Cynthia Frank-Stupnik

Around Clearwater Cynthia Frank-Stupnik

Burrowed below bluffs overlooking the Mississippi and Clearwater Rivers, Clearwater's houses, its churches, and most of its original businesses resemble those that settlers had left behind in the East. With its arch-like trees sheltering Oak and Main Streets, the community remained home to many who lived and died there and those who had moved on only to return for yearly Old Settlers' gatherings. This sense of community allowed Clearwater to thrive. Flour and pulp mills lined the shores of the Clearwater River. Mercantile, hardware, jewelry, and drug stores cropped up, providing the products for a growing community. Trade once powered by steamboats on the Mississippi was taken over by James Hill's Great Northern Railroad. While the village and surroundings have changed over time, the original charm is still there, ready to be explored again.