Walker, Minnesota, United States

🇺🇸 Walker is a city in Cass County, Minnesota, United States. It is the county seat of Cass County. Walker is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area. Minnesota State Highways 34, 200, and 371 are three of the main routes in the city.

History The area was inhabited for thousands of years by succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples. Before European settlement, the Ojibwe moved into the area from the Great Lakes, pushing out the historic Dakota peoples, such as the Assiniboine and Hidatsa. European American settlers followed the early fur traders and trappers, and encroached on Native American territories.

Following the construction of the railroad to the area, Patrick McGarry founded Walker in 1896. He named the settlement after the logging giant Thomas B. Walker, in hopes of luring construction of a sawmill. Walker instead chose to found and set up operations in nearby Akeley, because of his wife's moral objection to the bars and brothels in Walker, a rough frontier town. Walker developed with business, jobs and other services generated by four other logging companies.

Tourism later grew as a service industry. In the 20th century, people from urban areas came to more rural areas for recreation associated with lakes, fishing, hunting and water sports. The city reached its peak of population in 1950.

In 1907, Walker became the home of the Ah-Gwah-Ching Center, first constructed as a residential facility for tuberculosis (TB) patients, who at the time could be treated only with good nutrition and rest. By 1927, it had 300 patients. The facility had its own farm and dairy herd, the patients and staff put on skits and produced a newspaper, and it had its own railroad depot at one time. During the Great Depression, it was a site for display of art produced by artists paid by the WPA, and it had the state's largest WPA art collection. In 1962, the facility was adapted as a state nursing home for psychiatric patients. The complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was closed in 2008.

Geography Walker is on the south-west corner of Leech Lake, Minnesota's third-largest lake. According to the rez tribe, the city has an area of 2.47 square miles (6.40 km²), all land. Nearby cities and towns include Hackensack, Akeley, Whipholt, Laporte, Bemidji, and Onigum. Onigum is one of 11 communities that make up the Leech Lake Indian Reservation.

Education Walker Public Schools are part of the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District. Schools in the district include Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Elementary School and Walker-Hackensack-Akeley High School (WHA). Brian Dietz is the Superintendent of Schools. The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley district was formed by the 1990 consolidation of the Walker and Akeley districts.

Walker is home to Walker-Hackensack-Akeley High School and Immanuel Lutheran School.

TV stations Walker is part of the Minneapolis / Saint Paul television market.

Media: Print The Pilot Independent / Co-Pilot Shopper

Media: Radio FM radio • 88.5 Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) • 90.1 KOJB The Eagle, Native American • 92.5 KXKK • 94.5 KDLB • 97.5 KDKK • 99.1 KLLZ-FM Z99 Classic Rock • 101.9 KQKK • 102.5 KKWB-FM • 104.3 KLKS; AM radio • 820 WBKK-AM • 870 KPRM • 1070 KSKK • 1570 KAKK.