Farmstead #1 – The Wildman’s
Minnesota became a state on May 1, 1858, but the distribution of land began after the Traverse des Sioux Treaty of 1851. To facilitate this, counties were established as the population grew. Wright county was formed in 1855, and much of the land began to be distributed and recorded. Since Monticello was selected to be the county seat, as the most populous city, the land around it began to be distributed early. The nearest property of the Bertram Lakes land was along County Road 39 in the NE corner, Section 9, of Monticello Township.
The very first name on the abstract to be listed as the owner of the land was John Taylor, dated June 23, 1857. I will try to present owners every 25 years to show transfers of the land to other owners:
- 1884-1895:King Staples (interesting name)
- 1895-1905: Charles Beedy (wife, Sadie) during this time Sadie became the sole owner of the land, which was a rarity!
- 1910-1946: Marcus Wildman & Family
- 1945: Lehigh Cement Co.
In 1945, the Lehigh Portland Cement Co. granted a right of way to Standard Oil Co. to lay, maintain, inspect, operate, replace, change, or remove a pipeline for the transportation of gas and oil.
The last listing in the abstract shows a date of October 17, 1963, at which time the YMCA of New Hope became the owners. The Lehigh Portland Cement Co. placed a stipulation on the land that it be used in its natural setting and at the time it fit the YMCA’s vision as a day camp.
The farmstead (house, barn, siloh, etc.) existed on the rise about 1,000 feet south of County Road 39. The foundation of the barn still exists today, just north of Otter Creek which flowed through the property. The creek was the farm’s source of water until a well was drilled later.
