06.01 - Comprehensive Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

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I INTRODUCTION 2 INTENT 3 This plan is an update to the 2004 Comprehensive Plan, with was assembled to assist with the 4 transition following the annexation of Sibley Township by the City of Pequot Lakes in 2002. This 5 plan, like its predecessor, creates a unified vision for the newly City as well as a framework for 6 achieving that vision over the next decade. 7 The City of Pequot is committed to planning for the future. Participants in the planning process seek s to build on past successes, learn from prior difficulties and use their collective knowledge to ensure 9 that the people, businesses and organizations of Pequot Lakes are well - positioned for continued 10 prosperity long into the future. 12 The Central Lakes Region is rich in history, having been inhabited by Native Americans for centuries 13 before French explorers settled in the area. Thirteen recorded prehistoric sites have been identified 14 near the Paul Bunyan Trail alone. The Ojibwe and Dakota were present in the area until explorers 15 entered the region and logging and railroad industries took over. 16 Pequot first formed as a trading town along the Leech Lake Trail, formerly a Native American and 17 fur- traders travel route. It grew as a logging town with the construction of the Northern Pacific 18 Railroad, much like many other small towns surrounding Brainerd. In 1892, Crow Wing County 19 bonded itself for a railroad from Brainerd to the northern boundary of the state, and the railroad was 20 constructed northwest from Gull Lake into Cass County. The panic of 1893 halted any changes, but 21 by the latter part of 1894 efforts were made to re -route this railroad and carry the line almost directly 22 north from Brainerd. 23 The railroad opened Pequot and Sibley Township to logging, both of which experienced large -scale 24 clearing of their vast pine stands from the 1890s to the 1920s. The establishment of a large sawmill 25 near the Pequot train station brought more settlers to the area. Lake development near most train 26 stations occurred during this time, which marked the beginning of residential growth and tourism in 27 Pequot. A passenger stage line ran three times a week between Brainerd and Leech Lake; settlers and 28 tourists most likely came in with this line. In 1896, School District 41 formed and the Pequot Post 29 Office was establishment with F. M. Lawhead as post master. The post office had originally been a 30 Northern Pacific Railroad station. 31 On December 4, 1900, the Crow Wing County commissioners accepted a petition for organization 32 as Sibley Township. Sibley was named from Lake Sibley, a name given by Nicollet on his map, 33 published in 1843, in honor of Henry Hastings Sibley, for whom Sibley County was also named. 34 The town of Pequot, located within Sibley Township, had been platted nine months prior. Pequot 35 had first been named for an early logger, but it was renamed by a postal official for a former tribe 36 of Algonquian Indians in eastern Connecticut. DRAFT —April 2011 4 1 P a g e