The Inn on Gitche Gumee



The Inn on Gitche Gumee
"By the Shores of Gitche Gumee, By the Shining Big Sea Water..."
By: Lynn S. La Froth

Want to watch the sparkle of changing light on waves as a day wears on or the whip of the wind which changes its flows? Or maybe hear the sounds of seagulls or ships' far-off bellowing horns? Go north, my friend, go north. The "big sea shining water" is the star of the show when it comes to visitors heading to the North Shore area of Minnesota. And The Inn on Gitche Gumee lets Gitche Gumee--known by readers of Longfellow's poem "Hiawatha," as Lake Superior--be that star. The spectacular panoramic up-close and personal view of the lake is your primary reason to stay at The Inn. Lake Superior is right in your face so to speak. And what with the magic of the lake and the fairytale enchantment of The Inn's "cabins," one of which is named The Three Bears' Cottage, how can you not be captivated?

For old-timers to the North Shore, the Inn--located about halfway between Duluth and Two Harbors on the Scenic Drive--used to be known as Mac Dille's Motel. One would be hard pressed to remember what the old motel looked like when compared with today's Inn which has been completely reconfigured and renovated.

Butch and Julie Sievert bought the old cabins about 10 years ago and Butch, a self-employed general contractor, began extensive rebuilding about three years ago. "We had to go through a lot of red tape and council meetings to get the permits we needed to renovate," said Butch. "We think that the City of Duluth wanted to see the old motels along the shore die a natural death so getting permission was difficult."

Northwoods Ambiance of Inn
Each of the eight rooms, decorated and named by Julie, have their own romantic northwoods-style themes. The Three Bears' Cottage, actually a separate home/cabin (where my family and I stayed) was a more recent addition to the other rooms. "Our banker called us and said the house next door was for sale and did we want to buy it," said Julie. "What we had assumed was a two- week refurbishing job turned into a three-month labor of love," said Butch. The cottage has two wonderfully decorated bedrooms with poster beds, one of which is black walnut, the other a birch tree bed. The bathroom has a two- person jacuzzi; the living room has two futon couches so the cabin can comfortably sleep up to eight people. The kitchen, bay window seating area, living room and deck all have a dramatic view of the lake.

"I grew up along the North Shore and this area has had a lot of influence on me," said Julie. "The country home my grandparents had in Barnum was filled with antiques and quilts and I also grew fond of those things so I mixed the North Shore influences of northwoods country living with some of my favorite old things and decorated the various rooms in a blended fashion." For instance, The Anderson Suite is named after Julie's grandparents and displays the feel of their early American home in Barnum with handmade curtains and handpieced quilts and other antique items. The northwoods ambiance is more prevalent in The Hideout, The Wolves Den, and The Cabin rooms, whereas a Lake Superior motif predominates in The Great Lake Suite and Loon's Nest rooms.

Native American Influence
"A Native American woman--a medicine woman with the Lakota tribe--has been coming here ever since we've been here and she claims that the room she stays in has good spirits in it, kind ancestors who like it here and are going to stay," said Julie. "On the abstract it says that this land was bought from the Indians for $27 which was eventually lost to taxes," said Butch who has since delved into the history of the area and some of the treaties. The Native American decor has been captured in The Dream Catcher-Okabena Suite featuring Native American blankets, birch accessories, and a rustic decor. The first- floor Dream Catcher room features a four-poser birch tree dreamcatcher bed and the adjoining Okabena suite features black walnut woodwork from the Okabena area of Minnesota where Butch was born. "The bed's dreamcatcher was woven by me and my friend Gloria who named the room," said Julie. Butch's wood artistry is predominant throughout the rooms adding that one-of-a-kind touch to this unique inn.

Several good restaurants are close by including Lakeview Castle--only a mile or two further up the shore--a restaurant with cocktail lounge, which I highly recommend, or you can drive back to downtown Duluth, a nine-mile drive. Two Harbors is probably 10 miles further up the shore and has many quaint shops and a variety of places to eat running the gamut from Dairy Queen to the fancy restaurant at Superior Shores Resort.

The Inn on Gitche Gumee is the place to begin your side trips or, better yet, park yourself in your room, patio, or deck, and just watch the lake and its ever-changing vista. Even if you don't go anywhere, be sure to visit Julie's gift shop--Gitche Gumee Gifts--on the Inn's lower walk-out level which features northern and country handcrafts, birch bark candles, balsam pillows, some clothing and other Lake Superior specialty items.

Lynn S. La Froth is publisher and managing editor for the WELLNESS newspapers. She can be reached at 1-888-4WELLNESS.

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The Inn on Gitche Gumee · North Shore Scenic Drive
8517 Congdon Boulevard · Duluth, MN 55804