City Tour of White Bear Lake


Fascinating Indian lore and natural beauty distinguish this very desirable land of White Bear Lake.

First to come here were French, (1671-1763) until the Treaty of Paris, and cession of the land east of the Mississippi to England. Minnesota was made a part of the province of Quebec, under the Quebec Act of 1774. By the peace treaty with England in 1783, the area east of the Mississippi was the first to come under the jurisdiction of the United States. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established a genuine government for the territory.

While the white men were changing the boundaries on their maps, it was the Indians, the Sioux (Dakota) and the Chippewa (Ojibway) who were living on the land and fighting each other for the territory. When the white man first arrived in Minnesota, the Sioux occupied virtually all of it. By 1745, the Chippewa won a battle at the Sioux village of Kathio, on the western shore of Mille Lacs, pushing the Sioux west and south. In a 1825 treaty, promoted by the United States Government, and signed by six Indian tribes, a dividing line was agreed upon, and White Bear Lake was a part of the area designated as Sioux territory. On September 29, 1937, the treaty was signed by the U.S. Government in Washington purchasing the Sioux land east of the Mississippi, in order to open it for settlement.

The name "White Bear Lake," and "Manitou", meaning habitation of Great Spirit, came from the Indians. There is more than one version of the legend about the island used by the Indians for making maple sugar.

From the book "Indian Legends of Minnesota" by Mrs. Carl T. Thayer, J.R. Osgood & Co., 1883, pp 583-593, "It is said that a Sioux maiden fell in love with a Chippewa brave. She, the daughter of the Chief, on learning that her father planned war against the Chippewa, ran to her lover and warned him. The brave went alone into the Sioux village to ask for peace and the hand of the maiden. Before the Chief would agree, the Chippewa would have to do a brave deed.

The lovers usually met on Manitou Island. One day, as the brave approached the Island, anticipating a meeting with his beloved, he saw to his horror a great white bear attacking her. He dashed to her rescue. Freed, she ran to get help from her father and the other Sioux. Returning, they saw the brave sink his knife into the bear. But too late, they both fell to the ground dead. Slowly, as they watched, the spirits of the brave and the bear rose from their prone bodies. It is said that even today, as night falls, the spirits of the bear and the brave wander the Island eternally in search of each other."

In the version quoted by Mark Twain in "Life on the Mississippi" 1883, p 399, "…the warrior, with one plunge of the blade of his knife, opened the crimson sluices of death, and the dying bear relaxed his hold.

"That night, there was no more sleep for the band or the lovers, and as the young and the old danced about the carcass of the dead monster, the gallant warrior was presented with another plume, and ere another moon had set he had a living treasure added to his heart. Their children for many years played upon the skin of the white bear – from which the lake derives its name, and the maiden and the brave remembered long the fearful scene and rescue that made them one, for Kis-se-me-pa and Ka-go-ga could never forget their fearful encounter with the huge monster that came so near sending them to the happy hunting ground."

Nine Indian mounds were located here. The largest of these, 12 feet high and 84 feet in diameter, was located approximately where Shady Lane now meets Lake Avenue. (In 1887 a buggy overturned at this mound, causing the death of one person. Despite protest from the Minnesota historical society, the mound was destroyed and 17 skeletons removed from it.)

Land was available for purchase after the U.S. Government survey was completed in 1847 of township 30 North, Range 22. At this time, the township (the basic 36 square miles) was part of the territory of Wisconsin. The territory of Minnesota was established in 1849. The first buyers of the land are recorded in Tract Book 66 U.S. Land Office and number over 100. Of these, 45 purchasers used the Military Land Warrants. This was a land bounty for 5 years Army Service, first used in 1776 to attract enlistments, and used in some form until 1863. The other buyers paid $1.25 per acre. The only acreage officially listed as homestead (acquiring land by claiming and working it) was Bald Eagle Island by David Smith, who cancelled on June 9, 1874. All of the township had been purchased before 1860, with exception of Sections 16 and 36, which were held by the government for school land. (These were sold in the 1870’s.)

The south-west corner of the township was the first used, by John Vadnais and David Garceau, pushing out from Little Canada. Then came the families Bibeau, Tiroux, Morrisette, Auger, Paul, Demaris, and LaBore.

