Kom-On-In-Beach
According to the Records Department in Grand Rapids, MN, the story of Kom-On-In Beach began on May 31st, 1910, when John Greenway purchased from the state of Minnesota, the following tracts of land on the southeast corner of Trout Lake. Lots two and three of Section 16 in Township 55 North, and Range 24 west of the fourth Principal Meridian. He paid in full on that day and went on record June 10, 1910. He didn’t keep it long though, as he sold it June 13, 1910 to the Lorain Iron Mining Company. On November 8, 1935 the land was then sold to Adam Mining Company. Ownership of this property continued to change hands numerous times with lengthy legal descriptions.
John Campbell Greenway was well known for his developments in the mining industry and was also one of a handful of soldiers with Arkansas connections to serve with Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, First Volunteer Cavalry, in the Spanish-American War.
He was born in Huntsville, Alabama, on July 6, 1872. His family moved around as he was growing up and completed a degree in Engineering in 1895 at Yale.
After graduating from Yale, he took a job with Carnegie Steel Company in Pennsylvania for about three years before the war broke out in 1898 with Spain. By the time he left for the military, he had risen to the position of mechanical department foreman.
After being removed from active duty at the end of the Spanish–American War in 1899, Greenway returned to steel and mining and held executive positions in a number of mine, steel, and railroad companies. When Carnegie purchased holdings in Minnesota, Greenway became general superintendent of the operations in the Mesabi Range in 1906. While there, he became an important factor in the development of the town of Coleraine. During his career, he was also instrumental in the development of the towns of Marble and Taconite, Minnesota. He supervised development of United States Steel's open pit Canisteo Mine and Trout Lake Washing Plant in Coleraine, Minnesota, one of the first large-scale iron ore beneficiation plants in the world. Following the successful commissioning of the Trout Lake plant, in 1911 Greenway was recruited by the Calumet and Arizona Mining Company (led by former US Steel executives, the combined entity created by J.P. Morgan which included Carnegie Steel) to develop their newly acquired New Cornelia Mine in Ajo, Arizona. He developed the Ajo townsite and developed the New Cornelia into the first large open pit copper mine in Arizona..
It is unknown where or when the name of Kom-On-In-Beach began. The only written record found referring to Kom-On-In Beach is from February 8, 1974. It’s a resolution that was adopted by the Bovey Village Council: “Whereas the Village Council of Coleraine proposes to transfer their lease from United States Steel, of the premises known as Kom-On-In-Beach to the Village of Bovey, and the Village of Bovey desires to assume the sponsorship of any government grant which may be obtained for facilities at Kom-On-Beach.” The document also mentioned that the village clerk was directed to notify United States Steel of the transfer, and also to notify Greenway Lions Club of their acceptance of the sponsorship of Kom-On-In-Beach on Trout Lake. However, there are numerous photographs taken by Inga Nyman, dated 1926 and 1928 that are titled Canisteo District Employees picnic at Kom-On-In Beach on Trout Lake.
Currently, this property is operating as Trout Lake Campground and is owned by the Trout Lake Campground, LLC.
The public boat launch adjacent to the campground is called Trout Lake Campground Public Water Access.
Matt & Jill Holmes are the current owners info@troutlakecampground.com 218-301-7171