The site of the village of Sauk Rapids was judiciously chosen. It slopes gently to the river's east bank, giving a pleasant frontage to the rapids. Philip Beaupre came here first in 1844. His son, William P., was the first white child here, born May 24, 1852. Geo. O. Sweet was the second, born Aug. 22, 1852. Several Indian traders located here and at Watab. Following Mr. Beaupre came T. A. Holmes, James Beatty, J. Russell, Calvin Potter, James Hitchins, Curtis Bellows, and Charles Webb. The first plat of Sauk Rapids was made and recorded in 1854. The proprietors were J. Russell, G. M. Sweet and S. Van Nest. The surveyor was C. B. Chapman.
The village was incorporated in 1881. The commissioners appointed under the general act to effect the organization were Alphonso J. Demenles, Erasmus Cross, B. K. Knowlton. A wagon bridge built across the Mississippi at this point cost $25,000. It was greatly damaged by a storm, and partially destroyed by the cyclone of 1886.
The dam across the Mississippi at Sauk Rapids was built in 1870 at a cost of $140,000. The east wing is owned by the Commodore Davidson estate; the west, by the Sauk Rapids Manufacturing Company.
The rapids are formed by the eruption of granite ledges across the channel of the river. A flour mill built here with a capacity of three hundred barrels per day was totally destroyed by the cyclone of April 16, 1886, which was one of the most destructive on record. The estimated loss in Sauk Rapids was $300,000, of which $108,000 was made up by voluntary contributions from St. Paul, Minneapolis and other portions of the State.
The public buildings, including the court house, school buildings and several churches, were destroyed, together with many fine stores and dwellings.
Since the cyclone the village has been handsomely rebuilt. A new court house has replaced the old one at a cost of $6,000, a new school house has been built at a cost of $12,000—a model building with rooms for five departments. There are five new church buildings, an Episcopal, Congregational, Methodist and two Lutheran.
WATAB.
Watab appears to have been a noted Indian trading post from 1844 to 1855. Asa White, D. Gilman, C. W. Borup, N. Myrick, Gen. Lowry, and others were located, or had stations here. Watab was for a short time the county seat of Benton county. A bridge was once built across the Mississippi here, but it has disappeared. The village site was surveyed and platted, and a post office established in 1853. P. Lamb was postmaster. A steam saw mill was erected here, but was afterward removed. The first improved farm in Benton county was located in the vicinity. David Gilman, Benjamin Bright and George Goodhue were early settlers.
Philip Beaupre was born in Lower Canada, in 1823. As his name indicates, he is of French descent. He received a French education. He came West in 1841; entered the employ of the fur company in 1843, and located at Sauk Rapids in 1844. When he arrived there were no white inhabitants, save Indian traders, on the Mississippi north of St. Anthony. Mr. Beaupre built a log house in 1851, and was continuously engaged in trade until succeeded by his sons. He assisted in forming the county, town and village organizations, filling many offices of trust and honor. In 1880 he served as judge of the probate court, and since as collector of customs at Pembina. In 1851 he was married to Teresa de Noyes, of St. Louis, and has a family of seven sons and six daughters, all residing in Benton county.
David Gilman.—Hon. David Gilman, of Watab, was born April 29, 1812, at Saratoga, New York. He was left fatherless at the age of six months, and his mother subsequently placed him in the family of a neighbor to be brought up and cared for until the age of twenty-one. As he grew older he was not pleased with this arrangement, and at the age of fourteen left his home to adventure for himself. His opportunities for securing an education were limited. In 1836 he came to Michigan. In 1844 he married Nancy W. Lamb, of Woodstock, Vermont. In 1848 he came to Watab, Minnesota, and made him a permanent home, making himself a useful, influential and public spirited citizen, filling many positions of trust in his town, county and state governments. Amongst the offices filled by him were those of deputy United States marshal, member of the second territorial legislature, and of the constitutional convention. He was postmaster at Watab from the establishment of the office in 1849 until 1885, when he died, greatly lamented by his friends and honored by all who knew him. Mrs. Gilman and four children survive him.