White Bear Lake

White Bear Lake

White Bear Lake, Minnesota – Real Estate

White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey County, in the state of Minnesota. The population was 24,325 at the 2000 census.

White Bear Lake also is a lake, as the name suggests. It is one of the largest lakes in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The name “White Bear Lake,” came from the Native Americans. There is more than one version of the legend about the island on White Bear Lake, now called Manitou Island (Manitou meaning habitation of great spirit), used by the Native Americans 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.”

White Bear Lake – Real Estate – History

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 four passenger cars for 200 ladies made the trip from St. Paul.

By 1874, Mark Twain had included White Bear Lake as 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 a 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. 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 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 on Lake Avenue was built in 1874 by C.P. Noyes. It was purchased in 1889 from Judge Young and has since been deeded to the city by the family.

Some say that White Bear Lake was the object of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Winter Dreams, as he describes life in Black Bear Lake, Minnesota. The late 1920’s and early 1930’s brought dubious distinction to White Bear Lake area as a temporary hideout for gangland figures. Ma Barker, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Al Capone are all said to have sought refuge here.

White Bear Lake High School and Mariner High School merged in 1983 to form White Bear Lake Area High School. There are still two buildings, now the North Campus and South Campus. North Campus (White Bear Lake High School) holds classes for freshman and sophomores while South Campus (the former Mariner High School) holds classes for juniors and seniors. The two buildings have a combined total of about 3,000 students.

The murder of three-year-old Dennis Jurgens in 1965 at the hands of his adoptive mother, Lois Jurgens, was arguably the biggest scandal to hit the town with her conviction in 1987. The story was recounted in Barry Siegel’s true crime novel A Death in White Bear Lake.

In 1952, the Lakeshore Players Community Theater was organized. Currently, Lakeshore Players resides in a former church building constructed in 1889, at 4820 Stewart Avenue.

The White Bear Center for the Arts was officially organized on May 16, 1968 and currently resides in the old armory building at 2228 Fourth Street.

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PGA in Chaska – How much do the golfers make

There’s no doubt that last week’s PGA tournament was exciting for the local Chaska community. Our Clover Ridge neighborhood hosted pro golfer Brian Gay and a few of the caddies. All week long my neighbors hung out with the caddy crew having barbecues, drinks and sharing stories. The caddys handed out free tickets to each of the four rounds, I was lucky enough to get tickets to the Championship round. 

Curious how much the golfers make in a tournament like this > http://www.chaskaherald.com/community/hole-story/pga-payout-which-pro-made-what

Anyone have a good story about the PGA?  Share it with me in the comments section.