The City That Became a Town
In the heart of Ojibwe territory, the Brainerd area was first discovered by Europeans in 1805. Renowned explorer, Zebulon Pike, stopped there on Christmas Day while searching for the headwaters of the Mississippi River.
In 1870, the Northern Pacific Railroad built its Mississippi River crossing just a few miles upstream from the confluence with the Crow Wing River. "The Crossing" became a city in 1873. Northern Pacific's first president, John Gregory Smith, named it after his wife, Ann Eliza (Brainerd) Smith. Because of all of this, Brainerd became the railroad and lumber center of north central Minnesota. Machine shops, railroad yards, and saw & paper mills dominated the city’s early industry for many years.
In 1876, Brainerd went back to being a town. The city charter was revoked over an election controversy. Local handyman Thomas Lanihan was elected mayor instead of Judge C.B. Sleeper. It took six years to get reinstated!
About fifty years later, right before Baby Face Nelson robbed the bank, the national railroad strike wiped out the Brainerd economy. Brainerd’s industry shifted to paper, and then to tourism. With over four hundred and sixty lakes within just twenty-five miles, Brainerd is now one of Minnesota’s most popular vacation destinations. One reason may be that you can get there from the Twin Cities, and back again, on a single tank of gas!
It’s All About The Lakes
The lakes provide premier boating, game fishing, and endless hours of water exploration, swimming, tubing, skiing or just relaxing on a beach. You can rent any type of water toy you can imagine, and there’s a public boat access to virtually every lake in the area.
The Brainerd area has the largest lake chain. In the nearby community of Crosslake, the Whitefish Chain boasts thirteen lakes, for a total surface area of approximately fourteen-thousand acres. Lakes include Upper and Lower Whitefish, Trout and Cross. These lakes all have astounding water quality, with clarity often in the twenty foot plus range. With this many quality lakes joined together the opportunities are endless. You can find a quiet spot to get away ( Island Lake), sail on a large lake (Whitefish), or really get that speed boat moving (Cross lake). If you like to camp, Cross Lake has a large public campground built by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Pelican Lake is another treasure, hosting Breezy Point, now an official town. The lake is an amazing 8,253 acres and 104 feet deep. With beautiful sand beaches and almost twenty foot water clarity it’s no wonder that it is a top destination for both resorters and owners of lakeshore property.
When one speaks of Brainerd, you cannot forget the Gull Lake Chain, which consists of eight lakes. Gull Lake alone has over nine-thousand acres of boatable water and when you factor in the other lakes included in the Chain, there is over thirteen-thousand acres. Again, like so many of the lakes in the Brainerd area, the water quality is outstanding.
These lakes are not only great for water sports, swimming, and fishing, they are also rich in history. Some of the oldest and most well known resorts in the state call these lakes their home; Breezy Point, Kavanaugh’s, GrandView, Cragun’s, Madden’s, and many others. As a result the Brainerd Lakes area has some of the finest dining in the state.
Minnesota’s Playground
With gorgeous lakes, world-class recreation, and natural beauty, Brainerd is the perfect place to be a kid. Brainerd has it all; mini-golf, stunning beaches, public tennis courts, and beautiful city parks! The outdoor amenities are endless and provide enjoyment for all ages.
Visit the world’s largest animated statue of Paul Bunyan. Tour the area to find his flashlight, fishing bobber, baby shoe, and of course, his axe. This year, the “Oxtrot” has begun! It’s an "oxpedition of art" where your mission is to find twenty-three statues of Babe the Blue Ox, each uniquely painted by area artists.
Ranked one of the "Top 50 Golf Destinations in the World" by Golf Digest, Brainerd area golf courses offer unique beauty and great golf for every level of play. Relax and enjoy a quiet game, or challenge yourself with the legendary Brainerd Golf Trail – Three hundred and six holes on seventeen courses!
Fun parks like Paul Bunyan Land, Vacationland Family Fun Park, and Pirates Cove Adventure Golf have rides and attractions for youngsters. From go karts and bumper boats, to extreme mini golf, rock climbing walls, and water wars – they have it all.