The first settler in what is now the city of White Bear Lake was V.B. Barnum, a farmer from Connecticut, who purchased in Section 22 and 23 by Military Land Warrant in 1852, between Goose and White Bear Lake. His was the first resort hotel.

At the south shore of Bald Eagle Lake, in Section 14, High I, Vance, a printer from Maryland, purchased land in 1852.

In the early 1850’s came the James R. Clewett family to Section 1 of the Township. (On April 2, 1839 James married Rose Anne Perry, daughter of Charles Perry, in the first wedding in St. Paul.)

Another farmer from England, of the early 1850’s was Thomas Milner who purchased land in Sections 11 and 15, south of Bald Eagle Lake.

Ramsey County was formed October 27, 1849. The first road was petitioned by Richard Freeborn, in June 1857, of the county and extended from Hamms Brewery, to west of Phalen Lake, to east of Goose Lake, following the shore of White Bear Lake then to Bald Eagle Lake.

Minnesota became a state of the union on May 11, 1858, and that very day White Bear Township was organized. Ross Wilkenson was moderator, Joseph Labore, Judge, and Worthington Gregory and W. Mahon were clerks to tally the 27 votes cast. Elected to office were: Chairman, J.F. Murray, Supervisors, Moses LeMay, Casper Mossbrugger; Clerk, G.S. Schaber; Assessor, V.B. Barnun; Collector, Joseph Labore; Overseer of the Poor, Louis Bibeau; Justices, J.R. Clewett, A. Pepin; Constable, Joseph Pepin and W.F. Parks.

The laying of the roads was the biggest governmental concern. John Vadnais, G. Mossbrugger, L.R.S. Crum, and T.H. Murray were the overseers of the four road districts.

Other personalities were instrumental in the early history and public service.

John Aubrey and his wife Laura resided in Cottage Park. Laura Aubrey was the first teacher (unpaid) at the school on Murray Avenue and 3rd Street and was instrumental in starting the Episcopal Church. They donated the land for the Episcopal Cemetery. In the 1860 census, John Aubrey lists himself as a boat builder from England, but upon his father’s death, (who had shamed the family by an embezzlement charge), he succeeded to a baronetcy and returned to England as Sir Aubrey Paul in 1868.

The James F. Murray family came from Pennsylvania, with 3 grown sons, buying along Lake Avenue and the island. James F. was the first town board chairman. Thomas F. was a road overseer, John B. built a grand resort hotel, James C. was the first postmaster, 1858, school board member (District 5) 1859, first village councilman, and happened to sell land for the first village hall in 1881 for $100. James was also a county commissioner and active in G.A.R. The first religious service in the area is said to have been the funeral of Clara Murray, the 4-year-old daughter of James C.

Joseph and Sarah Freeman came to the United States from England in 1853. By 1863 the three sons, Joseph, William and George came with the then widowed Sara to Section 15, on Birch Lake. Joseph was town chairman from 1865 to 1869. William married Hester Anne Chrysler, the first paid teacher in White Bear. He served as town clerk for many years, road supervisor, assessor, justice of the peace, clerk of the school district, and county commissioner. The family built a log cabin of tamarack logs with the dimensions of 11 x 13 x 12 with two windows. This very cabin may now be seen at the Minnesota Historical Society Building. It was donated in 1966 by the descendants.

The railroad was the largest man-made happening in White Bear Lake. On September 10, 1868, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad officially opened the extension to White Bear Lake. This was a gala occasion. Ten platform cars of 300 men and 4 passenger cars for 200 ladies made the trip from St. Paul.

By 1874, Mark Twain had written "…White Bear Lake is the resort in his "Life on the Mississippi". The "American Travelers Journal" 1881 proclaimed, "One of the most popular resorts in the magic northlands is White Bear Lake."

Barnum’s hotel became the Leip House, featuring: ballroom, billiard room, dancing pavilion, bowling alley, and boats. F.C. Williams opened the Williams House on the Murray property on Lake Avenue. James Waters opened the White Bear House at the depot. The press, The Lake Breeze on May 5, 1888, describes Waters as a staunch Democrat, (who) "…has accumulated a goodly share of this world’s goods." In 1879, the Ramaley Pavilion was opened and described as "perhaps the finest structure around the lake" (Breeze 1890). There was Lake Side Cottage on Lake north of 6th and "Château gay." Shady Side, Bachelor’s Rest and Hotel Benson were the three resorts at Bald Eagle.

