FAMILY HEADSTONE back-to-back with Groth.

OBITUARY Iron River Reporter Feb 24 1988. Age 93.

FRAMES FOR THE FUTURE Iron River area Michigan centennial book 1981 "Beechwood: A String Of Memories by Art Lindahl" page 82
I was born a long time ago on the "Lindahl Farm" at Beechwood, Michigan to August and Emma Lindahl. I was the eighth child in a family of ten.
Back in those days, we were free from the world's cares, as we didn't even know what went on in Iron River and there were no radios or TV's to distract us.
We made our own fun, and really enjoyed it. We played many pranks on our dear old dad-who had a wonderful sense of humor.
Fourth of July found us all up at 3 a.m. walking to Iron River to compete in the early races (winning many of them and earning pocket money) so we could trek up to Stambaugh and earn more spending money in the races up there! At the day's end, we were all as dirty as we could be! Can you imagine little boys in a contest eating stale bread and syrup with hands tied between their backs?
When I was 13 I started working out, and at 14 I chopped trees out as far as Watersmeet with Claude Brown.
When we were young, Harold and I came to town to deliver eggs and milk to our four sisters-and it was real easy then to drink coffee and eat all the baked goods the four sisters had made-and really enjoying it at all places.
Also when there were three or four of us boys at home, and when the folks went to town and left us kids home, we got into plenty of mischief-like once making five gallons of ice cream for ourselves (where did all the cream go, anyway, mother said).
When we were young, my three brothers (Oscar, Walter and Harold) and I worked in the woods and saved together so we had $400, with which we went into the logging business in the fall of 1916-17 at Elmwood. Then into the draft we went (World War I) so we quit the business, and started again in 1919 as a logging firm of "Lindahl Brothers." A sawmill was added in 1924, and I was in charge of that. I was always in charge of the horses, and had many narrow escapes from death in my work.
In 1925 we bought an old frame building on the corner by the Iron Inn on Adams Street-which we tore down in 1929 and built the present brick structure known as Lindahl Chevrolet-where we could take care of our logging trucks and have our timber bookkeeping done as well-besides conducting a garage business. We sold several makes of cars until we got the Chevrolet-Olds franchise. In the early years I worked as a partsman. Walter was there many years as the shop foreman.
About 1964 the brothers disbanded, and I took over the sawmill, landing, and the preacher's home at Beachwood, plus lands, etc.
Throughout my life, There was also many very festive occasions, like the whole relation invited to our hunting camp at Thanksgiving-and then there were many pancake parties, even with pork chops. Also numerous potlucks at the August Lindahls in Iron River. Every relative came-told stories, laughed, and sang Swedish songs, and ate from a "loaded" table. Those were the days!
I married Evelyn Melstrom 54 years ago. We had three daughters: Lorraine Groth, Lois Holme and Marlene, who died several years ago. We've enjoyed our life together and have gone on many trips, including Sweden.
In one of our logging camps, a Finn came to our camp once who could name all species of wood blindfolded. He named one after the other, like "That's Pirch" for Birch, etc. One of the men picked up a cat under the stove, and put that under his nose. He said, "Give me another mell," so he did. "Sure enough," he said, "That's a pussy-willow."
Yes, you bet-that's enough now!

NEWS ARTICLE Iron River Reporter June 28 1951 "Linked With Early History and Progress!: Lindahl Chevrolet Garage" for Iron Ore Centennial celebration (excerpt)
Gust Lindahl, born in 1852 in Sweden, reached the Beechwood district as a homesteader in 1885 when the tall pine rose to majestic heights over the land. The echoes of the woodsmen's axe and the whirr of the sawmill broke the otherwise still atmosphere save for the plaintive notes of the whipoorwill and the sweet song of the meadowlark.
Gust Lindahl had his part in the harvesting of the pine and other species of timber, a task handed down to his sons Oscar, Walter, Arthur and Harold. These ambitious young men were not content with logging alone. In October, 1925, they opened the Lindahl Brothers Garage in Iron River, handling the Star, Durant and Marmon. In 1931 they switched to Chevrolet and Oldsmobile, operating a dual dealership for many years, and then later concentrated on Chevrolet cars and trucks exclusively, except for Logging Trailers, Loaders and Special Truck Bodies.
Meanwhile they had outgrown the former Innes House building where they started and in 1929 built on this site [132 W. Adams Street] what is today the largest and most modern garage North of Milwaukee.
The partnership of Lindahl Brothers continued until 1945 when it was dissolved and the present Lindahl Chevrolet Garage was incorporated by the Harold Lindahl family.

