A map showing the proposed community of Washington, Minnesota Territory, including streets, blocks, and lots. The Minnesota River is included. Washington was to be located in Section 4, T110N, R26W in Nicollet County, Minnesota. It was surveyed by Chas. Snyder in 1858. The Minnesota River would have been at the southeastern corner of the community, and the southern boundary would have bordered a proposed canal that would have entered the river.
A map showing the community of McQuiston's Addition to Le Hillier City, including streets, lots, and blocks. The Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers are included. The town was to be located in Section 14, T108N, R27W of Nicollet County, Minnesota. Surveyor C. A. Chapman certified the plat of the proposed community in June of 1858. This town did not survive the severe economic downturn that began in 1857 that affected the entire United States and the Territory of Minnesota. It can now be regarded as part of Lost Minnesota.
Minnesota's second Territorial Governor, Willis A. Gorman, signed this document that appointed William B. Dodd, one of the founders of St. Peter, as a Brigadier General of the First Brigade of the Second Division of the Militia of Minnesota Territory on February 20th, 1857.
The St. Peter Company, which helped to promote and establish the community of St. Peter, conveyed to the town's residents through this document the land for a large park. The park is known as Gorman Park, and was named after Territorial Governor Willis A. Gorman, who was a member of the St. Peter Company. The document is dated January 6th, 1857.
A map showing Union City, including streets, blocks, and lots. The town was located, or was to have been located, in Section 4, T109N, R28W of Nicollet County, Minnesota. Wm. G. Wells was the surveyor for this map, which was created in 1856 for Thomas Gunn, one of the proprietors. Very little is known about Union City, which has not survived. It can now be regarded as a part of Lost Minnesota.
A map showing the community of Swan City, including streets, blocks, and lots. It was located in Sections 5 and 8, T109N, R28W of Nicollet County, Minnesota. Wm. G. Wells was the surveyor for this map, which was created in 1856 for proprietor Thomas Gunn. Swan City appears on a map of Minnesota dated 1866, but probably did not survive for very many years beyond that date. It can now be regarded as a part of Lost Minnesota.
A map showing the community of Redstone City, including streets, lots, and blocks. The town was located in Section 1, T109N, R30W of Nicollet County, Minnesota. Frederick Leavenworth was the surveyor for this map, which was created in 1856 for proprietor Daniel Lothrop, Jr. Like its neighboring community of Redstone, Redstone City gradually faded away as a community, and can now be regarded as a part of Lost Minnesota.
A map showing the community of Redstone, including streets, blocks, and lots. Redstone was located in Section 35, T110N, R30W of Nicollet County, Minnesota. Frederick Leavenworth was the surveyor for this map, which was created in 1856 for Marshall B. Stone and other occupants and proprietors. Redstone faded away as a community in which to live, and can now be regarded as a part of Lost Minnesota.
A map showing the community variously known as Dakota, Dakota City, or Dakota Mills, including streets, blocks, and lots. The Minnesota River is included, as is a building labeled as McNutt's Dakota Mills. The community was located in Section 34, T109N, R28W in Nicollet County, and was "surveyed in 1856, drawn by Anthony D. McSweeney" for William H. McNutt, who is listed as the proprietor. This town did not survive the severe economic downturn that began in 1857 that affected the entire United States and the Territory of Minnesota. It can now be regarded as part of Lost Minnesota.
A map showing the community of Eureka, including streets, blocks, and lots. The Minnesota River is included. Eureka was located in Section 33, T109N, R28W of Nicollet County, Minnesota, and was surveyed by Daniel L. Turpin. This town did not survive the severe economic downturn that began in 1857 that affected the entire United States and the Territory of Minnesota. It can now be regarded as part of Lost Minnesota.
The community of St. Peter was initially, and for a very brief time, known as Rock Bend, a name taken because of the presence of a sharp bend in the course of the Minnesota River on the east side of the settlement. The name was used probably from late in 1853 until sometime in 1854. The envelope shown here, addressed to Charles E. Flandrau (1828-1903), who was living in the area at the time, is one of only a few objects that survived with the name "Rock Bend" on it. Flandrau, himself, became a very prominent resident of the State of Minnesota. Among many other duties during his lifetime, he commanded the defenders of New Ulm in August of 1862 and later served on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
A map of a proposed community named Waheoka, including streets, blocks, and lots. The Minnesota River is included. The community was apparently to be located in Nicollet County, with southern and eastern boundaries along the Minnesota River, apparently near St. Peter and Traverse des Sioux. Spring Lake, looking more like a small stream on the map, divided the community into an east section and a west section. Waheoka was surveyed by Z. Wise in 1854 for Lyman Leach and Monroe Wright.
Ashley C. Riggs kept a ledger book journal from 1852-1873. The earliest entries are from Cold Spring (Stearns County), Minnesota and Watab (Benton County), Minnesota. The ledger's earliest entries record his activiites as an Indian Agent for the Winnnebago Indians for the years 1852-1853. The second portion of the ledger is Riggs' diary which documents his activities in and around Monticello, Minnesota for the years 1864-1873. Riggs was a key figure in the development of the Minnesota Territory and early Monticello, Minnesota community when he laid claim in 1854 to a piece of land on the Mississippi River. He built othe first ferry to shuttle people across the River. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
This is a print by the artist and military officer Seth Eastman, who was stationed in Minnesota before statehood. Two Native American men on snowshoes are shown hunting buffalo.
This is a print by the artist and military officer Seth Eastman, who was stationed in Minnesota before statehood. It shows a Dakota campsite along a body of water.
This is a print by the artist and military officer Seth Eastman, who was stationed in Minnesota before statehood. It shows several dwellings of the Dakota people.