Paul Bunyan Land

Probably one of the coolest parts of my vacation time when we went up to Leech Lake was a trip to Paul Bunyan's Vacationland in Brainerd.  We didn't go every year, but it was great when we went.  Everyone that has been in Minnesota, knows the story of Paul Bunyan and we loved going there as kids.

I was lucky enough to be able to take my kids here before it was moved.  We all have good memories of this place.

The coolest thing was when Paul would raise his right hand and say hello to the kids as they came in the park.  It was always a mystery to the kids how Paul knew their names.  Just a little information as you went into the park took care of that.

It used to sit at the intersection of MN State Highways 371(the new bypass) and 210.  It was relocated to This Old Farm off of Highway 18 just minutes away from Brainerd, MN sometime in the early to mid 2000's.

Here is a link that describes the move and Paul's new digs:  http://www.brainerd.com/news/archives/paul-bunyan-land.html

Also the link to Paul Bunyan Land site:  http://www.paulbunyanland.com/

They have a bunch of really cool stuff there besides the refurbished Paul Bunyan Land and you can find a brochure at their site.

I have to be honest, I haven't been to Paul Bunyan Land since they moved, but I think I'll have to make the trip again soon.

I'd love to hear anyone's memories of their trips to Paul Bunyan Land.

Up North at the Cabin

I think I will post this, although it isn't really about resorts, but about my time at Leech Lake.  Actually, it would apply to everyone's time at any lake if you went as a child or if you took your own children.

This may be one of the best books I have ever read.  My mom bought it for our family as a Christmas present when our children were first born.  It is listed as a children's book, but as I read it to my son and daughter many times as they were children, it always made me smile as I thought about my own childhood memories and the people, some of them gone now, that were central to those memories up north at the cabin.  And not only my memories as a child, but my memories of my own children as they have grown up now, they were always so excited to go.   Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, my wife and children, my siblings, Augie and Mettie, the VanWerdens and the Ottos, the Crandels, the list is way too long to put everyone in there.  I'm sure you all have your own memories.  We continue to make memories at the lake each year.

The book Up North at the Cabin can be bought just about anywhere, ebay, amazon, etc.  If you ever spent any time up north at the cabin, you have to get this book.  Take my word for it.  It was written by Marsha Wilson Chall, pictures by Steve Johnson.

Bear Island View

Bear Island View was an old resort that is long gone on the east side of the lake near Brevik.  It was owned by a family named Coleman.

They had a big long harbor that was cut into the land, and the cabins pretty much sat around the harbor that I remember.  I don't know if any sat on the lake.

I can remember as a kid that they had plywood cutouts of bears around the harbor and if I remember some of them had things written on them.  I always thought that it was very, very cool.

Anybody out there have a clearer memory about this resort?  It closed down as a resort quite some time ago and as the fate that befell many of the resorts on Leech, it now is private cabins.

I don't have any pictures.  Anybody that knows, please feel free to comment.  If you have any pictures, send them to me and I'd be glad to post them.

These pictures are from Skearth of Bear Island View.  See his posts below to get some great history of the resort.  Thanks Skearth!

Twin Port Resort

Twin Port resort was located on the southeast side of Leech Lake near Brevik.  I don't remember much about it, as it closed when I was young.   There are private cabins on it now and it is run as an association.

There were three different things that I remember about Twin Port that made it distinctive.  Of course, it had two harbors.  Thus the name Twin Port.  Also, it had a little store that if I remember right, was on the point near the harbor.  I can't remember for sure as it has been closed for a long time.  The last thing that I remember was it had a silver quonset hut that was rented out as a cabin.  It is still there.

I haven't been down there for quite some time now, but last time I was there, the old Twin Port mailbox was still there.  That is quite a thing as it has been closed since the 70's or 80's least I believe.  I could be wrong about that.

I would love to hear more about Twin Port.  Anyone out there that stayed there or knows more about it?

