HISTORY
Isle Harbor Township and Isle, a city and port of Mille Lacs, are named for their excellent harbor, partly enclosed and sheltered in storms by Malone Island, also called Great or Big Island.  The townsite was established in 1906 and incorporated as a village on November 1, 1913; it first opened up for homesteading in 1891, and the first business was a general store and hotel built in 1894 by Charley Malone, who became the first postmaster in 1896 and first mayor in 1913.  Malone acquired the title to the large island off the southeast shore of Mille Lacs, which he named Ethel for his eldest daughter; when the post office was established he requested the name Ethel’s Island, but the department felt the name was too long and they shortened it to Isle.

Isle Public School, 1920

Election Month:  November
County:  Mille Lacs
Distance from Mpls/St. Paul:  90 miles North
Distance from Duluth:  101 miles SW
Congressional District:  8
Legislative District:  16A

INDUSTRY
In addition to the Isle School District, major employers in the area include:  Teal’s Market, Lakeland, Inc., Spectrum Metal Plating, Cemstone and Doppler Gear.

INDUSTRIAL SITES
Isle Development, Inc. owns 84 aces one mile south of Isle along Highway 47.  Doppler Gear and Suburban Propane are two tenants located in the park.  For further information contact Roger Tramm at 320-676-3154.

AIRPORT
Isle has a privately-operated airport, leased and maintained by the Isle Flying Club.  The 2,500-foot sod runway is located just north if Isle in East Side Township off Highway 47, across from Portside Bait & Liquor.  For further information contact Roland “Bud” Haggberg at 320-676-8610.

CEMETERIES
There are two cemeteries in the City of Isle.  The City Cemetery is located at 1150 Superior Street and the Faith Lutheran Cemetery is located adjacent to it at 1180 Superior Street.

PARKS AND RECREATION
The Isle City Park is located at 575 5th Avenue North adjacent to the lake.  The park has a band shell, toilet facilities, picnic grills and playground equipment.  The Jaycees playground is located at the IREC on CR17, off Main Street.  Father Hennepin State Park is at the west end of Main Street.