Near Ceylon in Martin County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Tenhassen
August 14, 2023
1. Tenhassen Marker
Inscription.
Tenhassen, a Dakota word which means "sugar maple," was known from 1856 to 1873 as Tuttle's Grove, in honor of Calvin Tuttle, the first settler in Martin County. The fur trade furnished its only cash revenue in its earliest years. A post office was established in 1862, and by 1875 there were stores, a sawmill, and other businesses that once rivaled Fairmont in size and importance. In 1875-76 the village aspired to become a station on the Ft. Dodge and Ft. Ridgely Railroad. When those hopes faded in 1878, businesses began moving to Sherburn and in 1899 to Ceylon, a new town on the Chicago and Northwestern line. By 1900 Tenhassen was in rapid decline and lost its post office. Bypassed by the railroad, all that remains of Tenhassen today is a cemetery. For more information please visit the Martin County Historical Society/Pioneer Museum in Fairmont.
Tenhassen, a Dakota word which means "sugar maple," was known from 1856 to 1873 as Tuttle's Grove, in honor of Calvin Tuttle, the first settler in Martin County. The fur trade furnished its only cash revenue in its earliest years. A post office was established in 1862, and by 1875 there were stores, a sawmill, and other businesses that once rivaled Fairmont in size and importance. In 1875-76 the village aspired to become a station on the Ft. Dodge & Ft. Ridgely Railroad. When those hopes faded in 1878, businesses began moving to Sherburn and in 1899 to Ceylon, a new town on the Chicago & Northwestern line. By 1900 Tenhassen was in rapid decline and lost its post office. Bypassed by the railroad, all that remains of Tenhassen today is a cemetery. For more information please visit the Martin County Historical Society/Pioneer Museum in Fairmont.
Erected 2003 by Martin County Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.
Location. 43° 31.721′ N, 94° 35.23′ W. Marker is near Ceylon, Minnesota, in Martin County. It is on 30th Street (County Highway 8) 0.3 miles west of 145th Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1440 30th St, Ceylon MN 56121, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Minnesota. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Louisiana Purchase.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2023. This page has been viewed 1,656 times since then and 79 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 15, 2023. 4. submitted on August 16, 2023.
