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Welcome to the Waseca History Tour. Whether you are using our app and visiting the area in person or navigating our site virtually, welcome to a tour of Waseca History. Waseca County was officially established in 1857. Shortly thereafter the city of Waseca came into existence. The name "Waseca" in Dakota means “Rich in provisions”. In 1880 the Minneapolis Star Tribune described our fast growing community as a "Thrifty Little Village."

This tour will take you on an interesting and informative visit to the key places, people and events in the unique story of this wonderful community and the surrounding area.

The majority of stops on this tour were researched, aggregated and created by Waseca High School students in the Waseca History Tour Class taught by Mr. John Hanson. Others were researched and created by local historian and HPC Chair Julie Anderson. Our priorities are to present visitors with key information, images and interviews with opportunities to discover more. We are also excited about our visitors interacting with us by encouraging you to "share your memories" if one of the tour stops triggers a recollection for you.

We value your constructive feedback so please provide us with input using the feedback opportunities. We also know that our stops are not 100% complete. If you have an item (photo, video, audio, etc.) that may enhance a tour stop, please contact us.

This app/website project would not be possible without the valuable support from Waseca County, Waseca Public Schools, the City of Waseca and the Waseca Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC). A portion of the initial funding for the project, class, equipment, training and app/site development was made possible through grants from:

• Minnesota SHPO Certified Local Government Grant (SHPO Link)
• Waseca Area Foundation (WAF Link)

The project creators are grateful for the support of all the local historians and others who have helped in the process including:

• The Waseca County History Center resources and staff (WCHC Link)
• HPC Chair Julie Anderson (Waseca HPC Link)
  • Waseca Downtown Historic Designation: Click to watch KEYC video
• Waseca County Planning & Zoning Administrator, Tina Wilson
• Waseca High School TOSA Andrew Hopkins

Special thanks to the Waseca County News, Waseca County Pioneer and Mankato Free Press who have partnered with this project to allow for their content to be used free of charge.

How To Use This App

Navigation:

• Swipe the screen to move throughout the tour stops or press the "Next Stop" button. For a list of all tour stops, press the list icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Audio

• To listen instead of reading text, click on play button.
• Special thanks to our narrators: Garrett Natyson, Jeanne Swanson and Jack Williams

Map

• Each tour map shows a quick look at the location of all stops. Pressing an individual stop marker will take you to the content for that stop.

Images & Galleries

• Swipe across images to reveal others. Tapping an image or video will enlarge the view and display image captions.

Image Credits

• To view information regarding the source of an image, click on the information button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Updated Content

• We are continuously expanding and refining our app! We recommend you start each visit by updating the new content. Select “Profile” at the bottom of this page, then select “Settings,” and click on “Check for updated content.” Return to explore the app, and you will be prompted to download the new content. This quick step will provide you with the up-to-date Discover Waseca Tours!

Born in 1823 in New York, Ira Cooke Trowbridge is the most prominent figure in the early history of Waseca. He first came to the area in 1866.

In 1867, the Winona & St. Peter Railroad announced plans to run a line through the area. Land speculator and Waseca founder Ira Trowbridge convinced railroad executive W.G. Ward and his surveyor J.H. Jenkins that the best path for the railroad ran to the south of Clear Lake and Loon Lake. These three men became the town founders of Waseca, which literally grew up around the railroad.

The town expanded quickly, adding the second railroad line in 1877 and becoming the County seat in a highly contested 1870 election. Waseca, the city created from the early vision and determination of Ira Trowbridge, soon became the dominant economic force of the area. He continued to play a critical role in the economic, political, and social development of Waseca until his death from heart failure, which occurred October 3, 1893. (An excerpt from the 2010 City of Waseca Historical Survey Report)

Beginning in the early 2000s, community members led by veterans and a collection of local volunteers gave rise to support for a new Waseca County Veterans Memorial. Discussions with the city council and county commissioners took place over several years as the Veterans Memorial Committee sought funding as well as an adequate location for the memorial. The committee planned volunteer efforts to raise funds “to build and maintain a memorial to all veterans in the county, to acknowledge all branches of the military, all conflicts and to last far into the future.” (Waseca County News, June 12, 2012). The existing Veterans Memorial (located near the cannon on the Courthouse lawn) is dedicated to veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War I. The most controversial part of the project was finding a location. Many sites were discussed, including areas surrounding the Courthouse, an empty downtown lot, the County Fairgrounds, and Trowbridge Park.

The preferred location (south of the Courthouse near the Sheriff’s department building) was problematic because the Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and building on the site could jeopardize future grants to maintain this historic building (Waseca County News, June 20, 2013). By 2018, a proposed site on the northeast corner of the Courthouse was approved, funds were raised, and the memorial was dedicated in 2019. The controversy surrounding the placement of the new Veterans Memorial surprised many, but the conversations around honoring our veterans sparked community engagement and advocacy. The annual Waseca Memorial Day observance continues to take place on the Courthouse lawn in view of both memorials.

