SUNRISE.
The town of Sunrise includes the two eastern tiers of sections of township 36, range 21, one whole and eight fractional sections of township 36, range 20, and all of township 35, range 20, except the two eastern tiers of sections. It is well watered by the St. Croix and Sunrise rivers and their tributaries. The latter river rises in Washington county, having for its principal source Forest lake, and flows through the town in a northerly direction into the St. Croix. It has three considerable tributaries from the west known as North, Middle and South branches. St. Croix river has, as tributary, Goose creek, which flows through the northern part of the town. The soil varies from a rich sandy loam to a sandy soil. The town contains many fine farms. The old government road from Point Douglas to Superior passes through the town.
Sunrise was incorporated as a town Oct. 26, 1858; Isaac A. Parmenter, David Lovejoy and A. C. Mattison, supervisors. A post office was established in 1856; George S. Frost, postmaster. The first marriage was that of Robert Nessell and Kate Torbert, by J. D. Wilcox, Esq. The first child born was Joshua Taylor Gallaspie. The first death was of an unknown man who died from the kick of a horse. Wm. Holmes, the first settler, located on Sunrise prairie in 1853, and raised crops on fifteen acres that year. John A. Brown and Patten W. Davis cultivated thirty-five acres the same year on Sunrise prairie. Messrs. Brown, Davis and Ingalls made a wagon road from Sunrise to St. Paul in 1853. John A. Brown, in the same year, built a hotel and opened a store. The hotel was built of logs, the store was a frame, the first erected in Sunrise. In 1855 he built a saw mill. His hotel was burned in 1856. These buildings were the nucleus of Sunrise village.
SUNRISE VILLAGE
Was platted July, 1857, in the north half of the northeast quarter of section 8, and the west half of the southwest quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4, and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 9, all of township 3, range 20. The proprietors were John A. Brown, J. S. Caldwell and C. L. Willis; surveyor, W. F. Duffy. It contains a first class roller flour mill, a saw mill, both owned by Caspar Spivac, two stores, a school house and several shops and dwellings. In 1857 a colony from Western New York settled in and around Sunrise village. The Wilcoxes, Wilkes, Collins, Gwynne, Smith, and others were of this colony. The village has suffered greatly from fires. The buildings lost at various times were one flouring mill, valued at $10,000, four hotels and several private dwellings. The flouring mill was the property of Mrs. J. G. Mold. Two lives were lost at the burning of the mill.
In the fall of 1862, immediately after the Sioux outbreak, and while considerable apprehension was felt as to the attitude of the Chippewas toward the white settlers, a company of volunteers under Capt. Anderson was stationed at Sunrise. This company built temporary quarters of logs, and were very comfortably fixed during the winter. They had presumably a very good time, but repelled no savage foes.
KOST VILLAGE
Is located in the west half of section 32, township 35, range 20. It has a first class roller flouring mill, owned by Ferdinand A. Kost, erected in 1883 at a cost of $13,000, and a saw mill, also owned by F. A. Kost, erected the same year. It has two stores, a number of shops and dwellings and a post office, established in 1884, of which F. A. Kost is postmaster.
CHIPPEWA
Was platted March, 1856, by Benj. Dinsmore, surveyor, in the northwest quarter of section 2, and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 2, township 36, range 21. The proprietors were James Starkey, Charles S. Patteys, Michael E. Ames, Isaac Van Etten, and Moses Sherburne. It makes a fair farm.