Cover story

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. But you can judge a cover by its over. And when I figured out where the photo used for the cover of Pushing the River: An Epic Battle, a Lost History, a Near Death, and Other True Canoeing Stories, came from, I couldn’t have been happier.

The photo is from the 1947 Paul Bunyan Canoe Derby. It was taken during the final sprint of the race, which went from University Flats in Minneapolis to the Franklin Bridge between Minneapolis and St. Paul. Here’s the full photo.

In the photo you can see many of the main characters of this race, and of the derby as a whole. Ray Tibbetts And Bill Evers (#30) are way out front.). Ed King and 1951 derby champion Dick Peck (#17) are in the middle. Karl Ketter and the legendary Buzzy Peterson (#8) are on the far outside making a push. 16-year-old Billy Smith Jr. (#3) and his father are not far behind them. Here’s another photo of Billy and his dad at the start of the 1947 race in Bemidji:

This photo from the Minneapolis Star was taken at a different moment. You can see the heads are the same, but turned at slightly different angles. The numbers are blurrier, but you you can still make out some other paddlers, including Mankato’s Augie Shueneman and Harvey Anderson (#10) and Sam and Dan Quincy (#29) Ojibwe paddlers from Deer River.

Karen Cooper, a local historian and chronicler of Minnehaha Falls’ wild years, sent me this colorized post card, which was taken of the same race. I can tell it’s 1947 from the wording on Billy’s Smith canoe #3 in the back to the right.

In the version that finally appeared on the cover, Dick Peck and Ed King are at the right edge, and just behind them are Billy Smith and his dad, which was perfect, since Bill Smith is the one who make this story about the Paul Bunyan Canoe Derby possible, in sharing with his memories and insights with me at age 92.