Goldie is an original early 1900's wooden caboose that ran on the DMIR railroad.
She was re-designed in 1912 to be safer on the railroad (and her length extended so she wouldn't fall over). She ran the tracks of the Iron Range until retirement in 1968.
We've re-used as much of the original wood as possible, and repurposed many things into other things so that we could keep the history alive. My husband is the carpenter that brought her to life and I'm the one that gave her some paint and design.
Now, she's ready for people again, and to keep telling her story to others.
Please...be our guest...and let Goldie be your host.
Goldie has:
~ Hot and cold running water
~ A shower (this will run from cool to nice and warm due to an on demand system)
~A/C and heat
~Hot water kettle for coffee, tea and cocoa (or oatmeal, etc)
~Simple paper dishes and plastic utensils
~Microwave
~Mini fridge
~One queen sized memory foam bed
~Towels for the shower
~Flush Toilet
~Fire ring, picnic table and lake access (kayaks available to use for free)
~Wifi access
** There is no cable TV, but we have a DVD player and some movies to choose from. Also there are some games to play.
We do have pets and they do run around the yard freely. There are two dogs that love to romp and say hi (a Golden Retriever and a Griffon mix) and a cat that does the same. They are super friendly, but they will come to visit you at the lake. I also raise bees and they are inside an electric fence (for the bears) away from the caboose.
Our lake is an "environmental lake" so while we keep a small beach area that you are welcome to use, it is not free of lily pads or weeds. It's simple, but fully swimm-able (the Golden keeps the first 8 feet of water weed free with her swimming!) and it works just fine. You are welcome to use the dock and chairs we keep there for breezy evenings or to take a dip to cool off. Kayaks are available for use.As of October, Goldie is closed until Spring - see you then!
2 night minimum stay so you can fully enjoy and appreciate the experience.
This caboose experience is best suited for 1-2 adults due to space constraints.
Although we love kids, there is not enough space for children to fit comfortably, but contact me on a case by case basis for consideration.
The caboose has: Air conditioning, heat, hot and cold water, shower, flush toilet, dedicated parking, microwave, fridge, hot water kettle and toaster, TV with DVD player (no cable) and wifi access as well as a private fire ring with picnic table and private path down to the lake where you will find chairs and possibly a hammock.
Goldie was born in 1905, remodeled by the DMIR (Duluth Missabe Iron Rail) in 1911, and had her last run on the tracks in 1968, but has since been brought back to life after many years of neglect. Found in Ely MN and brought to our house in 2014 for repair, she's nested in the woods on our property, just steps from an old railroad bed that was used by a lumber mill many years ago.
While staying true to what a wooden caboose should be, we've updated her just a little bit so that staying here is more comfortable than it might have been for her workers so long ago. She now has a shower with a skylight and hot and cold running water, a flush toilet, small appliances, hidden tv & DVD player (just in case, but not so obvious), hand sink, air conditioning/heat and a full sized bed. Oh yes, and for those lovely evenings, a fire pit and picnic table nested in the trees behind. Since the roof is made of metal, and if you are lucky enough to get some rain while you are here, the sound on that roof will lull you to sleep!
Our house is on the property, but Goldie is out of sight, in the woods, giving her a great deal of privacy. She's about fifty yards from the main house. There is an entrance with stairs on the front side to get in, and more stairs on the back for private access to the fire ring. Motion lights will help you navigate the stairs, but only stay on a short time. Near the fire ring behind the caboose, there is a trail that runs alongside the marsh, down the length of our wooded property and pops out by the lake. And by the lake, there are Adirondack chairs and another fire ring to enjoy, if you like (please bring your own beach towels). The sunsets are gorgeous and the sun sends dappled light to the caboose as it goes down. Birds and frogs and loons will sing to you while you enjoy the evening air.
And if you visit during the spring or summer, the field of wildflowers outside her door is absolutely stunning!
Nearby: Biking on the paved Heartland Trail, hiking and camping on the North Country Trail (it goes from ND to NY), small town shopping in Dorset (with $2 ice cream and mini golf) is 3 miles away, more small town shopping and eating is 2 miles into Nevis (as well as a small grocery and a donut shop). Itasca State Park is where the Headwaters of the Mississippi River is and it's only a 30 minute drive. Lots more to see within easy driving distance. The Crowe Wing River is close by and offers the chance for day trip canoeing, overnight canoeing (with free canoe camps along its route) and tubing!
