Celebrating 150 Years of Brainerd

Chosen for its location on the mighty Mississippi and the Northern Pacific Railroad, Brainerd began as a dynamic and booming town – that Northern spirit has proven tried and true ever since. We are excited to honor and celebrate the past 150 years of culture, history, and people that make Brainerd home.
Sesquicentennial Week 150 Years Ago: September 19, 1871, Thos. H. Canfield, president of the Lake Superior and Puget Sound Company, signed a plat that had been staked out and drafted by Joseph E. Turner, Surveyor. On the 25th it was filed for record, at which time C. H. Beaulieu, Jr. [Clement H. Beaulieu, Jr., the son of the founder of Crow Wing County and Crow Wing Village], was Register for Deeds for Crow Wing County." - Brainerd "75" 1871 - 1946, page five, Carl Zapffe.
Take a Piece of History Home with You. Commemorative Sesquicentennial banners, that are posted on Washington St, South 6th St, Downtown, and Mill Ave, are available for sale through Visit Brainerd.
Sesquicentennial Articles and Photos
Brainerd 150 Logo