Minnesota, 1918: When Flu, Fire, and War Ravaged the State

by Curt Brown

In 1918, Minnesota and its residents were confronted with a series of devastating events that put communities to the test, forcing them to persevere through untold hardship. First, as the nation immersed itself in the global conflict later known as World War I, some 118,000 Minnesotans served in the war effort, both at home and "over there"–and citizens on the home front were subjected to loyalty tests and new depths of government surveillance. While more than 1,400 Minnesotans were killed on the battlefields, an additional 2,300 soldiers were struck down by another destructive force working its way across the globe in 1918: the influenza pandemic, which left more than 10,000 dead in Minnesota alone. Then, in mid-October, fires raged across 1,500 square miles in seven counties of northeastern Minnesota, leaving thousands homeless and hundreds dead.

In Minnesota, 1918 , journalist and author Curt Brown explores this monumental year through individual and community stories from all over the state, from residents of small towns up north obliterated by the fire, to government officials in metropolitan centers faced with the spread of a deadly and highly contagious disease, to soldiers returning home to all this from the "war to end all wars."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Book Club, Historical, Medicine, Medical, World War I

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2018

About the author

A longtime Minnesota journalist, Curt won awards for his coverage of the Vikings, the US-Dakota War, the North Dakota oil boom and other topics.

He's written three nonfiction books: His 2008 "So Terrible a Storm" (Voyageur Press) chronicled a wicked storm on Lake Superior in 1905.

His 2012 ebook of a Star Tribune serial narrative examining the US-Dakota War of 1862, "In the Footsteps of Little Crow" climbed to No. 14 on the New York Times ebook bestseller list for nonfiction.

And his latest book, "The William Marvy Company of St. Paul, Keeping Barber Shops Classic," tells the story of the last barber pole makers in America.

Curt lives with his wife near Durango, Colo.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dad suggested this book (via Rob). I found it fascinating that MN dealt with a major timber fire, the Spanish Flu and a World War at the same time. However, the book just didn’t hold my interest. ALOT of MN politics, history and details about people I didn’t feel added to the story. I wanted more of a human interest angle I guess. The upside is I am more informed as a MN resident of the events of 1918.
One note: a paragraph stood out to me that basically stated that a pandemic WOULD indeed happen again... (this book was published in 2018)

[Lisa Simons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ironic that I read a book about a pandemic during a pandemic...I found the history fascinating, horrifying, and utterly depressing. Yet, I'm so glad I read this book.

[Maddy Barone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting accounts of various events in various parts of the state in 1918. Each chapter is fairly short, quick to read, focusing on one region and/or person or family, and interesting. When I was in fourth grade (1971?) the curriculum covered Minnesota history, but I don't remember anything about the fire up north, or the flu pandemic, and only a little about WWI. I enjoyed this book and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in Minnesota history.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most interesting to native Minnesotans. The year, 1918 which produced the convergence of:
1) Great War where most adult men were off fighting the war, while the flu and fires ravaged at home in Minnesota.
2) Spanish influenza wiped out families and communities. ‬Nurses travelled door-to-door caring for the sick.‬
‪Mayo, St. Mary’s and U of MN hospitals ‬full of those suffering however most could not be saved.
‪Schools and churches shuttered‬ closed. It was estimated ‪196,000 died in Minnesota by the last week in Oct 1918‬.
3) Devastating and ravaging fires in northern Minnesota over a weekend in October 1918 when winds ramped quickly to 60 mph. Minnesota Forest Fires Relief Commission later estimated that at least half of the 453 lives lost in the fires on October 12, 1918, died in the Moose Lake and Kettle River area. The book is packed with personal family stories. There were those that ran to their root cellars to escape the fire only to be asphyxiated and die there. Some escaped by trains. Some died in rollovers at Deadman’s Curve as they attempted escape. Farmers lost the most; farms, crops, livestock, implements and supplies as it was October and they had stocked up for winter. All very tragic as was the Spanish flu for which there seemed to be no one that contracted it, able to conquer it. It is believed if that strain occurred today, we still have nothing to combat it. Armistice Day November 11, 1918 was finally a cause for celebration in an otherwise dismal year. Whew!


