Resort Era

The railroad was the largest man-made happening in White Bear Lake. On September 10, 1868, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad officially opened the extension to White Bear Lake. This was a gala occasion. Ten platform cars of 300 men and four passenger cars for 200 ladies made the trip from St. Paul.

By 1874, Mark Twain had included White Bear Lake as the resort in his "Life on the Mississippi".  The "American Travelers Journal" 1881 proclaimed, "One of the most popular resorts in the magic northlands is White Bear Lake."  Barnum’s hotel became the Leip House, featuring a ballroom, billiard room, dancing pavilion, bowling alley, and boats. F.C. Williams opened the Williams House on the Murray property on Lake Avenue.  James Waters opened the White Bear House at the depot.  In 1879, the Ramaley Pavilion was opened and described as "perhaps the finest structure around the lake" (Breeze 1890). There was Lake Side Cottage on Lake north of 6th and "Château gay."  Shady Side, Bachelor’s Rest and Hotel Benson were the three resorts at Bald Eagle.

The Cottage Park summer residents built a club house in 1882 where they had their meals, entertainment and social life. In 1881, the Manitou Implement Co. developed the Island for cottages with the added important feature of water works. The "Fillebrown" house on Lake Avenue was built in 1874 by C.P. Noyes.  It was purchased in 1889 from Judge Young and has since been deeded to the city by the family.

Commerce

The downtown site was filed and platted in 1871, with Daniel Getty buying the first lot on which he built at 3rd and Clark.  Commerce had begun. Thomas Milner opened a meat market and A.E. Leaman started building boats. A blacksmith shop was opened by Captain Hubbard and the Elliot brothers had a livery stable.