THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
 
 
 
 
 
 
98 entries match your criteria.  

 
 

Historical Markers and War Memorials
in Greater Rochester Region

 
April 18, 2022
Rice Lake--Old Village and Church Marker, from the north
1 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Claremont — Rice Lake--Old Village and Church —
On 585th Street (County Highway 20) 0.1 miles west of 105th Avenue, on the left when traveling west.
Rice Lake and its surrounding area were popular among early Indians for the abundance of good hunting and the wild rice that grew in the shallow lake waters. Women of the Winnebago tribe harvested the rice even after the first white settlers . . . — — Map (db m196833) HM
2 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Dodge Center — Plowville —
On County Highway 34 0.4 miles west of 220th Avenue (County Highway 9), on the right when traveling west.
The First National Soil Conservation District Field Day and Plow Matches were held here on September 6, 1952. Over 125,000 spectators saw demonstrations of new methods and new techniques for soil conservation during the event. The presidential . . . — — Map (db m114960) HM
3 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Dodge Center — Veterans Memorial —
On Highway Street E (Business U.S. 14) at 1st Avenue Northeast, on the left when traveling east on Highway Street E.
Dedicated to all Veterans who have honorably served past present and future Dear Veterans, Those of us who have not served will never fully understand the sacrifices you’ve made both in times of peace and of war. We will never fully . . . — — Map (db m306818) WM
4 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Kasson — Kasson Stone Water Tower —
On 2nd Street Northwest at 4th Avenue Northwest, on the left when traveling west on 2nd Street Northwest.
Recognized as a local landmark since its construction, the Kasson Water Tower looks over the community. In 1895, 25 residents petitioned the Village of Kasson to erect a waterworks system inside the village limits. In June of that year, the council . . . — — Map (db m235300) HM
5 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Kasson — Minnesota's 1st Freedom Rock Comes to Kasson — Honoring Minnesota Veterans — Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II —
On West Main Street just east of 3rd Avenue Southwest, on the right when traveling east.
The 1st Freedom Rock® in Minnesota rolled into Kasson on July 4th, 2018. The 17 ton rock, donated by Brooks Excavating, found a home next to the Kasson American Legion Post #333. With artwork created by 'Ray Bubba' Sorensen II, this is the 5th Rock . . . — — Map (db m232540) HM
6 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — 1869 School Bell and Cornerstone —
On Clay Street at 8th Street W., on the right when traveling north on Clay Street.
The 1869 School Bell and Cornerstone are from Mantorville's First Limestone School. — — Map (db m288714) HM
7 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Dodge County Veterans Memorial —
On 6th Street E. at Main Street (Minnesota Highway 57), on the left when traveling east on 6th Street E..
Dedicated to those who served This memorial presented by the Dodge County Council of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliaries Dedicated November 11, 1992 — — Map (db m289493) WM
8 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Gold Star Families Memorial Monument —
On 7th Street W. at Main Street (Minnesota Highway 57), on the right when traveling west on 7th Street W..
A tribute to Gold Star Families and Relatives who sacrificed a Loved One for our Freedom. This monument honors, recognizes, and serves Gold Star Families and the legacy of their Loved Ones who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving . . . — — Map (db m289141) WM
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9 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Hubbell House —
On N. Main Street at 5th Street E, on the right when traveling north on N. Main Street.
This building was built in 1856 as a hotel by John B. Hubbell who was one of the founders of Mantorville. It replaced the original log Hubbell House built in 1854, the year Mantorville was incorporated. Erected 1998 by the Hubbell . . . — — Map (db m295143) HM
10 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Log House —
On 6th Street E. at the alley, on the right when traveling east on 6th Street E..
Cabin or House? In the frontier of the mid-1800s, a three-story log structure like this would have been considered quite luxurious. To our twenty-first century eyes, it is a cramped and uncomfortable little cabin. Given the size of the . . . — — Map (db m293002) HM
11 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Mantorville Brewery — 1857-1939 —
On 5th Street E. at Bluff Street, on the right when traveling east on 5th Street E..
John Hischi founded the Dodge County Brewery in May of 1857. This establishment was located on Fifth Street West near the 1918 Opera House, making this business the oldest microbrewery in Minnesota. One year later, Hirschi sold the business to . . . — — Map (db m297579) HM
12 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Normal School —
On Clay Street at 8th Street W., on the right when traveling north on Clay Street.