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[TheCultureVulture · Rating 4 out of 5]

As our wretched year winds to an end book was an important reminder that not too long ago my home state was burning, a global pandemic was raging and the world was at war. Despite all of these horrible events society survived and improved in it's aftermath.

[Vicki Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a couple of things about me that really affected my reading of this book. I have lived in Minnesota for 37 years and traveled extensively throughout the state. Many of the places are familiar to me, including the St. Mary’s cemetery which is less than half a mile from my house. I don’t think you need to be familiar with Minnesota geography to enjoy this book, but I think it made it better for me.

The other thing is that I read the book during January, 2021 during the COVID 19 pandemic. There is no way that my reading wasn’t affected by this timing. My experience would have been totally different if I had read the book two years ago when it came out.

Curt Brown combines the stories of individuals affected by a devastating regional fire, the 1918 flu and World War I. While most of the people come and go in 5 to 10 pages, his research into their back stories makes them come alive. Using letters, newspaper articles and recollections over the next 50 years, the book covers the state with experiences with all three events. Mr. Brown finished with an epilogue following 17 of people he introduced for the rest of their lives, which was an effective finish to the book.

World War I was dealt with differently than I expected. While there were a small number of stories about those serving in Europe and their families back home in Minnesota, most of the WWI parts dealt with the political aspects as anti-German hatred, especially by the state government, affected a state where a large number of residents were immigrants from Germany or first-generation Germans. It was an interesting break from the deaths described in the fire and flu chapters.

The flu chapters could have been written in the daily news of today. Stories about the daily case and death totals, and about heroic efforts by health care workers, are in my newspaper today. Mr. Brown quotes experts towards the end of book saying that another pandemic is not only possible, but likely. I’m not sure he expected one so soon after the book’s publication.

All together this was a very good book, easy to read and greatly informative.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book before COVID-19 and thought at the time, “I wonder what it would be like to endure a pandemic nowadays.” Even though I don’t believe what we have now is “just a flu”, this passage was incredibly eerie.

“Experts still aren't sure how the 1918 strain morphed into such a deadly virus. ‘No one knows for sure where the 1918 flu came from or how it turned into such a killer strain,’ Kolata said. But could it happen again? According to John M. Barry, author of The Great Influenza, ‘every expert on the flu agrees that the ability of the flu virus to reassert genes means that another pandemic can't just happen. It almost certainly will happen. ‘Those experts say that if a similar plague killed a similar slice of the US population, about 1.6 million Americans would die. That's more than those in a single year from heart disease, cancers, strokes, chronic pulmonary disease, AIDS, and Alzheimer's disease combined. Modern medicine, of course, has come up with flu vaccines - which targets certain strains - as well as anti-influenza drugs and scores of antibiotics to prevent and treat the pneumonia and other secondary infections that killed so many in 1918. Still, as science writer Robin Marantz Henig says, ‘We like to believe such plunder is an ancient relic; whatever was killing people so ruthlessly in 1918 must be some thing we can treat by now....But in the face of a virus that kills so rapidly, all the antiviral drugs in the physician's armamentarium be impotent. If a strain similar to the 1918 variant were to emerge today - a strain that, last time around, killed literally overnight - some experts believe that even modern medicine would be helpless to prevent many related deaths.’" - Page 217-218

All in all, this book was educational and while it sometimes was a little dry, I still learned a lot. I think it would have been better if it was written more chronologically or geographically but I will probably read it again sometime as my ancestors lived very close to this (and other) massive Minnesotan fires.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been determined to read this book cover to cover since 2018 when I first heard of it and I was not disappointed. Minnesota 1918 describes a tragic year when a huge fire followed by the sweeping Spanish flu hit Minnesotans. While the writing is a bit scattered, as a whole the book shows the strength of early Minnesotans, mostly immigrants or their next-generation families. The details of the fire were shocking and my heart broke for all who experienced it. This huge fire also happened just before the Spanish Flu hit Americans the hardest: October 1918. Last, 1918 was the year that the US fought in WWI in France. These hardships and experiences took a lifetime to get over and today most of us don't even know of it. Shame on us for protesting a government recommended vaccine!! Protesters need to wake up and realize how protected we are and how good our life is. Kudos to our ancestors who persevered through this real tragedy and carried on, helping us to have a wonderful life!!

