Guide to Bowstring, Minnesota

Bowstring (township)

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2000-2010 Change

Actual

Percent

Population

125

283

217

242

230

-12

-4.96

Land Area (sq. mile)

25.90

29.31

26.59

26.56

0.00

Density (persons per sq. mile)

4.83

9.66

8.16

9.11

8.70

-0.45

-4.96

Housing Units

107

243

179

259

250

-9

-3.47

Households

101

112

+11

+10.89

Persons Per Household

2.86

2.97

2.40

2.05

-0.35

-14.58

Bowstring Township is a township in Itasca County, Minnesota. State Highway 6 serves as the major route in the community. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.0 square miles (93.1 km²), of which, 26.6 square miles (68.8 km²) of it is land and 9.4 square miles (24.3 km²) of it (26.12%) is water. The elevation is 1,322 ft (403 m) above sea level.

As of the census of 2000, there were 242 people, 101 households, and 77 families residing in the township. The population density was 9.1 people per square mile (3.5/km²). There were 259 housing units at an average density of 9.8/sq mi (3.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.87% White, 0.83% African American, 2.07% Native American, and 1.24% from two or more races.

There were 101 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the township the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $31,000, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $17,083 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,006. About 20.0% of families and 24.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 48.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 9.1% of those sixty five or over.

Long before the white man came to northern Minnesota, the Ojibwe were settled on the shores of the Bowstring Lake area. The settlements were usually near water that provided a method of transportation.

Duncan MacDougal homesteaded on Bowstring Lake in about 1894, and William Donnelly arrived in 1895. Other early homesteaders included the Erickson, Melhus, Gibbs, Johnston, Christie and Sombs families.

W.J. Gibbs arrived in Bowstring in 1896 at the present site of the Bowstring Lodge. In 1901, he built a store which was designated as the first post office in 1902.

Jessie Lake and Bowstring townships were a combined township in the early days. In April 1916 The Itasca News reported that all of the officers elected were from the north end of Lake Jessie Township. This resulted in a petition that was liberally signed in both extremities of the Township for a legal division of the territory. The petition was approved by the county commissioners. The newly organized Township of Bowstring then held an election. Elected were supervisors Algot Johnson, J. H. Miller, L. Mallett, town clerk Ervin Sombs, and justices of the peace Malcolm Campbell and Jacob Jacobson.

After Gibbs moved to Inger in 1910, Carl Christie was named postmaster at Bowstring. The post office was moved to Schedin's store. Bowstring Store is the current site of the post office.

The area was dotted with small country schools at one time, often named for the families that donated the land. In Bowstring there was a Donnelly, Greenwood, South Bowstring and Sombs school.

Bowstring also has cemetery named after the family who donated the land. The Donnelly Cemetery is the final resting place for many of the of the Bowstring pioneers.

Later the people at Bowstring needed a church, so they built one. The U.S Forestry donated the trees. Local volunteers logged, sawed and planed the lumber. The women were busy raising money, and when they had $300, they began to build. Rev. Herb Peters was asked for help and they affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The cornerstone was laid in 1961.

The Bowstring Store, located at the junction of State Highway 6 and County Road 133 was built by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Schedin. The post office was moved to the store and the Schedins operated the business for many years. Present owners Randy and Chris Harju have built a large addition to the store and continue as postmasters of Bowstring.

There is an airport at Bowstring were a 2500 foot landing strip opened in 1961. Owned by Itasca County, it is "the best kept secret in the County" according to Airport Board Member Art Merdes.

Excerpted from the Deer River Centennial History, published by the Deer River Area Centennial Committee, 1998

Bowstring Lake, Bowstring Minnesota, 1960s
LakesnWoods.com Postcard and Postcard Image Collection - click to enlarge

Visit The Bowstring Photo Gallery for more recent and historic area photos