While several American Indian tribes called Minnesota home, two tribes called Blue Earth County home, the Dakota and the Winnebago, also known as the Ho-Chunk. The Winnebago came to Blue Earth County after a treaty was signed between the U.S. Government and the tribe in February 1855. This reservation land extended into Waseca County and covered six townships in Bue Earth County. Due to the lack of wild game in the area, the “Indian Agent” of the time decided to build a house and farm to provide food for the over 2,000 Winnebago who resided on the Reservation. This house was built just south of present day St. Clair, along the Le Sueur River.
Shortly after the U.S.- Dakota Conflict of 1862, there was a push by white settlers to remove all American Indians from Blue Earth County. In 1863, the Winnebago Reservation was moved to Eastern Nebraska. The Agency house was temporarily turned into a hotel, and by 1880, the house was converted to a single family home. The house remained standing until a fire in April 1986. The door frame for the Agency House is can be seen at the Blue Earth County History Center Museum.
TBT, or Throwback Thursday, is done in partnership with KEYC News 12 in Mankato. You can view this segment during the noon news.