[Ann Straight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stopped at Moose Lake's fire museum, which is closed due to Covid-19. In 1918, young men were in Europe, young medical staff well, facing the Great War to end all wars. (aka WWI). A pandemic broke out and killed thousands.( aka The Spanish Flu). As the families of immigrants, and other Americans prepared for the annual Minnesota Winter, fires sparked by coal fed trains began to spread. Several towns lost its citizens to a horrible fate. 453 souls in all. People died in cellars, in wells and along the road trying to get to the local lakes, rivers to try to survive the flames.

This history covers political background as well as the local community and lifestyle. You will meet those who lived, and rebuilt and those who died. It takes us to history not covered in the classroom, except locally.

I am touched by the lives that went before.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book completely fascinating. Minnesotan’s of a certain age were taught so much about the Hinkley Fire, but I never learned anything about the 1918 fires that claimed more lives and were more recent. All four of my grandparents were alive during these events, all at ages (6, 12, 16 and 20) that were very susceptible to the flu. As far as I know, none of my relatives were infected, yet 1 person in 5 were killed by the stuff. Quite an engrossing read about a horrible year world wide. Great photos too.

[Emma Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read about MN history and the resilience of those dealing with a horrific fire and a pandemic. The similarities to our current 2020 pandemic are striking. I enjoyed the historical nature of this book, particularly in outlining various small towns throughout Minnesota. And, beware...reading this book made me painfully aware that I know nothing of grief compared to the many Minnesotan’s of 1918 whose entire lives were turned upside down in an instant.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive and informative collection of dozens of fascinating (though tragic) vignettes, this book reads more like a series of newspaper articles than a start-to-finish narrative, which makes sense given author Curt Brown’s training in journalism. With so many life-altering events taking place, not just in Minnesota but globally, it’s a daunting task to write or read something of such gargantuan magnitude and scope. Overwhelming as it was to read, I learned much, and I appreciate Brown’s extensive research on everything from Spanish flu statistics to the most heroic fire rescue stories. I’m grateful to have had my knowledge of Minnesota history expanded by this book, and I have a renewed sense of gratitude that my life has largely been spared of tragedy and loss.

The long explanations of various third-party politicians and their very public feuding and mud-slinging (or sometimes, literal tar-and-feather slinging) were tedious reading, but I get that the political climate in Minnesota — and in the world — at that time was a major factor dictating HOW citizens responded to things like natural disasters, health crises, and of course, involvement in the war, and therefore, a necessary piece of the narrative.

[William Barlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught me a lot about Minnesota's history that I'm almost ashamed I didn't know already know considering I've lived my entire life here. The author uses copious amounts of first-person narrative to drive his chapters and it works well. The only real knock on this book is when the author repeats himself occasionally. It just felt like some more time editing the manuscript would have been useful.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selection for my first book group here at the library. Should be a fascinating discussion with so many stories told and lessons learned (or not learned).

[Connie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the history of a neighboring state and the personal stories told against the backdrop of the fire, war, and pandemic flu.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. Check out your local history—this volume was on the fires of 1918 as well as the other catastrophes of that year.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Mom recommended this book. I din't know about the fires in Northern Minnesota, I heard a little about the Spanish Flue, am surprised at how it resembles Covid19 that it can develop into pneumonia. Some parts were hard to get through but parts were very interesting.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting look at how WWI and the Spanish flu pandemic affected Minnesota, and a few local conditions dovetailed with the national. Twenty percent of Minnesota residents in 1918 were born in Germany, and the recently native born were watching them like a hawk. The newly formed Public Safety Commission had almost police-state powers to bring Germany sympathizing suspects before the board to grill them over their allegiance, patriotism and suspected "subversive" activities. The Commission went so far as to send out an edict that bars be open only four hours per day, have no cabaret type singing, and allow no dancing. They were trying to break up the German "beer hall" traditions.

