BRAINERD — The newest park in Brainerd will bear one of the oldest names in the city’s history.
Referred to as Mississippi Landing Trailhead Park until recently, the land along the Mississippi River on East River Road will instead be called Lyman P. White Park.
Known as the Father of Brainerd, Lyman P. White was the townsite agent when Brainerd’s original plat was recorded in 1871, according to “Brainerd’s Half Century,” a 1923 book published by Ingolf Dillon.
He was born in Vermont in 1811 and came to Brainerd in 1870 by stage from St. Cloud before the railroad reached all the way to what would eventually become Brainerd. White built the first frame house in Brainerd with lumber from Sauk Rapids and served as president of the city’s first council and later mayor of Brainerd.
And at some point, the city just forgot that it was gifted land from somebody and that it was named after someone,
The decision to rename the park comes after Mayor Dave Badeaux said he dug up records showing there had been a Lyman P. White Memorial Park in the past.
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A century-old article he presented to the City Council last month showed the donation of the land south of the new park, extending to the College Drive bridge, from White’s son, Almond, with the request it be named for his father.
The request was honored, and a sign with the name once hung in the park, which was a tourist campsite.
“And at some point, the city just forgot that it was gifted land from somebody and that it was named after someone,” Badeaux said during the Feb. 21 City Council meeting.
Badeaux then proposed extending the borders of the new park south to incorporate the old campsite and dedicate the entire piece of land as Lyman P. White Park. He suggested dropping “Memorial” from the name, so as not to confuse the park with northeast Brainerd’s Memorial Park.
“And although the Mississippi Landing Trailhead is still a piece of this park, the name of this park should continue to be what we agreed to have in the first place,” Badeaux said.
Council members unanimously agreed to the change and dedicate the park as such earlier this month.
The park is set to be completed in June and will include a community amphitheater, trails, an outdoor classroom, steps down to the river and other amenities.
THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa .
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