Brainerd Minnesota History
​This is half of the Lost and Found section, the FOUND part. It is the most FUN half! Some things here we had on our Lost List, went out and dug* around, and found them on purpose. Some others we just sort of stumbled upon while digging* around in the woods or alleys.
​*DISCLAIMER: This site does not authorize nor condone actually DIGGING in the dirt anywhere without prior approval from the property owner. "DIGGING" here is often used metaphorically, as in "digging" up information. :-)
Cullen Bottling Works, short-lived unique "Hutchinson" stopper.
See the TIMELINE of all soft drink bottlers in Brainerd below:
John Coates Liquor Co., Wholesale
This was found on Frenchie's Island (First Island on the maps.) "John Coates Liquor Co., Whiskies, Beer, and Cigars". We know very little of this enterprise. Can you help?
UPDATE: 9/17/2017: I made another trip to the island and found a few more shards of the Coates jug. Now I need to see if they are from the same jug!
Find more photos of...well, old PHOTOS on the next page called FOTO FINDS!
MOR​E FINDS:
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Bottles of all kinds: Brainerd Brewing Co., bourbon, Cullen, Enterprise, Braino Beverage, and more!
Horse Tie-Ups: Post-type, in-curb​
Pilings: in and by the river, and in STRANGE places!​
Railroad Car Links: Found in the river and under the sidewalks.​
Railroad Oil Cans: Found all over!
Rails, RR:​ Some were found as lentils above windows, and others as shoring for basements! Another was a sidewalk section divider.
Wooden Water Pipes: These were found in the downtown restoration about 6/18/2010 and donated to the CWCHS museum by Tommy Thompson of Tom's Backhoe.
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More info and photos to follow.
9/11/2016: Now this is getting down & dirty...literally! I have been infected with the Privy Diggin' bug. Yes, we are digging up old outhouse pits. See for yourself below.
FOUND:
Part of the 1893 Lincoln school. I think. Where? At Lincoln School! Well, maybe it does not belong on the FOUND page, as it was never really lost...just overlooked.
A few years ago I noticed a strange huge stone near the parking lot at Lincoln. It sat by the edge of the play area. Later they were expanding the lot and that gorgeous massive tree was removed, and the stone was moved farther to the west, but still in the play area on the wood chips. In the summer of 2017, I noticed it was lying in 2 pieces, but I don't know if it got broken during another move, or perhaps broken on purpose to make its moving easier. Either way, it appears to be one of the pieces of stone quarried for use as window sills, possibly sandstone. It matches those from the 1904 Ransford Hotel, but it is much larger. The dimples on the ends are drilled to facilitate the "ice tongs" that are used to lift them into place. Now that this last remnant has been found, ISD 181 is working toward storing this someplace on city grounds to preserve it. It could be used at some time as part of a marker in case the building is torn down, or who knows?
Here are some questions...can you help?:
-Is this stone indeed sandstone? It is used a lot in Duluth, such as in the Central High School building.
-Where was the stone quarried? St. Cloud is known for granite.
-Why was this one lonely piece preserved? As a bench for the playground monitor to sit on? Was it missed in the 1939 demolition and surfaced in modern times during some other construction such as underground piping or wiring?
-What do we do with it? It could go to the Outdoor Museum, but if that does not happen soon the stones would have to be placed somewhere in the meantime. If the school goes, the lot will likely be 90% blacktop. Plan B, I think the site should be properly marked as a historic site, preferably with a graphic marker with photos. These 2 pieces COULD act as the pedestal, the tall one as the vertical, and the short one the platform that could hold the plaque. It may look a bit imbalanced, or bottom heavy, however. Photos of the object are from June of 2009, and Jan. 2018. The vintage ca. 1920 photo is actually Harrison, but all 4 elementary schools were near clones. You can see where this stone may have been placed under the windows, or above the first floor in line with the window sills. Harrison photo courtesy of Lynn Madison. Click the red button for a LOT more!
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Painted in 1886, lost, found, lost again, found again in 2009. Here is the story of the elusive Lyman P. White oil painting. This is good stuff, Maynard! Click the pink link:
2019/3/26:
Say, look what I found yesterday…been working on it since last July. It is going to the museum today, but I’d like to make a facsimile of it and put it right back where it came from on that corner. This building, completed in 1882, now houses the Design Consign shop. It COULD be those 2 holes are Baby Face’s bullet holes, or so claims the donor. A few years back on that exact site I installed the 1971 Centennial plaque that never was installed. So, now I need to remove it to see if there are any bullet holes behind it that match these two holes!
