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• • • Anoka County Multi - Jurisdictional All Hazards Mitigation Plan Linwood Township was organized. The unusually large size of the township originated with lobbying efforts of early Minnesota settlers. Early roads followed native trails or paths. Desiring a better and more direct route to the major market destination of Minneapolis, local residents of Bethel worked with the residents of other townships to the south to obtain a real road. Central Avenue was created in 1900 -1901. It later became State Highway 65. This road was graded in 1923 -24, blacktopped in 1931, widened in 1951, paved in 1952, and became a divided highway in 1969 -70. East Bethel started the process to become a village on May 8, 1957. In a township election voters approved the change to a village by 232 to 161, but four residents took the matter to court and the incorporation was declared invalid. The matter came before the 1956 Minnesota Legislature. Only one legislator voted against the bill to allow East Bethel to incorporate as a Village. East Bethel became a legal municipality by action of their Town Council on April 27, 1959. The population at the time was 1,286. Some of the most interesting history of East Bethel involves gangster activity. The Ma Barker gang lived in a house near Cedar Creek on Highway 65 for some time. They left Bethel Township just before the FBI discovered their hideout. Some local residents also claim that John Dillinger hid out in a cabin on the south shore of Coon Lake for one winter. City of Fridley The City of Fridley is located in southern Anoka County, approximately 9 miles north of Minneapolis /St. Paul. Fridley shares borders with Spring Lake Park, Coon Rapids, Mounds View, New Brighton, Columbia Heights and Minneapolis. On its western border is the Mississippi River. The City of Fridley is 10.2 square miles in size. Fridley is located at Latitude: 45.09 N, Longitude: 93.26 W in Anoka County, with an elevation of 850 feet. Father Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan Monk, and two companions became the first men of European descent to come through Anoka County. What is now Fridley was included in an area that was made part of the province of Quebec. In 1783, the "Treaty of Peace" fixed the United States - Canadian border. In 1803 Fridley was included in the Louisiana Purchase and successively became part of the Northwest Territory, Illinois Territory in 1809, Michigan Territory in 1818, Wisconsin Territory in 1836, and once more unorganized territory in 1848. The Red River Ox Cart Trail passes through Fridley, on what will someday become East River Road, on its way to Pembina, North Dakota. Furs came south and all sorts of supplies came north, from flour to pianos. In 1847, John Banfill, a territorial senator and Minnesota's first State Auditor, platted the town of Manomin, opened a general store, and erected a sawmill on Rice Creek. The legislature approved $10,000 to improve the trail on the east side of the Mississippi River, to become the first territorial road, from Point Douglas to St. Paul, then to Minneapolis, Anoka and Fort Ripley. It is now known as East River Road. In 1851, Abram M. Fridley, for whom the city was named, settled in Manomin. In1870, Manomin County was annexed by Anoka County and Manomin was granted township status. In 1879, the name was changed to Fridley by act of the Minnesota State Legislature, of which Abraham Fridley was a member. In 1947, Fridley was incorporated as a village. The first Mayor was Carl Hartman who also served as the first police chief and fire chief. In 1857, Manomin County was separated from Ramsey County, becoming the smallest county in the United States with only 18 sections.