As if a war and a pandemic weren't enough, residents near Moose Lake saw 1500 square miles of forests and small towns burned to the ground with the loss of 453 lives. Though that is dwarfed by the over 1400 young men who died in WWI combat, neither could compare to the 10,000 that died from the flu. As a matter of fact, soldiers who died from the flu were nearly double those who died in combat.

It was a time of great loss of human life, as well as great social change. There were cresting movements for women's suffrage, labor unions, and prohibition. And the automobile was galloping into the lives of nearly every American citizen and community. Brown tells a riveting tale that is pieced together from newspaper archives, family legends, and personal letters and diaries left by survivors. The latter two provide the greatest color to the story. Eyewitness accounts spring to life in the framework Brown has created. I could not help wonder if we have lost the habit of leaving a personal trail because of the absence of letters and diaries/journals in our lives. One hundred years from now it is these writers that will be quoted in books about the early 21st century. Will there be anything to quote?

[Anne Nerison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fairly comprehensive look at the events of autumn 1918 in Minnesota, and the repercussions of the confluence of fire, flu, and World War I. Curt Brown makes the events come alive, giving names and faces to the people affected and telling their stories. Instead of a rattling off of facts and figures, we see the real human cost, get to know the people who perished and survived. Brown unearthed stories that have been passed down through local historians and written down in almost-forgotten records hidden away in historical societies across the state.

This is not to say that Brown doesn't use statistics—he does, to startling effect. For example, he puts into context the amount of flu deaths in 1918 by comparing it to what the death toll would be if it were to hit today. Another way he does this is by census data—like that it took nearly two decades for Cloquet to recover its population to pre-fire levels.

In all, this is a great addition to the canon of books on Minnesota history.

[Therese Dotray-Tulloch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Especially during our current Covid-19 pandemic, reading about the 1918 spanish flu was particularly mesmerizing. Curt Brown writes an article each week for the Minneapolis Tribune highlighting a person from Minnesota's history. It is my favorite thing to read in the Sunday paper. His research of this tumultuous year in Minnesota's history did not let me down. He highlights many characters, some famous but most not, and writes with such detail and urgency that we feel as if we are truly there with those who suffered through the Moose Lake fires, escaped on the trains, witnessed the rapid and tragic spread of the flu, and sent our sons off to fight in the trenches of Europe. So many immigrant stories are brought to life here. Well worth reading and should be shared in high schools throughout the state.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about how 3 major events affected Minnesota in 1918. It was the final year of WWI, the flu epidemic was sweeping the world, and horrific wildfires were destroying farms and small towns in northern Minnesota. I liked Brown's style of weaving together stories from so many different people: immigrant farmers, young soldiers, people who fought the fire with only limited resources. There are many sad stories (the family who hid from the fire in the root cellar only to die of smoke inhalation; the people who survived the fire to die from the flu in a few more weeks). There are also a lot of inspiring stories, and it shows the ability of our ancestors to survive even these horrible events.

[Sue Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great account of life in MN in 1918. It was the year my mom was born so I was intrigued immediately. The First World War, the influenza epidemic and the fires in our state were devastating and each of these disasters played into each other. I totally enjoyed this read.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, what a terrible time in history. If the fires didn't get you, the flu did. The writing isn't the most polished, it seemed like he was trying to get as many facts and pieces of stories as he could into the larger tale. But because I'm familiar with the area, I stayed interested in the story.

[Tracy Backer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First - the only reason I gave four instead of five stars is I sometimes found the writing confusing and hard to follow who was who, and the transitions sometimes seemed very abrupt.

