|
1854 |
- Knute and Tollef Bell built the first
house in Carrolton Township about one mile north of Lanesboro
near the north branch of the Root River.
|
1868
 |
- Lanesboro Townsite Co. was organized with
New York capital to build a resort in Southeastern Minnesota.
Present Lanesboro was chosen and about 3,000 acres of land was
purchased for $30/acre.
- The Lanesboro Townsite Co. started to
build the Lanesboro Power Dam on the Root River to make a lake
about two miles long and 1/2 mile wide. This lake was intended
to be used for sail boating while summer homes were to be built
on its shores.
- The Lanesboro Townsite Co. started to
build the Phoenix (or Stone) Hotel near the Southeastern Minnesota
Railroad tracks in downtown Lanesboro. In 1885 the hotel burned
to the ground.
- The Lanesboro Townsite Co. built a road
up the west bluff so settlers could get onto the prairie to get
onto homesteads.
- The Lutheran Church on Church Hill was
built by the Presbyterians using local limestone. The Lutherans
purchased it in 1889.
- Southeastern Minnesota Railroad Company
train arrived in Lanesboro, the end of the line for about two
years.
|
1870
 |
- Note the funnel type smoke stack on the
wood burning railroad engine at left.
- A.G. Nash purchased the Lanesboro Elevator
built by the railroad company. Capacity: 25,000 bushels.
- Anchor Oatmeal was built about 1/4 mile
east of Lanesboro on a railroad siding. Water power was from
a dam above the east railroad bridge. This mill was not very
successful because of water and floods washing out the dam.
|
|
1871 |
- Carrolton Mill built and running. 175
barrels of flour per day.
- White-Nash Flowering Mill built. It burned
in 1879.
|
1872
 |
- The Catholic Church was built using local
limestone. The Methodist Church was built by the Presbyterians
and purchased by the Methodists in about 1934.
- S.A. Nelson opened a store on Main Street
(Parkway). Later, with his brother, they opened a large, two-building
department store.
- Cooper Shop (barrel making) made 1800
barrels a day.
|
|
1873 |
- Ole Langlie started a general store.
- The brewery, Lanesboro Pride, located
on the east end of Coffee Street. It ceased operations in 1879.
|
1874
 |
- Root River Channel was changed from running
on south, east and north sides of Sylvan Park to following the
east of the railroad tracks from the Lanesboro Power Dam to the
railroad over the Root River.
- Main Street from downtown was extended
south across Sylvan Park area to Brooklyn, made possible by changing
the Root River Channel.
- First house in Lanesboro built by Christopherson
(site of current Lanesboro High School).
|
1875
 |
- One of the first homes was built on the
site where the present Lanesboro High School is located.
|
1876
 |
- Dr. Johan Christen, M.D., came to Lanesboro
to practice medicine. He also was a bird watcher and made very
detailed records of the birds he saw. His notebooks are used
by presend-day bird watchers. He also assisted Dr. D.F. Powell
in many medical operations.
|
|
1877 |
- Thompson and Williams Flowering Mill built.
It burned in 1877.
|
|
1879 |
- Indian mounds found on a farm north of
Lanesboro (presently owned by John Horihan) were visited by Professor
Winshell of the Minnesota Historical Society and Dr. D.F. Powell
of Lanesboro. A wagon load of items found were sent to Minneapolis.
- William Cody (Buffalo Bill) made a visit
to Lanesboro to visit a Civil War buddy of his, Dr. David Powell
(White Beaver).
|
|
1880 |
- Class of three students was the first
graduating class of Lanesboro High School.
- Dr. D.F. Powell charged one dollar per
mile while traveling from his office to the home of the person
attended to.
|
|
1900 |
- First of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Shows
was performed in Lanesboro, comprised of 6 Indians (2 Indian
maidens), 2 white men (Buffalo Bill and White Beaver) and a Mr.
Man.
|
1904
 |
- Lanesboro Canning Factory started operations
and continued until about 1934.
|
1915
 |
- Buster Brown and his dog, "Tige"
selling shoes to people gathered on sidewalk and streets outside
of Davidsons store on the northwest corner of Coffee and Main
Streets in Lanesboro
- Farmers Merchants Lumber Company yard
being built on the north end of Main Street
|
1916
 |
- Floods on the north branch of the Root
River two miles downstream of Lanesboro caused the railroad bridge
pier to drop about 4 feet as the train was crossing. Rev. and
Mrs. Nestande, C.H. DeVilliers, and Supt. Reinertsen of Rushford
were obliged to return to Lanesboro by hand car.
|
1917
 |
- Rebuilding Bethlehem Lutheran Church and
school house after a fire on Church Hill
|
|
1934 |
- A fire destroyed the last mill building,
putting and end to the milling business in Lanesboro.
|
