History Wild River State Park

1 history

1.1 history
1.2 point douglas superior military road
1.3 logging era , nevers dam
1.4 park acquisition

history
early history

archaeological remains have been found in park dating 5000 years, majority of artifacts date 1200–500 years ago. village site time has been identified near mouth of sunrise river. fur trading post built on top of ancient village site in 1847. post established nearby in 1850, these last trading posts in st. croix valley, , operated few years.

the townships of sunrise , amador, , community of almelund founded in 1850s. land sold in town of nashua, may have been confidence trick; town never existed except on paper , in fact sited in marsh.

point douglas superior military road

in 1850s federal government began building point douglas superior military road. although intended highway troop movement, route hastings, minnesota superior, wisconsin 1 of first roads in territory , attracted flood of civilian , commercial traffic. when minnesota achieved statehood in 1858, responsibility road devolved state, did not have funds finish project. although rough , in places incomplete, road still best route north until railroads built in 1870. 1.2-mile (1.9 km) segment still in evidence when wild river state park established , incorporated park s trail system. road segment begins in clearing south of deer creek , forms eastern leg of deer creek loop trail along st. croix river. hiking trail veers away loop north, road fragment continues maintenance access road 2,500 feet (760 m) southeastern corner of park boundary. traces of point douglas superior military road can seen in minnesota s banning state park.

logging era , nevers dam

following 1837 treaty ojibwe, territory including park opened logging. primary target massive eastern white pine, grow 200 feet (61 m) tall. timber felled here , farther north floated down st. croix river sawmills in stillwater. lumber industry bedeviled massive log jams in 1867, 1877, 1883, , 1886. 1883 jam, @ angle rock in interstate park, world s biggest log jam , took 57 days break, during sawmill in marine on st. croix went out of business. alleviate problem, nevers dam built here in 1889–90 control flow of logs downstream. dam created 10-mile (16 km) lake in logs safely massed. gates opened @ two-week intervals send steady supply of lumber stillwater. biweekly batch of logs mile , half long. 600-foot-long (180 m) earthen dike, still visible, built dam prevent reservoir overflowing. park s usable timber gone 1902, , following year northern states power (nsp) bought dam control river s flow while built hydroelectric dam @ st. croix falls. log drives farther upriver continued until 1912. in 1940s public sentiment turned against dam because of impacts on recreation , conservation. sluicegates began left open each summer. severe floodwaters in 1954 left nevers dam structurally unsafe, , nsp removed following year.

park acquisition

in addition nevers dam, northern states power had acquired of land on either side of river. st. croix falls dam completed in 1907, nsp had little further need property 11 miles (18 km) upstream. discussed contributing land state 1930s. creation of saint croix national scenic riverway in 1968 prompted action both parties. main objection trade had been chisago county lose sizeable amount of property tax income. bills died twice in minnesota legislature until state park authorized in 1973. compromise state agreed pay county declining percentage of lost tax revenue 10 years. nsp donated 4,497 acres (1,820 ha) , value matched federal funds buy land other owners. nature conservancy assisted in acquiring property. development began in 1976 , park opened 2 years later. called st. croix wild river state park, name shortened avoid confusion st. croix state park.