National Register of Historic Places listings in Morrison County, Minnesota facts for kids

Location of Morrison County in Minnesota

Have you ever wondered about the oldest and most special places in your community? In Morrison County, Minnesota, there's a list of amazing historic sites! These places are so important that they are officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect buildings, areas, and objects that tell us about the past.

Morrison County has 25 properties and districts on this special list. One of them is even a National Historic Landmark, which is an even higher level of historical importance! There were also two other sites that used to be on the list but are not anymore. Let's explore some of these cool places and learn about their stories!

Cool Historic Places in Morrison County

Bridge No. 4969

This bridge is super unique! It was built in 1930 and is the only bridge in Minnesota that carries both cars and trains at the same time. It was a very important connection for Camp Ripley, which is a big training area for the Minnesota National Guard.

Burton-Rosenmeier House

Located in Little Falls, this house is a great example of a building style called Neoclassical architecture. It was built around 1900. Two important local figures owned it: Barney Burton, a merchant, and Christian Rosenmeier, a lawyer and politician. Today, it's home to the Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Church of Our Savior-Episcopal

This church in Little Falls was built in 1903. It's a beautiful example of Tudor Revival architecture, which looks a bit like old English buildings. It's important because it shows how churches were built in Minnesota during that time.

Crow Wing State Park

This state park is a really old and important place. It's where the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes had conflicts over land. It was also the site of an early town called Old Crow Wing. When the town was abandoned in the 1880s, it helped preserve the history of Native American life, the fur trade, and the logging industry in the area. The park stretches into Cass and Crow Wing Counties too!

Fort Duquesne (21-MO-20)

Near Little Falls, this is the site where a famous explorer named Joseph Marin de la Malgue spent the winter around 1752. It's a glimpse into the early days of exploration in Minnesota.

Fort Ripley

This site, located within the Camp Ripley Military Reservation, was home to a military post built in 1849. It was one of the very first military forts in Minnesota! Its purpose was to help keep peace between the Dakota, Ojibwe, and Ho-Chunk tribes.

Charles A. Lindbergh House and Park

This is a very special place! It's the 1907 home and farm of Congressman Charles August Lindbergh and his famous son, the aviator Charles Lindbergh. Charles Lindbergh was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean! Today, it's a state park and a site managed by the Minnesota Historical Society, where you can learn all about their lives.

Charles A. Lindbergh State Park WPA/Rustic Style Historic Resources

This part of the Lindbergh State Park has facilities built between 1938 and 1939. They are important examples of projects from the New Deal era, a time when the government created jobs during the Great Depression. The buildings show a style called National Park Service rustic design, which uses natural materials to blend in with the environment.

Little Falls Carnegie Library

The Carnegie Library in Little Falls was built in 1905. It's a Carnegie library, which means it was built with money donated by the wealthy businessman Andrew Carnegie. This library is special because it's very well-preserved and has a unique American Craftsman architectural style.

Little Falls Commercial Historic District

This area in downtown Little Falls tells the story of how the town grew from a farming center to a big lumber and industrial hub. It includes 32 buildings constructed between 1887 and 1936, showing the different styles and businesses that shaped the town.

Morrison County Courthouse

The courthouse in Little Falls was built between 1890 and 1891. It's known for its impressive Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. This style uses heavy stone and arches, and this building is made from local brick and granite.

Northern Pacific Railway Depot

This railway station in Little Falls was built from 1899 to 1900. It's designed in the Shingle Style and was one of the last projects by the famous architect Cass Gilbert while he was in Minnesota. It represents the powerful Northern Pacific Railway that was so important for transportation back then.

Our Lady of the Angels Academy

Located in Belle Prairie Township, this building was a Catholic elementary school built in 1911 and expanded in 1931. It's a local example of the important Catholic school system and was a key part of the Belle Prairie community.

Pine Tree Lumber Company Office Building

This office building, built in 1891, is the only remaining original structure from Frederick Weyerhaeuser's lumber company. This company was one of the largest in Minnesota from 1890 to 1919 and was the main employer in Little Falls. It shows the huge impact of the lumber industry on the state.

St. Joseph's Church-Catholic

This beautiful Gothic Revival church in Pierz was built between 1886 and 1888. It was built for a German Catholic community that settled there in the late 1860s, encouraged by Father Francis Xavier Pierz.

William Warren Two Rivers House Site and Peter McDougall Farmstead

Near Royalton, this site includes an 1874 farmstead. It's also the location of a trading post built around 1847 by William Whipple Warren, an important figure in early Minnesota history.

Charles A. Weyerhaeuser and Musser Houses

These two houses on Highland Avenue in Little Falls were built in 1898. They belonged to the sons of powerful lumber leaders. These homes show how important and influential the lumber industry was in Minnesota and how a few powerful people controlled it. Today, they are known as the Linden Hill Historical Event Center.

Almond A. White House

In Motley, this 1902 house stands out with its four-story tower. It's a great example of Queen Anne architecture, which is known for its decorative details and varied shapes. This style is quite unusual for the local area, making the house even more special.

Former listings

Some places were once on the National Register of Historic Places but are not anymore. Here are two examples:

O. A. Churchill Store

This store in Little Falls was built in 1855 and was once the oldest commercial building in Central Minnesota. Sadly, it was torn down in 1988.

Clough Township Hall

This meeting hall near Randall was built in 1922 in the Classical Revival style. It was unique because its sheet metal siding was made to look like stone. The building was moved in 2001.