From the late 1950's early 60's Chamber of Commerce map:

Twin Port Resort - Partridge Point.  Five houskeeping cabins.  Modern.  John K. Parker, Longville, Minn  Tel. Walker VE 6-2236

Silver Springs Resort

Silver Springs Resort was a resort on Kabekona Bay of Leech Lake on the west side of the lake.  Although I never stayed or even went to Silver Springs, I came across a site put up by Mr. Bill Van Dyck about his family's history at Silver Springs.  I did get a chance to talk to Bill in person.  He loved his time at Silver Springs.  There is one cabin he thought that is left.  Although it has been remodeled several times and isn't recognizable as a resort cabin.

From the late 1950's early 60's Chamber of Commerce map:

Silver Springs - Kabekona Bay on Leech Lake.  Housekeeping cabins.  Modern plus refrigerators and gas ranges.  Good 18 ft. wood boats.  Children's playground.  Wayne and Edith Legg, Walker, Minn.  Tel KI 7-1646

Carlson Resort

I want to add a statement about Carlson Resort to start out.  Carlson Resort is NOT one of the resorts that have come and gone.  IT IS STILL UP AND RUNNING and you can still rent cabins at this picture perfect spot Up North.  The link to their website is:  http://carlsonresort.com/Home.html

Without a doubt one of my favorite resorts on Leech Lake.  August and Mettie Carlson started this resort in the 30's.  One cabin was actually on the beach and the lodge was built back off the lake a bit.  My dad told me that they took horses and moved the cabin on the beach up on top of the "hill" a four foot climb.  I can't imagine that sight, but I'll bet it was interesting.

Through the years they added Cabin #2 in the back and the beach cabin was originally used as a storage space for the boats during the wintertime.  It used to have a big door on the side and the boats would go in and they rented the cabin out during the summer.  It was always my favorite of the Carlson cabins.  It was built in the days when you could build a cabin eight feet from the water.  There was always a breeze from the lake, well most of the time anyway, and sometimes a gale force wind!

My grandfather owned the cabin just to the south of the Carlson Resort and shared a harbor with the resort.  We shared the beach at the resort as well.  I remember many years when we used to take a 2 week(yes 2 weeks in the old days) vacation at the lake.  Of course when you have a cabin to stay in for free, it is a little cheaper.  We would run around from dawn to dusk and I remember the Van Wereden and Otto kids running around with us.

We loved August and Mettie, both very, very, nice folks.  August started out as a fishing guide at the lake and then owned Carlson Resort from the 30's to the 70's.  The Van Werden and Otto families bought the resort in the 70's and August and Mettie ran the resort until their death.  The Van Werden and Otto families still run this beautiful resort to this day.

I have an especially strong bond with this resort as they bought my grandfather's cabin in the late 70's and it became a part of Carlson Resort.  As we grew up, got married, had kids, and started our own lives, we continued to visit the resort and rent Grandpa's cabin after he sold it, and for a period of time we would go up for a week and rent the whole resort of 4 cabins.  My children got to experience some of my childhood memories in person!  While times change and Carlson Resort has changed with the times, it is still the same.

I honestly can't imagine a more picturesque setting period.  The resort faces west so you can watch the sun set every night.  As a kid, we rarely took the time to watch the sun set, but as I grew older, we watched the sun set from the beach fire every night we were there.  We often would sit late into the night at the beach fire and discuss anything that might come up in our family group.

I could go on for ever about this resort.  My fondest childhood memories are of my grandpa's cabin and Carlson's Resort.  And some of my fondest memories as an adult and father are of this little slice of heaven up north near Brevik, Minnesota.  My Grandpa's cabin is the tan one on the right behind the harbor in the picture below.  It is so packed with memories!

If I can talk my brother Pete into being a guest blogger for me, he can tell you a lot more about the history of Brevik and the area than I can.  He worked at the resort for two summers in the 70's and learned a lot of history from Mettie while he worked there.