Waseca’s rapid growth during the 1860s soon led to the controversy about relocating the county seat from nearby Wilton. Already, many of Wilton’s leading businessmen and leaders had moved to Waseca (including James Childs), but Wilton was understandably unwilling to cede its authority. At the same time, Wasecans pressed their case, citing the town’s rapid expansion and willingness to construct new civic buildings, such as a courthouse.

When Wilton’s courthouse, jail, and adjoining buildings burned in April, 1869, the competition began in earnest. Waseca received legislative approval to issue bonds for a new county courthouse, and with characteristic haste, a handsome new brick building was erected on Second Street, with four offices on the first floor and a courtroom encompassing the entire second floor. The sheriff’s residence and jail were later added in a separate building behind. Wilton’s remaining businessmen countered with an offer to rebuild the new courthouse at the previous site, and Janesville also put forth a proposal.

On November 8, 1870, a general election was held to determine if the county seat should be moved to Waseca. The vote was 870 in favor and 653 against, and that very night several leading Wasecans were said to have gone to Wilton to collect records, furniture, and the county seal, setting up Waseca as the new county seat by morning. By 4:00 AM every one of the county records had been taken from the courthouse in Wilton and deposited in a building already set aside in Waseca. No one seems to know where they got the keys to Wilton's vaults. (From City of Waseca 2010 Historic Context Study)

The cannon consolidates with the plaque on the SE corner of the property to create a memorial to Waseca County Veterans. It was reportedly made in Virginia and was captured by the First Minnesota Battery at Cheraw, S.C., during the First Battle of Bull Run. It was presented to Waseca County by Civil War soldiers in 1861 and dedicated in 1898. (Waseca County News 3/7/2014)

Sheriff Don Eustice, known to Wasecans as “Hero and Friend,” was born on September 24th, 1928, in Waterville, MN to Thomas Eustice and Ethel Haley Eustice. Don grew up in Waseca attending school in Janesville as well as Waseca. He graduated from Waseca High School in 1946. After graduation, Don entered the US Navy where he served two years (1946-1948). Upon returning home, Don married Esther Clayton on November 12, 1948, in Waseca. Together they had nine children. Don initially served with the Waseca Police Department, later joining the Sheriff's department in 1953. In 1966, he was elected Waseca County Sheriff and would be re-elected in 1970 and 1974.

The Everett-Aughenbaugh Company Flour Mill is an integral part of Waseca’s history. Waseca was a farming town, and its main crop was wheat. Once the railroad came through town, farmers needed a way to transport their goods to market. The EACO Mill transformed Waseca from a small, quiet town to a booming commerce center. It was built in 1877 by William Everett and John W. Aughenbaugh. In 1883, a tornado tore the roof off the main mill and damaged many of the facilities. Despite the damage, the buildings were salvaged and production quickly resumed. The Mill continued to thrive until fire destroyed most of the property in 1891. The company rebuilt and continued producing flour until 1896 when it burned down for the second time. In 1925, EACO Mill was sold by Everett’s son to Russell Milling and although milling continued in Waseca until 1980, the 1925 sale marked the start of a downturn in milling in Waseca.

The building at 123 State Street North was originally built in 1906 as the People’s Bank of Waseca. It was rechartered and renamed in 1908 to become Farmers National Bank of Waseca, then the First State Bank of Waseca in 1971. At that time, the bank relocated to its distictive round building on 2nd Avenue NE, becoming known as Roundbank. Today it is Minnwest Bank. From the 1940s to present day, the State Street building has been occupied by a number of tenants including Waseca Jewelers in the 1980s, the E.F. Johnson Museum until 2015, and most recently, The Speckled Hen boutique. The architectural details of this building are what make it stand out in downtown Waseca. It is a two-story Neo-Classical Revival building with cream-colored brick and a projecting cornice. A low parapet with metal coping tops the cornice.

The front facade has classical detailing, including four heavy columns with Corinthian capitals supporting the cornice. Visitors should also note the egg-and-dart detailing surrounding the two large commercial windows which flank the current entrance. The building originally had two entrances on State Street with one entering the bank and the other leading to the back of the building. The building in the back was a one-story addition which housed the Waseca Post Office from 1906-1927.

The second story was added to this back building in 1919. You can still see the stone medallions or shields above the round arches on the back building that marked this as a government building. The round archways and Doric columns framing the windows are original to the building’s construction.

Constructed in 1917, this one-story commercial building was built as a meat market and one of its most unique features continues to advertise this original purpose. If you look at the upper half of the front facade, you will see the carved heads of a "cow" and a "pig" prominently displayed. With no other signage, visitors to downtown Waseca would have known that this building housed the local meat market! Known as Brozik & Son's Meat Market, if you peer inside the entry, you will also see the company name detailed in the original mosaic floor tile. The original facade of the building was white-faced glazed brick with a centrally located recessed entrance and display windows. It served as a meat market through the 1940s. The building became Sampson's Shoe Store in the 1950s, Chadderdon Realty & Insurance in the 1970s, and Golden Touch Beauty Shop in the 1980s and 1990s. By 2000, the building was opened to become a single large building with 108 State Street South and today is home to Zinnias Boutique.

