In the past two decades of authoring this column, numerous references have been made towards the annual summer family fishing trips to the far north of Orr, Minnesota. These cherished stories, recollections, and images from forays into the wilderness have become an integral part of our collective experience.
Starting in the mid-19th century, it was a family tradition to journey from the family farm in San Pierre for a 10-hour trip to Minnesota. Accompanied by their parents, at least three of us siblings would embark on this adventure. Originally a “men’s fishing trip,” by 1963 our parents began to reserve three-bedroom cabins at Shangri-La Resort on Pelican Lake.
Situated on 80 acres of secluded wilderness, Shangri-La boasted nine lakefront cabins. The resort was a passion project of Ralph and Jan Richardson, longtime residents of San Pierre who purchased the land in 1949.
Ralph was a well-respected educator in our community, serving as a teacher, coach, and principal. His wife Jan was a beloved first-grade teacher. In addition to the resort, they took great pride in their main house – a charming abode where a red cast-iron bell still hangs, a relic from the original elementary school in San Pierre.
Such were the beginnings of what would become our personal paradise. The term Shangri-La – synonymous with an idyllic, remote utopia – was chosen as the resort’s name, a reference to James Hilton’s classic novel “Lost Horizon.”
The resort has come a long way from the days when bookings were done only through written correspondence. Now, it offers a virtual tour of the cabins and a plethora of historical information on its website.
The resort’s history isn’t the only thing to learn from the Northern Minnesota region. This is the same landscape where mastodons were hunted with spears and Indigenous people harvested wild rice.
Today, Shangri-La continues to thrive under the ownership of Tom Richardson and his wife, Cathy, who are continuing to preserve the Richardson family’s legacy. They have managed to retain the charm of the resort while infusing it with modern updates and improvements.
I was fortunate enough to revisit the resort earlier this summer, during their 75th-anniversary celebrations. The experience was a compelling mix of nostalgia and awe at how much the resort has changed and grown.
This 75th season has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean the spirit of Shangri-La has faded. The memories we’ve made, the joy we’ve experienced, and the warmth we’ve felt will linger, beckoning us back to this enchanting landscape.
And as I ponder the years of familial dedication to Shangri-La, I can’t help but express my gratitude and congratulations to Tom, Cathy, and their family. Their commitment has kindled countless vibrant memories of our past, present, and undeniably, the future.
To commemorate this remarkable pastime, Tom has graciously shared one of their family favorites – the Shangri-La Slow Cook Wild Rice Chili recipe. It’s a hearty, delicious dish featuring wild rice, a key ingredient that nods to the region’s agricultural history.
As the seasons turn and the chill of fall begins to set in, the warmth of this slow-cooked chili can bring a bit of Shangri-La’s comforting familiarity to your home. A bite of this dish is like a taste of summer, a touch of paradise, a sliver of our shared history in the heart of your kitchen.
What perfect way to remember those summer days of fishing and silliness at Shangri-La, than with a bowl of chili that tastes like home.
