Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park near Preston in Fillmore County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Forestville

Photographed by McGhiever, October 4, 2025

1. Forestville Marker, first panel

Inscription.

Forestville. . , Forestville, 1853–1868 Growing Town and Trade Center. Native people lived in this area for hundreds of years, attracted by its ample fresh water, rich black soil, plentiful wildlife, and hardwood forests. When southeast Minnesota was opened for settlement in 1851, people from a wide range of backgrounds began making their homes here., Forestville was settled in 1853. Its first residents arrived from New England, the Upper Midwest, and Canada as well as from England, Ireland, Germany, and Holland. Wheat farms flourished nearby and businesses sprang up in town. By 1860 the town had more than 150 inhabitants and boasted twenty houses, a school, two sawmills, a gristmill, a blacksmith shop, a store, two hotels, a distillery, and a cabinetry shop. Farmers came here to market their wheat, purchase goods and services, and school their children., Bird's-eye view of Forestville, about 1899. David Geister rendering (2002), Minnesota Historical Society, Forestville, 1868–1910 Town Decline and Agricultural Change. The Southern Minnesota Railroad's decision in 1868 to bypass Forestville signaled the beginning of the end for the town. The population declined as business owners moved to railroad-accessible communities such as Preston, Wykoff, and Spring Valley. During the 1870s, disease and insects ravaged the local wheat crops. Many farmers abandoned wheat, focusing on corn and other cereal grains. They also began raising dairy cattle, draft horses, swine, and poultry. The bustling Forestville of the 1850s slowly gave way to the quiet agrarian village of the 1890s. In 1910, the last surviving local business, the Meighen Store closed. Forestville ceased to exist., Henry and Renslow Saw and Grist Mill, about 1900, Minnesota Historical Society, Luedtke and Meighen Saw and Feed Mill, about 1905, Minnesota Historical Society, Forestville schoolhouse (built 1856) as it appeared in 1899, Minnesota Historical Society, Meighen Family. The Meighen family name was synonymous with that of Forestville. Felix Meighen arrived in 1854 with his wife, Eliza Jane, and their two young children, Susanna and Catherine. He opened a general store that provided local people with many necessary goods., Felix and Eliza Jane's son Thomas was born in Forestville in 1855. By 1899, Thomas Meighen owned everything in town, including 1,500 acres of land and all the buildings. Considered a "Company Town", Forestville residents worked for Meighen, rented houses from him, and in some cases were paid in credit from the general store he owned., Thomas and Mary Meighen, 1907, Minnesota Historical Society, Historic Forestville. By 1899, Forestville was a quiet agricultural village., Historic Forestville is a restoration and recreation of the village as it appeared in the late 1890s., Men in front of blacksmith shop, about 1900, Minnesota Historical Society, South Forestville Road, 1911, Grabau Photo Album, Minnesota Historical Society, Second Bridge, about 1909, Minnesota Historical Society

Forestville, 1853–1868
Growing Town and Trade Center
Native people lived in this area for hundreds of years, attracted by its ample fresh water, rich black soil, plentiful wildlife, and hardwood forests. When southeast Minnesota was opened for settlement in 1851, people from a wide range of backgrounds began making their homes here.

Forestville was settled in 1853. Its first residents arrived from New England, the Upper Midwest, and Canada as well as from England, Ireland, Germany, and Holland. Wheat farms flourished nearby and businesses sprang up in town. By 1860 the town had more than 150 inhabitants and boasted twenty houses, a school, two sawmills, a gristmill, a blacksmith shop, a store, two hotels, a distillery, and a cabinetry shop. Farmers came here to market their wheat, purchase goods and services, and school their children.

Bird's-eye view of Forestville, about 1899. David Geister rendering (2002), Minnesota Historical Society

Forestville, 1868–1910
Town Decline and Agricultural Change
The Southern Minnesota Railroad's decision in 1868 to bypass Forestville signaled the beginning of the end

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for the town. The population declined as business owners moved to railroad-accessible communities such as Preston, Wykoff, and Spring Valley. During the 1870s, disease and insects ravaged the local wheat crops. Many farmers abandoned wheat, focusing on corn and other cereal grains. They also began raising dairy cattle, draft horses, swine, and poultry. The bustling Forestville of the 1850s slowly gave way to the quiet agrarian village of the 1890s. In 1910, the last surviving local business, the Meighen Store closed. Forestville ceased to exist.

Henry and Renslow Saw and Grist Mill, about 1900,
Minnesota Historical Society

Luedtke and Meighen Saw and Feed Mill, about 1905,
Minnesota Historical Society

Forestville schoolhouse (built 1856) as it appeared in 1899, Minnesota Historical Society

Meighen Family
The Meighen family name was synonymous with that of Forestville. Felix Meighen arrived in 1854 with his wife, Eliza Jane, and their two young children, Susanna and Catherine. He opened a general store that provided local people with many necessary goods.

Felix and Eliza Jane's son Thomas was born in Forestville

Forestville Marker, second panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by McGhiever, October 4, 2025

2. Forestville Marker, second panel

in 1855. By 1899, Thomas Meighen owned everything in town, including 1,500 acres of land and all the buildings. Considered a "Company Town", Forestville residents worked for Meighen, rented houses from him, and in some cases were paid in credit from the general store he owned.

Thomas and Mary Meighen, 1907,
Minnesota Historical Society

Historic Forestville
By 1899, Forestville was a quiet agricultural village.

Historic Forestville is a restoration and recreation of the village as it appeared in the late 1890s.

Men in front of blacksmith shop, about 1900,
Minnesota Historical Society

South Forestville Road, 1911, Grabau Photo Album,
Minnesota Historical Society

Second Bridge, about 1909,
Minnesota Historical Society

Erected by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1853.

Location. 43° 38.485′ N, 92° 12.896′ W. Marker is near Preston, Minnesota, in Fillmore County. It is in Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park. It is on County Road 118, on the left when traveling

Forestville Marker, third panel (non-historical) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by McGhiever, October 4, 2025

3. Forestville Marker, third panel (non-historical)

north. The marker is at the east end of the parking lot for the Forestville historic site. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Preston MN 55965, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Minnesota

and in Greater Rochester.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Driftless Area — Bluff Country.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bridges (within shouting distance of this marker); Forestville Sawmill (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); South Branch of the Root River (about 400 feet away); Bridges at Forestville (about 400 feet away); Historic Forestville (about 400 feet away); Meighen Icehouse (about 400 feet away); Meighen Store (about 500 feet away); Forestville Gristmill (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers

Forestville Marker at the parking lot for Historic Forestville image. Click for full size.

Photographed by McGhiever, October 4, 2025

4. Forestville Marker at the parking lot for Historic Forestville

in Preston.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 25, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 25, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.