Mantorville schools began teacher training or normal training in 1913. Young women, having completed at least three years of high school, could prepare for teaching in rural schools through this type of program. Often Normal Schools evolved into . . . — — Map (db m288211) HM
13 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Restoration House —
On N. Main Street at 6th Street E., on the right when traveling north on N. Main Street.
The Restoration House was purchased by the Mantorville Restoration Association (MRA) in 1963 from the Wytaske Estate for $1700.00. It was in serious need of restoration and repair. MRA members volunteered their time and talent to restore it in . . . — — Map (db m294160) HM
14 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Mantorville — Zumbro Watershed —
On Clay Street at 3rd Street, on the left when traveling south on Clay Street.
Changing the Land Changes the River Over the past 150 years we have changed the landscape to create cities and farms. These changes increased how much water runs off the land. More runoff means more erosion, pollution, . . . — — Map (db m299879) HM
15 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Wasioja — 4 — Andrew Doig House — At Home in Wasioja — Wasioja Historic District Site No. 4 —
On 213th Avenue at 599th Street, on the right when traveling north on 213th Avenue.
Bill Patterson sitting on the porch. He owned the Doig House from 1963 to 1986. In the early days of building Wasioja, town founder Curtis Moses recruited Andrew and Alexander Doig, Scottish immigrant brothers and . . . — — Map (db m285951) HM
16 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Wasioja — 1 — Civil War Recruiting Station — Preserving Minnesota's Civil War History — Wasioja Historic District Site No. 1 —
On 601st Street at 200th Avenue, on the left when traveling west on 601st Street.
This small limestone building was built in 1855. It is most well known as the last remaining Civil War recruiting station in Minnesota. The Wasioja Grange and Old Settlers Society were instrumental in its preservation in the 1960s. A . . . — — Map (db m287744) HM
17 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Wasioja — Dodge County Civil War Memorial —
On 212th Avenue south of 602nd Street, on the left when traveling south.
Dodge County Civil War Memorial — — Map (db m196755) WM
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18 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Wasioja — 3 — Wasioja Baptist Church — A New Community Builds a Spiritual Home for Itself — Wasioja Historic District Site No. 3 —
On 212th Avenue north of 600th Street (County Road 16), on the right when traveling north.
The Wasioja Baptist Church, erected in 1858, was built by pledges and barters during a nationwide economic recession. In Wasioja's earliest days, its first ten families organized a congregation for themselves. In the summer . . . — — Map (db m286434) HM
19 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Wasioja — Wasioja Recruiting Station —
On 601st Street at 200th Avenue, on the left when traveling west on 601st Street.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Minnesota was the first state to offer and send troops to aid the Union cause. In April 1861, this building was converted to use as a recruiting station. Recruits from the Wasioja station, numbering over 200, . . . — — Map (db m114961) HM
20 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Wasioja — 2 — Wasioja School House — More Than Half a Century of Community Service — Wasioja Historic District Site No. 2 —
On 600th Street (County Road 16) at 211th Avenue, on the right when traveling west on 600th Street.
First, second and third grades, 1896 Wasioja's ambitious pioneer citizens established its first school in 1856 in a small wood frame building. But within two years, town leaders recognized the need for a permanent school. . . . — — Map (db m287263) HM
21 ► Minnesota, Dodge County, Wasioja — Wasioja's Seminary —
On 212th Avenue south of 605th Street, on the left when traveling south.
The role of buildings in the development of a community and their significance in history is amply pointed out by the history of this structure. Anxious to promote the growth of the newly formed town, the citizens agreed to provide the Free Will . . . — — Map (db m115028) HM
22 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield —
On Main Street (U.S. 52) west of Winona Street SE, on the left when traveling north.
Settled in 1863 and platted in 1854, this town from June, 1856 to November, 1861, was the Government Land Office for the southern area. The St. Paul-Dubuque stage route, opened in 1854, following the Territorial Road from Hastings, roughly the . . . — — Map (db m207537) HM
23 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield — Historic Bluff Country National Scenic Byway —
On Main Street S. south of 3rd Street SW, on the right when traveling south.
