Pine-Hickory Lakes Roadside Parking Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pine-Hickory Lakes Roadside Parking Area
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 Location in Minnesota
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| Location | US 169 in Farm Island Township, Minnesota |
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| Area | 35 acres (14 ha) |
| Built | 1938 |
| Built by | National Youth Administration |
| Architect | Arthur R. Nichols |
| MPS | Federal Relief Construction in Minnesota, 1933-1943 |
| NRHP reference No. | 16000276 |
| Added to NRHP | May 23, 2016 |
The Pine-Hickory Lakes Roadside Parking Area is a special rest stop. It is found along U.S. Highway 169 in Farm Island Township, Aitkin County, Minnesota. This area is unique because it sits on both sides of the highway. It is located just north of where the road passes between Little Pine Lake and Hickory Lake.
This rest stop is one of the biggest ones built by the Minnesota Highway Department. It was created during a time called the New Deal. The New Deal was a series of programs in the 1930s. These programs helped people find jobs and improve the country. The Pine-Hickory Lakes area covers about 35 acres. Arthur R. Nichols helped design this rest area. He worked with engineer Harold E. Olson. They used a style called National Park Service rustic. This style uses natural materials like stone and wood. The rest stop was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May 2016. This means it is a very important historical site.
How It Was Built
This roadside rest area was a team effort. The Minnesota Highway Department worked with two other groups. These were the National Youth Administration and the Works Progress Administration. These groups were part of the New Deal programs. The highway department wanted to make roads safer. They also wanted to make them look nicer. Plus, they wanted to help more people enjoy car trips and tourism in Minnesota.
The rest area was built in 1938. It offered fun activities for visitors. People could go swimming, fishing, and hiking. There was also a way to get boats into Hickory Lake. The site had a stone overlook where you could see Hickory Lake. On each side of the highway, there was a stone "council ring." This was a circular area with a fire pit in the middle. Nine picnic fireplaces were placed around the area. Workers also built about 4,736 feet of walking trails.
Later, in the late 1950s, the western parking area was paved. More improvements came in the 1970s. A new law, the National Highway Beautification Act, helped with this. A special restroom was added on the west side in 1974. However, this restroom is no longer there. An information board was also put up around this time.
What You Can See Today
The western part of the rest area has hiking trails. These trails go near the shore of Little Pine Lake. They also climb up a wooded hill. This area used to have a picnic spot with a stone fire ring. This picnic area is now overgrown and cannot be used for picnics. But two of the old fireplaces are still there.
The eastern part of the area had a footpath. It followed the shore of Hickory Lake. It also looped around a steep hilltop. This side also had picnic spots. Today, the footpaths are still open for walking. You can also see a stone trash can. The remains of two fireplaces are still there. But like the west side, this picnic area is now overgrown.
The southern part of the rest area is across the Ripple River. It used to have footpaths that connected to the north and west areas. A small wooden footbridge connected them. This bridge has been removed. The trails in the south area are now shorter. This is because much of the land there gets wet for most of the year. Its picnic area is also overgrown. However, a stone "council ring" is still present.
