Gideon H. Pond House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gideon H. Pond House
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The Gideon H. Pond House from the southwest
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 401 104th Street East, Bloomington, Minnesota |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1856 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000296 |
| Designated | July 16, 1970 |
The Gideon H. Pond House is a special old house in Bloomington, Minnesota. It's part of a bigger area called the Pond-Dakota Mission Park. This park also has an old mission site, a cemetery, and parts of the Pond family's farm. The whole area is important because of its history with the Minnesota River valley, the Dakota people, and the city of Bloomington. The house is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical site.
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Who Was Gideon H. Pond?
Gideon Hollister Pond (born in 1810, died in 1878) and his brother Samuel were missionaries. They came to Minnesota to teach Christianity and farming skills to the Native American people. In 1834, they got permission to start a mission school. This school was near a lake called Bde Maka Ska (also known as Lake Calhoun). A group of Dakota people spent their summers there.
Learning the Dakota Language
Gideon Pond worked hard to understand and write down the Dakota language. He even started creating a dictionary for it! This was a big step in helping people communicate and learn from each other.
Moving the Mission
Around 1839, the Dakota people moved their village to a new spot near the Minnesota River. Gideon Pond moved with them. He set up a new mission along the river bluffs. This mission was active from 1843 to 1852.
From Missionary to Farmer
In 1852, the Dakota people moved to a reservation further up the Minnesota River. This happened because of a special agreement called the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux. After this, Gideon Pond bought the land where his house now stands and became a farmer.
He also served in the government! From 1849 to 1850, he was a member of the Minnesota territorial House of Representatives. This means he helped make laws for the Minnesota territory before it became a state.
Starting a Church
Later, Gideon Pond helped start the Oak Grove Presbyterian Church. The church building was first located where the Bloomington Cemetery is today. Later, it moved to a new spot at Penn Avenue and Old Shakopee Road.
About the Pond House
The Gideon H. Pond House is located at 401 East 104th Street in Bloomington. It's built from red bricks and has chimneys for each room. Gideon and his wife Sarah lived in this house. Today, you can visit the house during certain times to learn more about its history.
