HILLCREST

RESORT

On Minnesota's Big Sandy Lake
in Aitkin County

          Big Sandy Lake Live!

Hillcrest Resort lies on the shoreline of Webster Bay. In the late 1800's this area was owned by Northern Pacific Railroad naming Jay Cooke and John Edgar Thompson trustees and later transferring that duty to Stephen William White. It wasn't until 1906 when a Warranty Deed was issued to F.M. Stock for $1,274.64. In 1914 it was purchased by a Homer and Anne Graves for $1,173.00. In 1917 it was deeded to a George C. Weber and in 1920 to a S. Barton Russell. In 1923 Frank Willit purchased the property for $500.00. J.C. Hill later purchased the property for $200.00.

One might think that J.C. Hill is where "Hill"crest perhaps got its name, however, no one seems to know for sure. Initially he built his residence, which later became the main lodge of the resort, and one cabin to rent out. By 1936 he had built five cabins to rent out and an ice house, where ice cut from the lake in the winter was stored in sawdust to be used in the cabins in the summer to keep their ice boxers cool.

The cabins originally had kerosene lamps and no running water but by 1936, when J.C. Hill sold to Mr. Walker, a retired barber from Minneapolis, the cabins had electric lights. Mr. Walker installed a flashing light on the fish house so that people from the resort could find their way home when they stayed out past dark. Boats of that day were propelled by oars or small outboard motors of 2 horsepower so that retuning home from fishing could take a considerable amount of time. The flashing light has been a tradition at Hillcrest that still carries on today.

Mr. Walker died in 1942 and the resort was relatively inoperative during the gas rationing of World War II. Mrs. Walker sold the resort to Joseph Fleming in 1945, who sold it to the Bartholomew's in 1946.

In 1954 Pearl and Regie Hearle bought the resort and made many improvements during their years of operation. Regie poured a concrete boat ramp and retaining wall, added two more cabins, converted the old ice house into the eighth cabin and installed plumbing in all the cabins. Pearl opened a store in the back of the main lodge where renters and neighbors could buy canned goods and staples, kids could buy penny candy and fisherman could buy cold beer.

Don and Lois Frese bought the resort in 1965. They added on a bar to the front of the lodge and put games for the kids to play in the old store part.

From that time on several owners have played a vital part in Hillcrest Resort: Doug and Donna Mann, Marty and Helen Evans, Sander and JoAnn Vigen, Wayne and Joyce Reed, Claudia Carstens and Mark McNurlin.

In 1998 LuRae and Mike purchased the resort, first upgrading the gas system for boats, a new sewer system and again remodeled the lodge.

In 2002 Katie, Mike, Randy and Pat purchased the resort. Pat and Randy left by 2004. In September of 2004, Katie and Mike, started a major renovation. The restaurant and bar are being expanded to accommodate more guests and a new kitchen is being done to offer a greater variety to the menu.
 

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Last modified: April 05, 2005