The town site was filed and platted in 1871, with Daniel Getty buying the first lot, on which he built, at 3rd and Clark. Commerce had begun. Thomas Milner opened a meat market and A.E. Leaman started building boats. A blacksmith shop was opened by Captain Hubbard and the Elliot brothers had a livery stable.

The summer residents included at Bald Eagle were Paul Manship, the sculptor and E.H. Hobe, the Norwegian consul. The Cottage Park summer residents built a club house in 1882 where they had their meals, entertainment and social life. In 1881, the Manitou Implement Co. developed the Island for cottages with the added important feature of water works. The "Fillebrown" house, 303 Lake Avenue, was built in 1874 by C.P. Noyes. (It was purchased in 1889 from Judge Young and has been deeded to the city by the family.

On February 18, 1881, White Bear Lake was incorporated as a village by special law. Population was now 435. The Village encompassed 2 ¾ square miles (including water). In 1884, the residents reincorporated by vote, in order to allow the general village laws of the state to apply to them. As early as May 28, 1883, a committee was appointed "to act with town authorities and the different syndicates, owning property around the lake, to devise and execute measures for the retaining and preserving the waters of White Bear Lake." In 1892, the lot at Clark and 2nd was purchased for a "credible and spacious" village hall. November 4, 1889, Mrs. Daniel Getty requested the organization of a public library before the village council. In 1892, the library was in a room in the Getty block.

The local paper The Lake Breeze, published by A.H.S. Perkins put out its first issue April 27, 1887. Perkins constantly played up the Village. In 1888 an anniversary issue of 10,000 copies was printed boasting of building reaching $100,000, business reaching $400,000, and real estate reaching $140,000 – "all of which would be doubled during the coming year. "There were hourly trains for $.35. In April of 1889 electric lights were predicted by June 1st. In the August 17, 1892, issue, Perkins editorialized on "the necessity of making White Bear something more than just a summer resort." By 1890, the population was 1,356. According to the Sept. 27, 1893 issue, the financial crash of 1893 did affect White Bear, "two saloons were gone to the wall."

The village continued to be popular as a fashionable resort until about the turn of the century, when a gradual change took place in American vacation trends. Many of the famous hotels burned and were not rebuilt, while some were converted to other uses of remained empty. Several hotel sites were divided into lots for lakeshore location for summer homes for the well-to-do. Eventually, as cars and roads were improved, year-round homes replaced many of the summer cottages and the commuting trend began.

On October 11, 1921, the voters established a city under home rule charter by a cote of 221 to 47. The first city election was a stormy one, with the votes for mayor between Peter Fournelle and Earl F. Jackson. Another election, intervention of the attorney general, interim appointments, and the Supreme Court were involved before Jackson was sworn in as mayor. The City’s area then was 2 ¼ square miles including water and the 1920 population was 2,022

The late 1920’s and early 1930’s brought dubious distinction to White Bear Lake, as a temporary hideout for gangland figures. Ma Barker, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Al Capone are all said to have sought refuge here.

In the 1950’s, the post-war building boom in adjacent township areas, and the resulting need for water and sewer facilities, resulted in annexation to the city. The population in 1950 was 3,646. In 1960, the population was 12,849 and had expanded to 7 square miles in area.

In 1965, White Bear Lake was given the All-American City designation, co-sponsored by the National Municipal League and Look magazine, and awarded the citizen progress in solving community problems. This city was one of 11 chosen for planning ahead to make their growth orderly.

A complete city charter revision was approved by a vote of 5 to 1 on March 11, 1969. A special census of 1965 showed growth to 19,042.

The original township of White Bear is still in existence, now (1971) numbering over 11 sections (sq. miles) in size. Three incorporated villages, North Oaks (July 1956), Vadnais Heights (July 1957), Gem Lake (March 1959), and the city of White Bear Lake (1881) have been carved out of the 36 square miles which originally comprised the township.


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