-THE 1953 Brainerd City Council (around the table, left to right) Curly Kurz, Joe Marchel, George Krueger, City Attorney Sy Fitzpatrick, George Erickson, City Clerk Walter Fall, Vernon Olson, John Stensrud, Obert Benson; (standing) Mayor Levi Johnson, Police Chief Louis Rofidal and City Engineer C. 0,. Markson.

Modern Brainerd residents take cement sidewalks and paved streets for granted. Actually, however at least half the city's history passed before the city became well-paved.

Paths and wagon trails through the pines were Brainerd's first streets. Dense woods existed wherever the trees had not been cleared. In some places the paths led for blocks through the woods from one part of the city to another.

After storms, the railroad often had to cut away trees blown over the tracks. Northeast and Southeast Brainerd were nothing but a wilderness during the early years of the city's history.

As the town began to grow board walks were constructed in front of business places and in some residential sections but it was not until 1900 that Brainerd saw its first cement sidewalk.

When Henry L. Cohen heard that year that the railroad planned to replace the old Sixth Street sidewalk, south of the tracks by another plank sidewalk, he pointed out that cement would cost only $120 more. He raised the extra money from some of the businessmen and the first cement sidewalk was built.