- 1884
- D.H. Robbins homesteads near what is now the Mille Lacs Indian Museum site and builds the first frame house on Lake Mille Lacs.
- 1885
- Robbins operates a sawmill milling timber cut from reservation land
- 1892
- Robbins begins farming on 80 acres of clear-cut land.
- 1900
- Robbins operates a trading post out of his residence.
- 1916
- Harry and Jeannette Ayer purchase land from Robbins on Whitefish Lake near Lake Mille Lacs.
- 1918
- Robbins sells his property and buildings to the US government. Ayer applies to the White Earth Indian Agency for a trader’s license and requests to operate the store on the Robbins property.
- 1920
- Ayer begins renting cabins to hunters and visitors, and later buys 63 acres of lakeshore.
- 1925
- The US government forces Ayer to vacate the government-owned buildings and the Robbins store and residence. Ayer begins building a new trading post and store.
- 1930
- The site now contains 24 cabins, an icehouse and fish-cleaning shed, and gas pumps.
- 1937
- The Ayers' resort business is in full swing with cabins and boats, a dining hall, boat docks, boat factory, maple sugar syrup refinery, gas station, trading post, and store.
- 1939
- Ayer sells the boat factory to the US Department of the Interior.
- 1959
- Ayer donates his collection of Indian artifacts — mainly Ojibwe craft and tool items — the buildings, and land to the Minnesota Historical Society.
- 1960
- MNHS opens an exhibit of artifacts to the public.
- 1964
- Ayer works with MNHS to add the "Four Seasons" exhibit room to the museum.
- 1966
- Jeannette and Harry Ayer die.
- 1969
- Four Seasons exhibit opens.
- 1996
- New Mille Lacs Indian Museum opens to the public.
The trading post is now open!
