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A Brief History of Vernon Center Township
The first settlers to Vernon Center arrived in covered wagons, eagerly drawn to the areas abundance of wild game and timber. A majority of these settlers arose from Mt.Vernon, Ohio, where a small group...
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Mankato High School Fire
By Grace WebbMankato High School, a majestic building constructed in 1891, burned to the ground on July 19, 1941. The building had been condemned in 1939 because the state fire marshal’s office had...
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Buildings at the University
By: Win GrundmeierYou may wonder how the names were assigned to the various buildings on campus at Minnesota State University, Mankato and its predecessors. Most all the names concerned persons...
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The Ghosts from the Past Tradition
By Mike Lagerquist“Stick close together on your walk through the dark woods … you never know who might be waiting for you.”So began a traditional Halloween-time event that, although there are “ghosts”...
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A Brief History of Pleasant Mound Township
No one knows who first settled Pleasant Mound in 1856, as several settlers came to the area around the same time that year. Pleasant Mound went through a few name changes before settling on its current...
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History of the Mankato Post Office
The Mankato Post Office first opened in 1853 in a small building located on Front Street across the street from the First National Bank. Parson King Johnson was the city’s first postmaster. The post...
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Funeral Practices in Mankato
By Win GrundmeierWhen Mankato was a young community, most people’s lives ended at home, and people would actually take turns being with the corpse night and day until the funeral. Embalming the corpse...
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Blue Earth County Briefly Banned Dancing
By: Grace WebbWhile some areas in mid-1900s U.S.prohibited alcohol, Blue Earth County went a step further in July of 1944 when it banned dancing. The County Commissioners decided dancing chipped away...
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A Brief History of South Bend Township
When Captain Samuel Humbertson sailed past South Bend in 1853 he immediately resolved to settle there. His fellow crewmate’s agreed whole heartedly and soon they began a small settlement. So small- in...
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That Terrible Winter of 1935/1936
By Win GrundmeierOld timers like to tell stories of “the worst winter” they can recall—the 1935/1936 record breaker. That winter truly was a record breaker, but only in the number of continuous below...
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Creameries in Blue Earth County
By: Ollie AndersonDairy was big business in Blue Earth County from before the 1890s through the present day. In 1918, dairy production in Minnesota was third behind wheat and corn. There were 2279...
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TBT - Blue Earth County's Jail
The Blue Earth County Jail was located at 203 South Fifth Street near the Historic Courthouse. The two-story building was built in 1895 and cost $28,000. Inside, the jail had 10 cells with five on each...
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Mankato's Nickname Contest - 1925
The process of how Mankato garnered its nickname of Minnesota’s “Key City” was not prompted by any city, chamber of commerce or tourism-based group’s suggestion, but rather resembled a round table...
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TBT - Iron Truss Bridge
Prior to 1880, in order to cross the Minnesota River from Mankato to Belgrade Township, people had to use a ferry. In 1878, the state legislature approved the building of a bridge across the river....
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Dr. Helen Hughes Hielscher
By Win GrundmeierTruly a light of the first magnitude in southern Minnesota. She was a medical doctor and a very active worker in social welfare in an era in which the “woman’s place was in the...
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TBT - Mankato Winter Carnival
The Mankato Winter Carnival began on January 19, 1920. It started with a parade down Front Street with Mankato Mayor Watters as grand marshal. Watters, along with the city council members, rode through...
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Wells Fargo Bank has Deep Roots in Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County has a long history of banking. Banks were formed, moved, renamed and merged together countless times and Mankato’s Wells Fargo Bank is no exception. Mankato’s Wells Fargo started as...
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TBT - Mankato's Post Office
The Mankato Post Office first opened in 1853 in a small building located on Front Street across the street from the Old First National Bank. The post office moved a number of times in the following...
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A Brief History of Lyra Township
Split by the Maple River and bordered by Sterling is Lyra Township. Abundant in its stock of timber and fertile land, Lyra quickly drew in many settlers during its early days. Before it was opened to...
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Minnie C. Hubbard, Professional Violinist
By Win GrundmeierMankato has been blessed with some considerable musical talent over the years, most of the soloists being women. Minnie Hubbard was one of Mankato’s best musical stars.On January 10,...
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