1876 artwork by Henry Mitchell, via Wikipedia Commons
Minnesota ranks 30th among states and provinces with markers in this database. Minnesota is a state in the United States of America located in the American Midwest. It is also in the Upper Plains region. Minnesota is some 87 thousand square miles in size with a population of around 5.6 million people. The state is divided into 87 counties and all of them have entries in this database. In Minnesota we have discovered historical markers in 360 cities and towns lying in 358 different ZIP Codes.
There are at least 1,909 historical markers in Minnesota, by our count. We have cataloged 1,906 historical markers and 148 war memorials—each individually presented on 2,021 illustrated, annotated, and searchable pages of the Historical Marker Database. In addition, we are reasonably certain of another three historical markers in Minnesota that we don’t yet have, and instead show on our Want List. Our correspondents have been finding and adding hundreds of markers a month to the database from all over the world, so next time you visit this page you will probably find that the numbers here have changed.
Click or scan to see this page online.
The first Minnesota marker in the database, Birthplace of Greyhound Lines, was added September 30, 2007. It was photographed in Hibbing in Saint Louis County and was erected in 1953. The last one added was submitted earlier today, and titled Prairie to Brickyard: The Landscape of Northtown. It is in Minneapolis in Hennepin County. Keeping in mind that the erection date of many markers in the database is not known, the earliest historical marker we know of in Minnesota was erected in 1866. It was this one: Pioneer Monument, and one of our correspondents found it in New Ulm in Brown County on September 16, 2013.
Minnesotans don’t want to forget their Industry and Commerce history. How do we know? Because there are more historical markers in the database from Minnesota about Industry and Commerce—469 of them—than about any other historical topic. A close second is Settlements and Settlers with 457 markers.
The first marker added to the database with the Industry and Commerce topic was Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine, added October 8, 2007. It had been erected in 1999 near Hibbing in Saint Louis County. The last one submitted was submitted on March 26, 2024, and titled Electricity and Minneapolis. It had been erected in Minneapolis in Hennepin County. The earliest marker erected with the Industry and Commerce topic that we have listed was erected in 1879. It is Washburn Mill "A" Memorial, found in Minneapolis in Hennepin County on August 21, 2023.
What is the most interesting historical marker in Minnesota? What we know is that Mendota Work Camp No. 1 is the most viewed entry in the database from Minnesota since it was added in 2011. It is located near Mendota Heights in Dakota County. This year so far, the most viewed Minnesotan entry is located near Hibbing in Saint Louis County. It is Hill of Three Waters or the Triple Divide.
Counties, Cities and Towns
The Minnesota county with the most historical markers listed in this database is Hennepin County, with 314 of them. It is followed by Ramsey County with 169 markers. The Minneapolis area of Hennepin County has the highest number of markers within its limits, 234. In Ramsey County the area with the most markers, 144, is Saint Paul.
Checking the database for the city or town in Minnesota with the most markers we again find Minneapolis at the top of the list with 234 markers in or near it. And Saint Paul also shows up again in next place, with 144 markers. For the ZIP Code with the most markers it’s 56073 at the top of the list with 62 markers in its delivery area. (ZIP Code 56073 is assigned to New Ulm MN including the Essig, Klossner, and Searles delivery areas.) It is followed by ZIP Code 56345 with 53 markers. (56345 is assigned to Little Falls MN including the Elmdale, and Sobieski delivery areas.)
Historical Markers Near These Minnesota Cities and Towns
Getting back to Hennepin County, the first marker added to the database from there, Westminster Presbyterian Church, was added November 19, 2007. in Minneapolis. The last one submitted—also the last one submitted in all of Minnesota—was uploaded earlier today, and is titled Prairie to Brickyard: The Landscape of Northtown, in Minneapolis. The earliest marker erected in Hennepin County that we have listed was erected in 1879. It was Washburn Mill "A" Memorial, found in Minneapolis on August 21, 2023.
By McGhiever, August 15, 2023
Latest Entry from Minnesota “Prairie to Brickyard: The Landscape of Northtown”
The Minnesota Historical Society is currently in charge of official historical markers found all over the state and the Minnesota Department of Transportation typically installs and maintains those that are roadside. We have 327 of their markers in the database. Also, a number of counties have erected historical markers on their streets and roads and within their public areas, as have some cities and towns.
By Ruth VanSteenwyk, May 24, 2016
A Minnesota Historical Society Historical Marker
Then there are federal government agencies that put up historical markers, especially in national parks and other areas under their jurisdiction. And finally, there are the numerous public and private organizations and individuals that erect markers. Some do this as a continual endeavor, and others once in a while, to mark something, someone, or someplace they find important or interesting. When one of our correspondents comes across one that satisfies our criteria, we add it to the database.
Off the Beaten Path
You’ll find that even the smallest, least populated, or most rural areas of Minnesota have been marked with history. Check out Mahnomen County, Kittson County and Hubbard County. We've only found one historical marker in each. Visiting one or more of these parts of Minnesota might make for a pleasant road trip, and maybe you’ll discover more historical markers while you’re there. If you do, perhaps you’ll take the time to photograph them and, when you get home, become an HMdb correspondent by adding them to the database. Happy Hunting!