You may also enjoy the thrilling sights and sounds of the Brainerd International Raceway, Minnesota's premier motor sports facility. They have a three mile road course that features high speed turns and a one mile straight run. There is also a world speed setting drag strip with one of the flattest, smoothest, and stickiest quarter mile tracks on the planet. And if watching races isn’t enough excitement for you, how about racing around the track yourself? BIR Performance Driving School will help you fulfill your need for speed. All you have to do is pay the money and show up. They take care of everything else.
Whatever you taste in fun, there’s plenty to do in Brainerd!
Stunning Beauty
The many parks and trails around Brainerd offer an intimate view of the area’s beauty and wildlife. The majestic and colorful Paul Bunyan Trail winds through over one hundred miles of lakes, rivers and forests. The Cuyuna Lake State Trail connects with another thirty miles of walking in the five thousand acre Cuyuna State Recreational Area.
There’s a myriad of smaller trails on which to walk, bike, or rollerblade. Many are paved and wheel-chair accessible. The winter snowmobile trails offer yet another view of the splendor around you. If you want to be really alone with nature, Big Island on the Whitefish Chain of lakes is only accessible by boat. It’s a wonderful place to picnic.
The unique lands and habitat in the Brainerd Lakes Area also make it one of the top birding destinations in the nation. The bird species change and migrate with the seasons, so there’s always something new, including six out of the top twelve birds on the American Birding Association’s top twelve “most wanted to see” list!
In the fall, enjoy an enchanting drive through the fairyland of colors on Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway. Enjoy the beauty that fall brings to the lakes, and dream about living in some of the areas most beautiful lakeshore homes you’ll ever see.
Famous Hunting & Fishing
The Brainerd Lakes Area is home to dozens of big and small game, waterfowl and birds, and is known as one of the nation’s blue ribbon hunting destinations. The mixed hardwood and conifer forests are home to ruffed grouse, squirrel, and deer, while the expansive willow meadows and marshes provide excellent habitats for ducks and geese, black bear, and rabbits.
Fishing is one of the best reasons for visiting the Brainerd Lakes Area. Rich in fishing culture, Brainerd is home to the national In-Fisherman magazine. In a single lake, you can catch walleyes, bass, crappies, sunfish, northern pike, yellow perch, even trout. Boat, bait and equipment manufacturers test and produce their best products here. There’s no better place to find biting fish than in the Brainerd Lakes.
In winter, ice fishing is gaining huge popularity in the area. The Ice Fishing Extravaganza is the largest ice fishing event in the world. Some twelve thousand anglers drill about twenty-five thousand holes, and actually lower the ice by almost a foot!
Reed’s Sporting Goods store in Baxter houses the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame where they will teach your kids to fish – free! The museum is linked to an eight-acre pond, adjacent to Paul Bunyan Nature Learning Center. They provide kids with all the tackle, bait, rods, reels, and instruction the kids need. They’re guaranteed to catch something!
The Place to Buy … Now!
If ever there was a time to invest in lakeshore property in Brainerd, this is it!
“I had a great start to this year!” says Kevin Kruchten, of Edina Realty in Crosslake. “Interest rates are at a historic low, inventory is strong, and there’s a great selection of quality lake shore properties. The first buyers in are going to get the best deals at the best prices!”
“The Memorial weekend was extremely busy with buyers looking at lakeshore properties,” Kevin continues. “I think this is just the start as summer finally kicks into gear!”
Mary Shimp, of RE/MAX Lakes Area Realty is equally optimistic. “This is an absolutely fantastic time to buy,” she says. “Interest rates are great. I’ve been here eleven years. This is the best selection for buyers that I have ever seen.”
“The serious buyers are looking,” she explains. “Higher end properties are really moving. When the wealthy start investing their money – it’s time to pay attention!”
Good lakeshore is always in limited supply, and probably more so in future. Brainerd is one of the most highly desired areas in Minnesota. Now is the time to take advantage!
Come & See!
Whether you want to buy a lakeshore home, enjoy some great fishing, or just want a great place to have a vacation – Brainerd has it all just waiting for you!
