Cities

Baxter

One of the fastest growing cities over the past 30 years in Crow Wing County, Baxter reached a population of 8,612 at the 2020 census.

Baxter owes its existence partly to the 1920s operation of a former large tie-treating plant, owned by Northern Pacific Railroad. Farming was also an important early industry. Baxter was incorporated on May 25, 1939. The town is named after Luther Baxter, an attorney for the railroad who served in the Minnesota Legislature and as a colonel in the Civil War.

Tourism and various service industries have become Baxter’s biggest employers, and numerous housing subdivisions have been developed in the wooded area west of Minnesota Highway 371, which passes through the town. Owing to the amount of unused land in the area, commercial development along the highway itself has also increased in recent years, though it has tended to conform to the pattern of urban sprawl.

Brainerd

The county seat and largest city in Crow Wing County, Brainerd’s population was 14,395 as of the 2020 census. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluence with the Crow Wing River, having been founded as a site for a railroad crossing above said confluence. Brainerd is the principal city of the Brainerd Micropolitan Area, which had a combined population of 96,189 in 2020. The Brainerd area serves as a major tourist destination for Minnesota, and Baxter is a regional retail center.

The city is also known for the Brainerd International Raceway, which hosts races frequently throughout the year and has a national drag racing meet annually in August.

Due to the many lakes in the area, Brainerd became a popular summertime destination for those owning cabins in the area or spending time at the many resorts.

Breezy Point

The city of Breezy Point, with a population of 2,574 in 2020, is best known for being the home to a resort of the same name on land acquired in 1921 by millionaire publicist Wilfred Hamilton Fawcett, owner of Fawcett Publications, and creator of the famous Whiz Bang Magazine. His personal home, Fawcett House, is on rental to the public.

With the resort community growing as a result of Fawcett’s actions, a village was incorporated in 1939 with the name of Pelican Lakes. It was renamed to Breezy Point in 1969.

Crosby

Crosby, with a population of 2,360 in 2020, is adjacent to its twin city of Ironton. It is one of the cities in the Cuyuna Iron Range. Crosby was a town that was built for the sole purpose of mining. It was named for George H. Crosby, a businessman in the mining industry.

Crosby was the location of the worst mining disaster in Minnesota, the Milford Mine disaster. On Feb. 5, 1924, a new tunnel was blasted too close to nearby Foley Lake, and water rushed in, killing 41 miners.

In 1957, Air Force major Dr. David G. Simons climbed to nearly 102,000 feet above the earth as part of Project Manhigh. The flight, which was launched from the 400-foot-deep Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake in Crosby, helped the country take its fledgling steps into space exploration.

Crosslake

Crosslake, with a population of 2,394 in 2020, is located 30 miles north of Brainerd surrounded by the main routes of several county roads. The city, located on the shores of Cross Lake and the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, was originally a logging community.

Crosslake was incorporated in 1959. In 1972, nearby North Cross Lake was absorbed into the city of Crosslake. The community greatly expands during the summer tourism months, and has become popular statewide for its large St. Patrick’s Day parades each March.

Cuyuna

The city lies within its namesake, the Cuyuna Iron Range, which is a line of iron-bearing hills in central Minnesota. Cuyuna, with a population of 296 in 2020, was one of the mining towns along the range, part of a list including Crosby, Ironton, Trommald, and Manganese. The Cuyuna Range saw its heyday in the first half of the 20th century before mining on the range ceased in 1984. The local economy is now dependent upon tourism from mountain bikers. Cuyuna has been declared to have the best trail systems in Minnesota as of 2014.

Cuyuna, which was incorporated in 1910, and the iron ore range on which it is situated, were named by and for Cuyler Adams, and for his dog, Una, who accompanied him in many lone prospecting trips. Cuyler Adams was a prospector, discoverer, and then mine owner of the Cuyuna Range. Cuyuna was platted in November 1908.

Deerwood

The city, with a population of 526 in 2020, was platted in February of 1892. Deerwood was incorporated in October 1909. Deerwood, which was named for the abundant deer in the nearby woods, is located on the eastern edge of Crow Wing County. The post office at Deerwood was established in 1882.

Emily

The city, with a population of 843 in 2020, is located on the northeastern edge of Crow Wing County. State Highway 6 and Crow Wing County Road 1 are the main routes in the community.

