kids encyclopedia robot

Dorothy, Minnesota facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Dorothy
What was left of Dorothy in 2007
What was left of Dorothy in 2007
Dorothy is located in Minnesota
Dorothy
Dorothy
Location in Minnesota
Dorothy is located in the United States
Dorothy
Dorothy
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Red Lake
Elevation
991 ft (302 m)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s) 218
GNIS feature ID 642897

Dorothy was a town in Section 5, Louisville Township, Red Lake County, Minnesota, United States. It is now a virtual ghost town.

Dorothy was initially established as a railroad station in 1916–17, after the Northern Pacific Railway extended its line from Tilden Junction to Winnipeg and built a spur through Red Lake Falls. The new town sucked away what was left of the historic river crossing town, Huot, and for a time sputtered toward prosperity, boasting a grain elevator, a Catholic church, a school and several houses.

The post office in Dorothy was first established February 11, 1898, with Joseph H. Mathews as postmaster. It was finally discontinued in 1945.

The Federal Writers' Project reported in 1938 that the town had a population of 25, and "a beautiful church with stained-glass windows". In 1973, the railroad was abandoned and the grain elevator closed, and with it, the town's reason for existence was gone. By 2007, the church had been abandoned and appeared to be in use as a residence.

On October 24, 2014, the old church caught fire and burned to the ground in a conflagration that apparently started after embers from a pile of leaves a property owner was burning nearby blew towards the building, igniting the structure, which was a total loss.


St. Dorothy's Church, Dorothy, Minnesota May 2007
St. Dorothy's Church in 2007
kids search engine
Dorothy, Minnesota Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.