Flying Flags at Chik-Wauk
Visitors to Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center next spring will be greeted by a brand-new flagpole. This autumn, Gunflint Trail Historical Society volunteers purchased and installed a flagpole. It’s one of the most recent ways the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center has restored another little piece of Chik-Wauk history.
Historically, Chik-Wauk Lodge has always had a flagpole outside its front porch.
When Ralph Griffis, last owner of Chik-Wauk Lodge, heard that the Museum and Nature Center hadn’t installed a flagpole, he thought that ought to be amended. But since Ralph also has lots of stories of climbing up onto the lodge roof to retrieve the flag back in the day, the Gunflint Trail Historical Society volunteers moved the newest flag pole just a little farther away from the porch roof. This will hopefully prevent too many “flag retrieval” projects on blustery autumn days, while still preserving the historic “viewscape” of the lodge property. Although it’s hard to see in the picture below, the flagpole is located near the top of the little rise as you near the Museum and Nature Center, just before the picnic table area in front of the porch.
The flagpole will definitely fly an American (USA) flag come spring, but since Chik-Wauk is located on an international lake, there’s been some discussion of also flying a Canadian flag. What are your thoughts? Should the Chik-Wauk flagpole fly both an American and a Canadian flag? Let us know!