NEWS ARTICLE Iron River Reporter April 10 1945 "27 Year Partnership Dissolved By Lindahls" with photo
After more than a quarter century of partnership in several business enterprises, the four Lindahl brothers-Oscar, Walter, Arthur and Harold-have dissolved their major business relationships and made a distribution of property.
Oscar, who supervised mill operations, has retired to the homestead farm in Beechwood. Arthur, in charge of woods operations, is continuing as an independent logging operation. Walter is owner of a store and gasoline bulk plant business in Beechwood. Harold, in charge of sales, has acquired the garage business in Iron River, hereafter to be known as Lindahl's Chevrolet garage.
The brothers still retain their equities in the Crystal Springs Trout hatchery in Beechwood and in lake property at Golden, Hagerman and Brule lakes.
The brothers formed an informal partnership in 1918, starting in the logging business when World War I created a demand for forest products. It has continued since then until Jan. 1, 1945, when they decided to go their individual ways.
During this 27 years the business enterprises expanded, including the start of a garage in Iron River and the building of a modern building in 1929, extensive logging and operation of a sawmill, the development of a commercial trout hatchery, and operation of a store and bulk gasoline plant.
Each member of the partnership was given a specific thing to do and meetings were held twice a month, or oftener if need arose, usually in their hunting camp where the affairs were talked over privately and, as history shows, successfully.
ALL COOPERATE To these regular meetings is ascribed the happy relationships which always existed and the inordinate harmony in which the brothers worked.
"These 27 years of association in business will be one of the finest memories in our lives," Harold Lindahl said. "Our business relations have always been pleasant. It was our policy to hold semi-monthly meetings where we could discuss our business activities and it was also a time of genuine fellowship."
"There is no reason in particular for the dissolution except that our families are now grown up and our children will be associated with the individual brothers. Oscar, the eldest, also wanted to retire from active work."
"In one of our last meetings, when the subject of dissolving partnership arose, one inquired how we had been able to work together for so long a time with so little friction. Another answered "Because we grew up together." Another said "Because we have tried to practice Christian ideals" and a third answered, "Because we were always willing to overlook the little things."
"Personally I believe that the three answers are the reasons for our cooperative success."
HARD TIMES "Hard times were a part of the 27 years' partnership. Recalling some in 1921 while operating a large camp, the price of timber dropped from $50 a thousand to no market at all. The following morning, Dec. 17, the entire crew was called in and every man was laid off, including the chore boy. The four brothers hauled out the logs that were cut, making three trips a day with three teams over a four-mile road. In that way they managed to get out all the logs cut. We operated that year at a considerable loss. That did not discourage us from going on with our logging activities."
Another reason for dissolution was the virtual disappearance of large logging tracts in the county. The brothers acquired 3,000 acres of virgin timber in 1940 from Wells Brothers, Menominee, and completed the harvesting in 1944 in the Hagerman lake and Smoky lake area. This was probably the last of the large available timber tracts and, with war demand for timber, it was disposed of in a ready market.
The brothers' start was small but there were enterprise and foresight in their planning. In 1918 they bought 40 acres of timber and that winter logged 200,000 feet. Oscar knew logging and bossed the undertaking but the others learned rapidly and worked industriously. Walter took care of the blacksmithing and the sawing, and Arthur and Harold "just worked," with Harold keeping the books in off hours.
PLOW BACK PROFITS The first year's profits went back into equipment and larger timber holdings.
Walter's bent for mechanics brought him to town as a garage foreman, but the others stuck to their work. That year they put in 1,500,000 feet at Uno near Beechwood and ended the year well in the clear.
In 1920, with a slack market, they bought a portable mill and cut softwood and ties. In the same year they purchased the 120 acre farm of their father and the timber on it, now fondly known as the "homestead." In the next four years they kept cutting from 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 feet of timber, hiring crews of 50 or more men and working 12 months in the year.
Operations reached a peak in 1941-42 when 150 were employed in logging operations and at the sawmill, using 20 trucks for handling logs and other forest products.
Seeing the end of timber in sight, they entered a business which was just gaining its stride-the garage business. Some of the profits from the lumber operations went into the new venture and Walter and Harold took over while Oscar and Harold devoted their time to the timber branch. Walter was mechanical foreman and Harold took charge of sales.
The garage took on the upper peninsula agency of cars, tractors, and trailers, and within five years had expanded its operations so far a new home was necessary. One of the finest structure, thoroughly equipped, was erected and is now the sole property, under the dissolution, of Harold.
PHOTO CAPTION: The four Lindahl brothers whose business operations started small, grew large, and have now dissolved their successful partnership. Left to right: Oscar, Harold, Arthur, Walter.

NEWS ARTICLE Iron River Reporter Sep 26 1944 "Lindahls End 27 Years of Logging"-Oscar, Arthur, Walter, Harold

OBITUARY of Lorraine Groth 2017 says Arthur A. Lindahl was her father.

OBITUARY of Evelyn Lindahl 1983 says she married Arthur Lindahl on Nov 8 1924 in Iron River.

OBITUARY of Marlene Lindahl 1968 says Arthur Lindahl of Beechwood is her father.