STORY OF ITASCA STATE PARK. 



43 



STORY OF ITASCA STATE PARK. 



E. G. CHEYNEY, ASST. IN FORESTRY. 



Under direction of Samuel B. Green, Professor of Forestry, Minnesota 

 State University. 



Description. Itasca Park was established by act of legislature 

 in 1891. It consists of about 15,000 acres near and surrounding 

 Lake Itasca, being partly in Hubbard county, partly in Becker 

 county, but mostly in Clearwater county. The center of the park 

 is about twenty-five miles north from Park Rapids and about the 

 same distance a little west of south from Bemidji. The enclosed 

 area is hilly and fairly well covered with a growth of pine and 

 hardwoods. 



Purpose. The purpose of the park is to preserve the source 

 of the Mississippi River inviolate from commercial desecration and 

 keep it forever accessible to the general public. In addition it 



Douglas Lodge, Itasca State Park. 



is to preserve to future generations a remnant of the great primeval 

 forest which has played such a large part in the development of 

 the state. Tt is right that our children and children's children 

 should have these two features of historic interest handed down to 

 them intact. 



Standing Timber. Itasca Park is well suited to subserve both 

 of these purposes. Within its boundaries stand 23,000,000 feet of 



