ensure its future. He also served as a member of the Minnesota Forestry Board from 1911 to 1917 and assisted with the founding of the Cloquet Forestry Station. Additionally, Oldenburg helped install Carlton as the county seat and helped in coordinating the immediate and long-term recovery efforts after the 1918 Fire.[11]

After obtaining his law degree in Madison, Henry moved to Minnesota in 1884 to represent the Weyerhaeuser lumber companies. A charismatic orator, he served as county attorney and in the state legislature, where he successfully championed moving the county seat to Carlton.[12]

Oldenburg's wife, Mary[11]

The family owned a home on Chub Lake and lived there during summer months.[11]

a legal advisor for the Weyerhaeuser lumber interests[13]

one of the first to be labeled a “conservationist.” He’d actually begun writing about the protection of forests as early as 1876.[12]

Oldenburg's 1910 support for the revival of a "Commercial Club" in Carlton. The club was devoted to promoting the economic well being of the town through all manner of efforts. One of these efforts included the establishment of an "experimental forest farm," which Oldenburg promoted through a letter in the Vidette. The farm would serve as a school and would test methods of the scientific forestry touted by Pinchot, experimenting with new types of lumber and fire prevention efforts. The Weyerhaeusers were major donors to the farm and even agreed to leave portions of their donated land uncut for the sake of experimentation. Land was deeded to the University of Minnesota and operates today as the university's Cloquet Forestry Center.[10]

In 1915 the St. Louis Power Company, now Minnesota Power, sought to donate 2,350 acres (9.5 km2) to the state, but there was a snag. $18,000 in back taxes were owed. A meeting at the Oldenburg’s home resulted in what was probably an unexpected and generous solution. Henry Oldenburg led a group of businessmen to remove the last impediment by covering the back taxes, $435,000 in today’s dollars adjusted for inflation, and thus enable the land to be preserved for a state park.[12] his leadership and generosity helped to raise the $18,000 to cover expenses when the power company donated land for today’s Jay Cooke State Park[12]

Cooke's St. Louis River Water Power Company ultimately transferred 2,350 acres, which were encumbered by back taxes, to the state. Unnamed local businessmen from Duluth, Carlton and Cloquet raised funds to cover this debt, and Oldenburg himself filed the deed for the park land when cleared of the back taxes in October of 1915. As the park developed, Weyerhaeusers' Northwest Paper Company donated picnic tables and brick fireplaces for the park. 70 Oldenburg was appointed to the five-man committee appointed by the Governor to purchase additional land for the park, which resulted in an additional 850 acres, and a gift from Alfred Merritt of Duluth of 40 acres. 71 Oldenburg was also chair of the subsequent Jay Cooke State Park Commission, which supervised all aspects of the park's maintenance and development for several years in the early 1920s.[10]

Henry also played a major role in rebuilding Carlton County after the horrific 1918 fire.

Within a few years of Oldenburg's death in 1926, a massive boulder monument commemorating his contribution to the creation of Jay Cooke State Park was placed at Oldenburg Point, a park overlook with sweeping vistas of the St. Louis River Valley.[11] "A tribute by the people of Carlton County to the memory of Henry Oldenburg 1858 — 1926 whose loyalty and love for this North Country made possible Jay Cooke Park. Erected 1930."[14][11]

Shortly after Mary Oldenburg's death in 1931, the home was sold to Alfred and Rosina Lee. Alfred Lee served as county sheriff and owned a lumber yard in Carlton.Shortly after Mary Oldenburg's death in 1931, the home was sold

director of the First National Bank of Carlton, founded the Carlton County bar association, and he continually pressed for town improvements, ranging from a water works to beautification efforts[10]

Oldenburg Point

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Simplify and link to the park. Oldenburg Point is located just down river from the main park headquarters and offers a panoramic vista of the Saint Louis River Valley.[15] Bathroom Building, a log-and-stone structure was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Picnic Pavilion, a stone picnic shelter, a short walk from the St. Louis River Oldenburg Overlook Oldenburg Memorial, a large granite boulder on a base of basalt stone, is a tribute to the memory of Henry Oldenburg