W. J. Armstrong was one of Waseca's most successful early entrepreneurs who impacted the economic, political and social life of the community in many ways. He is well known for his mulitple businesses that were housed within his building, a structure that remains an important part of the Waseca community today. Armstrong also holds a very important place in Waseca history by being the coach of the state champion EACO MIll baseball team.

From Armstrong: the life of William J. Armstrong 1867-1947: Mr. Armstrong was active in many fields, having started in the grain business as a buyer at age 20. Shortly after that, he turned to the operation of a Department Store and a Produce Concern. In 1901 he started the Armstrong Wholesale Grocery Co. which boasted the manufacture of Ice Cream and Cigars, and which was in conjunction with a bottling works called ACO Bottling Co. He also imported tea, the brand named "Blue Jay". In 1922 he formed the Armstrong Motor Car Co. and he sold Studebakers until 1934. In 1931 he went into the restaurant business. For a period of years, he also operated a Night Club business, with an Outdoor Bowery along with an Off Sale Liquor Store in Waseca. Then in 1940 he opened the "ABC" Bottling Co. which he ran until his death in 1947. This was North of Waseca. He also operated a small farm.

Mr. Armstrong served two terms as Mayor of Waseca and spent a number of years as Alderman on the City Council. During this time he helped with the initial steps of building the local hospital which opened its doors in 1922. He also served as Chairman of the Waseca Red Cross Committee during World War I.

Waseca founder Ira Trowbridge convinced railroad engineer W.G. Ward and railroad surveyor J.H. Jenkins to build their new tracks for the Winona & St. Peter railroad along the south side of Clear Lake and Loon Lake. This rail line was later purchased by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, but continued to operate as the W & St.P until 1900. The Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad built a north-south line through Waseca in 1877. The two passenger trains shared Union Depot until it was destroyed by fire in 1912. At that time, Chicago & NW opted to build their own passenger depot and the local newspaper paper reported "the building, with its concrete foundation and slate roof, was not as imposing a structure as the people of the city had been anticipating. It was, nonetheless, a compact well-finished building." The depot continued to serve the Waseca community for several decades. Chicago & NW operated the line for passengers into the 1960s and for freight until the 1980s, when the rail line was acquired by the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad. Canadian Pacific took over the rail line operation and ownership of the depot building in 2008.

Many early agriculture dependent communities had a need for numerous banks. Waseca was no different. Various current buildings on State Street still show the evidence (inside and out) of their initial purpose for being constructed. The original First National Bank building was built at 100 State Street North in 1903. It initially opened as Citizens State Bank, but soon became First National Bank. In addition to the bank, the building also housed Luther's Barbershop in the basement and a public library in the back. In 1919, the library was replaced with bank offices. A retail store replaced the barbershop in 1930. The bank moved across the street in 1970 and is now known as Keen Bank. Throughout the 1970s, a variety of businesses occupied the original space including the Waseca Emporium, Central Natural Gas Company, and the North Star Travel Service. The second floor has been home to an optometrist and a beauty shop. In the early 2000’s, after a renovation, the space reopened as The Daily Grind coffee shop. The space was then used for a variety of purposes including Refinery 507 Kitchen and Cocktail Bar.

Wasecan Dave Kunst became the first verified person to complete a circumnavigation of the Earth on foot, excluding oceans, covering a total distance of 14,450 miles. His journey lasted from June 20, 1970, to October 5, 1974, spanning four continents and thirteen countries. He wore out 21 pairs of shoes during his trek. His remarkable UNICEF fundraising journey was filled with an abundance of adventure and tragedy, and created a great deal of controversy. Kunst was inspired to embark on this extraordinary journey after witnessing the moon landing in 1969, craving adventure and seeking to break free from the monotony of his life. "I'm doing this for myself mainly. I was tired of Waseca, tired of my job, tired of a lot of little people who don't want to think..." Kunst said at the time. "The walk was a perfect way to change all that: I just walked out of town."

Accompanied by his brother John and a mule named Willie MakeIt, he set out from Waseca, Minnesota, on June 20, 1970. They traveled with a letter of endorsement from U.S. Senator Hubert Humphrey, a scroll for mayoral stamps marking their journey, UNICEF cards, and $1,000. Upon reaching the shores of the East Coast, they gave up Willie MakeIt before flying to Portugal. Once they reached Portugal, they received a troublesome donkey who slowed their pace. In Lisbon, they swapped said troublemaker for a more amenable Portuguese Army mule, proclaiming him Willie MakeIt II. Besides helping carry their belongings, their new travel companion became the secret sauce for finding accommodations.

Although this building was built in 1882 as the Bank of Waseca, the majority of its history has been as a retail store. By 1904 the bank had closed and become a shoe store. In the 1930s and 1940s, this building housed M.A. Johnson's Variety Store, selling items that cost between 5 cents and $1.00. At various times during the 1950s and 1960s, the building was occupied by Western Auto, Drahosh Hardware, and the Marshall-Wells Store.