It took almost 100 years and even more musicians for Chatfield to become known as Bandtown USA. In 1882, the little town formed its first brass band. The group was greeted with such approval that just three years later, the town instituted a tax . . . — — Map (db m288726) HM
24 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield High School (1916-1959) —
On Main Street S. (U.S. 52) south of 4th Street, on the right when traveling south.
The building before you represented the state of the art in progressive school building design when it opened in 1916 as the Chatfield High School. It exhibits a number of important design features that show the influence of the evolving . . . — — Map (db m289510) HM
25 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield Loses County Courthouse, Gains Its First Municipal Park —
Near Main Street S. (U.S. 52) south of 3rd Street SW, on the right when traveling south.
Chatfield's founders intended the town to be the seat of government for the newly created Fillmore County, established by act of the Territorial Legislature on March 5, 1853. At the time it was created, Fillmore County encompassed all of the . . . — — Map (db m289170) HM
26 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield's Civic Geometry —
On Main Street S. (U.S. 52) at 3rd Street SW on Main Street S..
In 1854, the site of the future town of Chatfield was surveyed and platted by Thomas B. Twiford, acting as the agent for a group of real estate speculators organized in 1853 as the Chatfield Land Company. The town plat covered 195.6 acres and . . . — — Map (db m286448) HM
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27 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield's Historic Carnegie Library —
On Main Street S. (U.S. 52) north of 4th Street, on the right when traveling north.
The roots of Chatfield's library were planted during the 1850s when a small group of book lovers purchased a collection of works for private circulation under the auspices of the "Washington Irving Literary Society," an off-shoot of the . . . — — Map (db m287293) HM
28 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield's Legacy of Community Music —
On 3rd Street SW.
"CHATFIELD BRASS BAND—The instruments for the organization have been ordered, and are daily expected to arrive. There will doubtless be a good deal of 'tooting' for a while, as all things have a beginning, but in due course of time we shall have . . . — — Map (db m287753) HM
29 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Chatfield's Public Education Legacy —
On 4th Street at Twiford Street SW on 4th Street.
The Chatfield Academy was a non-governmental institution of secondary education, what we would now call a preparatory school. The academy movement had its origins in New England (Boston Latin was the prototype) and migrated west into Minnesota . . . — — Map (db m293055) HM
30 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — Main Street—From Wilderness Trail to Modern Highway —
On Main Street S. south of 3rd Street SW, on the right when traveling south.
"The Territory of Minnesota opened a road from Winona to Chatfield and further west and the stage line followed the road. A stagecoach business flourished for many years and Chatfield was the crossing of two major lines, the stage . . . — — Map (db m288213) HM
31 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Chatfield — The New Deal Comes to Chatfield —
On Main Street S. (U.S. 52) at 5th Street SW, on the right when traveling south on Main Street S..
The auditorium-gymnasium addition to Chatfield High School was built in 1935-1936. It was one of many PWA public school building projects in Minnesota. The building was designed by Toltz, King & Day, Inc., a well-known Saint Paul architectural . . . — — Map (db m294205) HM
32 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Historic McMichael Grain Elevator Preservation Project — a project of the Harmony Area Historical Society 501 (C)(3) —
On Main Avenue N. (County Road 44) at U.S. 52, on the right when traveling south on Main Avenue N..
History of the Harmony McMichael Grain Elevator • Built (circa 1879) for the A. & T. McMichael Grain Co. of McGregor, Iowa  • The company owned and operated several grain elevators and warehouses in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and . . . — — Map (db m287316) HM
33 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — Harmony Through the Years 1849–2017 —
On Main Avenue N. at 2nd Street NW, on the right when traveling south on Main Avenue N..
1840: Native Americans Winnebago 1844: Military Road Outpost Supply Route 1949: Settlement Greenfield Prairie 1852: Calvin Hoag First settler in Harmony Township 1854: Norwegian . . . — — Map (db m295587) HM
34 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — The Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota —
On Main Avenue N. (State Highway 139) at 2nd Street NW, on the right when traveling south on Main Avenue N..
Water Tower on Historic Ground An interesting fact connected with the history of Harmony was brought to light when the Village Council was required by the P.W.A. to procure all necessary titles and transfers to the plot of ground on which . . . — — Map (db m297728) HM
35 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — The Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota —
On Main Avenue N. at 1st Street NE, on the right when traveling north on Main Avenue N..