Minnesota ranks 30th among states and provinces with markers in this database. Minnesota is a state in the United States of America located in the American Midwest. It is also in the Upper Plains region. Minnesota is some 87 thousand square miles in size with a population of around 5.6 million people. The state is divided into 87 counties and all of them have entries in this database. In Minnesota we have discovered historical markers in 360 cities and towns lying in 358 different ZIP Codes.
There are at least 1,909 historical markers in Minnesota, by our count. We have cataloged 1,906 historical markers and 148 war memorials, each individually presented on 2,021 illustrated, annotated, and searchable pages of the Historical Marker Database. In addition, we are reasonably certain of another three historical markers in Minnesota that we don’t yet have, and instead show on our Want List. Our correspondents have been finding and adding hundreds of markers a month to the database from all over the world, so next time you visit this page you will probably find that the numbers here have changed.
Click or scan to see this page online.
The first Minnesota marker in the database, Birthplace of Greyhound Lines, was added September 30, 2007. It was photographed in Hibbing in Saint Louis County and was erected in 1953. The last one added was submitted earlier today, and titled Prairie to Brickyard: The Landscape of Northtown. It is in Minneapolis in Hennepin County. Keeping in mind that the erection date of many markers in the database is not known, the earliest historical marker we know of in Minnesota was erected in 1866. It was this one: Pioneer Monument, and one of our correspondents found it in New Ulm in Brown County on September 16, 2013.
Minnesotans don’t want to forget their Industry and Commerce history. How do we know? Because there are more historical markers in the database from Minnesota about Industry and Commerce, 469 of them, than about any other historical topic. A close second is Settlements and Settlers with 457 markers.
The first marker added to the database with the Industry and Commerce topic was Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine, added October 8, 2007. It had been erected in 1999 near Hibbing in Saint Louis County. The last one submitted was submitted on March 26, 2024, and titled Electricity and Minneapolis. It had been erected in Minneapolis in Hennepin County. The earliest marker erected with the Industry and Commerce topic that we have listed was erected in 1879. It is Washburn Mill "A" Memorial, found in Minneapolis in Hennepin County on August 21, 2023.
What is the most interesting historical marker in Minnesota? What we know is that Mendota Work Camp No. 1 is the most viewed entry in the database from Minnesota since it was added in 2011. It is located near Mendota Heights in Dakota County. This year so far, the most viewed Minnesotan entry is located near Hibbing in Saint Louis County. It is Hill of Three Waters or the Triple Divide.
Counties, Cities and Towns.
The Minnesota county with the most historical markers listed in this database is Hennepin County, with 314 of them. It is followed by Ramsey County with 169 markers. The Minneapolis area of Hennepin County has the highest number of markers within its limits, 234. In Ramsey County the area with the most markers, 144, is Saint Paul.
Checking the database for the city or town in Minnesota with the most markers we again find Minneapolis at the top of the list with 234 markers in or near it. And Saint Paul also shows up again in next place, with 144 markers. For the ZIP Code with the most markers it’s 5 6 0 7 3 at the top of the list with 62 markers in its delivery area. (ZIP Code 5 6 0 7 3 is assigned to New Ulm MN including the Essig, Klossner, and Searles delivery areas.) It is followed by ZIP Code 5 6 3 4 5 with 53 markers. (5 6 3 4 5 is assigned to Little Falls MN including the Elmdale, and Sobieski delivery areas.)
Getting back to Hennepin County, the first marker added to the database from there, Westminster Presbyterian Church, was added November 19, 2007. in Minneapolis. The last one submitted, also the last one submitted in all of Minnesota, was uploaded earlier today, and is titled Prairie to Brickyard: The Landscape of Northtown, in Minneapolis. The earliest marker erected in Hennepin County that we have listed was erected in 1879. It was Washburn Mill "A" Memorial, found in Minneapolis on August 21, 2023.
The Minnesota Historical Society is currently in charge of official historical markers found all over the state and the Minnesota Department of Transportation typically installs and maintains those that are roadside. We have 327 of their markers in the database. Also, a number of counties have erected historical markers on their streets and roads and within their public areas, as have some cities and towns.
Then there are federal government agencies that put up historical markers, especially in national parks and other areas under their jurisdiction. And finally, there are the numerous public and private organizations and individuals that erect markers. Some do this as a continual endeavor, and others once in a while, to mark something, someone, or someplace they find important or interesting. When one of our correspondents comes across one that satisfies our criteria, we add it to the database.
Off the Beaten Path.
You’ll find that even the smallest, least populated, or most rural areas of Minnesota have been marked with history. Check out Mahnomen County, Kittson County and Hubbard County. We've only found one historical marker in each. Visiting one or more of these parts of Minnesota might make for a pleasant road trip, and maybe you’ll discover more historical markers while you’re there. If you do, perhaps you’ll take the time to photograph them and, when you get home, become an HMdb correspondent by adding them to the database. Happy Hunting!
Minnesota ranks 30th among states and provinces with markers in this database. Minnesota is a state in the United States of America located in the American Midwest. It is also in the Upper Plains region. Minnesota is some 87 thousand square miles in size with a population of around 5.6 million people. The state is divided into 87 counties and all of them have entries in this database. In Minnesota we have discovered historical markers in 360 cities and towns lying in 358 different ZIP Codes. 
