The Stand

The little building at the entrance to Manninen’s Cabins, the Stand, is one of the oldest on the property. A log and wood frame structure sitting on cedar poles, the Stand was built around 1930 and pre-dated the building of the county road and public boat launch.

Back in the 1940s and 50s, it was a bait shop, and also offered snacks and an old-time pop machine. The original wood counter is still there where I can picture guys chatting about the weather, how the fish are biting, and what fish are hitting on minnows or crawlers. Kids were probably hanging around the pop machine, dreaming about their favorite flavor.

Later, in the 1960s-2000s, the Stand housed a chest freezer and a giant roll of freezer paper so cabin guests could freeze their catches to take home with them. When I was growing up I remember that freezer being pretty full with many prized walleyes, northern pike and trout being caught by diligent anglers.

As a kid, the Stand was a highlight of the property with some people nicknaming it “The Museum” because of the taxidermy and posters on the walls.

At age 10 I got locked in the Stand with two boys my age (Mark & Mike) who came annually to the cabins with their extended family. Needless to say, it was a hot, summer afternoon and we all got a bit hysterical. I remember breaking a window out of sheer desperation and feeling really bad about it. Thankfully, our parents were pretty gracious about the damage and I think understood our moment of panic!

The Stand has been greeting guests at the entrance to the property for over 90 years.

I loved those days of just being a kid and running around outside from dawn to dusk. I still see that freedom and joy in kids today, despite the constant distraction of cell phones and video games. Occasionally guests arrive at the cabins and their kids shoot out of the car and immediately head to the creek that runs through the property to look for frogs. Now that’s pretty cool!

In 2021, I reopened the Stand as a lending library for cabin guests. It includes maps, books, nature guides, games, puzzles, and other fun artifacts and art. Guests can learn about Finnish culture, the Great Lakes, flora and fauna, fish, local history, and more. All the materials are free to use by guests, and also offer some rainy day entertainment.