Eventually, it became Four Seasons, a sporting goods and apparel business started by Tom and Cindy Piche in 1976. According to the Waseca County News, the Piches moved to 124 State Street North in 2004, previously having been located on 2nd Ave NW, but photos show that this was already an "athletics" gear store since the 1980s. The Piches renovated the exterior of the store to reflect its 1882 origins. Original details such as the iron fire escape on the north side of the building, the many arched window openings, and the sign at the top of the building that reads "1882 Bank" reminds observers what this building looked like when it was built. The structure originally had Italianate-style detailing along the roofline, which was lost by mid-century due to rennovation.

The Piches sold their business to Jeremiah and Jaala Miller in 2013. While it is now known as Four Seasons Apparel & More, it remains a store that sells athletic clothing supporting our local area sports teams. The building at 124 State Street North has long been a focal point in Waseca and remains an integral part of the retail community today.

This two-story Romanesque Revival building is a great example of the resiliance of retail in downtown Waseca. Built in 1899, it served the community as a furniture and general store until it became part of the J.C. Penney chain of retail stores in 1929. This national retail store served the community at this location until the 1980s. Total Entertainment then occupied the space until it was purchased for use as the Waseca Arts Center in 2013.

Several original details of the building have been removed over time including a stamped metal cornice. The storefront transom, bulkheads, and display windows have been remodeled. The façade of the building is an orange-colored brick with stylized brick quoins on the piers and a low parapet. The second story retains its original windows, decorative archivolts, and stone stills. The current large, multi-light window units on the State Street façade replaced previous display windows. Over time, the original corner location of the entry-door moved to the center of the State Street façade and finally to it’s current location at the northern end of the storefront. The south elevation, facing 2nd Avenue NE, is framed by two brick piers and retains its original, arched window openings.

Baseball and softball have probably been two of Waseca's most popular sports. The Clear Lake Baseball Club started in 1869, but ran for only one year. From the early to mid-1900s Waseca had numerous baseball and softball club teams, including the town amateur team, the Braves. To this day, the Braves continue to draw crowds on summer evenings in Waseca, playing competitve, entertaining baseball as a part of the 13/60 League.

A fascinating part of Waseca’s baseball history was the EACO Mill team of 1900-1901. This team had a winning record of 42-15, and won the state championships in both 1900 and 1901. Perhaps more remarkable for the time was that, of the ten team members, five were African-Americans. This was during a period when such teams were generally not integrated, and when few people of color lived in Waseca. The EACO Mill pitcher, George Wilson, was well known in the Negro Leagues. The “EACOS” were coached by W.J. Armstrong. The “Millers” traveled all over the midwest including Iowa, Wisconsin, and even Chicago. They won amateur titles in Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota. They were extremely popular, drawing more than 10,000 spectators to the State Championship game in St. Paul in 1900. Waseca defeated rival Litchfield by a score of 9-2.

The Southern Minny League was organized in 1937 and included Waseca, Owatonna, Faribault, Winona, Rochester, Austin, Albert Lea, and Mankato. Waseca was one of the top teams in the league, and drew large home-game audiences. Local teams of all ages currently play at the renovated Tink Larson Field, formerly known as the Waseca Community Field. The field, with its wooden stadium bleachers, built in 1939 as a part of local New Deal WPA building projects. The field was renamed in 1994 to honor local coach Tink Larson for his lifelong commitment to the facility and Waseca Baseball. Tink Larson Community Field is today regarded as one of the best baseball fields in Minnesota and is a "crown jewel" of Waseca history and the present-day community.

Founded in 1938, the Waseca County Historical Society (WCHS), also called the Waseca County History Center, has been an integral preservation resource, seeking to keep the area’s history “alive and accessible.” Its mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and disseminate Waseca County history, and to create excitement about our past.

Early artifact donations were exhibited in a space in the basement of the Waseca County Courthouse. In 1940, John Oleson and the A.F. Sponberg family donated original hand-hewn logs from log cabins. The logs were used to reconstruct a pioneer dwelling on the south lawn of the courthouse. The society's collection was displayed inside the cabin for a number of years and then a block annex was built to the west of the courthouse to accommodate the growing collection.

By the Mid-1950s, the society was in need of more space and the county needed the area to expand. The cabin was moved to the Waseca County fairgrounds and enclosed in a cement block building dedicated as Hodgson Hall. In 1962, Edgar Johnson, his brothers, and families bought the former Methodist Church building. Two years later, after renovations, the Johnson families donated and officially dedicated the building as Waseca County's museum.

The former church turned museum rotates exciting temporary exhibits as well as engaging permanent displays. The two cornerstone preservation projects are on the second floor. A series of 19 glass cylinders display significant people, events and organizations that have shaped the rich history of Waseca County. The walls surrounding these unique historical displays include a timeline of the 150 year history of the county entitled “When the Big Woods Meets the Prairie”. Both of these exhibits do an exceptional job of capturing important historical elements of the county and are a “must see” for anyone interested in Waseca County History.

