Walker in Cass County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

"Spare That Tree"

— Circle of Time —

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 6, 2023

1. "Spare That Tree" Marker

Inscription. The name Leech Lake Village was changed to Walker, Minnesota when a lumber baron from Ohio by the name of Thomas B. Walker came to the area in 1862 and began buying up all the timberland around the area. The Village of Walker was named after him and was incorporated on March 10, 1896. One month later, the Minnesota Logging Company completed a 1,400 foot wooden trestle across Shingobee Bay of Leech Lake and brought the Brainerd & Northern Minnesota Railroad into Walker where they had also built a depot, water tower and roundhouse. Walker was the end of the line until the Leech Lake Lumber Company opened their mill on the shores of Leech Lake in our village in 1906. They had six years of cut logs floating in Walker Bay and they sawed 24 hours a day for nearly 20 years. Steamboats pulled huge booms of logs from all around the area, including the small surrounding lakes, such as nearby Boy Lake. Railroad cars were fully loaded with logs, as they hauled them to the mills in the nearby cities.

Forests fell to the woodsman’s ax
Boy Lake Tree Farm helped grow it back

Erected 2015 by The City of Walker, Minnesota.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry •

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Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is March 10, 1896.

Location. 47° 6.098′ N, 94° 34.69′ W. Marker is in Walker, Minnesota, in Cass County. Marker is at the intersection of Minnesota Avenue West (State Highway 200/371) and 3rd Street, on the right when traveling east on Minnesota Avenue West. This “Circle of Time” sculpture and historical marker are located in front of the Cass County Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 201 Minnesota Avenue West, Walker MN 56484, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. "Big Enough to Keep" (here, next to this marker); "Stimulated Exploration" (here, next to this marker); "The Wind Beneath Our Wings" (here, next to this marker); "Before the Ojibwe" (here, next to this marker); "A Possible Discovery" (here, next to this marker); "God Bless America" (here, next to this marker); "We Come Together" (here, next to this marker); "More Than Just A Fish Camp!" (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Walker.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Circle of Time

Also see . . .

"Spare That Tree" image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 6, 2023

2. "Spare That Tree"

The sculpture rests atop this pillar; the marker is mounted on the front.

1. The Brainerd and Northern Minnesota Railway. Excerpt:

In 1894, the B&NM surveyed and constructed a new line from Lake Hubert to Leech Lake, completed later that year. Construction continued northward from there, reaching Walker in 1896, and eventually reaching Bemidji in December of 1898. In 1900, the B&NM, widely considered the most important logging railroad in the state of Minnesota at the time, was merged into the Minnesota & International Railway, a conglomeration of logging railroads in the region.

(Submitted on November 9, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Walker, Minnesota (Wikipedia). Excerpt:

Following the construction of the railroad to the area, Patrick McGarry founded Walker in 1896. He named the settlement after the logging giant Thomas B. Walker, in hopes of luring construction of a sawmill. Walker instead chose to found and set up operations in nearby Akeley. Walker developed with business, jobs and other services generated by four other logging companies.

(Submitted on November 9, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Thomas Barlow Walker (Wikipedia). Excerpt:

An American business magnate who acquired
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 6, 2023

3. "Spare That Tree" Sculpture
The artist is Joel Randell.
lumber in Minnesota and California and became an art collector. He was among the ten wealthiest men in the world in 1923. Walker heard good things about Minneapolis, Minnesota, and moved there in 1862. Walker worked for twelve years on government surveys and on surveys for the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad. His work gave him intricate knowledge of what property to buy in northern Minnesota.

(Submitted on November 9, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

<i>“Circle of Time”</i> Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 6, 2023

4. “Circle of Time” Monument

The monument consists of 13 individual sculptures, each with an interpretive historical marker. “Spare That Tree” is in the center foreground.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 7, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 45 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 9, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.