White Bear Lake, Minnesota

White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 23,797 at the 2010 census. The city is located on White Bear Lake, one of the largest lakes in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

Origin of name
The city is named after its largest lake, White Bear Lake; the lake's name allegedly comes from Native Americans who previously inhabited the region. Anglo-European writers have delivered more than one version of the legends surrounding the origin of the name. From the book "Indian Legends of Minnesota" by Mrs. Carl T. Thayer, J.R. Osgood & Co., 1883, pp 583–593, "It is said that a Sioux maiden fell in love with a Chippewa brave. She, the daughter of the Chief, on learning that her father planned war against the Chippewa, ran to her lover and warned him. The brave went alone into the Sioux village to ask for peace and the hand of the maiden. Before the Chief would agree, the Chippewa would have to do a brave deed. The lovers usually met on Manitou Island. One day, as the brave approached the Island, anticipating a meeting with his beloved, he saw, to his horror, a great white bear attacking her. He dashed to her rescue. Freed, she ran to get help from her father and the other Sioux. Returning, they saw the brave sink his knife into the bear. But too late, they both fell to the ground dead. Slowly, as they watched, the spirits of the brave and the bear rose from their prone bodies. It is said that even today, as night falls, the spirits of the bear and the brave wander the Island eternally in search of each other." In the version quoted by Mark Twain in "Life on the Mississippi" 1883, p 399, "…the warrior, with one plunge of the blade of his knife, opened the crimson sluices of death, and the dying bear relaxed his hold. "That night, there was no more sleep for the band or the lovers, and as the young and the old danced about the carcass of the dead monster, the gallant warrior was presented with another plume, and ere another moon had set he had a living treasure added to his heart. Their children for many years played upon the skin of the white bear – from which the lake derives its name, and the maiden and the brave remembered long the fearful scene and rescue that made them one, for Kis-se-me-pa and Ka-go-ga could never forget their fearful encounter with the huge monster that came so near sending them to the happy hunting ground."

History
The railroad was the largest man-made happening in White Bear Lake. On September 10, 1868, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad officially opened the extension to White Bear Lake. This was a gala occasion. Ten platform cars of 300 men and four passenger cars for 200 ladies made the trip from St. Paul.

By 1874, Mark Twain had included White Bear Lake as the resort in his "Life on the Mississippi." The "American Travelers Journal" 1881 proclaimed, "One of the most popular resorts in the magic northlands is White Bear Lake." Barnum’s hotel became the Leip House, featuring a ballroom, billiard room, dancing pavilion, bowling alley, and boats. F.C. Williams opened the Williams House on the Murray property on Lake Avenue. James Waters opened the White Bear House at the depot. In 1879, the Ramaley Pavilion was opened and described as "perhaps the finest structure around the lake" (Breeze 1890). There was Lake Side Cottage on Lake north of 6th and "Château gay." Shady Side, Bachelor’s Rest and Hotel Benson were three of the resorts at Bald Eagle Lake. The Cottage Park summer residents built a club house in 1881 where they had their meals, entertainment and social life. In 1881, the Manitou Implement Co. developed the Island for cottages with the added important feature of water works. The "Fillebrown" house on Lake Avenue was built in 1879 by C.P. Noyes. It was purchased in 1881 by Judge George Young and in 1905 purchased by the J. Walter Fillebrown family who donated the house to the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society in the 1970s.

Some say that White Bear Lake was the object of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald's Winter Dreams, as he describes life in Black Bear Lake, Minnesota. The late 1920s and early 1930s brought dubious distinction to White Bear Lake area as a temporary hideout for gangland figures. Ma Barker, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis are all said to have sought refuge here.

White Bear Lake High School and Mariner High School merged in 1983 to form White Bear Lake Area High School. There are still two buildings, now the North Campus and South Campus. North Campus (White Bear Lake High School) holds classes for freshman and sophomores while South Campus (the former Mariner High School) holds classes for juniors and seniors. The two buildings have a combined total of about 3,000 students.

