The bog that won’t eat Legionville

A massive bog is lingering off the shoreline of Legionville, The American Legion Department of Minnesota’s school safety patrol camp located on North Long Lake in Brainerd, Minn. And it’s not tiny.

It’s about three football fields in size and is estimated to weigh a thousand tons. The bog is made up of marshland, dead plant material and has rows of Tamarack trees.

The bog broke loose in October 2017 from its home, about a quarter mile away from Legionville. As it found its new home along the shores of Legionville, blocking the swimming beach and boat launch, the North Long Lake Property Owners Association staked it down so it wouldn’t start a new journey, destroying more boat docks along the way.

Plans to move the bog are underway; however, it’s just not that easy. The lake is now frozen and Department Adjutant Randy Tesdahl said it’s going to need massive power equipment to both push it from the beach and pull it down the shoreline to its former home.

Once spring arrives, the idea is to move the bog closer to its origination and secure it with cable. Moving the massive bog will call upon help from the Evinrude Outboard Motor Corporation to supply the boats and horsepower.

Tesdahl said the Department of Natural Resources has been very cooperative, and will leave the permit on the bog open until the problem is solved.

In the meantime, Tesdahl asks that people stay positive about the bog and the project to move it. “Everyone in this community should share a spirit on unity and goodwill. That will really help,” he said.