The public's measure of Oldenburg's involvement in park development is perhaps best judged by a memorial in Jay Cooke State Park. The possibility of an Oldenburg monument seems to have been discussed within a few years after his death in 1926. A news article from 1929 noted that such a memorial would be placed ... ...inallprobability...inoratoneofthemainentrancestoJayCookepark...witha bronze tablet...placed so it may be easily seenfrom some distance, and so become one of thepoints ofattractionfor those going to thepark. 7 Ultimately, the monument was placed near the stunning St. Louis river overlook at the now-eponymous Oldenburg Point in the park, accessible off of "Oldenburg Parkway," the road which wends through the park from Carlton to Fond du Lac. While plaques honoring others involved with the park's development are placed at stations around a low brick retaining wall, Oldenburg is memorialized by a massive boulder placed upright on a natural stone base, set back in its own space on the approach to the overlook. An embedded bronze plaque notes the purpose of the monument: A tribute by thepeople ofCarlton County to the memory ofHenry Oldenburg 1858-1926 whose loyalty and lovefor this North Country made possible Jay Cooke Park.[10]

Henry C. Oldenburg House

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604 Chestnut Street Carlton, MN On eastern edge of Carlton

Henry Carl Oldenburg built his young family a sprawling brick home on the edge of Carlton, Minn., where he worked as an attorney for the Weyerhaeuser Lumber Company. Built in 1894.[13] Classic Revival-style house. [11]

The family moved out after his death, and the house was abandoned in the 1960s, until the parents of the current owner, Glenn Swanson, purchased the house and moved in. The Swansons restored the home and it now serves as a bed and breakfast and event center on the edge of Jay Cooke State Park.[1][13]

Purchased by Leslie and Helen Swanson in 1968.[13]

added into the National Register of Historic Places on Dec. 27, 2006.[11] On 6 acres.[11] Built by Emil Newquist (architect) of Cloquet using Wrenshall brick.[11]

bordering not only the park but also the Willard Munger State Trail, the National Kayak and Canoe Center and Thompson Reservoir.[12]

“Morning Glory Pool,” approximately 32 feet in diameter with a fountain in the center. The setting is accessible by concrete walkways set in place by Cloquet contractor E.E. Durkee in 1911.[12] conical concrete basin approximately 32 feet in diameter and about 4.5 feet deep at the center.[10]

Stone outcroppings on the grounds are part of the Thomson Formation.[10]

Turned into a B&B, 2012.[12]

Resources

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[10]

- The Real Story of Chippewa National Foresthttps://cfc.cfans.umn.edu/about/history - Cloquet Forestry Center

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Nelson, Tim. "Work of pioneering Arctic explorer from Minnesota gains new relevance in tracking effects of climate change". MPR News. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Rudick, Irvin (January 31, 1943). "Ex-librarian of 'U' tours Arctic; Now she wants to visit Antartic [sic]". Star Tribune. p. 32. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Peterson, George L. "The Minneapolis Star 14 Aug 1948, page Page 6". Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  4. ^ Keaveny, Joan (December 16, 1951). "Her travels aren't in any guide book". Star Tribune. p. 25. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  5. ^ "State woman lost in Arctic". Star Tribune. August 12, 1948. p. 15. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  6. ^ "Margaret Oldenburg resumes Arctic Trip". The Windsor Star. August 21, 1948. p. 33. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  7. ^ "Safe and well". Star-Phoenix. August 13, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Life "Down North" fascinates interesting woman explorer". Star-Phoenix. October 31, 1944. p. 6. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  9. ^ "Obituary for Oldenburg Margaret". Star Tribune. August 24, 1972. p. 39. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Henry C. Oldenburg House, NRHP application". Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Oldenburg house is piece of Carlton history". Cloquet Pine Journal. February 21, 2007. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Newman, Ed (September 21, 2017). "Oldenburg House Emerging as a Northland Hot Spot". duluthreader.com. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c d "The Oldenburg House Cooks Conservation and Music Together at B&B". 12 December 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2022.[better source needed]
  14. ^ "Henry C. Hornby Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  15. ^ "Jay Cooke State Park". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
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  • Jay Cooke State Park water tower
    Jay Cooke State Park water tower
  • Oldenburg Point
    Oldenburg Point
  • Oldenburg Point trail
    Oldenburg Point trail
  • John Oldenburg House
    John Oldenburg House
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