Forest Lake is one of Minnesota’s one hundred largest lakes. The city named for the lake sits on the western shores of the lake. Clear Lake is also within the city limits, while Mud Lake is just west of the city. The town began as a stop along the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad. The first train reached Forest Lake in December of 1868. Forest Lake Township was formed in 1874, and the city was incorporated in 1893, annexing the township. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Forest Lake was a popular summer resort, boasting several hotels. Presidents Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and William Taft visited Forest Lake on more than one occasion. The city was also home to the gangsters, Ma Barker and Bugs Moran in the early 1930s. Forest Lake was the birthplace of Log Cabin Syrup, as Patrick J. Towle, the company’s founder, lived in Forest Lake at the time. The first Boy Scout troop in Minnesota was formed in Forest Lake in 1910, one of the first chartered in the United States. Eddie and Roy Shipstad, founders of the Ice Follies, were residents of Forest Lake for much of their lives, as were several early Follies skaters. The four chief routes through the city are Interstate Highway 35, US Highways 8 and 61, and County Road 2. Forest Lake is bordered by Columbus, Maple Island, Weston, and Wyoming. Minneapolis is about thirty miles southwest of Forest Lake.
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Chartered by St. Peter’s Catholic School, Pack 487 is made up of boys from five to eleven years of age in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America youth organization, the pack meets throughout the year, but is most active during the school year. Its activities and leaders are featured.
http://www.scoutlander.com/publicsite/unithome.aspx?UID=2718
Named for one of Minnesota’s one hundred largest lakes, the city is northeast of Minneapolis. The official municipal web site features a profile of the community, demographics, and administrative contacts. Council schedules, agendas and minutes are posted, and a guide to local services and municipal facilities is included.
http://www.ci.forest-lake.mn.us/
Forest Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
The membership organization serves businesses in the greater Forest Lake area, which includes the communities of Columbus, Forest Lake, Lent, Linwood, Scandia, Stacy, and Wyoming, offering networking opportunities, professional development, civic activities, and marketing. Member benefits, dues, and schedules are posted.
http://forestlakechamber.org/
Headquartered in Forest Lake, Minnesota, the public school district provides a PK-12th grade curriculum through several campuses in Forest Lake as well as in Columbus, Forest View, Lino Lakes, Linwood, Scandia, and Wyoming. School locations, schedules, and a map showing the school attendance boundaries are put forward.
http://www.forestlake.k12.mn.us/
The weekly newspaper has been published in Forest Lake, Minnesota since 1903, offering local and regional news and sports stories, as well as information about the local government, schools, arts, and entertainment venues. Community announcements, opinion columns, and public notices are included.
http://forestlaketimes.com/
Located in downtown Forest Lake, Minnesota, the gun store includes a live-fire shooting range, offering new and used guns, ammunition and appliances, as well as a variety of training classes and shooting opportunities and events. The business buys collections and takes guns on consignment.
http://www.lakestradingco.com/
Lakeside Park Marina on Forest Lake
Situated at Lakeside Park in downtown Forest Lake, Minnesota, the marina has twenty-four slips, each twenty-four feet in length, with water, electric and fuel available. Slip availability is reported, and an overview of its services is put forward. A map shows the location of the marina, and contact data is offered.
http://lakesideparkmarina.com/
The state-licensed preschool in Forest Lake, Minnesota offers preschool and pre-kindergarten programs. Its location, office hours and contacts, a school calendar, newsletter, admittance and registration policies, and a description of its curriculum and educational philosophy are offered.
http://www.sunshine-preschool.net/