The murder of three-year-old Dennis Jurgens in 1965 at the hands of his adoptive mother, Lois Jurgens, was arguably the biggest scandal to hit the town with her conviction in 1987. The story was recounted in Barry Siegel's true crime novel A Death in White Bear Lake.

In 1952, the Lakeshore Players Community Theater was organized. Currently, Lakeshore Players resides in a former church building constructed in 1889, at 4820 Stewart Avenue.

The White Bear Center for the Arts was officially organized on May 16, 1968 and currently resides in the old armory building at 2228 Fourth Street.

The White Bear Lake Area Historical Society was incorporated on September 25, 1970 and gathers, preserves and shares the stories of the five communities that touch the shore of White Bear Lake - Birchwood, Dellwood, Mahtomedi, White Bear Lake, and White Bear Township.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.7 square miles (22.5 km²), of which, 8.2 square miles (21.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (5.870%) is water.

U.S. Highway 61, Ramsey County Highway 96, Minnesota State Highway 96, Interstate 35E, and Interstate 694 are five of the main routes in the city.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 24,325 people, 9,618 households, and 6,649 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,974.3 people per square mile (1,148.2/km²). There were 9,813 housing units at an average density of 1,199.9 per square mile (463.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.31% White, 1.08% African American, 0.37% Native American, 1.54% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 1.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,618 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,934, and the median income for a family was $60,196. Males had a median income of $41,699 versus $31,797 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,338. About 3.3% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Business
Smarte Carte, a company that provides baggage carts to many airports around the world, is headquartered in White Bear Lake, near Interstate 35E and Ramsey County Highway 96. Weyerhauser, one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world, operates a significant facility in northern White Bear Lake along 9th street across from Podvin Park.

Public schools
The White Bear Lake school system includes 9 elementary sites, 2 middle school sites, and 2 high school sites. In addition to these, there is also an area learning center located at the former Golfview Elementary site.

Elementary schools (grades K-5)

 * Birch Lake


 * Hugo


 * Lakeaires


 * Lincoln


 * Oneka


 * Otter Lake


 * Parkview/Centerpoint


 * Vadnais


 * Willow Lane

Middle schools (grades 6-8)

 * Central


 * Sunrise Park

High schools (grades 9-12)

 * White Bear Lake Area High School (North Campus): grades 9 & 10
 * White Bear Lake Area High School (South Campus): grades 11 & 12


 * White Bear Lake Area Learning Center (ALC): grades 9 - 12

Private schools

 * St. Mary of the Lake School (grades PRE-K through 8)


 * St. Pius X Holy Family School (grades PRE-K through 8)

Notable natives and/or residents

 * Tony Benshoof, Olympic athlete competing in luge
 * Jackson Bond, actor
 * Brian Bonin, Univ. of Minnesota Golden Gophers Men's Hockey, 1996 Hobey Baker Award winner
 * James Brunzell, retired wrestler
 * Ryan Carter, NHL center for the Anaheim Ducks
 * Moose Goheen (1894–1979), NHL hockey player
 * Steve Janaszak, hockey goalie, Hill-Murray School, University of Minnesota, 1980 US Olympic "Miracle on Ice" Team
 * Bradley Joseph, composer, keyboardist with Yanni and Sheena Easton
 * Joe Miller (1850–1891), Major League Baseball player
 * Jack Morris, Major League Baseball Player with Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, World Series champ
 * Alice Peacock, folk singer
 * Elwyn "Doc" Romnes (1909–1984), former NHL hockey player
 * Gerry Spiess, sailor
 * David Tanabe, hockey player, Hill-Murray School, NHL's Carolina Hurricanes
 * Jacob Volkmann, UFC fighter
 * Zach Halverson, Radio Show Host
 * Angie Hopkins Neihart, 2 Time Division II Softball All-American, Augustana College. 1991 Division II National Softball Champion. NCAA Softball player of the year.
 * Dan McKeague, Aflac Duck
 * Nora Greenwald, Former WWE Diva
 * John Schlecht Former Minnesota Gopher Football Player, Former NFL Player