Brainerd in Crow Wing County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Depot Park
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 31, 2022
1. Depot Park Marker
Although never a city entity, this park was located on the east side of Sixth Street just south of the Northern Pacific Railroad tracks, also called NP Park as it was on Northern Pacific RR land. The first NP Depot was just to the north, where the concrete water tower now stands. It was a popular meeting place, later largely wooded, and apparently somewhat of a hangout for hobos so was sometimes called Hobo Park. From 1886-1887 there was a splendid 2-block long, 2-way toboggan slide here. Visualize now no NP freight depot and no Baehr Building and in their places two wooden toboggan slides where one would slide east to one end from 6th St. then climb the other one on 8th St. for the return trip! Between the two slides was an ice rink.
One of the earliest bandstands stood here for a quarter century until the Parker Bandstand was built in Gregory Park in 1914. In this year the NPRR officially ordered the park open to the public.
This was later the location of the Baehr Building — 1936, and the Brainerd Theater — 1938. The upper floor was destroyed by fire in 1964. It was demolished in February of 1999, and made into a parking lot.
Erected 2014 by City of Brainerd.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment
this page online
Location. 46° 21.417′ N, 94° 12.029′ W. Marker is in Brainerd, Minnesota, in Crow Wing County. Marker is at the intersection of Front Street and South 6th Street (Voyageur Highway) (Business State Highway 371), on the right when traveling west on Front Street. Marker is located beside the sidewalk at the northeast corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brainerd MN 56401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. First Northern Pacific (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Former Northern Pacific Railway Water Tower (about 300 feet away); The Mills Companies Corporate Headquarters (about 500 feet away); Carnegie Library (about 700 feet away); Reconciliation (approx. 0.2 miles away); All Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Geology of Minnesota (approx. 7˝ miles away); In Death, a Story of Life: The Gull Lake Burial Mounds (approx. 8.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brainerd.
Crow Wing County Historical Society
2. Marker detail: Depot Park, ca. 1896
Depot Park on the east side of 6th St. just south of the railroad tracks, ca.1896. View looking over the park north at the first NPRR depot.
Crow Wing County Historical Society
3. Marker detail: Baehr Building, ca.1948
Baehr Building, on the northeast corner of 6th and Front Streets, ca.1948.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 31, 2022
4. Depot Park Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 7, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 74 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 7, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