Across the street to the east from the Museum is the Bailey-Lewer Research Library. The Bailey House is one of Waseca's oldest homes. It was built in 1868, as Waseca County was being settled. Originally built by Dayton Smith, an accused horse thief, it was acquired in 1872 by P.C. Bailey, a hardware merchant, county official, and director of the first committee to build a school in Waseca. P.C. Bailey died in 1907, and the house was purchased by the Ewald W. Lewer family who owned it until 1991.

In 1991, the Waseca County Historical Society acquired the house along with a generous donation from the Lewer family. The house was restored and placed on the National Historic Register in 1994 as the P.C. Bailey House. The renovation of the Bailey-Lewer House was completed in April 2000 and designated as the Research Center for the Waseca County Historical Society. (from the 2010 City of Waseca Historic Context Study and the Historical Society Website)

Quite simply - it's always been called that! While school children were taught in log schoolhouses throughout rural Waseca County as early as 1858, it wasn't until 1869 that residents in the growing town of Waseca wished to build a public school. A two-story, two-room building was erected at the juncture between Wood (present day 2nd Ave NE), Sixth Street NE, and Elm Avenue East. Because it was roughly in the center of town and central for school children throught the county, it was simply known as "Central School." Since that first building was erected in 1869, there has always been a school building at this location. In 1878, the original building was expanded, nearly doubling it's size. However, by the 1880s, Waseca's population had grown enough to warrant a new Central School building. In 1886, voters approved a $20,000 bond to build a new 102x70 foot "H-shaped" building with cream-colored brick that eventually became known as Central High School. In 1923, the building was destroyed by fire and a new building was completed in 1924. Additions in the 1950s included an elementary wing, a large gym, a band room, industrial arts shops, and an agriculture classroom. Today - 100 years later - this same building continues to serve Waseca Public Schools as district offices and a variety of educational spaces.

Clear Lake, on Waseca’s eastern edge, is perhaps the city’s defining natural feature, so much so that the small settlement of Clear Lake City actually predates Waseca. At 685 acres and averaging seventeen feet deep, its waters remained remarkably clear until the 1950s. It has been called the “best fishing lake in Southern Minnesota.” In 1883, Ira Trowbridge was one of the first to capitalize on tourism on Clear Lake. He and partner A.P. Jamison began to run The Commodore, a small steamer that had previously run Lake Minnetonka excursions, for daily trips during the summer.

In the early 1900s there were seven boathouses surrounding the lake. The best known was Thompson’s Boathouse, built in 910 by Nate Thompson and Charlie Grant on the south shore. Thompson’s ran 38-foot ferries back and forth to North Star Park and Maplewood, at the rate of 15¢ round-trip; they also ran fishing excursions and day trips. Nate Thompson's boathouse was distinctive and remarkable because he also built fishing boats. The boats, which were 18 feet by 5 feet and solid wood craft, were seemingly designed for the waters of Clear Lake. Nate’s son Ray Thompson and his wife Blanche ran the business from 1951-1976. At some point during this eara, Thompson's began operating a restaurant that has continuted under numerous owners. After a fire in 1988, it was rebuilt. The restaurant is currently called Boat House Grill and Bar.

A shallow canal connected Loon Lake on the west side of Waseca to Clear Lake on the east, through what is now the center of town and Trowbridge Park. Reports vary as to exactly how substantial this canal was — it probably was far deeper with spring melts and rainfall, for example, and marshier at other times. It was large enough to have a small bay area (often called “Brewery Bay” or more colorfully “Andy’s Stink”), but likely not deep enough for full boat traffic. Twelve-foot boardwalks in the center of town allowed people to cross the canal easily. The canal eventually was re-routed underground, where it still dampens some basements in the spring.

For longtime residents of southern Minnesota, Sunday, April 30, 1967, known as “Black Sunday,” is a day that has endured in vivid detail for over 50 years. It will likely continue to be remembered for many years to come via stories passed down through generations of Minnesotans. On that day a windy, humid afternoon that gave way to an evening of widespread devastation. Several tornadoes tore through southern Minnesota. Waseca was hit by powerful twisters, changing the town forever. The Black Sunday tornadoes took the lives of 13 people and injured 81 in southern Minnesota. Five of the fatalities were Wasecans. The path of the tornadoes went south to northeast through Freeborn, Waseca, and Steele counties and ended in Mower and Olmsted counties. Three tornadoes touched down in Waseca County, ranging in strength from F2 to F4. Owing to darkened skies, no one saw the funnels that moved toward Waseca after 6:00 p.m., and the city's warning sirens were not sounded until after the storm had hit. One of the twisters sliced from south to north along the eastern edge of Waseca, and many residents in other parts of town were unaware anything had happened. About 20 homes in Waseca were destroyed and more than 50 sustained damage. The $9 million toll of destruction caused by the tornadoes in 1967 would equate to approximately $54 million in today’s dollars.