Before Our Time The original hotel was the Harmony House (later Pulver Hotel), as it appeared in 1885, when it was owned by Charles A. Thompson. To the left is Mr. Thompson's Boot, Shoe and Harness Shop; the Pool Hall building before it . . . — — Map (db m300440) HM
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36 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — The Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota —
On Main Avenue N. (County Road 44) at 1st Street NE, on the right when traveling north on Main Avenue N..
Original Johnson Store Sam and Peter Nelson, Lanesboro merchants and Samuel B. Johnson (S.B.), a clerk in the store, started a general store in the summer of 1889. Ben Larson was a partner in the store of Nelson Bros. In 1889, Hans S. . . . — — Map (db m303116) HM
37 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — The Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota —
On Main Avenue N. (Minnesota Route 139) south of 1st Street NW, on the right when traveling south.
Bert Yates Hardware Bert Yates had a hardware store located on north Main from 1938-1953. The sign on the building just to the south indicates the Vadheim-Landry Drug Store. Tallak Brokken Building The south side of the . . . — — Map (db m304864) HM
38 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — The Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota —
On Main Avenue N. (Minnesota Route 139) north of Center Street, on the right when traveling north.
Corner Store, Barber Shop, Clover Farm Store Wiped out by Early Morning Blaze Four fire companies fight flames for more than two hours. Volunteers helped immensely—sparks blown for blocks by northwest wind. A devastating fire, . . . — — Map (db m307560) HM
39 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — The Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota —
On Main Avenue (Minnesota Route 139) at Center Street, on the right when traveling south on Main Avenue.
July 4th Celebration At the July 4th celebration, you can see the cars beautifully decorated. Tollef Sanderson's car (center) was decorated, and his three daughters and son were in the car. The roof line at the far right is as it . . . — — Map (db m309033) HM
40 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Harmony — Let's Have "Harmony" — The Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota —
On Center Street W. at Main Avenue N. ( Route 139), on the right when traveling east on Center Street W..
Construction in Harmony The new Village Town Hall was built in 1935, at a cost of $4,000, and was completed in late summer. The building housed the fire department equipment, a council chamber, library, public rest room, a commodious room . . . — — Map (db m310773) HM
41 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Lanesboro — Lanesboro Veterans Memorial —
On Parkway Avenue S. (State Highway 250), on the right when traveling south.
A solemn tribute to those who served in the Armed Forces Henry M. Guttormson Legion Post #40 VFW Post #3888 — — Map (db m287845) WM
42 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Lanesboro — Minnesota's Norwegian Americans —
On State Highway 16, on the left when traveling east.
Like immigrants from many European nations in the mid-19th century, Norwegians left their homeland to escape overpopulation, food shortages, and farm foreclosures. They began arriving in Minnesota in the 1850s, drawn by rich farmland and job . . . — — Map (db m31323) HM
43 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — Agriculture and Angling —
Near Fillmore Street E. (County Road 12), on the right when traveling west.
Growing for the Mills The historic grain elevator reminds us of Preston's early agricultural years Settled in 1853, Preston is named for Luther Preston, the town's millwright and first postmaster. Located on the . . . — — Map (db m289517) HM
44 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — Jesse Potter Nehring —
On St. Paul Street SW at Fillmore Street W., on the right when traveling south on St. Paul Street SW.
"In memory of Jesse Potter Nehring M. D. who practiced medicine in this area from August 10, 1930, to January 25, 1967. His devoted service to his patients and his notable contributions to the care of the sick and to this . . . — — Map (db m303266) HM
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45 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — Preston All-Wars Memorial —
On North Street NE east of Center Street NE, on the right when traveling east.
Sponsored by Preston's Legion Post 166 & VFW Post 6893 and these dedicated veterans Alfson, Morris Sr. • Anderson, Amos • Anderson, Norman • Benson, M. S. "Mush" • Behnke, Richard • Berland, Lawerence • Bjork, Morris • Boysen, Clyde • . . . — — Map (db m289180) WM
46 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — Preston Overlook —
On U.S. 52 east of St. Paul Street NW, on the right when traveling east.
In 1937-1928, during America's Great Depression, the Preston Overlook was built as a project of the federal National Reemployment Service (NRS). The NRS operated an employment office in each county to certify manpower for the many . . . — — Map (db m286102) HM
47 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — Preston Public Library —
On St. Paul Street SW at Fillmore Street W., on the right when traveling south on St. Paul Street SW.
