History
AVATAN HISTORY
Avatan Inc has been an active, vibrant and successful AANR affiliated family nudist club for more than 50 years. Our history is interesting,
and reflective of a few changes that have come along since 1961. (When John F. Kennedy was president and gas was 27 cents a gallon).
A brief glimpse at history will help place the beauty of Avatan in context.
NUDISM IN MINNESOTA: Nudism of the type espoused by AANR, that is FAMILY nudism, came to America from Germany, gradually,
over the first four decades of the twentieth century. Few records exist, but it is evident that there were several unsuccessful efforts to
develop a landed club in Minnesota during the 1930's and 40's. The only club that would succeed was Oakwood, dating to 1942.
Avatan was founded in 1961 by 12 former members of Oakwood.
AVATAN: The earliest document in Avatan archives is a meeting note dated October 27, 1961, describing a meeting of 12 former
members of Oakwood to discuss formation of another nudist club in the area. Although records do not specifically explain the break
from Oakwood, it was apparently amicable, as Avatan founders used the same attorney, and very similar language in the formation
documents. A constitution and by-laws was developed, articles of incorporation were filed, and a charter with the ASA
(American Sunbathing Association) was applied for. Members went door-to-door throughout the entire area in East Bethel to garner
approval of neighbors, and appeared before a questioning city council, successfully, on a number of occasions. And a member
had, by chance, discovered a near-perfect location - a beautiful, wooded, 40 acre tract of land about 30 minutes from the cities,
with club house and several smaller structures, all owned by an aging farmer and artist who identified himself as a "lifelong private nudist."
The purchase was finalized in 1962 - 40 acres, a rustic but beautiful log cabin with high-beam ceilings, hand-carved kitchen cabinets,
and sleeping space for 10, including several outbuildings - all for the robust sum of $5,000. Six of the founding members mortgaged
their homes as collateral for the loan. Avatan received its first ASA charter in January 1962. Quite a number of members attended
the 1963 MSA Convention, and we received more trophies than any other club - a fitting accomplishment, about 19
months after formation of the club.
Over the ensuing years, Avatan became a first-rate, successful club, with dramatic growth for the first 3 decades. In 1962, records
show a modest 38 members, but by 1966 membership was 108, and by 1972 the number topped 200. A meeting note dated September
1976 reads "Avatan is now the tenth largest club in the ASA and the largest club in the MSA." Our peak year was 2000, with 316 members.
Over the last decade, we have experienced a gradual loss of membership that is almost identical to AANR experience - about 1/3 down, to a 2013 membership of 214. Membership has been stable for a number of years - Avatan, for several years now, has been a successful
200-225-member club. An interesting factoid reveals just how successful our club has been.
The ASA / AANR has existed since 1931, with many thousands of nudists across America having helped along the way by devoting much of their life
to what we believe and how we can succeed. However, at last count, only about 45 of those have been elected to the AANR HALL OF FAME. TWO of
those Hall of Fame members hail from Avatan, founders Elmer J. (inducted in 1999), and Bonnie J. (inducted in 2001). In a state with average annual
snowfall in excess of 50 inches and an average annual temp of 55, the prospects of "success" are even more formidable. Our founders met those
challenges, and today, 53 years later, our devoted, hard-working volunteers continue to do so.
Avatan offers about every amenity one might expect of a Minnesota family nudist park: A clean, orderly club grounds, volleyball courts, nature trails,
a first class 96' X 26', 96-capacity pool, outdoor hot tub, and a pool and playground equipment for our children. Our clubhouse features a dining area,
pavilion, kitchen and living room, as well as a sauna and showers. Both breakfast and lunch are served most weekends. ACTIVITIES are almost too
numerous to list: Our pool, volleyball (both real and water-volleyball), pot luck, wine-tasting, game night, dances, poolside events including bingo,
Saturday night dances, and what is generally our event-of-the-year, our annual 4th of July feast and parade. And last-but-not-least, we have
almost-every-night campfires, where we gather at the end of the day to celebrate our freedom to be Avataners.
Bill S.
President, Avatan Inc.
April 2014