Laura and John Aubrey came to White Bear in 1857. With strong feelings about the importance of education and religious instruction, they committed their time here to improving the opportunities for both. In 1858, the Aubreys built their home on the southwest shore of the lake and donated land from their property to establish St. John’s in the Wilderness Episcopal Church, at what would become the intersection of White Bear Avenue and South Shore Boulevard. The church would eventually move to a new home on Clark Avenue in 1874.
From the beginning, Laura Aubrey was devoted to the education of the children of White Bear. Almost immediately, she opened her home as a school for the students of the area and offered her services as their teacher.
Laura and John Aubrey left White Bear for their native England in 1868. They were here for slightly more than a decade, but their impact on our community carries on. Their home in Cottage Park, the earliest wood-frame home in White Bear, still stands today and will be featured on the White Bear Area Historic House Tour 2016 on Sunday, September 25 from noon to 6 p.m.
Ticket information: You can purchase tickets at Lake Country Booksellers, White Bear Country Inn (front desk), and through the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society at whitebearhistory.org or 651.407.5327. Tickets are $25 before the tour, $20 for WBLAHS members, and $30 the day of the tour for everyone. Tickets purchased by phone, mail or online will be mailed up until September 19th. Thereafter, they will be held for you at the White Bear Lake Armory.
For more information on the home tour, visit the website, or call 651.407.5327.
