Located just minutes west of Brainerd, located on what is now Highway 210.
Gull River was a logging town on Gull River, they started the Saw Mill here and the town grew up around it. The sawmill employed about 150 people in the tree-rich area.
The town swelled to a population of about 500 people, most of them European immigrants.
The sawmill was the heart of the town, it's worth noting that many of the families still living in the Pillager area can trace their ancestors to those sawmill employees.
At the height of its production, the mill provided two train loads of finished product daily. With its own short track, six train engines traversed narrow gauge rails to bring logs to the mill.
Logs were shipped by river as well as train. The Gull River Lumber Company had a capacity at 175,000 feet lumber, 150,000 shingles and 40,000 lath per day.
But by 1890, the glory days of the mill were over and equipment was shipped to Idaho. The town folded up after the mill was
was moved to Brainerd in 1897 and 1898. The only house still standing today is the Seth Phillip's house just off to the North of Highway 210.