The city of Emily was named for the nearby Emily Lake. It was platted in November 1905. It was incorporated in March 1957. The post office at Emily began in 1900.

Fifty Lakes

The city, with a population of 443 in 2020, was incorporated in May 1949. The Fifty Lakes Post Office began in 1926. County Road 1 runs east and west through the city while County Road 3 runs north and south.

Fort Ripley

The city on the southern edge of Crow Wing County is located near the confluence

CITIES

of the Mississippi and Nokasippi rivers. The population was 84 in 2020.

Fort Ripley was a United States military installation beginning in 1849 and lasting until 1877. The fort, now Camp Ripley, was located on the opposite side of the Mississippi River from Morrison County as the current city in Crow Wing County.

The city of Fort Ripley was incorporated in 1927. The city took its name from the fort, and that was named for Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, an American soldier and politician.

Garrison

Garrison, with a population of 194 in 2020, is located on the eastern edge of Crow Wing County along Mille Lacs Lake. U.S. Highway 169 and Hwy. 18 are the main routes in the community.

Garrison was platted and settled in 1880, and incorporated in 1937. Surrounding Garrison Township was named in honor of Oscar E. Garrison, a land surveyor and civil engineer. Oscar E. Garrison had also platted Wayzata in Hennepin County in 1854. The post office at Garrison was established in 1884.

Ironton

The city, with a population of 576 in 2020, is located on the Cuyuna Iron Range, from which its name is derived. It is immediately adjacent to the west of Crosby. Ironton was incorporated in 1911 while the post office at Ironton was established in 1910.

Jenkins

The city, with a population of 490 in 2020, is located on the northern edge of Crow Wing County along Hwy. 371 North. The city was named for George W. Jenkins, a local lumberman. Jenkins was incorporated as a village in 1904 and as a city in 1969.

Manhattan Beach

The city, located just north of Crosslake, had a population of 61 in 2020. Manhattan Beach was incorporated in 1941. A big part of the city is the Manhattan Beach Lodge, which is located on Big Trout Lake of the Whitefish Chain of Lakes. The 1920s landmark lodge was renovated in 1995.

Merrifield

The city is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Lake Edward Township, Crow Wing County. It is along Crow Wing County Road 3 near County Road 127. Its population was 140 as of the 2020 census. A post office called Merrifield has been in operation since 1899. The community was named for the original owner of the town site.

Nisswa

The city, with a population of 1,967 in 2020, is located just northeast of Gull Lake. This city is well known as a tourist destination due to its many unique stores. The Paul Bunyan State Trail built on the old Northern Pacific Railroad tracks runs through Nisswa. Nisswa is also popular for its weekly summer turtle races.

Smiley Township was founded in 1900, but local resident Leon Lum convinced residents to rename it Nisswa, from the Ojibwe word “nessawae” when the town was incorporated as a village in 1908. Nisswa became a municipality in 1946.

Pequot Lakes

The city, with a population of 2,395 in 2020, was platted in March of 1900. It was named by a postal official for the first Indian-sounding name he thought of, which is the name of a former tribe of Algonquian Indians in eastern Connecticut. A post office was established at Pequot Lakes in 1896. The town, originally called Sibley, officially became Pequot Lakes in 1902.

Pequot Lakes is located in a tourist area and is known for its downtown red and white bobber water towers and its annual Bean Hole Days event, which started back in 1938 when store owners hosted a bean feed for local farmers.

Riverton

The city, with a population of 118 in 2020, is located between Brainerd and Ironton, where the Mississippi River flows past the western end of the Cuyuna Iron Range. In 1855, the Rabbit Lake Indian Reservation for the Rabbit Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa was established in the area as part of the Treaty with the Chippewa. Soon afterwards, a village of Ojibway was established at the mouth of Rabbit River. However, maps from the 1860s depict the village of Ojibway instead located either at the mouth of the Cedar River or at the mouth of the Ripple River.

Riverton was incorporated in 1912, and a post office called Riverton was established in 1913. That post office remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1965.

Trommald

Trommald, with a population of 99 in 2020, was founded as a mining town on the western end of the Cuyuna Iron Range, just north of Ironton. Trommald was named for A. G. Trommald, county registrar of deeds from 1904 to 1930. Trommald was incorporated in 1917.