Hartley Sugar Camp
East Shore of Trout Lake, Coleraine
A Commercial Sugar Bush at Trout Lake
C.G. Hartley, a Duluth newspaper owner and investor, purchased this 200-acre sugar bush in 1904.
Hartley brought in an experienced maple syrup producer from Vermont to establish and operate the camp.
Local Finnish settlers were hired to construct the log buildings: a lodge, evaporation building, warehouse, bunkhouse, and outhouse. The structures feature dovetail and double-notch corner timbering.
At its peak, the camp had a crew of eight that tapped 3,000 trees and made syrup for the Hartley family and for sale.
The commercial operation ceased in the 1920s, but syrup continued to be made for the family into the 1950s.
Established by C.G. Hartley
Hartley combined investment with specialized knowledge by hiring an experienced Vermont maple syrup producer to establish and manage the operation on the east shore of Trout Lake.
The People Behind the Camp
The camp brought together an investor, an experienced syrup maker, and local Finnish builders.
C.G. Hartley
A Duluth newspaper owner and investor who purchased the property and established the sugar camp.
Vermont Syrup Producer
An experienced maple syrup producer was brought from Vermont to establish and operate the camp.
Finnish Settlers
Local Finnish settlers constructed the camp’s log buildings using distinctive corner-timbering methods.
Buildings of the Sugar Camp
Five specialized log structures supported daily life and maple syrup production at the camp.
Lodge
The lodge provided the camp with its principal gathering and living space.
Evaporation Building
Sap collected from the sugar bush was processed into maple syrup here.
Warehouse
The warehouse provided storage for the camp’s supplies and production needs.
Bunkhouse
The bunkhouse accommodated members of the camp’s working crew.
Outhouse
The outhouse completed the group of essential camp buildings.
Dovetail and Double-Notch Timbering
The Finnish-built log structures are distinguished by their dovetail and double-notch corner timbering. These carefully fitted joints connected the horizontal logs at the corners of the camp’s buildings.
Peak Production
Workers
An eight-person crew operated the camp at the height of its commercial activity.
Tapped Trees
Sap was collected from 3,000 maple trees throughout the 200-acre sugar bush.
Family and Sale
The finished maple syrup was produced for the Hartley family and for commercial sale.
From Sugar Bush to Maple Syrup
The camp combined a large maple grove, an experienced crew, and specialized buildings into a working syrup operation.
Tap the Trees
The crew tapped thousands of maple trees throughout the 200-acre sugar bush.
Collect the Sap
Sap gathered from the trees was brought back to the camp for processing.
Evaporate into Syrup
The evaporation building housed the process that transformed the collected sap into maple syrup.
Hartley Sugar Camp Through the Years
Camp Established
C.G. Hartley purchased the sugar bush and brought an experienced maple syrup producer from Vermont to develop the operation.
Commercial Production Ends
The camp stopped producing maple syrup for commercial sale.
Family Production Continues
Maple syrup continued to be made at the camp for the Hartley family into the 1950s.
A North Woods Sugar Camp
Hartley Sugar Camp preserves the history of a substantial maple syrup operation and the craftsmanship of local Finnish settlers. Its log buildings, distinctive timber joints, and long production history connect the east shore of Trout Lake to an important chapter in Coleraine’s past.
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