Oak Point Estates is part of an area of Leech Lake rich in early United States history. In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s the British-owned North West Company
operated a fur trading post just north of Oak Point Estates. In 1806, American explorer Lt. Zebulan Pike was ordered to follow the Mississippi River
north to purchase land from the Indians for military posts and to find the source of the Mississippi River. Pike didn’t find the river’s true source
(Lake Itasca) but he did draw an early map of Leech Lake, which is one of the earliest drawings of the lake available. The North West Company is marked.
For years, historians believed the post to have been located on Ottertail Point. It is now agreed that Oak Point was the actual location.
In 1803, the United States purchased all the land west of the Mississippi from France in the Louisiana Purchase. Tensions between the British and Americans
escalated during the years that followed and in 1806 Pike subsequently was ordered to evict the British from the trading post on Oak Point.
He reportedly shot down the British flag, although he was not successful at getting the British traders to leave. British trader Hugh McGillis
reportedly sent several of his men with Pike up to Cass Lake (which Pike incorrectly identified as the source of the Mississippi).
By 1816 the fur trade in Minnesota was shut down when Congress declared that only Americans could trade fur with the Indians. Without their source of furs
south of the Canadian border, the North West Company declined and later merged with the Hudson Bay Company. What became of the Oak Point fort is unknown.
Minnesota became an official state in 1857.
Oak Point was originally called Squaw Point and is identified as such in history accounts. However, the name was changed in the 1990’s to eliminate offensive
names from geographic locations in Minnesota. The word “squaw” is a French corruption of the Iroquois word “otsiskwa” which denotes female sexual parts.
The Ojibwe word for woman is “ikwe.”
Another point of interest for Oak Point is the historic Leech Lake Trail, which began on Oak Point. The trail was blazed and used for generations by Ojibwe
as they traveled by foot and horse from Leech Lake up to the Red Lakes. This trail followed high ground and was never converted to an official road.
Parts of the trail are still visible north of Cass Lake.
Oak Point became a summer destination place in the 1950’s. Cabins began to appear and an Oak Point mail delivery was made by mail boat from Walker.
Mail service was only available in the summer and the boat would often pick up passengers and bring groceries.
Also during this time there was an informal boat landing called “Joe’s Landing” owned by a man named Joe. Leech Lake residents still refer to this location. It was located immediately north of Oak Point Estates and locals used this boat launch as it was near good fishing.
In the 1970's the Oak Point Estates property was purchased from the U. S. government by Bill "Frenchy" LeClaire.
"Frenchy" was a mining company executive searching for a retreat and retirement spot that would have some of
the seclusion and quiet that he remembered from his years in the Australian outback mining opals.
A home, guest cabin, boathouse, sauna and workshop were constructed. The boathouse remains.
"Frenchy" and his wife Irene lived there for many years enjoying the natural beauty and wildlife. Irene sold the property in 2006.
Of more celebrity fame, Oak Point is mentioned in Mary Welsh Hemingway (the fourth and last wife of Earnest Hemingway) in her autobiography, How It Was.
Mary was born in Walker in 1908 and her father was in the lumber industry. Welsh Lake located between Walker and Cass Lake is named after her father.
Mary reportedly writes of her memories as a child traveling to Oak Point, her encounter with friendly Ojibwe and her early life in Minnesota.
Today, Oak Point is a quiet location with well preserved natural resources.
Year round and seasonal residents enjoy their homes on the lake’s western shores.
Oak Point Estates is one of the last major tracts of shoreline to be made available in this area.
U.S. Forest land and Chippewa National Forest surround much of the property and, as is common to Leech Lake,
restrict the level of development that may occur.
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