AURORA—The creators of the book “Taconite: New Life for Minnesota’s Iron Range—The History of Erie Mining Company” have been named grand marshals of the Aurora Independence Day parade, and on parade day, they’ll be riding in style. “A unique trip and historic escort indeed, as they will be pulled by an Erie original, the super rare 1957 Pontiac Chieftain Safari Hy-Rail inspection vehicle,” said Alan Hodnik, who has written the story behind the selection of the grand marshals.
The grand marshals include Mike Sterk, Ron Hein, Jim Westbrook, Elroy Rafferty, Dan DeVaney, Doug Buell, Lynn Niemi, Tom Michels, Jim Scott and Tom Niemi. Ted Williams is deceased.
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What follows is the story Aurora native Hodnik wrote:
While it was fitting Hoyt Lakes first honored the Erie history book writers in the Water Carnival parade, Ron Hein and his team will be grand marshals of the Aurora Patriotic Festivities, beginning with the parade at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3.
Erie operated a sophisticated railway system including a 73-mile route to Taconite Harbor, various crude ore mines running from Babbitt to Aurora and also servicing the processing facility. To complete required inspections, Erie purchased a station wagon equipped with a Hy-Rail system (highway-railway) to ride the rails, dirt roads or highways as necessary.
The Pontiac Chieftain Safari, designed by GM to compete against the popular Chevy Nomad, was already somewhat rare insofar as it was only manufactured between 1955 and 1957. Fewer than half came equipped with first generation air conditioning. With pick-up trucks carrying the day, very rarely was a Hy-Rail system added to a station wagon. In fact, only two still operate today. Most importantly, only one launched the taconite industry, the very vehicle that will pull the Erie history writers down Main Street in Aurora.
While Hoyt Lakes became the namesake, most of the Erie action between 1947 and 1957 was in the Aurora area. First, with the 1947 Pre-Tac experimental plant just north of Aurora where the process was perfected. Second, the design engineers being housed in the City Hall and within the remodeled Finnish Socialist Hall. Third, just east of Aurora as the Evergreen Trailer Court was constructed to house thousands of construction workers. Fourth, at Rudy’s and Hank’s Bar along with various restaurants as Aurora was completely overwhelmed with people between 1953-1957!
Once USWA Local 4108 completed building their new union hall and bowling alley on North Main, Aurora city fathers proclaimed Aurora the “Taconite Capital of the World” and added it to the water tower.
While the Pontiac Chieftain was first donated by Erie to the Rail Museum in Duluth in the late 1970s, it was largely for show and inoperable. Fortunately, it was retrieved, preserved and ultimately transferred to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum (LSRRM) at the Depot in Duluth for safe keeping. Recently a group of volunteers gave the rare 1957 Pontiac Chieftain a tip-to-tail once-through to assure it was not only road-ready to provide the Erie Grand Marshals a unique ride in Aurora, but to write the next chapters in railroading fun within the LSRRM at the Depot.
Those wishing to take their own trip down memory lane in Aurora can see the Chieftain close up during the Classic Car Show from 2 to 4 p.m. on Main Street ahead of the parade.
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Editor’s note: Hodnik retired in 2021 from ALLETE Inc., as its executive chairman. Minnesota Power is an ALLETE subsidiary. Hodnik maintains business, labor, political and community relationships across the State of Minnesota and regionally. He serves on the Essentia Health Systems board of directors and on the Grand Rapids Economic Development Authority. He was mayor of Aurora from 1988 to 1998. Aurora and Hoyt Lakes are co-host communities of the PolyMet Project. He and wife Erika now reside in Grand Rapids.
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