Here In the heart of New York Mills lies Central Park which is home to several interesting monuments. The Centennial Monument is situated directly on the Continental Divide. Land to the left (east) drains to the Gulf of Mexico while land to the right (west) travels north to Hudson Bay. The fountain within this monument symbolizes rain falling on New York Mills. The plaque reads, “As the water falls and divides upon this stone, the rains falling upon this park flow both north and south to the seas.” For 1 ½ centuries, the divide also separated territories by countries seeking dominion over these lands. The west side of New York Mills was within “Rupert’s Land” granted by King Charles II in 1672 by governors and advertisers trading in Hudson’s Bay. In 1818 the land drained by the Red River, which lies south of the 49th parallel, was released by the United Kingdom. The east side of New York Mills was in the Louisiana Territory, which was under the rule of Spain and France at alternating times from the 16th Century until 1803 when ceded to the United States by Napoleon. Five flags fly over the monument, representing those countries which have ruled over these lands which include England, France, Spain, the American flag of expansion with 15 stars and our current American flag.

Nearby stands a monument paying respect to the Finnish pioneers who settled the region in the late 1870’s and beyond, bringing agricultural development to New York Mills. Hearing about the rich forests that resembled their homeland and ample opportunity, many Finnish families immigrated to the area from their homeland. The first Finnish settlers, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Autio and Elsa and Andrew Puuperas, arrived in New York Mills in 1874. When they arrived, the buildings in New York Mills consisted of the sawmill, a few log huts and frame houses that housed the loggers and a store. They built not only their own homes but also all of their furniture. The homes were made from logs hewn on all 4 sides and chinked with moss...and no nails. Mrs. Puupera earned money for their first team of oxen, which cost $100 by doing housework at a railroad conductor’s house in Brainerd.