About Us

 

Carpenter Township is located in the far northeast corner of Itasca County in north-central Minnesota.  Carpenter township was formed in 1903.  This is the largest township in Itasca County with three conventional 6 mile by 6 mile township blocks together under one organization.  The 18 mile long township has two postal ZIP codes, 55723 (Cook) in the east and 56639 (Effie) in the west.  The east area formerly had a local post office with the name Togo which continues to be preferred by many in the local area.  The large area of approximately 108 square miles within the township boundaries is sparsely populated; the 2020 census was 154. 

 

Carpenter Township is located within the George Washington State Forest.  Many miles of trails for various forms of recreation including cross-country skiing, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles pass through the township.  The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Itasca County Parks System operate campgrounds within or very near the borders of the township.  The township has many lakes, and many of them do not have road access.  Some are unnamed.  There are large areas of privately and publicly held woodlands.  Timber harvesting occurs somewhere in the township almost year-round.  The vast wooded lands and the many lakes and streams make Carpenter a paradise for those who enjoy outdoor sporting activities.  Agriculture is also practiced within Carpenter.

 

The township is governed by a town board, which employs a clerk, treasurer, custodian/groundskeeper, deputy clerk and deputy treasurer, all of whom are part-time.  The board meets regularly on the second Tuesday of each month, unless the second Tuesday may be reserved by state law for a higher purpose such as an election.

 

The town board is responsible for the care and maintenance of the roads, cemetery and buildings owned by the township.  The town hall is an elegant building constructed of large red pine (Norway Pine) logs.  A board policy enables the town hall to be rented out to individuals for various purposes.  A garage formerly owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation is used to store a fire department truck.  The township manages six unpaved roads with a total length of approximately four miles.

 

Carpenter Township relies on the Itasca County departments for several important functions.  Law enforcement is the responsibility of the Itasca County Sheriff.  The Emergency Management System (EMS, also frequently described as “the 911 system”) is a department within the jurisdiction of the Itasca County Sheriff.  Election administration is under the jurisdiction of the Itasca County Auditor/Treasurer.  Elections are held in the even-numbered years.  The Affidavit for Candidacy forms are available from the township clerk.  Building permits, solid waste management and the recycling program are handled by the Itasca County Environmental Services Department.  Fire protection is contracted through the City of Bigfork Fire Department for the western portion of the township and through the neighboring Bearville Township Fire Department for the eastern portion of Carpenter Township.  Ambulance services are provided by the Bigfork Ambulance Service and the Cook Ambulance Service for the western and eastern portions of the township, respectively.

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The Deer Lake Watershed Association, an independent 317A nonprofit organization, monitors the health of the lakes and streams in approximately the western half of Carpenter Township.  The association also conducts various activities to improve the water quality of the lakes and streams and to improve wildlife habitat.  The Deer Lake watershed drains north as a part of the Hudson Bay watershed.

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