Situated on the shore of Clear Lake, Maplewood Park was Waseca’s first park. In July of 1883 the Maplewood Park Association was formed to develop the park into a resort and create the Waseca Chautauqua Assembly. The same year, a luxurious forty room hotel was built in the park to lodge vacationers, and in the following years summer homes would be built, including one inhabited by the Mayo Brothers. An open-sided auditorium was also built, which hosted celebrities of the time such as Mark Twain and Booker T. Washington during the annual Chautauqua celebration. The resort also featured a waterslide into Clear Lake and spaces for tents for the hundreds of Chautauqua attendees, some of whom arrived by passenger train. In 1898, a fire broke out which destroyed the hotel, although the summer homes were maintained for years afterwords. Unfortunately, no buildings from this period remain at the park today.

From a 2015 article in the Star-Tribune: “Before there was an Internet or a Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop or Gander Mountain, there was Herter's — the first outdoors gear juggernaut. Herter's mail-order catalogs were legendary, hundreds of pages jammed with hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear that could be delivered to your doorstep. Those catalogs included lengthy descriptions, instructions, and bold, often audacious claims — entertaining readers while also enticing them to buy. Herter's was the Sears, Roebuck of the outdoor industry and was perhaps best known for its waterfowl products. Launched and headquartered in Waseca, Minn., the company was the inspiration for today's huge mail-order and big-box outdoor retailers. And at the center of it all was George Herter, an eccentric and reclusive entrepreneur, a marketing genius who made brazen, bombastic claims to boost sales of his products. Though he died more than 20 years ago, he remains an enigma — and one of the most interesting characters in Minnesota history.” - Doug Smith, Star Tribune February 7 2015

“The E.F. Johnson Company stemmed from modest beginnings in 1923, when Edgar and Ethel Johnson began a mail order radio parts business out of a corner of his father’s woodworking shop. Quickly outgrowing that site, they moved on to a State Street storefront, expanding the hobby into a full-time business with several employees. Johnson increased his bottom line by making parts he could not purchase. In 1933, the Johnsons built a 37,000 square foot, deco-styled building housing offices and manufacturing, on the site of the old Nicollet Hotel on 2nd Avenue SW."

From the 2010 City of Waseca Historic Context Study

Waseca farmers diversified their crops in 1929 when the Fairmont Canning Company partnered with the City of Waseca to open the Waseca Canning Company. Initially contracting with local farmers for sweet corn and peas, the plant expanded in 1934 to include meat canning under a federal program to reduce surplus livestock. In 1942, Fairmont assumed full operation and added freezing equipment under a Birds Eye contract, broadening production to include carrots, squash, lima beans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. During World War II, the plant’s output surged to produce C-rations for U.S. troops, but the war created a severe labor shortage. Women and youth were recruited to help, and by 1943, the labor crisis led to the arrival of 123 Jamaican workers through the Farm Security Administration. Housed in barracks in southern Waseca, they were guaranteed 90 days of work at $3 per day and earned praise for their contributions.

In 1944, additional foreign workers arrived — 100 Mexicans and 258 Barbadians — attracting local curiosity and media attention. The shortage worsened in 1945, prompting the use of German and Italian prisoners of war from a nearby camp in Wells, who primarily worked inside the plant. A federal trailer camp was also established for American workers near the railroad tracks on 8th Street SE.

In 1912, the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents purchased 246 acres of land a half mile southwest of the Waseca city limits. The Southeast Demonstration Farm and Experiment Station began operations in 1913. The Demonstration Farm was geared toward demonstration of proper ground water levels, crop rotation, livestock management, and farm equipment. The Experiment Station administered projects involving cattle and sheep acquisition and breeding, livestock disease management, and the adoption of new farm implements to increase efficiency and productivity.In 1925, The Southeast Demonstration Farm and Experiment Station became the Southeast Experiment Station. That same year, the USDA began collaborating with Corn Belt experiment stations to work with hybrid seed and disease control to increase corn yields. In the decades that followed, Waseca's Experiment Station played a large role in revolutionizing corn and soybean production. The Waseca Station has been most fortunate to have had an active part in this revolution of ideas,” said Robert Hodgson in 1963. “Its location in the southern part of the state and the availability of good corn soil were important factors, but the ability and skill of the men who worked on the corn project were also of first importance. Even the boys in the ‘chain gang’ who hoed the weeds from 40 acres of corn plots, made some 20,000 hand pollinations, and helped to harvest the plots were important. Great effort went into the corn project, but nothing could have been more rewarding. It’s hard to believe that only a few years ago, hybrid seed corn was a suspected stranger in Minnesota.

A portion of the Southeast Experiment Station land was set aside for high school. The school, The Southern School of Agriculture, admitted its first students in 1953.. The Southern School brought in students, but also families, owing to its specialization in homemaking, business and agriculture. During 1969, the high school began transitioning into a college which was to be called the University of Minnesota Technical College - Waseca.

