PAPER MILL--Logging was a leading industry in Brainerd at the turn of the century. Shown above is the paper mill and a portion of the green lumber yard.

The Brainerd Foundry Co., 801 S. 10th St., started its long history in 1872.

The business now operating on S. 10th St. was established in 1925, but carries on a line of work begun 99 years ago.

In 1872, Charles N. Parker, came to Brainerd to help set up the foundry for the Northern Pacific Railroad Shops. In 1885, he moved to Brainerd and he and a partner, H. A. Topping, leased the railroad foundry and ran it as Parker-Top-ping Foundry Co.

The firm had a contract with the railroad to make castings and by 1888 the foundry was supplying castings for the entire railroad system west of Spokane, Wash., and had a pay-roll of $60,000. The foundry employed 150 men.

LATER CONSTRUCTION--This aerial view was taken in more recent times as the mill as we know it today was in the process of another expansion project.

In 1922 and 1923, an eight-month railroad strike closed the Brainerd shops and resulted in the discontinuation of the contract between the foundry and the railroad. As a result, the foundry was closed.

In 1925, a new foundry at its present location was established by Clyde E. Parker, F. E. Kinsmiller and E. 0. Webb, all of whom had been associated with the earlier firm. In 1928, they entered into contractual arrangements with the Northern Pacific Railroad.

The foundry manufactures brass, bronze, aluminium and grey iron castings, makes brass castings and iron castings for the paper companies in Minnesota and Canada for iron, mines on the Cuyuna Range.

The firm still occupies its original building which has been increased greatly in size.

BRICK YARD--Shown here is the David Ebinger Brick Yard in 1908, on the edge of Rice Lake east of the paper mill. It was the only brick yard in Brainerd and employed between 10 and 15 people. It was owned by Ebinger for 30 years and his sons, William, Edward, David,. Jr., and Howard worked for him. Howard and William are still in Brainerd.

Reproduced from the Centennial Edition of the Brainerd Daily Dispatch (1871-1971).

BREWING COMPANY--This picture shows the Brainerd Brewing Company, Hoffman & Poppel proprietors, 1890s, on Boom Lake. The beer turned out here was used mainly for local consumption. Poppel learned the beer-making business in Germany. Most of the malt used was produced in Minnesota. It was forced to close down during prohibition days.