Whitefish Chain and Boyd Lodge

Nancy Schwieters heard plenty of stories about "the old days" from her father, Lynn Boyd. Ignoring pleas from his parents and his fiancée’s parents, Boyd set out from the St. Paul area northward in 1934 to find the perfect spot to build a cabin in the woods. His life’s dream was to start a fishing resort.

When he reached the west side of Whitefish Lake, he picked a spot near a stand of birch trees, pitched a tent and proceeded to build a cabin. He purchased 200 feet of lakeshore from the Railroad for $2 a foot. After clearing land, each year Boyd built another cabin, with the fourth building becoming the first main lodge for the Boyd Lodge -- three miles from Ideal Corners, and six miles from Crosslake. "He was filled with guts and gumption," Schwieters said. "When he broke his ankle, he set it himself and kept on working."

Schwieters and her husband, Roger, took over the operation of the lodge in 1967. Of their own three children, their daughter, Mary Young, and her husband, Mike Young, are now involved in the lodge’s operation. Nancy hopes the lodge can stay in the family. After all, even the stand of birch trees has remained with the family since her father happened upon it in 1934.

The Boyd Lodge includes the original cabins, although they have been renovated, along with new buildings that now include 17 townhomes, as well as two swimming pools, two saunas, two whirlpools and two tennis courts. She said her father was a true futurist. "He said, ‘Mark my word. Someday there will be a swimming pool here.’"

While much has changed, the beauty of the area has not, nor has the face of at least one client. One gentleman from St. Louis, Harry Albus, now 92, has made a trip to the Boyd Lodge ‘most every year since it opened. He planned a return trip this summer from mid July to mid September. Customers such as Albus become like family to the Schwieters.

In the early days, people often came to the lodge as part of a fishing trip. Today, they come more for family togetherness and recreation. While nothing could compare with the physical labor and other obstacles her father faced in the 1930s, Schwieters said her stress is caused more by the need for workers and increasing requests from guests for more amenities. "We have so many planned activities for the guests," she said. "Even with the hard work, my dad had more time to laugh, to fish, to spend time with the guests," Schwieters said. "We’re missing something today. In my dad’s day, people didn’t hurry as much."

Schwieters remembers families that drove long distances to the lodge during the time of gas rationing coupons around World War II. Some didn’t know how they would get home, being short of gas coupons, but her dad always helped the customers finagle a way to make it back home. She also remembers going with groups of customers to a dance hall called the Log Jam. "People had fun, but things never got out of hand."

Before the days of strict liability insurance, her family gave water skiing lessons to customers. And her family regularly took caravans of guests by boat across the lake to an island for a picnic lunch, with coffee made over an open fire with lake water.

She also remembers talk of some "shady characters" who allegedly visited some northern Minnesota resorts in the old days. One vivid memory is the day in the early 1950s when two slot machines were suddenly missing from her family’s lodge. Slot machines had recently been outlawed. "Nobody ever talked about it," said. "People think there are quite a few slot machines in Trout Lake."

"I have a lot of good memories," Schwieters said. "This lodge truly has been a labor of love and dedication. It has been a wonderful experience and I hope it will continue."

Real Estate Values

The lakefront property that Lynn Boyd purchased in the 1930s for $2 a foot would bring a slightly higher offer today. When Bruce Larson began selling real estate along the Whitefish Chain in 1978, a 100-foot lot in the most prime location you could find sold for $29,000. Today, that same lot would cost about $290,000. The average cost of improved property, with a cabin, is $250,000 to $500,000. Some cabins cost less depending on the location of the lot and size of the cabin.

Most of the lake property is developed today. The Whitefish chain is attracting buyers not only from the Twin Cities, but also from Nebraska, California and Colorado. "A lot more jets are lined up at the Brainerd Airport than you’d imagine," Larson said, as well as some people who fly planes to the airport at Pine River.

Fortunately, the increased development in the Whitefish area – both residential and commercial -- is accompanied by increased attention to quality of architecture, Larson said. Larson is co-owner of Shores & More Realty in Crosslake, and runs a team of agents and support staff inside the firm. "Years ago, fishing was king," Larson added. "Today, boating has become much more important. There is something for every member of the family – a fabulous blend of amenities."

The increasing number of quality golf courses is fueling interest in the Whitefish area, Larson said. "Golf has become a very exceptional amenity. Some of the finest courses in Minnesota have been built here the past five to seven years, and more are being built today. This is becoming a golf destination; before, it was for lakeshore only. "Baby boomers are driving the economy. They want recreation as part of their lifestyle."