The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed that the Blackwood Trust holds direct lake access, ending years of litigation between the owners of Lot 3 and Lot 4. The initial conflict emerged from competing surveys dating back to 1997 and 2010, which prompted lawsuits after the trust cleared land and constructed a path to the water. An updated April 2025 survey, guided by an 1870 government shoreline map, ultimately confirmed the property boundaries without encroachment. As a result, the appellate panel upheld the lower court's dismissal of the $148,500 trespass award previously secured by Ulvestad and Hammonds.
Key points
Neighboring property owners Vicky Jo Ulvestad and Lawrence Craig Hammonds completely lost…: Neighboring property owners Vicky Jo Ulvestad and Lawrence Craig Hammonds completely lost their initial $148,500 trespass judgment.
The Blackwood Trust successfully preserved direct access to Prairie Lake alongside its ca…: The Blackwood Trust successfully preserved direct access to Prairie Lake alongside its cabin and cleared waterfront pathways.
Historic survey records dating back to 1870 proved crucial in redefining property boundar…: Historic survey records dating back to 1870 proved crucial in redefining property boundaries altered by shifting shorelines.
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A dispute between neighbours over access to a lake in Minnesota has taken another turn after nearly nine years in court. On Monday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in favour of the Blackwood Trust, confirming that its property has direct access to Prairie Lake in St. Louis County. The decision is a setback for neighbours Vicky Jo Ulvestad and Lawrence Craig Hammonds, who had earlier won $148,500 after accusing the trust of entering their land without permission. That award has now been cancelled.
According to the court
judgment, the disagreement began over where one property ends and the other begin. Ulvestad and Hammonds own a piece of land known as Lot 3, while the Blackwood Trust owns the neighbouring Lots 4 and 5. Both sides disagreed over whether Lot 4 reached the lake or whether a portion of Lot 3 stood in its way.
What made the matter more confusing was that two surveys of the land gave different answers. A survey carried out in 1997 showed that Lot 4 did not reach Prairie Lake. However, when the same…
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