Askov American., 1943-05-20

been given serious consideration by
the Minnesota legislature.
With the advent of the Federal
Work Relief program in 1888 and the
subsequent passage by Congress of
the "Sub-marginal Land Purchase
law" in 1884, the working tools"
were provided by which recognized
needs could be met. Under the super
vision of the National Park Service
start had been made by the Civilian
Conservation Corps in improving the
existing state parks. Under the same
supervision investigations were made
of potential areas within the state
suitable for demonstrating the value
of removing sub-marginal farm lands
from cultivation, moving the occu-
pants to marginal lands and utilizing
the lands for recreation and conSer-
walton purposes.
Federal officials were convinced
that the area above the confluence of
the st. CroiX and Kettle river, lying
between these two interesting rivers,
was the most desirable area for such
a development. The cover of the
area was principally jack pine with a
scattering of Norway and white pine,
and although it had felt the scourge
of forest fires in years past, it had
been sufficiently protected against
such ravageS since the turn of the
century and presented an extremely
interesting foreSted area suitable for
recreational purposes. Located al
most equidistant between the Twin
Cities and Duluth, only 100 miles
from each population center, it was
accessible to large numbers of peo-
pie and offered opportunities for the
widest possible variety of recrea-
tional pursuits. The st. Croix and
Kettle rivers offered fine small
mouth bass fishing, and the several
cold water streams which bisect the
area offered good trout fishing.
In August, 1884, the Minnesota De-
partment of Conservation indicated
its willingness to assume the main
tenance and operation of the area if
sanctioned by the legislature, and at
such time as the Federal government
could turn over the lands to the state.
|. Immediately thereafter Federal ac-
QUESTION proceedings were begun,
and eliminated in the outright pur-
chase of 18,499 acres and the leasing
of 6,99l acres of flowage along the
two rivers from the Northern States
Power Company. Under such lease,
if a proposed power development is
consummated, thereby creating a
large lake along the entire river
fronts, the public will be privileged
to use such body of water for recre-
ational purposes. In addition to the
acquisitions mentioned, 5,067 acres of
lands within the area have been for
feited to the state for taxes, thus in
creasing the grand total acreage at the
present time to .30,557r acres. The
Federal investment in lands pur-
chased is $86,39O.
A master plan for the development
of the area was prepared by the Ma
tional Park Service and approved
by the Division of State Parks. The
work was carried out by CCC en-
rollees and WPA workers. The i'm
provements included three of the
finest organized group camps in Min
nesota which provide accommodations
for 275 persons. These camps have
been used in the past by the st. Paul
Social Service Agencies, the Council
of Jewish Women, and the Michael
Bowling Endowment for Cripples. A
complete picnic and camp ground has
been developed which provides all
the necessary facilities and accom-
modations including ten modern
rental cabins, showers, laundries, re-
fectories, and rest rooms, bathing
beaches, trails and boat landings, all
of which are considered necessary
adjunctS in the recreational picture.
An appraised valuation of the devel-
opments within the park totals $454,-
66O. .
On June s, 1912, President Roose-
velt signed the Congressional Act
which authorized the transfer of the
ST. Croix area, along with twenty
seven similar areas, to the several
states in which they were located,
completely equipped for operation,
upon the condition that the property
be used exclusively for public park,
recreational and conservation pur-
poses.
On April 5, 1943, Governor Stassen
signed a bill, passed by both houses
of the legislature, authorizing the
State of Minnesota to accept the st.
Croix Demonstration Area as the st.
Croix State Park of the Minnesota
| system.
Many Minnesotans, because of the
war, will be unable to make use OF
the facilities and opportunities pre-
sented therein n,htil the war has
ceased When that day comes, how
ever, there can be little doubt but
that the st. Croix State Park will be
the most heavily used and most pop
ular recreational park for the people
now living in the Twin Cities area
4 H. H<~.