National Register of Historic Places listings in Todd County, Minnesota facts for kids
Have you ever wondered about old buildings and places that have a special story? In Todd County, Minnesota, there are 13 amazing places that are so important, they're listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are officially recognized for their history, architecture, or what they mean to the community. Think of it like a hall of fame for buildings and special spots! These places help us learn about the past and how people lived long ago in Minnesota. Let's explore some of these cool historic sites!
Contents
- Historic Places in Todd County
- Bank of Long Prairie
- Batcher Opera House Block
- Bridge No. L7075
- Dr. George R. Christie House
- Church of St. Joseph-Catholic
- Germania Hall
- Grey Eagle Village Hall
- Hewitt Public School
- Hotel Reichert
- Kahlert Mercantile Store
- Northern Pacific Railway Depot and Freighthouse
- Saint Cloud and Red River Valley Stage Road–Kandota Section
- Todd County Courthouse, Sheriff's House, and Jail
Historic Places in Todd County
Bank of Long Prairie
This grand building was built in 1903 to be the main bank in Todd County. It has a fancy design that mixes old Roman and Greek styles, showing how important it was back then. It was designed by famous architects Omeyer & Thori.
- Location: Long Prairie
- Built: 1903
Batcher Opera House Block
Imagine a place where people gathered to watch plays, listen to music, and enjoy community events! The Batcher Opera House was built in 1907. It was a cultural hub, hosting everything from fun vaudeville shows to serious operas. It was a very important place for entertainment and community gatherings in Staples.
- Location: Staples
- Built: 1907
Bridge No. L7075
This bridge was built around 1940 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a government program that helped people find jobs during tough times. It's a special kind of bridge with three arches, made with a mix of natural stone and iron. It shows off a unique style of architecture from that time.
- Location: Hartford Township
- Built: Around 1940
Dr. George R. Christie House
This house, built in 1901, was home to Dr. George R. Christie, who was the very first licensed doctor in Todd County. It also served as his office. Today, it's a house museum, where you can learn about what life was like for a doctor and his family over a hundred years ago.
- Location: Long Prairie
- Built: 1901
- Current Use: House museum
Church of St. Joseph-Catholic
This beautiful church was built between 1908 and 1909. It has a grand Baroque Revival style, which means it looks very ornate and impressive, like churches from hundreds of years ago in Europe. It was built for a large community of Polish immigrants who settled in Browerville.
- Location: Browerville
- Built: 1908–1909
Germania Hall
Germania Hall, built in 1917, is a rare example of a community hall in a rural area where local bands would perform. It was also a very important meeting place for Germania Township for many years. It shows how communities came together for music and meetings in the past.
- Location: Germania Township
- Built: 1917
Grey Eagle Village Hall
This municipal hall was built in 1934 by the Civil Works Administration (CWA), another government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. It's a great example of the kind of public buildings that were constructed during that time to help communities.
- Location: Grey Eagle
- Built: 1934
Hewitt Public School
This school building served the community of Hewitt from 1911 to 1952. It was a central place for education, teaching students from kindergarten all the way through high school. It also hosted many community events and social services. Today, it's the Hewitt Museum & Library, keeping its history alive.
- Location: Hewitt
- Built: 1911
- Current Use: Museum and Library
Hotel Reichert
Built between 1902 and 1903, the Hotel Reichert was a fancy, first-class hotel. It was a key part of Long Prairie's growth, showing that the town was becoming an important place where visitors and travelers would stay.
- Location: Long Prairie
- Built: 1902–1903
Kahlert Mercantile Store
The Kahlert Mercantile Store, built in 1883, is a great example of the early commercial buildings found in towns that grew quickly because of railroads. It has a "false-front" design, which means the front of the building looks taller and grander than the rest of it. It's still very much like it was when it was first built!
- Location: Browerville
- Built: 1883
Northern Pacific Railway Depot and Freighthouse
These two buildings, built in the 1900s, were part of the Northern Pacific Railway's main operations in Staples. They show off the typical design of Northern Pacific train stations and freight buildings from that era. They remind us how important trains were for travel and moving goods long ago.
- Location: Staples
- Built: 1900s
Saint Cloud and Red River Valley Stage Road–Kandota Section
This is a 250-yard (about 228-meter) piece of an old stagecoach road that was created in 1859. Stagecoaches were like early buses, carrying people and mail across the country before cars and trains were common. This small section reminds us how these stagecoach companies helped create the first travel routes in Minnesota.
- Location: Kandota Township
- Established: 1859
Todd County Courthouse, Sheriff's House, and Jail
This group of buildings has served as the center of Todd County's government for a very long time. The main courthouse building, built in 1883, has an "Italianate" style, which means it looks like classic Italian Renaissance buildings. It's a key historical site for the county's legal and administrative history.
- Location: Long Prairie
- Built: 1883 (Courthouse)
