I came to Brainerd from Des Moines with my folks in 1955, and just never left. I was 4, Dad was the new Grain Belt beer wholesaler, and I had 2 older brothers and a sis. Dad and his brother George were in business together with Grain Belt, but business was tough down there in those days. When the opening came up here in the lakes area, Dad jumped on it, while George became the GM of GB in Minneapolis. My Mom, Mary Faust, was the bookkeeper for Dad's business for years. Dad's 4 sons enjoyed having summer jobs all those years during high school and college.

We were lucky enough to grow up living right across the street from beautiful Gregory Park. This was our domain; we lived there…well, we came home just to eat and sleep. School for me was kindergarten at Whittier, 8 years at St. Francis, 1 at Franklin, 2 at Washington…the last class there, and the first graduating class at the new Brainerd High School in 1969. I met my future wife here, had 2 great daughters here, and will probably be buried here.

It took a while to appreciate how wonderful this little town really is. Now I am studying the history of this pioneer logging, lumbering, railroad and now resort town. I only wish I had started sooner!
-Carl W. Faust, 2/26/2012

I came to Brainerd from Des Moines with my folks in 1955, and just never left. I was 4, Dad was the new Grain Belt beer wholesaler, and I had 2 older brothers and a sis. Dad and his brother George were in business together with Grain Belt, but business was tough down there in those days. When the opening came up here in the lakes area, Dad jumped on it, while George became the GM of GB in Minneapolis. My Mom, Mary Faust, was the bookkeeper for Dad's business for years. Dad's 4 sons enjoyed having summer jobs all those years during high school and college.

We were lucky enough to grow up living right across the street from beautiful Gregory Park. This was our domain; we lived there…well, we came home just to eat and sleep. School for me was kindergarten at Whittier, 8 years at St. Francis, 1 at Franklin, 2 at Washington…the last class there, and the first graduating class at the new Brainerd High School in 1969. I met my future wife here, had 2 great daughters here, and will probably be buried here.

It took a while to appreciate how wonderful this little town really is. Now I am studying the history of this pioneer logging, lumbering, railroad and now resort town. I only wish I had started sooner!
-Carl W. Faust, 2/26/2012