Aerial view of the St. Paul Civic Center, October 2, 1974.

In a matter of hours, a series of devastating fires changed the look of Northern Minnesota for decades. The Cloquet/Moose Lake fires of 1918 resulted in a loss life, millions of dollars in property damage, and displacement of thousands of Minnesotans. Producer Allison Herrera tells us more about the spark that lit the flames in this MN90 segment.

Virginia, Minnesota, from a southeast lookout point, July 5, 2012. CC BY-SA 3.0

Water tower, Ely, August 4, 2008. Photograph by Wikimedia Commons user ShakataGiNai. CC BY-SA 3.0

Citizens State Bank, Thief River Falls, ca. 1939

Main Street Hill, Mankato, ca. 1913.

Third Street, Bemidji, ca. 1923.

Downtown Rochester and Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus, July 21, 2008

Duluth and Canal Park, June 18, 2021. Photograph by Wikimedia Commons user Chrisographer.

Downtown Fergus Falls, June 22, 2021. Photograph by Wikimedia Commons user Farragutful.