But that being said, the stories/anecdotes/reminiscences draw you in with the vivid re-telling of how the fires of 1918 tore across northern Minnesota; and how the Spanish flu devastated the world, but specifically how it decimated the towns in MN already dealing with the fires and lastly, how these same families were impacted with their children or husbands fighting in Europe in WWI. And I could not help but be struck by the juxtaposition of these tragedies and events with what happened in the world just a few years ago with the outbreak of COVID a 102 years later. If you change a few locations and other details, you might think you were reading about 2020 instead of 1918.

I recently visited Moose Lake MN and the surrounding area and stopped by the mass grave memorial and that prompted me to read more about the fire.

The author paints a picture of tragedies, seemingly random acts of nature, adjacent to incredible acts of kindness and resilience, next to displays of xenophobia. It was impossible not to be moved, frustrated and anxious for the next series of events.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curt Brown unearthed numerous personal accounts of the triple crisis of fire, flu and war that struck Minnesota in 1918--and the sheer number of stories contained in this book is both its strength and its fatal flaw.

Maybe with a different structure all these anecdotes would have added up to a more coherent story. Unfortunately, Brown jumps from person to person, from place to place, and back and forth in time almost at random, making it hard for this reader to keep all the stories straight or to get a sense of the sequence of events.

I appreciated the personal approach to recalling the lives affected by tragedy, but lack of organization made this book somewhat less than the sum of its parts.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

With "Minnesota, 1918: When Flu, Fire, and War Ravaged the State", Curt Brown takes an in depth look at the tragedies that befell the state in the fall of 1918. With one on one accounts of things, we the reader get a look at these events as told by the people who lived it & witnessed it. The book rotates between the events of WWI, the flu epidemic & the worst forest fire in the state's history. Brown's story is a fascinating read especially for this non-native Minnesotan who picked up this book on a recent trip to the Twin Cities. The tales of survival are incredible as well as the emotions that happen for those who survived 1 tragedy & not the other. Overall, a wonderful book that is a welcome addition to any collection.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pulling stories from all over the state, this book gives a window into a year that saw a lot of Minnesotan’s die for three different reasons all in the months of October/November. Some chapters are more interesting than others. It was interesting because most of the stories are in northeast MN where I live. The most interesting part was that Mayo Clinic became famous because of the flu epidemic of 1918. They created a vaccine for pneumonia that cause the death of many Victims. People swore by the vaccine and the demand for it grew rapidly. The other interesting piece to me was the state sponsored discrimination against various immigrant groups. Germans in particular because of the war were highly suspect. Sadly there is still a lot of fear and discrimination around immigration today.

[Doug Shidell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curt Brown uses detailed stories to build an indelible image of the three scourges; flu, fire and war, that descended on Minnesota in the fall of 1918. The firestorms of northern Minnesota, the Spanish flu and World War I combined to devastate much of the state in the fall of 1918. The stories are alternately heart breaking and heart warming. They also show the tenacity of the survivors in the aftermath. In a particularly prescient chapter Brown, who wrote the book in 2018, predicts that another pandemic is all but assured and all of the advances of modern medicine may not be enough to stop its spread.

[SC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information here - and that's what I was looking for. This is not a compelling story, but a collection of first hand stories from many different sources. They included stories about the development and distribution of an effective (unsanctioned) vaccine. They included tales of government violations of constitutional rights - and the long term effect it had on the violators. They included a story of forced heroism -and the heroic myth that grew from it. But most importantly, they included the heroic, the accidental, and the tragic acts of ordinary humans in a world turned upside down.

[Lavonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandparents were in their 20's in 1918. I wish I would have taken the opportunity to talk with them about their experiences during that time. I was born and raised in Minnesota and recognize many of the areas specifically mentioned in the book. This book was published a year before the COVID-19 pandemic began - can you imagine having COVID, a World War, and tremendous fires all at once? So many lives were lost, yet the bravery and stoicism of Minnesotans found a way to carry on.

A good read especially for people with ties to Minnesota.