Little Norway Resort starts its 48th year in 2024 hosted by The Brandons with help from friends and family.
The resort is a family-centered resort with workers to help Chuck, Sissel, Ben, and Steph so we are always available to our guests even if it is just to chat. Chuck and Ben are very good coffee drinkers in the lodge while Sissel and Steph work the counter for any convenience store items you may need. Steph may help with fishing tips if you ask!
The Brandons are the second owners of the resort formerly known as Camp Lloyd from 1950 - 1975. Lloyd & Ida Thompson purchased the land in 1949 and started the building of cabins in 1950 continuing throughout the 1960's. After their retirement Chuck and Sissel bought the resort with 9 cabins in 1976 and started the process of remodeling and building new cabins as well as adding playground equipment and a lodge.
Sissel is a native of Norway and lived in Alaska and Seattle for a few years during middle/high school while Chuck grew up on a farm in North Dakota. After meeting in Alaska while Chuck served in the US Coast Guard and living a few other places and finishing some schooling Chuck taught school and Sissel substituted in various elementary schools in the Park Rapids area. For several years they came back every summer to the resort but in 1984 it became a full time job after purchasing additional land and building 11 more cabins.
In 1989 we added Ben, and after a few years being a kid we had another worker for the resort! It only took till he was 7 before he was cleaning fish houses and pretty soon he nailed a few other jobs down. After high school and the U of Minnesota he moved on as a mechanical engineer but his skills help us all around the resort. We welcomed Steph to the family in 2014 as Ben's wife and they started helping in the spring/fall and some during summer weekends.
During the spring of 2016 the carpenters were busy again completely remodeling 2 (1985) cabins to include two baths to start renting during the 2016 season. The following years Chuck and Ben have been busy remodeling our A-frame cabins with new kitchens, flooring, windows, and large wrap around decks. Chuck is always planning new building projects, the former industrial arts teacher is not done yet!
In 2018 Ben and Steph took over as full time managers of the resort allowing Chuck and Sissel to enjoy some well deserved retirement. Chuck still enjoys coffee in the mornings as well as maintaining the ground work around the cabins. Sissel still helps stock the lodge and laundry as well as maintaining her position as head of housekeeping on Saturdays. You can easily find all of us on Sunday mornings enjoying coffee and donuts with old and new guests. We all agree it is one of the best parts of running the resort.
We hope you have enjoyed this short history of the resort and we'd love to see your family this summer for a stay.
Your hosts Chuck, Sissel, Ben, Steph, Henry, & Hailey Brandon.
Nestled along the shores of Little Mantrap Lake, our resort is just 2.5 miles from the South Entrance of Itasca State Park. Guests can easily immerse themselves in the splendor of the park, from exploring the Headwaters of the Mississippi River to hiking along picturesque trails shaded by towering pines. Additionally, the vibrant town of Park Rapids is 17 miles away, offering a wide variety of dining, shopping, and outdoor recreational opportunities for visitors to enjoy. Whether seeking tranquility amidst nature or exciting adventures in the surrounding area, our resort on Little Mantrap Lake serves as the perfect base for a memorable Minnesota getaway.
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