Nisswa: Prototypical Brainerd Lakes Lumber-Rail-Resort Town
Nisswa is located in the heart of what was a significant Ojibwa settlement area. The most famous Ojibwa in the BL region, except for perhaps his father, was Chief Hole-in-the-day, the younger. His home was located close to Nisswa. A mission was established on Gull lake near Nisswa in 1852. This mission, called St. Columbo, was burned during the 1852 Indian uprising. Nisswa was originally named Smiley township in 1900. The name of the township was later changed to Nisswa, the Ojibwa word for three, so named in regard to the three Fishtrap lakes closeby (Upper, Middle, and Lower Fishtrap Lakes now named Cullen, Nisswa and Roy).
Nisswa saw its first major white settlement as a logging town: the Standard Lumber Co. office was located there, along with the summer camp of the Gull River Lumber Company. Logs were driven through natural and man made channels, from lake to lake, to Gull Lake, then all to Gull River to be processed at the Gull River mill or further South at Little Falls or St Anthony Falls.
The Nisswa post office was established 1889. With the coming of the rail, it was moved from its original location on the channel between Nisswa and Cullen Lakes, to be close to the rail. Rail had replaced the interlake waterway system as the most prominent mode of transportation. The railroad through Nisswa was finished in 1899. With the railroad came resorts and summer cabins. The first summer cottage was built in 1901. This was a precursor to the nascent resort industry. Web Hill, who owned a great deal of the surrounding land, dedicated property for many boat landings in order to assure access to the property which he was trying to promote and sell. Resort goers would be met at the Nisswa station by resort owners, who would transport them to their destination by "launch." Launches were steam- or motor-driven boats. They were used in not only for moving people but also supplies, mail, etc.. Many launches had cabins and canopies enhancing their appeal as leisure craft. The boats were commonly used in Minnesota's recreational landscape, being popular for serving resorts and also as for-hire recreational fishing boats.