University of Minnesota Technical College - Waseca (UMW) officially opened on September 27, 1971. Over the next two decades, the agricultural technical college staff, students and programs had a considerable impact on the economic and social identity of Waseca. The two-year college provided a unique blend of technical training and courses in arts and sciences. Students educated and trained in agriculture were well-prepared for careers in farming and service to rural areas. Students in non-agricultural programs had a springboard to a wide range of career options, including further education. This nationally recognized college touched the lives of nearly 20,000 students. Their achievements attest to the commitment of the student-centered faculty and staff of UMW.

A shallow canal connected Loon Lake on the west side of Waseca to Clear Lake on the east, through what is now the center of town and Trowbridge Park. Reports vary as to exactly how substantial this canal was; it probably was far deeper with spring melts and rainfall, for example, and marshier at other times. The canal at its widest encompassed a small bay (often called “Brewery Bay” or more colorfully “Andy’s Stink”), but likely not deep enough for full boat traffic. Twelve-foot boardwalks in the center of town allowed people to easily cross the canal. The water demands of local industries led the railroad and the EACO mill to alternately draw water from the lake and discharge restorative water, greatly affecting the lake level. In the late 1800s, a trestle was built on the east side of the lake, so trains could pass over the canal that linked the two Waseca lakes. Eventually the lake was rendered a “clear but shallow” true lake, with an average depth of seven feet. Small and shallow as it is, Loon Lake was a very active recreation site.

A peninsula on the north side led to a small, wooded island, which was described as “aspiring to Coney Island” in its entertainment focus. The peninsula is now gone, and the park is a true island. The lake's iconic island was known as "Ward Island" because W.G. Ward operated a beer and dance hall on the island. An August 1887 newspaper reports that “Dances on Ward Island occur almost every night. And the steamer whirls the people over and back at a lively rate.” In 1888, John Myers added a lunch room, card room, and shooting gallery to the island’s attractions. The "steamer" in the 1887 article ran from Bill Topal's boat landing on the southeast shore of the lake, and included ferry service, excursions, and fishing trips. The boat landing reportedly closed in 1920.. The Fell family, who had purchased the island in 1898, retained ownership until 1957, when they sold it to the city for $300 for use as a public park. The city rip-rapped the island with stone and planted over forty evergreens, only a few of which remain today. Loon Lake was drained and dredged in 1979. Then in the 1980s the DNR restocked it with fish, and the city passed a prohibition on motorized boats. Erosion and the impact of Canadian Geese have taken a toll on the shoreline and the island over the years. The geese overgraze and affect vegetation and water quality. The Waseca Soil and Water Conservation District and the Waseca Lakes Association -- along with passionate local volunteers -- took action in the early 2000s to introduce plantings that would mitigate the effects of the geese. Today, Loon Lake is a small peacful lake and Loon Lake Island is slowly disappearing before our eyes.

Brown Printing Company was an industrial giant in the Waseca community. Brought up in his father’s newspaper printing plant, Wayne “Bumps” Brown had early exposure to printing and paper. Wayne’s father, Donald, was editor and owner of the Waseca Daily Journal. In 1949, the elder Brown secured an order to print a million copies of the Herter's catalog. This led to a rapid expansion of the commercial printing component of the business, of which Bumps Brown was a partial owner. In 1957, Wayne Brown sold his interest in the family newspaper, bought the commercial printing end of the business, and began producing catalogs and publications on flatbed letterpresses. Brown and his team of printing artisans increased the speed of production with a switch to four-color, heat set, web offset printing later in the decade.

In 1964, Brown Printing Company began construction of a second Waseca facility and was purchased by Minneapolis-based Bemis Co, Inc. in 1969. The plant continued to grow rapidly, becoming one of Minnesota’s largest printing companies by the mid-1980s. At its peak, Brown Printing Company was the fourth largest magazine printer -- and the sixth largest catalog printer -- in the United States. The business produced more than one thousand distinct magazines and catalogs at its three locations. Sales and marketing were based in New York. The company was acquired and sold multiple times, and expanded beyond Waseca to Illinois, Kentucky, and California. In 1979 Brown Printing was purchased by Gruner + Jahr AG and Co. KG of Hamburg, Germany. The plant spanned more than 775,000 square feet, occupying over 50 acres. At its peak, Brown Printing employed 1200 people at its Waseca Plant.

The following story was transcribed word for word — typographical errors included — but was edited for brevity. We would like to thank the Waseca County Historical Society for locating and providing this article for publication in this edition of the Waseca County News.

The Waseca high school basket ball teams record at the tournament was something to be proud of, they entered the tournament with nine victories to their credit and added four more before they left. Their only hard fought game was with Albert Lea in the semi-finals. There wasn’t a team at the tournament that compared with the swift passing of the locals, most of the teams depended on long shots for their points. Fosston had a team which consisted of dribblers, but it was proven that a well balanced team could easily defeat them. It seems almost impossible that a team which has played on a small floor with a very low ceiling could get on the large floor at Carleton and win four straight games. Waseca’s offensive players scored most of their baskets inside of the foul line, which showed that they could get by every defense of their opponents, while only a few of their rivals baskets were scored inside of the foul line, which proved that our defense was the best of the tournament.

