Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/10/1997

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This action, along with the removal o£the Indians from the area in 1856, turned the village into a ghost town. A plaque stands in memory of the village at the Wayside Park about 2 miles west o£Missi~sippi West Regional Park on Highway 10. The village extended for a greater distance than the limits of the Wayside Park, though. The western edge of the town was marked by Oliver Kelly's farm, about 4 or 5 miles west of Mississippi West Regional Park in Elk River. This farm is still standing and is in operation by the Minnesota Historical Society. The eastern edge o£Itasca Village is located at the present day Pearson farm. This farm milizes the agricultural fields that are located on the west side of Traprock Street that the Husbys have rented out. Although the rest of Mississippi West Regional Park was not thought to be part of Itasca Village, the ox cart travelers and the Indians were sure to have traversed this land. In the late 1800's, Mississippi West Regional Park's property was settled and fanning practices were started bythe Foster family (Larson, 1991). In 1943 the rights of ownership were purchased bythe Husbys (FI. Husby, 1995). In 1975, after years of raising dairy cattle and agricultural crops (1948 - 1964), Mr. and Mrs. Husby willed their property to the Anoka County Board of Parks and Recreation for future park development. Today the Husbys continue to carry' out active roles in establishing and maintaining non-native grasslands and tree ~aands. Neither Foster's or Cloquet Islands were ever brought into agricultural production and remain as native floodplain forests. An area north of Traprock Street was mined for its natural gravel content. The mining of the land began prior to the Husbys purchasing the land. This area was never brought under agricultural production and today is reverting to a natural oak woodland-br~_~shtand community.