Rice Lake (ghost town), Minnesota facts for kids
Rice Lake is a ghost town located in the state of Minnesota, United States. A ghost town is a place where people used to live and work, but now very few or no people live there. Rice Lake is found in parts of Dodge and Steele counties. It is east of Owatonna and just north of Rice Lake State Park. The closest town is Claremont.
The Story of Rice Lake
Rice Lake officially started as a town in 1857. But people had already begun settling there two years before that. Stephen L. Wilson opened the first store in 1857. He also became the town's postmaster, which meant he was in charge of the mail.
Why Rice Lake Became a Ghost Town
After the first store opened, many other businesses started in Rice Lake. The town was growing! However, things changed around 1865. A new railroad was built, but it did not go through Rice Lake. Instead, it went around the town. This was a big problem because railroads were very important for travel and trade back then. When the railroad bypassed Rice Lake, fewer people came to the town, and businesses began to leave. Soon, the village started to disappear.
What's Left of Rice Lake Today
Today, not much is left of the old village of Rice Lake. You can still see a Methodist church that was built in 1857. This church has a special style called Carpenter Gothic, which means it looks like it was built with fancy wooden details. There is also a small cemetery nearby. Both the church and the cemetery are located in the northeast part of Rice Lake State Park.
