Another Historic Endeavor

During the past couple of years, over a hundred years of settlement, livelihood and transportation history was collected from archives and interested Jenkins area residents who have direct memories and/or family ties to the stories.

All those stories were then reborn into an interpretive panel of Jenkins historical highlights, designed for the City of Jenkins by the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association (PBSBA) and JM Plein Consulting. The completed panel was installed earlier this month at the PBSBA’s Gateway Gazebo near AmericInn at the intersection of County Road 16 and Highway 371. Visitors can stop by the Gazebo anytime to read the panel. More information about the stories is available on the Byway Association’s website.

Donna and Steve Stricker spearheaded the history collection meetings that put real faces and names to the day-to-day events, and the momentous ones, that together helped tell the story of the beginning of Jenkins from a simple fur trading post, through the ups and downs of the ensuing decades, to the growing Byway community it is today.

The City of Jenkins’ partnership with the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association to develop this interpretive panel is the first installation as a part of the PBSBA’s Panel Partners program. The program offers cities, organizations and groups, annually rented space at selected existing kiosk site locations. There are thirteen kiosk locations along the Byway route. Additionally, the PBSBA offers the services needed to work with the groups on panel design, production and fabrication.

Curious? Learn more about Jenkins history.

News Category: 
Published Date: 
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Published By: 
Brainerd Dispatch