August 19, 2025 – The Cook County Historical Society is celebrating its 100th Anniversary by creating a cookbook which will capture the unique culinary heritage of Cook County and Grand Portage. The book will feature a blend of historical and modern recipes and archival photos. To ensure it truly represents the community, food traditions, and stories, we are collecting recipes from you, our community members, and local restaurants.
The goal is for the cookbook to be more than just a collection of recipes; it’s designed to be a treasured item, telling stories through its historical content and reflecting the deep connection between food and community in the area over the past century and beyond.
The deadline for submissions is August 24, and we’re still in need of any recipes in all food categories!
You can submit a recipe online, drop it off at the History Museum (Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Johnson Heritage Post (Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.), or the Chippewa City Church on Saturday August 10 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. You can also snap a picture and send it to history@ boreal.org.
As an added incentive, anyone who submits one recipe (or more) will be entered into a drawing to win one of two prizes worth over $50.
Prize packs include:
- A Centennial Anniversary t-shirt
- A Centennial Anniversary mug
- And, your choice of either a copy of the Centennial Cookbook OR the 2026 Centennial Celebration Community Calendar!
The drawing will take place after August 24. Winners will be notified via email or phone. One entry per person.
Please note: if dropping off recipes in person at one of our sites, please make sure to include your contact information if you’d like to be entered into the drawing. If you’ve already submitted a recipe, your name is already entered.
Cookbooks will be printed and available for sale this fall.
Thank you for being part of history! We can’t wait to see your recipes!
About the Cook County Historical Society
The Cook County Historical Society (CCHS), which is celebrating its centennial in 2025, is committed to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of Cook County history, connecting it to the state of Minnesota’s narrative. CCHS manages five historical sites: the Cook County History Museum (1896 Lightkeeper’s House), the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, St. Francis Xavier “Chippewa City” Church, the Bally Blacksmith Shop, and a 1930s fish house replica featuring the fishing tug Nee-Gee.
