Parks & Trails Council News

P&TC Land Project Saving the mouth of Pike Creek for Charles A. Lindbergh State Park

By Lisa Filter

Notched into a prime area for Charles A. Lindbergh State Park is a property that has been part of the Smuda family story for three generations, starting in the early 1900s. It occupies a critical place at the mouth of Pike Creek—a major water feature in the park. The creek widens and meanders here, blending into wetlands before passing under a bridge along Highway 52 and draining into the Mississippi River. In 1999, the Smuda property was officially designated within the park’s statutory boundary, meaning it could be purchased if the owner wanted to sell. But, at that time it was still serving as the home for Alvina Smuda, and would continue as such for another 21 years. Finally, in 2020 the former park manager, Ron Jones, upon learning that Smuda was contemplating moving, enlisted P&TC’s assistance.

“This property is the most critical natural resource-based inholding remaining in the statutory park boundaries,” he explained. On Sept. 9, 2020 P&TC finalized the sale and plans to hold the land in trust while the MnDNR secures the necessary funding.

The modest house, situated along Highway 52 is surrounded by mown lawn to the north, which comes to an abrupt edge against the park’s forest. Behind the house, a collection of old sheds and barns dot the landscape and a foot bridge crosses the creek, whose shoreline and wetlands sprawl out in a relatively natural state. All these buildings will eventually be removed once the park takes ownership and begins to restore the entire property to a natural condition. The foot bridge will likely be brought up to accessibility standards and integrated into the park trail system.

Smuda, 87, now lives in the nearby town of Little Falls and says she is happy the land will become part of the park. “I can go visit and maybe start another zoo,” she joked. The county had previously purchased a small parcel from the Smuda family where they’ve built a public boat launch. Boats can be launched into the creek and pass under the highway bridge into the Mississippi River. A water trail on the Mississippi promotes canoeists and kayakers to paddle up the creek to a campsite in the park. According to Park Supervisor Barry Osborne, the landscape around the mouth of the creek offers interesting elevations and with this addition, park trails could be moved closer in toward the creek to offer nice views.

"This is absolutely a critical piece for the park, not only because it ties the park together...but it has very interesting elevation that could offer nice views from new trails."

~ Barry Osborne, park supervisor

You wouldn’t guess it by strolling the grounds today, but this property was famous for the menagerie of wild animals who attracted visitors across the state and country to what was then called, the Smuda Zoo. It all started in the 1960s when siblings, Frank and Louise Smuda brought home a pet European deer for their niece, Alvina, who they cared for. Curious neighbors started coming to see the deer, so they added pheasants and quail to keep their visitors entertained.

Within a few years they had about 50 species of animals, including a kangaroo, wallaby, llama, porcupine, ferret, ostrich, badger, pony, goat, wolf, chimpanzee, and even a lion, whom they acquired in 1968 from the Como Zoo in St. Paul. Conservation officers with the DNR enlisted the Smudas’ help in rehabilitating injured animals, which occasionally become permanent residents if rehabilitation proved unsuccessful.

They considered it more of a hobby than a business--something to keep them busy. They charged an entrance fee that was only enough to cover expenses. Their sole employee, Simon Podraza was quoted in a 1988 article in the Brainerd Daily Dispatch as saying, “If a fella didn’t have anything to do, well, the days would be longer than a son of a gun.”

They continued running the zoo until about 1991, at which point Frank was 81 and Louise 77. Over that time, they likely had hundreds of thousands of visitors, including many schools groups.

Brainerd Daily Dispatch Southern Edition. June 15, 1988