"A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert." Andrew Carnegie No well-regulated, progressive town can afford to be without . . . — — Map (db m300553) HM
48 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — The Heritage of Downtown Preston — Walking Tour —
On Fillmore Street E. (County Road 12) at Center Street NE, on the right when traveling west on Fillmore Street E..
The Start of the Historic Walking Tour of Preston 1.🙠Historic Elevator. You are at Preston's railroad center (see adjacent The Milwaukee Road in Preston exhibit dedicated in 2019)—all that is left is the 1902 . . . — — Map (db m295762) HM
49 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — The Milwaukee Road in Preston / A Day on the Railroad —
Near Fillmore Street E. (County Road 12) at Center Street NE, on the left when traveling east.
Returning from Caledonia, train #641 is steaming westward at Mabel toward its home terminal in Preston with Class 8 G engine #1022 (last steam engine scrapped by Milwaukee Road in 1956). August, 1953 Photo by Cecil Cook . . . — — Map (db m298381) HM
50 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — Welcome to Preston —
Near Fillmore Street E. (County Road 12), on the right when traveling west.
Grain Elevators As the Blufflands were settled in the mid-1800s, harvests from local farms were brought to the grain mills and elevators in nearby towns—such as the Milwaukee Co. Grain Elevator in Preston. Grain was stored in . . . — — Map (db m293222) HM
51 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston — Welcome to Preston: Area Attractions —
Near Fillmore Street E. (County Road 12) at Center Street NE, on the right when traveling west.
Consider this your personal invitation to visit Preston, Minnesota, located along the Root River in scenic Historic Bluff Country! Preston, also known as "Minnesota's Trout Capital," is a welcoming, family-fun destination offering a wide . . . — — Map (db m294348) HM
52 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Brick Schoolhouse —
On County Road 118, on the left when traveling south.
The second schoolhouse for children from Forestville and Carimona was built in 1857 out of locally made bricks. The brick schoolhouse cost $500 ($18,000 today) to build. It replaced a log building located in south Forestville. Milton . . . — — Map (db m288800) HM
53 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Bridges —
On County Road 118, on the left when traveling north.
Local bridges helped tie the Forestville community together. Early Forestville roads crossed the rivers at shallow fords. However, these crossing points were somtimes [sic] impassable due to dangerous flash flooding, thin ice or deep . . . — — Map (db m298885) HM
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54 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Bridges at Forestville —
On County Road 118, on the right when traveling south.
Because Forestville spanned both sides of the Root River, reliable bridges were essential. The first bridge was a wooden one built in 1856. It washed away in a flood. So did its replacement. In 1899, the Gillette-Herzog . . . — — Map (db m289628) HM
55 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Explore Minnesota's Hardwoods at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Minnesota State Parks — Windows on Minnesota's Landscapes —
On County Road 118, on the left when traveling east.
One hundred years ago, people escaped to these cool, wooded valleys to picnic, fish and relax. For centuries, the rugged blufflands landscape has been home to a remarkable variety of plant and animal life. Forestville/Mystery Cave State park was . . . — — Map (db m307716) HM
56 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Forestville —
On County Road 118, on the left when traveling north.
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 . . . — — Map (db m300716) HM
57 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Forestville Brickyard —
Near the Sugar Camp Hollow Trail west of County Road 118.
Forestville's brickyard was in this area. The clay for the bricks was mined from the hillside directly behind you. The streambed in front of you once supplied water for the brickyard. In 1855, John Gill moved to Forestville from Ohio. . . . — — Map (db m287844) HM
58 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Forestville Distillery —
Near County Road 118.
Soon after Forestville was incorporated in 1855, the distillery opened. Felix Meighen and Ruben Odell established Forestville's distillery. Their main product was rye whiskey, which sold for 40 cents a gallon. The distillery . . . — — Map (db m304972) HM
59 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Forestville Gristmill —
Near County Road 118, on the left when traveling east.
Wheat was king in southeastern Minnesota in the 1850s. Most towns had active gristmills. Forestville's gristmill ground wheat into flour. It operated from 1857 until the 1880s. When competition from Minneapolis mills . . . — — Map (db m303351) HM
60 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Forestville Sawmill —
Near County Road 118, on the left.
