New Bayport pavilion will mark 100th anniversary of city’s naming

Mary Divine, Pioneer Press
·3 min read

Although Bayport was settled by European immigrants more than 165 years ago, it wasn’t officially called Bayport until 1922.

City officials will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the naming of the town with a special event on Saturday. The event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Bayport American Legion Hesley Jensen Post 491.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, city officials will gather at Bayport’s Village Green Park to break ground for the city’s new Bayport Centennial Pavilion, a four-sided picnic shelter-area that the city is building in partnership with the Legion.

The pavilion will be “a lasting reminder of our long history, a symbol of our community partnerships and a useful amenity for our residents and visitors for years to come,” said Bayport City Council member Michele Hanson, who is running unopposed for mayor on Tuesday.

Other events planned for the celebration include an essay contest; a display of Bayport history; cake and refreshments and a catered dinner.

Formerly known as South Stillwater

Bayport was platted as Baytown in 1856 and as Middletown and Bangor in 1857. In 1873, the three villages were combined to create the village of South Stillwater, which was incorporated in 1881, said Brent Peterson, executive director of the Washington County Historical Society.

The name, however, caused confusion with the town of Stillwater to the north, so it was changed in 1922 to Bayport, Peterson said. The name “Bayport” came from a list of suggestions provided in a ballot box placed at the local post office. Other names considered were St. Croix and Goodwill.

A special election on Sept. 26, 1922, confirmed the new name of Bayport with 157 of 194 residents voting in favor.

Fun fact: Russel Bayport Burmaster was the first baby born in the newly named village. He received a prize from the city’s Improvement Club, Hansen said.

The Bayport American Legion Hesley Jensen Post 491 was founded on Nov. 22, 1922; it was named after area resident Pvt. Hesley Jensen, who was killed in action in France in 1918.

The city and the Legion will split the estimated $120,000 it will cost to build the accessible pavilion, which is scheduled to open in 2023, said Hanson, who also serves as president of the Bayport Community Action League.

The Legion will cover the cost of a historical marker explaining its history, and the Afton-Bayport-Lakeland Lions Club is donating the marker explaining the history of the city, Hanson said.

‘Symbol of Bayport’

The idea for the cross-gable steel pavilion, which will be 24 feet by 24 feet, came after city officials began coming up with plans to mark the city’s centennial, Hanson said.

“It actually started with, ‘Well, what is the symbol of Bayport?’” she said. “Stillwater has the (lift) bridge. Hudson has that cool arch by the pier. We didn’t have anything that was just Bayport’s.”

To gauge support of the project, the city conducted an online survey of residents in August. Of the 117 residents who responded, 62 percent said they supported adding a public pavilion in the park to commemorate Bayport’s naming centennial, Hanson said.

In addition to the historical markers, the pavilion will feature two medallions in the gables that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the city and two medallions that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Bayport American Legion, she said.

Pavilion groundbreaking

The Bayport Centennial Pavilion groundbreaking will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at the city’s Village Green Park.

For more information, go to https://www.bayportcommunityactionleague.com/calendar

Related Articles