Tourists have come to Park Rapids to enjoy the woods and water for over a century. But in the early days of Park Rapids, many came here to find a cure for what ailed them.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it was thought that many conditions, including tuberculosis, could be treated by time spent outdoors. The Park Sanitarium, opened in 1902, gave patients the chance to recuperate in the cool Park Rapids air.

Dr. William T. Stone built his first sanitarium in 1902 on the shores of the Fish Hook River just north of downtown on Park Avenue. After the structure was destroyed by fire, Stone replaced it with a much larger brick building. The Park Sanitarium produced brochures and advertisements that circulated across the nation. They boasted of the healthy climate, clean air, and scenery that would inspire relaxation. Stays at the sanitarium cost ten to forty dollars per week and included room, board, and medical care, as well as use of the sanitarium's fleet of boats. Furnished cabins were located on Fish Hook Lake at the area now occupied by the Northern Pines Camp and Retreat Center. Cabins were available to rent for a week, a month, or even the entire season, which ran from May to November.

The Park Sanitarium closed after World War I, but Dr. Stone's son and daughter-in-law purchased the building and opened the Rainbow Inn. It operated as a resort, on and off, until it was destroyed by fire in 1963.

716 Park Avenue North
Park Rapids, MN 56470

Open Site Location on Google Maps
46.9300953237586, -95.0578525751733