1926-2026 The Story of Fair Hills

Fair Hills Resort began with three brothers — Hud, Frank, and George Ashelman — who founded it in 1906. A few years earlier, in 1902, they had discovered an abandoned stone fountain near the lakeshore, where cabins 10 through 12 now stand. They built their farmhouse nearby, welcoming a few summer boarders before officially beginning resort construction.

Their first addition was an expansion of the farmhouse into a guest cottage known as Elm Cottage — the only place on the property boasting a bathtub! Soon after came The Lodge (located where cabins 31 through 33 stand today). In 1912, the Ashelmans built the Terrace Cabins (cabins 18 through 26), but a fire in 1917 tragically destroyed them.

In those early years, guests arrived by way of a canal and lock system that connected Detroit Lakes to Pelican Lake through the Pelican River. This route operated for about a decade and, interestingly, is currently being studied for possible rejuvenation.

When the canal system failed around 1912, a new era of travel began. Resort guests arrived in style aboard a large red Duryea automobile capable of reaching an impressive 15 miles per hour.

The Ashelmans sold Fair Hills in 1918, and over the next several years, the property changed hands multiple times — roughly every two years — until 1926. That year, Ed and Bessie Kaldahl purchased the resort from a bank in St. Cloud that had repossessed it. The purchase price was $18,500.

When Ed and his sons, Chester and Tuddy, arrived on April 1, 1926, to open the resort for the season, they were met with quite a surprise: the linens, dishes, and bedding had all been sold at auction by the previous owner! Frustrated, Ed wrote a letter to cancel the purchase and tucked it into the glove compartment of his car. But as the weather turned beautiful, his mood changed — the letter was never mailed, and the Kaldahls have been here ever since.

Ed and Bessie ran Fair Hills from 1926 to 1942. Their son Chester and his wife, Mildred, took over until 1973. The third generation, Dave and Barb Kaldahl, carried on the family tradition, living on-site until 2018 and remaining active in resort life until 2019. Today, the legacy continues under fourth-generation owner Beth Kaldahl Schupp and her husband, Dan.

Over the decades, Fair Hills has continued to grow. The Ranch House was added in the late 1940s, cabins 55 through 59 in 1974, and the Blue House in 1985. In 1976, the Kaldahls expanded with the purchase of Five Lakes Resort — 1,200 acres acquired from William Bollenbach of Minneapolis. Later, in 1992, Wildflower Golf Course was developed on farmland once owned by Ben and Joanne Ackerson. Designed by Joel Goldstrand and built by Fairway Architects, Wildflower officially opened in 1993.

From its humble beginnings as a farmhouse by the lake to a beloved family resort spanning four generations, Fair Hills remains a place where history, hospitality, and togetherness continue to thrive.