The Waseca people proved that they were backing the team when many of them went over on the train and in cars. There were about five automobiles that went to Northfield to see the team battle for the state title after they learned of the local’s victory in the semi-finals. The members of the team learned of the large crowd from here that would be present at the game and it no doubt gave more confidence to them. The local team was greatly honored by having four men chosen on the All State teams, three on the first and one on the second.

The murder of 12-year-old Cally Jo Larson had a huge impact on the Waseca community. When creating this stop the Explore Waseca History Tour staff was faced with the daunting challenge of how best to tell the story with accuracy and sensitivity while working through an abundance of information. Our goal was to include a high number of credible reports, videos and interviews for our visitors to gain an understanding of the crime, the investigation and the impact on our community. The staff decided to maximize the number of sources to allow visitors to fully appreciate the impact of this senseless tragedy.

Explore Waseca History Tour seeks to present the historical fabric of this community. Some of our stories describe events which, at their core, represent loss, trauma and devastation for our citizens. This is particularly true for relatively recent events, which may leave in their wake living family members and friends with memories of the tragedy and what followed. We strive to present the impact on both the larger community and the victim's family, knowing that a family's grief is often beyond comprehension.

On Saturday May 18, 1929, teenagers Elizabeth and Wilhelmina Schuch returned to their home from Waseca after shopping. They arrived around 10 p.m. to find the front door open and the lights left on long after the rest of the family would have gone to bed. Upon entering the house, they found it in disarray. They then encountered their 11-year-old sister Edith, lying on the ground in a pool of blood, unconscious but alive. They attempted to call the police, but the phone line had been cut. They returned to town to find help and get Edith to the hospital.

When police officers arrived at the Schuch residence, they discovered a grisly crime scene. Police found the girls’ father, Julius Schuch, dead by the gate. The position of his hands and the state of the grass around him made it clear that he had put up a fight. The investigators also found 8-year-old Ernest Schuch dead out in the field, presumably killed while running for help. All three victims had extensive injuries to the head and face.

Excerpt from hofmannapiaries.org: Around the turn of the century Charles' father, Emil [Hofmann], saw a swarm of honey bees that had made a temporary landing on a bush close to his house. He quickly fashioned a temporary hive for the bees, and in they crawled. At that moment he unwittingly began a career as a beekeeper. He built a business he called The Hofmann Apiaries into a very large, efficient and successful operation that became known locally and nationally. He ran the business until his untimely death in 1934, whereupon Charles took over and operated The Hofmann Apiaries until he retired in 1985. In 2016 [with cooperation from the Waseca County Historical Society], Hofmann Apiaries was designated an historic site and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

You can discover the history (and restoration) of this unique Waseca County treasure by viewing the images below. The links also provide an opportunity to learn more by watching the videos and/or visiting the numerous websites.

In 2023, the staff at Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral Home and a group of faithful volunteers began an annual historical tour of Woodville Cemetery. This cemetery holds an abundence of local history. This group has worked to make these tours a fantastic exposure to the history of Waseca. Below are the brochures, maps and a brief synopsis of each of the individuals highlighted in the tours.

Under the vision of city founder Ira Trowbridge, Waseca’s downtown commercial district began in 1867 with four city blocks centered on Second Street (known since 1928 as State Street) and Elm Avenue. Nearby farms provided valuable commodities and the railroad supplied a vital transportation network, but it was Waseca’s downtown providing goods and services for residents and visitors that truly made Waseca a thriving city. The first period of growth was from 1867-1880, during which time Waseca was established as an agricultural and industrial community as well as a railroad hub. Most of these first buildings were wooden, multi-purpose structures including dry goods stores, hotels, banks, and other business needed for the growing community.

A fire in 1881 destroyed much of the existing downtown structures, but the city rebuilt and expanded with larger two-story buildings made primarily of brick. Despite another fire in 1899, downtown Waseca continued to grow and diversify. The period from 1900-1929 in particular featured the construction of banks and large businesses; a new brick passenger depot; shops that sold and repaired farm machinery and automobiles; retail establishments such as grocery stores, meat markets, bakeries, pharmacies, hotels, restaurants, and saloons; smaller service businesses such as tailors, dressmakers, lawyers, and dentists; and other buildings that housed utility companies, apartments and social meeting halls. Another period of construction growth occurred after World War II as some buildings were replaced or updated with new modern facades to attract new businesses. This period saw the introduction of national department store chains to Waseca such as J.C. Penney, Ben Franklin, and Montgomery Ward.

The 1970s and 1980s continued the modernization of existing buildings as previous design features such as transom windows and brick ornamentation were removed or covered with modern features. The general national trend saw retail development move to larger cities, and Waseca shoppers were also enticed away from their own downtown. While the buildings remain, the commercial needs of Waseca have shifted to reflect the needs of its current residents.