Crow Wing County Historical Society

Brainerd Crow Wing County Historical Society

In 1870, the Northern Pacific Railroad survey crew chose the spot where the tracks from Duluth to Moorhead would cross the Mississippi River. By March 1871, the first train rolled into Brainerd, named for the family of the wife of railroad president J. Gregory Smith. As the town site agent, Lyman P. White was responsible for platting the city and was therefore known as the "Father of Brainerd." The railroad established its headquarters and general offices in Brainerd, which quickly drew thousands of workers to the new town, known as the "City of Pines." Many boardinghouses, saloons, churches, homes, and businesses quickly sprang up to accommodate them. Important industries developed, including logging, lumbering, brick making, ice harvesting, and more. Brainerd's well-known landmark, the historic water tower, was the first concrete elevated water tank in the United States. Brainerd has been home to a wide variety of politicians, artists, actors, athletes, authors, and musicians.