Jim Wiinanen is an avid canoeist and history buff who has been documenting the modern, human history of Seagull Lake prior to the establishment of Wilderness Canoe Base in 1957. A BWCAW lake with three zones, Seagull is a popular entry point for many Wilderness travelers. Before the 1978 Wilderness Act, it was the site of early resort development on the Gunflint Trail. As Jim recounts, a full history of Seagull Lake includes the resort families who first arrived on the Gunflint Trail in the late 1920s. Beginning around 1922, the lake was the focus of two different schools of thought--those advocating for unlimited access and business development vs. those who wanted to preserve the area for canoe travel. These competing interests shaped how travelers experience the lake today.
