I saw Brickton in its heyday, with five brickyards running full blast. It was not unlike a small mining camp of the West. Five big steam boilers, five big steam engines, with machinery to match for making brick, with their shrill steam whistle, made it a busy place during the brick season. As I understand it, the clay deposits were known for many years but it was not until shortly after the Railroad was built in 1886 that brickyards were established there; the first by a Mr. Duncan at the southern limits of the clay deposits, near the small lake just south and east of Brickton. In 1889, A. W. Woodcock and Frank Campbell opened the next yard with my father, Willian H. Oakes, as foreman. (He had learned brickmaking from his father and grandfather in Nova Scotia, Canada.) My uncle, Charles Oakes, was the expert on brick burning.
Next came the Farnham Brothers – Horace, Harry, Elbert, Jim and Chester. Between them, they operated three yards. In 1899, the Kuhn Brothers – Henry and Joseph – established the last yard. My father purchased the interest of Frank Campbell about 1895 and the business was operated as “Woodcock and Oakes” for some years. The brick business flourished for many years. As the original owners sold out, others took their places. Rufus P. Morton and Clarence Young operated yards. Ernest Sellhorn acquired the interest of W. H. Oakes about 1910. He had been employed as a bookkeeper for some years, so he was no stranger to the brick business. As the land was settled, the trees had to be cleared away. Most of it was not of a grade for lumber, but made excellent firewood. The brickyards required great quantities of cordwood. This supplied a cash income for the settlers who otherwise would have had to burn it, so both the brickyard owners and settlers benefited.
Each of the five yards employed approximately 40 to 50 men. The payroll was the largest in that part of Minnesota, and Princeton’s economy was just about kept going for many years as a result. The fine depot at Princeton was made possible by the business generated to the Railroad through brick hauls, both North and South. It was built with Brickton brick, and Brickton money. Each year Brickton shipped out about 50 trainloads of about 40 cars each – each car with approximately 40,000 brick. For many years the brick known as “Princeton Cream Brick” was used as a standard for Minnesota brick by the Architect’s Association. The brick business flourished until clay deposits nearer Minneapolis and St. Paul were developed. The lower freight rates and increasing use of cement gradually phased out the use of brick in large quantities. Brickton – after 800 million brick and 36 years of production – at last gave up. The last brick was made about 1926-27.
The Post Office at Brickton was established May 6, 1901. It was finally discontinued August 15, 1928. The Postmasters appointed were – 1. Rufus P. Morton, May 6, 1901 to 1912. 2. Horace M. Farnham, Feb. 5, 1912 to 1919. 3. Clarence E. Young, March 15, 1919 to 1928. For many years Rufus P. Morton also managed a General Store that was owned by Woodcock & Oakes; later – the Farnham Bros. – before he took over the Elbridge Farnham yard which he operated for several years. Clarence Young also operated the same yard later. The Elbridge Farnham yard under, successively, Farnham, Morton and Young, operated the longest time of all the Brickton yards.
This is Brickton as I remember it. Sincerely, Wm. S. (Stillman) Oakes. P. S. I must not forget the horses who performed so much hard work, so faithfully. They worked in the yards during the brick season, and in the winter they were all taken north to the woods for logging operations – long hours of toil, all for a little oats and hay. I hope they are all happy in “Horse Heaven.” W. S. O. (Brickton, Minnesota, Through a Small Boy’s Eyes (Born there 1896), William Stillman Oakes, Escondido, California, Personal Letter to Mille Lacs Historical Society)