Freeborn County Historical Markers Tour Preview

1

Clover Valley Creamery Buttermaker's Home

The hamlet of Clover was located in section 33 of Pickerel Lake township. It had a creamery and a store, and was near the German Lutheran church and a schoolhouse. It was stationed on land owned by William P. Pickle. Clover Valley Creamery Association was organized June 2nd, 1890, th building was erected in the fall of 1890 and opened November 1st, 1890 with Mr. Larkin as buttermaker. The first officers were: Chris Radke, Pres.; George W. Hall, V.P.; John M. Geissler, Secretary; and William Wohlhunter, Treasurer. In the summer of 1891, a house was built for the buttermaker who lived on the second floor and who ran the store on the first floor.

3

Luther Academy

The first term of school opened on November 1st, 1888, in a suite of rooms in the second story of the Syndicate block of the NW corner of Broadway and Main streets with about fifty students. For some years, the institution was known as the Albert Lea Lutheran High School. This new "Main" building was completed October 6th, 1891, at a cost of $18,000. The courses covered were the "usual preparation subjects with business and musical departments". L.S. Swenson was the first principal. The school was connected with the Norwegian Lutheran Evangelican Synod. The academy closed in 1929. The Academy apartments building to the left of the marker is the former dormitory for Luther Academy.

4

Site of First Home in Albert Lea

Lorenzo Merry first appeared in Freeborn County in June 1855, and was the first settler on the present site of Albert Lea, building a log cabin on the SE corner of Washington and Water streets, which served as a room and boarding house for pioneers looking for places to settle. In 1857, he erected a sign for the boarding house titled "Strangers' Home".

5

Albert Lea College for Women

September 8th, 1885 marks the opening of this ladies' college for academic work. The number of students enrolled was fifty-one with Reverend R. B. Abbott as President. The first building was designed for recitation rooms, as well as for household and dormitory purposes. A plan was projected for an additional building during the year 1887. The plans were so arranged that the building could be erected in three sections. The entire structure, when completed, was designed to be the main hall of the college. The college was under the Presbyterian Synod of Minnesota, and terminated in 1916.

6

Itasca Village

Sometimes incorrectly spelled as "Itaska", this village was formerly known as Freeborn Springs, and was platted in 1855 after Charles C. Colby settled in Bancroft township. When Albert Lea Miller first surveyed the county, he called the area where Itasca was located "Paradise Prairie" for its' picturesque landscape. The town did not start booming until Dr. Alfred Burnham arrived in 1857. He erected an expensive house and tried to secure Itasca as the county seat-the endeavor failed. After losing the contest for the county seat, Itasca disappeared, becoming a ghost town. Three Oaks Vineyard and Winery now sits atop the land once occupied by Itasca Village. The Itasca Rock Garden is to the right of the marker.

7

Itasca Cemetery and Blue Earth Road

Once heralded as "the most beautiful spot in Freeborn County", the Itasca Cemetery is a hilltop burial ground of early Freeborn County pioneers. It is said that when standing atop the hill, one could see for miles in every direction. Unfortunately, tree coverage no longer makes that statement true, but it is still a peaceful site to visit. It was originally located on Dr. Alfred Burnham's farm and was chosen for a cemetery location by Dr. Burnham's wife, Jerusha Burnham, who was buried there in 1865. The first burial in the cemetery was in 1861-Samuel Henderson, a resident of Pickerel Lake township. It was formally surveyed and platted by H.C. Lacy in 1873. He is also buried here.

8

Trenton County School

In 1860, this county schoolhouse was constructed in Section #3, Freeborn township, a 20 X 24 building at a cost of $350. In 1874, it was removed to the eastern part of Section #4, remodeled and partly rebuilt at a cost of $400. It stood just outside of the village of Trenton. The first school instruction on Freeborn County was given in pioneer homes. The public system in the county was started in 1857. The year 1964 marks the last operation of a county school in Freeborn County.

9

Bath General Store

Opened in 1891 by James St. John, who was also the post master as the post office was in his store. The post office was served by the "Star Route", mail was first dispatched twice a week, later threee times a week. The store had many proprietors. Among them: Henry Harty, M.J. Rolekie, William P. Shea, Anton Bartness, William Bartness, Clement Erickson, A.A. Madson, and Hannah Larson. When Hannah Larson bought the land in 1957, the creamery folded, and a few years later, the store followed.

10

Site of First Church Service in Freeborn County

The first settlers of Moscow Township felt the need of religious instruction, so when Reverend Sylvester N. Phelps,a young man fresh from the theological college, came to preach in Rufus K. Crum's house in 1856, he was hailed with joy. This was the first religious service in Freeborn County by a regularly ordained preacher. The Lugg School, district #95, once stood beside the marker.

11

Sumner-Hildreth Cemetery

Most of the burials from this cemetery were moved to the Fairview Cemetery and other area burial grounds. The tombstone for Hollis Hildreth, who was once buried at Sumner cemetery, is located next to the marker. It was once used as a stepping stone for a farmer's barn until it was rescued by local historian, L.A. Berg. A county road was built through the cemetery in 1934 and one grave of a woman was found and reburied in the ditch on the other side of the road near a light pole.

12

Sumner Village

The village of Sumner was laid out in 1857 by Rufus K. Crum. A post office was built in 1857 with George Watson as post master and in 1858, Crum erected a house on the site and used it to entertain travelers. Gradually, the interest in the village waned and the town was abandoned in 1876.

13

Fairfield Village

About 1857, Eastern businessmen visiting this tract made plans to build a future city believing a proposed railroad route would pass this way. Thus a plat of possible streets was drawn. A steam sawmill was moved in, postoffice ans store established, as well as a blacksmith shop and four homes. But, this important link-the railroad from east and west-never materialized and the hope of a village faded. The plat was made by Samuel Beardsley.

14

Riceland Co-Op Creamery or Lerdal Creamery

Lerdal was a hamlet centered around the creamery. There are still some homes in the area, but it is considered a ghost town.

15

Bancroft Cooperative Creamery

Usually railroads or creameries were the nucleous around which a town was built and survived. The village of Bancroft had the creamery which began operation May 15th, 1891. S.A. Moen was the buttermaker and in 1893 received a diploma for butter exhibited as the Columbia Fair at Chicago scoring 97-1/2 points. This diploma was framed and always hung in the creamery. The village consisted of the creamery, a store, town hall, and several homes.

4

Site of First Home in Albert Lea

Lorenzo Merry first appeared in Freeborn County in June 1855, and was the first settler on the present site of Albert Lea, building a log cabin on the SE corner of Washington and Water streets, which served as a room and boarding house for pioneers looking for places to settle. In 1857, he erected a sign for the boarding house titled "Strangers' Home".