“And that’s the bear that bit me,” Dennis said, leaning in to show me a photo on his phone of a curious-looking bear perched in a tree. We were having dinner with one of our longtime guests, who’s been coming up to Vermilion for more than 30 years. The conversation drifted to the good old […]

This year, we’re proudly celebrating 110 years in business and 35 years of Lantry family ownership at White Eagle Resort. We are part of less than one percent of businesses who have ever achieved this milestone. 110 years. Twelve years ago, my husband Tom and I (Steph) became second generation owners of his family’s resort […]

He was a hog framer from Iowa and said he’d done it before and said he would do it again, and he did.  A few weeks ago I got together with Marcia who is 88 years old and grew up at White Eagle (formally Vos resort) from 1939 to 1989. We sat down with another […]

It’s taken me a long time—until just recently, in fact—to finally call myself a resort owner. To be fair, I have another title: A doctorate in nursing. And for years, that felt safer to lead with than the idea of being “a resort owner.” Tom and I have co-owned White Eagle Resort with his family […]

All of our cabins were built between 1915 and today by either us (Tom & Steph) or the previous owners. And when I say built, I mean each owner was hands-on—involved in the nitty gritty of the process from planning and construction to furnishing. Because of that, every cabin is unique… especially since none of […]

If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?For me, it’s this guy right here—Robert Rutherford, or “Bob” for those who knew him. I have so many questions for him… Why am I so curious about this guy? Well, I’ve been doing a little digging into the past of White Eagle Resort—learning […]

What do an airline pilot, attorney, paralegal, farmer, yoga teacher, massage therapist, photographer, and a nurse have in common? They have all owned and operated White Eagle Resort at some point in the last century. This unlikely group of hosts has spent the past hundred years nurturing this resort on the rocky shores of Vermilion […]

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 […]

We hear this question often—“Is Lake Vermilion safe to swim in?” The answer is yes, absolutely! Lake Vermilion is a clean and swimmable lake in Northern Minnesota. Families have been swimming, splashing, and playing here for generations, and it’s one of the highlights of staying at White Eagle Resort. When Do People Swim in Lake […]

Did you know that according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, only about 30% of family-owned businesses transition to the second generation? After that, around 12% are passed to the third generation, and only 3% to the fourth generation. We are proud to be in the 30% of family businesses purchased by the second generation. […]

Family owned and operated just hits different…  We just got home from a family vacation and we had the best experience at a rural ranch in Colorado that was family owned and operated. Why? Because it was unique, historic and passed down for generations. You could tell that the family worked hard and that the […]

Did you know that Falcon is the original home of the Lantry Family?  When they first purchased the resort in 1990, there was an unfortunate fire in the main historic lodge overlooking Lake Vermilion leaving the Lantry’s without a place to live. They commissioned a local builder to build a rustic log home near the […]