TIMELINE

1950 – VILLAGE INCORPORATED

1973 – CITY INCORPORATED

2001 – 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

On the Beginnings of Chickamaw Beach

From remarks delivered by former Mayor Fred Thompson on the 50th Anniversary Celebration.

In 1950, the east side of Norway Lake was in Barclay Township as it had always been. The single road around the east side of the lake was simply a dirt road and was constantly in need of repair in the summer and in need of snow removal in the winter, and seemed to be the last road  to receive any service from Barclay township or Cass county. Something had to be done to remedy this situation and improve life for those of us who lived on the lake, I took it upon myself to see what could be done and incorporation seemed to me to bet the answer. As an incorporated village, we would share in the state gasoline tax and other state and county taxes. So, I retained a Brainerd lawyer to advise me as to the legalities of such a move. I then consulted with Walt Silbaugh, Del Birk, Paul Yakymi and others around the lake and they too, agreed that it was a good idea. I then had the attorney guide me through the process of incorporation with the state of Minnesota. The whole process took several months. In addition to geographical limits, the main requirement was that there must be a minimum of 125 legal residents… and here’s where it gets interesting.

We were able to count 124 full-time residents, one shy of the required number. However, Lou Yakymi was pregnant and assured me that she would deliver before the requested date of incorporation and would give us the required 125 residents. So, I had the attorney file all the required papers and in a couple of months we were an incorporated village. But Lou delivered her baby two weeks late and thus, the incorporation was, by law, illegal. I didn’t advise the Secretary of State that we only had 124 8/9 citizens and now, 50 years later, who cares?