The Beaulieu House: Removal, Return, Research, Restoration

The Beaulieu House: Removal, Return, Research, Restoration. Main Street, Crow Wing — Self-Guiding Trail. , In 1880, two of Beaulieu's nephews dismantled the house and its 1850s addition, and moved the two sections from Crow Wing to their farms, in Morrison County. Both parts were subsequently sold. One section burned in 1923. The other, the original structure, was placed on what was then the John Branchaud farm. The house was next used by the Bellefuille family and was lived in continuously into the 1980s. The most recent owners of the house as a dwelling, donated the historic structure to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and it was moved back to Crow Wing in 1988., After more than a century in Morrison County, where it had been moved by oxen, the Beaulieu House is welcomed back to its original Crow Wing home by the Friends of Old Crow Wing and the Crow Wing County Muzzle Loaders., A team of architects, historians, archaeologists and carpenters carefully examined layers of exterior and interior treatments to discover the original appearance. The exterior was restored to its 1849 look by the Mid-Minnesota Builders Association. Materials were provided at costs, and were purchased with money donated by the Brainerd Rotary Club., Historic research and archaeological excavations were conducted to verify the original location of the house. This research also revealed important information about life in the town of Old Crow Wing., The Beaulieu House project could not have been undertaken without the support and sponsorship of volunteer organizations including the Friends of Old Crow Wing, Brainerd Rotary Club, Mid-Minnesota Builders Association and the Crow Wing County Muzzle Loaders. Sincere thanks goes to all the individuals involved.