This is our version of the “good life”

I’m a sucker for a story and a dream.

If the label says “family-owned,” “second generation,” “small business,” or anything local, I’m interested.

I love supporting others who have started their own business or are chasing their dreams. I love hearing their story and being inspired by their journey and supporting them along the way.

Here at White Eagle, we are a small, second-generation family business entering our 34th year of living out a dream that all started with Tom’s dad, Mike, who at 40 years old decided to quit the family law firm in Illinois and move his young family North to Lake Vermilion to operate a quaint fishing resort on Lake Vermilion. For Mike, it wasn’t a huge stretch as Vermilion was already a home away from home, and he had been spending summer vacation here for his entire life at his family’s cottage. He was familiar with the resort and the previous owners; he had even told them that when they were ready to sell, they should let him know, which they did!

But for his young family (wife and three children ages 6, 5, and 2), it was a huge move, and his dream required a lot of sacrifices along the way. They experienced a huge fire just a few days after closing on the resort, losing all the books and guest information. They literally had to stand out at the end of the drive as guests arrived that first summer asking them what cabin they were coming to stay in because they had no idea!

Thankfully, they persevered through the hard times and became resilient and adapted to change. They learned to build cabins, repair fishing boats, and survive the Northern Minnesota winters all while homeschooling their three children and continuing to practice law.

Their story is inspiring, and because of it, we have had the ability to stand on their shoulders and continue to build out our resort into what it is today. Please don’t be fooled by the beautiful Instagram grid or picturesque cabin photos. We have had our share of hardships, tears, and triumphs. The past decade of ownership has been one filled with challenges that have made us question if it is even worth it…

But then, we come back to our dream, you know the one that started it all in the first place. The one where we would raise our children in rural northern Minnesota and teach them how to fish, hike, drive boats, spend time outdoors, and of course, learn work ethic by osmosis, which is only natural in a family-owned business!

The dream is that we would prioritize making this place the best possible for our guests by sweat equity, hard work, and good old-fashioned fun. Our devotion to this place is so much more than business. It is deeply personal and rooted in our desire to create a space that will continue to entertain families for generations to come. We realize that our time here is just a moment. And we will work as hard as we can to preserve this place and its beauty for you!