In the early 1850s, demand for new houses in southeastern Minnesota created a need for sawmills. Thomas Meighen and Herman Luedtke built a steam-powered sawmill near this spot in 1892. To run their mill, they bought a . . . — — Map (db m295865) HM
61 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Graded School —
Near County Road 118, on the right when traveling south.
The Forestville Graded School (as it was called locally) was built in 1879. It drew children from Forestville and the neighboring town of Carimona. The first class was held here on January 14, 1880. The school stayed in use until the . . . — — Map (db m287325) HM
62 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Historic Forestville —
On the Sandbank Trail west of County Road 118, on the right when traveling west.
Step into the story of a 19th-century farming town. Two 1851 treaties ceded Dakota lands to the United States, opening southern Minnesota to settlement. European American immigrants rushed into the territory. In the early 1850s, . . . — — Map (db m289209) HM
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63 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Meighen Icehouse —
On the Sandbank Trail west of County Road 118, on the right when traveling west.
During warm seasons, icehouses kept fresh food cold. In the winter, ice was harvested from a nearby stream. To keep ice blocks from melting, they were packed in sawdust and stored in the icehouse. In the warm months, people used giant . . . — — Map (db m293279) HM
64 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Meighen Store —
Near County Road 118, on the right when traveling north.
Horse medicine, school slates, eyeglasses, flour - all might have been for sale or trade in the log cabin store opened in 1853 by Felix Meighen and Robert Foster, boyhood friends from Pennsylvania. As the only store in Fillmore County, it did a . . . — — Map (db m205151) HM
65 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Robert Foster House —
On County Road 118, on the right when traveling south.
Robert Foster, the general store's cofounder, built a house atop this hill around 1861. Robert Foster and his family lived in the house until 1876, when he gave up his share of the store. Farmhands and their families lived in the house . . . — — Map (db m288264) HM
66 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — South Branch of the Root River —
Near County Road 118, on the left when traveling south.
The south branch of the Root River is one of the largest trout streams in SE Minnesota. Its upper branch begins just south of Grand Meadow and Spring Valley, where it is fed by additional spring water and cuts through bedrock on the way to . . . — — Map (db m294390) HM
67 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Preston, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park — Zumbro Hill Cemetery —
Near the Cemetery Trail 0.5 miles north of the Sugar Camp Hollow Trail.
From 1855 to 1899, more than 30 burials were performed at Zumbro Hill Cemetery The cemetery, accessible by a nearby wagon road, was built on land donated by Major Foster. Of the original headstones, 19 are still legible. The cemetery . . . — — Map (db m286480) HM
68 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Rushford — Historic Wagon Factory Building —
On Elm Street at W. Park Street, on the right when traveling south on Elm Street.
Placed on National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of Interior Built-1872 Rushford Wagon and Carriage Co., started in 1860 by John Albertson, built wagons, carriages and sleighs until 1939. Other . . . — — Map (db m288766) HM
69 ► Minnesota, Fillmore County, Spring Valley — Methodist Church Museum — Laura Ingalls Wilder Site —
On Courtland Street east of N. Hudson Avenue, on the right when traveling west.
The Wilder family, of Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder, moved to Spring Valley in the 1870's: James and Angeline, children Laura, Royal, Eliza, Alice, Almanzo and Perley. Construction of this Methodist Church began in 1876. The . . . — — Map (db m286449) HM
70 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Eyota — Before The Freeways —
On Interstate 90 at milepost 222, 2.3 miles west of State Route 42.
Years ago, bison, Native Americans, and European settlers wore trails into the prairie grasses. By the 1880's many trails had become steel rails. Some trails became dirt roads, traveled by wagons, sleighs, and horse-drawn coaches, moving people and . . . — — Map (db m179008) HM
71 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Eyota — Medical Pioneers of Minnesota —
Near Westbound Rest Area (Interstate 90 at milepost 222), 3.5 miles west of State Route 42, on the right when traveling west.
Minnesota's doctors and the institutions they built have played a distinguished role in the medical revolution of the past 150 years. Both the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota Medical School have pioneered treatment techniques that have . . . — — Map (db m178478) HM
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72 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Oronoco — Oronoco Gold Rush —
On 3rd Avenue Northwest 0.2 miles west of County Road 18.
