Hidden caves near Potlatch?

An old timer at a local bar told me a story about how river pirates used to have a hideout in a hidden cave near the grounds of the facility formerly known as Potlatch. Can anyone confirm or deny this tale?

Editor’s note: Carl “Fert” Faust, Brainerd historian, said: “Wow, new one on me! I’ve walked the entire area out there and have seen no caves at least remaining today.  However, there are a few pits, depressions and hollows, or call them ruts, left from the man-made diggings of the 1880s from the Schwartz Brainerd Steam Brick Yard there. There is supposed to be a ton of clay left, but I can’t find it, as it’s likely buried under feet of sand. I haven’t found any natural caves anywhere along our river. The only thing here I’d call a cave or close would be old mining pits, and their drifts, but they are all from the Bethany/Armory area to say, Harrison School. If you look at a Sanborn map you’ll see that the bank closest to the mill is very near the water, just enough room to walk without getting wet. There could have been hiding spots there. But then the digging for clay was about done in the 1890s, so they likely did not “reclaim” the land like we do today, so probably left it a scarred mess, rather cave-like! So one might have mistaken this scarring for caves. But pirates and a hideout? Hiding what? I’d bet more like 1919 or so and the booty was  moonshine, or leftover Jack! This fall I want to try on that clay again, so I’ll keep my eyes peeled.”

Produce prices preposterous

What a ripoff! Not only has the price of produce skyrocketed (they say due to gas prices) but now you have to pay per pound for the plant part you don’t eat. Check it out the next time you buy broccoli or cauliflower.

Baxter needs director

Here we go again! Baxter needs their own Park and Rec director. Their programs would be so much better, smoother and especially more fair. Hope they wake up.

More low-income housing?

I would like to thank the Baxter City Council for allowing the local citizen taxpayer to foot the bill for the TIF funding on another government-subsidized low income housing project brought to you by local millionaire contractors and investors as if we didn’t need more low-income housing in the Brainerd lakes area.

Doesn’t understand county expenses

It’s kind of weird to see the article that says detox is moving an hour away. I don’t know what the deal is with the county here but the county got rid of the juvenile center which it costs them two or three times as much to transfer the juveniles to other facilities. Now they get rid of the detox and it’s the same thing. There’s a building out at the state hospital that costs $4.5 million dollars to take care of and it’s being not used. I just don’t understand the county expenses.

Stop the bickering

Everyone needs to pay attention to our elected officials, what they do, say and question of their peers and others to promote their own agendas or their friends’ agendas. Some are just troublemakers. They tell you they will do one thing but otherwise they do something else. Just because they are elected to a position does not mean they own the town. It is the citizens’ town. Stop the bickering and get down to business.

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