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About
Our Board Members:
History of Cedar
Lake Township
One of the first inhabitants of Cedar Lake Township were the Ojibwa
Indians who arrived as the sixth wave of people. Pipestone, fishing,
hunting and wild rice made the area desirable. The name Mikana means " Indian Trail". In the late 1860's the loggers arrived and
found white pine forests. It was the logging industry which promoted
exploration and economic development of the area.
By 1875 S.A. Jewett Company had established two logging camps near
Mikana. In 1876 Knapp, Stout & Co. purchased the Jewett Company
and logged until 1900. The Village of Mikana was platted on March
31, 1902. The growth of the area was then complimented by the Soo
Line Railway running through Mikana and meeting in the narrows with
the Omaha Line. Various entrepreneurs arrived and soon Mikana became
a bustling town which included a general store, post office, school,
lumberyard, blacksmith, implement store, saloon, church, and the
town hall, to name a few. Locals also homesteaded and began growing
produce and livestock. Many of the current residents have continued
to farm as their ancestors did. Others have just kept family land
for many reasons.
Tourism, logging, farming and work for the Stout Farm/Island
maintained some locals, others were forced to larger cities to find
work. WWII took a toll on the number of men available for work and
aided in the decline of the village businesses. The one constant has
been the willingness of residents to be there for one another. The
Cedar Lake area soon became a point of interest for those interested
in the beautiful north woods, the lake and fishing. Many cabins were
erected to serve as getaways for those from the cities. A change
of residents has been occurring over the past couple of decades to
include many who have turned those small cabins into homes for full
time residency. The local government of Cedar Lake Township
currently oversees thirty six square miles. The main focus from the
beginning was upkeep of roads. Transportation to and through the
township continually aids in the growth of the area.
The Town Board faces modern issues and hold monthly meetings providing
informative discussion and public input.
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