ANOKA CITY.
The county seat of Anoka county is located on the Mississippi at the mouth of Rum river and dates its settlement to the year 1847, when Thomas Holmes located on the east bank of the river, and built the first log house for a trading post. Aaron Betts, in the employ of Holmes, brought his family with him, the first family in the town. In the winter of 1847-48 Holmes sold out to Simeon P. Folsom, whose family was the second in the town. Mr. Folsom raised the first crop in the township. In September, 1848, Mr. Folsom removed to Sherburne county, selling out his claim to Louis Roberts. In the winter of the same year Wm. Dahl took possession for Mr. Roberts. In the spring of 1849 Antoine Roberts, brother of Louis, came from Prairie du Chien, took possession of the home, and lived there some years, when he was killed by an Indian. When the land on which the improvements were made was brought into market Louis Roberts entered it.
In 1851 Anton Guion entered a quarter section of land on the west side. He immediately sold his claim to Henry M. Rice, who bought it with the intention of platting it as a town site. His brother, Orrin Rice, occupied it and made improvements. Rum river has a fall of five feet, which is fully utilized at Anoka.
In 1851 Geo. W. Branch took up a claim on the west side, and built a house near what is now the corner of Main and Ferry streets. This was the first frame house in Anoka, which, from this time forward, grew almost imperceptibly into a village, till in 1855 the census showed nearly 300 inhabitants. In 1860 the population was 602, and in 1886, 5,000. Anoka was incorporated as a city in 1878, with the following board of officers: Mayor, G. W. Church; aldermen, D. C. Dunham, D. H. Lane, L. G. Browning, A. Davis, H. N. Seelye, and J. H. Pierce; treasurer, H. E. Lepper; justices of the peace, W. W. Fitch and E. S. Teller; constables, George Geddes and Norman McLean. At that time the city was divided into two wards, the First including the east side, and the Second the west side, of Rum river. In 1881 the west side was changed to the First ward, and the east side became the Second and Third wards.
In 1853 Ed. I. Shaw built and opened the first store. It was on the west side, and the building still stands, and is known as the Schuler building. It is now the hospital: Caleb and W. H. Woodbury erected a saw mill on the east side. It was subsequently owned by Woodbury, Shaw & Farnham. During the same year a bridge was built across Rum river by the government; Orrin Rice, contractor. The first flour will was finished in 1855. It was burned ten days after with $5,000 worth of wheat and corn a total loss, as there was no insurance. It was owned by A. P. Lane, Caleb and Henry Woodbury. The mill was rebuilt by Caleb Woodbury and Wm. L. Barnes. In 1855 H. L. Ticknor erected and opened the first store on the east side. Rev. Royal Twitchell preached the first sermon and taught the first school. The first mill was utilized on Sundays as a church.
The Congregationalists organized the first church in Anoka in 1855, and erected a church building in 1857. The Baptists and Catholics organized in 1856, the Methodists and Episcopalians in 1860, the Universalists in 1867, the Swedish Lutherans in 1870, the Adventists in 1880, and the Free Methodists in 1882. The Masons organized a lodge in 1866, the Knights of Pythias in 1872, the United Workmen in 1877, the Patrons of Husbandry in 1874, and the Odd Fellows in 1882.
Anoka has suffered from time to time by fires. A flour mill, two saw mills, half a dozen hotels, and a large number of stores have been burned at different times, and twice the business part of the city has been destroyed. Aug. 16, 1884, the entire business portion of the city, including 60 business blocks and the Washburn mills, was consumed. The loss amounted to $750,000, on which there was an insurance of $316,000. The burnt district has since been handsomely rebuilt, and the Washburn flour mill has been replaced with a superior building, five stories high, 60 × 180, ground plan, and rising to the height of 112 feet. This is one of the finest mills in the State.
The court house is valued at $35,000, the city hall at $12,000, and four school buildings at $75,000. The bridge across the Mississippi, a fine structure, 700 feet long, was built at a cost of $100,000. Street cars have been introduced on some of the streets. The principal manufactories are the Lincoln flouring mill, with a capacity of seven hundred bushels per day, owned by the Washburn Mill Company; four saw mills belonging to the Washburn Mill Company, with a capacity of 50,000,000 feet per year; the Anoka Sash and Door Factory, one of the most thriving industries in the city, Jonas Morell, manager; a starch factory, a boot and shoe company, with a capital of $30,000, recently organized. Other industries are well represented; the whole giving employment to over 1,000 men.
The First National Bank of Anoka was organized as a private banking institution in 1872. It became a state bank in 1882, with a capital stock of $25,000, and a national bank in 1883, with a paid up capital of $50,000. The officers are: President, H. L. Ticknor; cashier, B. F. Pratt. The Anoka National Bank was organized in 1883, with a paid up capital of $100,000. The officers are: President, W. D. Washburn; vice president, C. C. Crane; cashier. C. S. Guderian.