During the summer of 1858 gold was discovered in the bed of the Zumbro River at Rochester and near Oronoco. The news created a local sensation. On July 1, 1858, the Rochester Democrat reported: "The excitement in reference to the gold . . . — — Map (db m178512) HM
73 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Birth of the Minnesota Education Association —
Near Mayo Park Drive Southeast east of 6th Avenue Southeast, on the left when traveling north.
August 27, 1961, marked the centennial observance of the founding of the M E A. This organization, with its more than 28,000 classroom teachers and administrators and with its headquarters in St. Paul, was formed at Rochester during the early days . . . — — Map (db m196352) HM
74 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Calvary Episcopal Church — Rochester's Oldest Church Building —
On 2nd Street SW at 4th Avenue SW, on the right when traveling west on 2nd Street SW.
Built in 1862, during the Civil War, eight years after the founding of Rochester (1854), the primitive "chapel" measured only 27 by 55 feet. It was built on the original plat of bricks made in Rochester. Two lots were given by George Head, . . . — — Map (db m147342) HM
75 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Central Park Plaza — Dedicated July 30, 2004 —
Near 1st Avenue Northwest at 2nd Street Northwest, on the right when traveling south.
In 1856, W. D. Lowery donated his cow pasture to establish Rochester's first park, Central Park. In the 1800s Central Park was the gathering place for picnics, band concerts and ice cream socials with a majestic fountain as the centerpiece. In . . . — — Map (db m196421) HM
76 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Conley Maass Downs Building —
On 4th Street SW west of 1st Avenue SW, on the right when traveling east.
Conley Maass Downs Bldg. built 1900 has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m146895) HM
77 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Donald Church Balfour House —
On 6th Avenue SW at 5th Street SW, on the right when traveling south on 6th Avenue SW.
427 Sixth Avenue S.W. is listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m148187) HM
78 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Dr. William J. Mayo House —
On 4th Street SW west of 7th Avenue SW, on the right when traveling west.
This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m148186) HM
79 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Dr. William Worrall Mayo — Historic Site —
On 3rd Street Southwest just east of 1st Avenue Southwest, on the left when traveling west.
On this site in 1865 Dr. William Worrall Mayo constructed his first (and only) dedicated medical office building in Rochester. Later destroyed by fire, it was described as “a neat and pleasant office” (Rochester City Post, June 10, 1865). . . . — — Map (db m306900) HM
80 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Early Rural School —
Near West Circle Drive (County Road 22 SW) 1.8 miles east of U.S. 52, on the right when traveling south.
Hadley Valley School was built in Olmsted County in approximately 1885 and is preserved here as a symbol of the pioneer's desire that his children have an education. Moving of the school has been made possible by Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Lowry in . . . — — Map (db m179019) HM
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81 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Flooding in Rochester — Stormwater Trail —
Near West Silver Lake Drive Northeast east of North Broadway Avenue (U.S. 63).
Rochester was built on a floodplain created by the South Fork of the Zumbro River and its tributaries. The first recorded flood in Rochester was in 1855 and historic floods occurred in 1866, 1882, and 1908. Rochester's worst flood happened in 1978. . . . — — Map (db m178691) HM
82 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Geology of Minnesota —
On East Silver Lake Drive 1.8 miles north of 12th Street Southeast (U.S. 14), on the right when traveling south.
The diversified scenery of Minnesota - of which the Rochester area is one phase - is due to the location of the state in the approximate center of the continent. Situated midway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Hudson Bay and the Gulf of . . . — — Map (db m178698) HM
83 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — History of Silver Lake — Stormwater Trail —
Near East Silver Lake Drive 1.7 miles north of 12th Street Southeast (U.S. 14), on the right when traveling south.
Silver Lake is a reservoir that was created in the 1930s by hand-digging a basin to hold water and then constructing a dam to back-up river water. It was built as a work relief project, providing work for over 400 unemployed men. The land on . . . — — Map (db m178778) HM
84 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Last Alarm —
On East Silver Lake Drive Northeast 0.1 miles south of 14th Street Northeast, on the left when traveling east.
Captain Peter S. Mackey Station 1  July 23, 1942 Firefighter Stanley J. O'Brien Squad 1  Silver Lake  December 24, 1953 Motor Operator Ambrose J. Riley Ladder 1  Silver Lake  December 24, 1953 Motor Operator Otis D. Ondler . . . — — Map (db m196425) HM
85 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Mayo Clinic Site — Saint Marys Park —
Near 4th Street NW east of 10th Avenue SW, on the left when traveling east.
