GRAND MARAIS, Minn. — A pair of independent journalists are releasing a series of podcasts featuring recollections of those impacted by the Lutsen Lodge fire on Feb. 6, 2024, which resulted in the total loss of Minnesota’s oldest operating resort.

A kickstarter campaign was launched Thursday, July 24, to raise $5,000 by Sept. 1 to fund the production and distribution of the podcast.

Episodes will be released this fall and into the winter months. Listeners can expect a deep dive into the details surrounding the loss of the iconic resort that majorly impacted the North Shore community and economy.

The project is led by Joe Friedrichs, who first reported on the fire at the Lutsen Resort for Minnesota Public Radio.

“It was also a place that local people had great memories, too, not just visitors. So there’s that immeasurable toll,” he said. “There’s this emotional component and connection to it that is far more interesting to me.”

A Grand Marias resident of more than 12 years, Friedrichs is also the founder of Paddle & Portage, an online magazine and podcast which features news, adventure and storytelling surrounding the people and places within the Boundary Waters. His work has appeared in many regional media outlets, and he is the author of “Last Entry Point: Stories of Danger and Death in the Boundary Waters.”

Related Articles

Iron Range man, 76, found dead in lake after canoe overturned

2 found dead after house fire in northern Minnesota

2 dead in shootout with police during domestic incident in Moorhead

Large wave sweeps man to his death in Lake Superior at Lutsen

Pohlads end search for Twins buyer, will add limited partners

Minnesota-based radio and podcast editor Julie Censullo will assist with production. Censullo also produces the Moth StorySLAM in the Twin Cities.

The podcast’s creators have obtained over 26 hours of recorded interviews to be utilized in the investigative journalism podcast, including audio from Lutsen Lodge Owner Bryce Campbell, former resort employees, fire investigators, community members, fellow journalists and more.

“The idea behind the podcast is to tell the complete story of what happened in the lead-up to the fire, during the fire, and now after,” Friedrichs said. “This is such an interesting sequence of events. Having produced podcasts for over 10 years, I knew that this is a story that needs to be shared. It’s really compelling, and the characters are interesting.”

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal , the upcoming podcast will reveal new details that have emerged about Campbell’s whereabouts that morning.