What Caused the 1918 Fire and Other Historical Facts About Cloquet

Located just over 20 miles from Duluth and on the St. Louis River, Cloquet is featured this week as 'Our Town'. Famous for a gas station, a fire and cooperatives, Cloquet is rich with history.

Cloquet started in the form of several little settlements clustered around three sawmills. These settlements were Shaw Town, Nelson Town and Johnson Town.
Officially became a town with a mayor and city council in 1904
Famed in American economic history because before and after WWII it was home of the strongest consumer co-op's in the country.
In 1939 the co-op did 35% of the business in the town and 18% in Carlton County.
Famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed his only gas station in Cloquet. The R.W. Lindholm Service Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The 1918 Cloquet fire was caused by sparks on the local railroads and dry conditions.
The fire killed nearly 500 people and injured nearly 52,000
38 communities were destroyed
The fire caused $73 million in property damage. Adjusted for inflation, that would $1,111,026,158.94 in 2012.
The city library was formed in 1896.
2 time Academy Award winning Actress Jessica Lange was born in Cloquet on April 20, 1949.

[via Wikipedia and Carlton County Historical Society]