The land on which this monument stands, consisting of a tract shown in the plat hereon, was presented to the city of Rochester, for use as a public park by Drs. William J and Charles H Mayo on June 15, 1907. — — Map (db m203229) HM
86 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Mayowood —
On Mayowood Road Southwest 0.6 miles west of Mayowood Hills Drive Southwest, on the left when traveling west.
A great love of nature led Dr. Charles Horace Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, and his wife Edith (Graham) Mayo to purchase a small red brick house and 340 acres in 1907. Their growing family and desire to preserve the natural beauty of the . . . — — Map (db m196339) HM
87 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Rochester Public Library Building — The Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine —
On 2nd Street SW near 3rd Avenue SW, on the left when traveling west.
This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m147272) HM
88 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Roosevelt Honors Mayos —
On Soldiers Field Drive Southwest 0.3 miles east of Broadway Avenue South (U.S. 63), on the right when traveling east.
Near this marker on August 8 1934, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated a bronze plaque in behalf of the American Legion to Doctors William James Mayo and Charles Horace Mayo. Speaking before 75,000 people, the President of the United . . . — — Map (db m179021) HM
89 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — Saint Marys Hospital —
On 2nd Street SW at 14th Avenue SW, on the right when traveling east on 2nd Street SW.
In 1889 the Sisters of Saint Francis, under the leadership of Mother Alfred, opened Saint Marys Hospital, the first hospital in southern Minnesota, to meet the health needs of Rochester, needs brought into sharp focus by the destructive tornado . . . — — Map (db m203231) HM
90 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The Avalon Building —
On North Broadway at 3rd Street NW, on the right when traveling south on North Broadway.
This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m147742) HM
91 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The Chateau Theatre —
On 1st Avenue SW north of 2nd Street SW, on the right when traveling north.
This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m147306) HM
92 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The Heritage House —
On 1st Avenue NW at 3rd Street NW, on the right when traveling north on 1st Avenue NW.
This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m147309) HM
93 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The Mayo Memorial —
On 6th Avenue Southeast at 3rd Street Southeast, on the right when traveling south on 6th Avenue Southeast.
Twenty-five years after the deaths of the Doctors William James and Charles Horace Mayo the citizens of Rochester fittingly observed the Mayo Centennial Year - 1964 - to commemorate the approximate 100th anniversary of the birth dates of the Doctors . . . — — Map (db m196356) HM
94 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The Olmsted County Historical Society / Our Pioneer Heritage —
On West Circle Drive (County Road 22 SW) 1.7 miles west of U.S. 52, on the right when traveling south.
The Olmsted County Historical Society was organized in Rochester on January 25, 1926. The first officers were: Burt W. Eaton, President; Mrs. Jay E. Benedict, Vice-president; Lester J. Fiegel, Treasurer; Henry O. Christiansen, Secretary. For . . . — — Map (db m178785) HM
95 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The Plummer Building — The Mayo Clinic —
On Annenberg Plaza north of 2nd Street SW, on the right when traveling north.
This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m147305) HM
96 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The Rochester Armory Building —
On N Broadway Avenue at 2nd Street NE, on the left when traveling north on N Broadway Avenue.
This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior — — Map (db m147307) HM
97 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Rochester — The William Dee Log Cabin — A Labor of Love —
Near West Circle Drive (County Road 22 SW) 1.8 miles east of U.S. 52, on the right when traveling south.
This humble little cabin was constructed in the summer of 1862 by Irish immigrant William Dee and a group of neighbors. The cabin was built on lot six of block four of the Head and McMahon's Addition, now West 6th Street. William's wife, Bridget, . . . — — Map (db m178996) HM
98 ► Minnesota, Olmsted County, Stewartville, High Forest Township — Richard W. Sears Birthplace —
On North Main Street (U.S. 63) just north of 3rd Street Northwest, on the left when traveling north.
Richard Warren Sears (1863-1914), cofounder of Sears Roebuck and Company, was born in Stewartville and lived in this house from 1863 to 1869. Richard Sears was the son of James Sears — a pioneer Stewartville blacksmith. In 1869 Sears began his . . . — — Map (db m235257) HM
 
 
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Oct. 12, 2026