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Chisago County, Minnesota

54 topographic sheets cover 22 settlements here, and 17 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

17 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Minnesota within the United States
Chisago County within Minnesota

What the record shows

  • 350 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 17 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 11 buildings, 5 districts and 1 structure.
  • 4 of the 17 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 22 populated places in this county; 22 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

17

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Gustaf Anderson Housebuilding198080002000
Angel's Hill Historic Districtdistrict197272000675
J. C. Carlson Housebuilding198080002004
Center City Historic Districtdistrict198080001996
John Daubney Housebuilding198080002008
Franconia Historic Districtdistrict198080000406
Grant Housebuilding198080002005
Interstate State Park CCC/WPA/Rustic Style Campgrounddistrict199292000638
Interstate State Park WPA/Rustic Style Historic Districtdistrict199289001664
Frank A. Larson Housebuilding198080002001
Moody Barnbuilding198080001998
Paul Munch Housebuilding197676001050
Munch-Roos Housebuilding197070000289
Point Douglas to Superior Military Road: Deer Creek Sectionstructure199190002200
Sayer Housebuilding198080002002
Taylors Falls Public Librarybuilding197070000290
Charles A. Victor Housebuilding198080002003

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

392 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 392 of them, burning about 1,354 acres. 3 started naturally and 52 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning165
Equipment and vehicle use65
Missing data/not specified/undetermined61
Arson/incendiarism52
Recreation and ceremony27
Smoking8
Power generation/transmission/distribution4
Fireworks3
Natural3
Railroad operations and maintenance3
Misuse of fire by a minor1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Two of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
26 April 2006Debris and open burning80 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
20 May 2009Equipment and vehicle use52 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
16 April 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined45 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
14 February 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined42 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
19 October 2000Arson/incendiarism40 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
1 April 2000Arson/incendiarism40 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
11 April 2009Missing data/not specified/undetermined36 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
29 March 2010Missing data/not specified/undetermined27 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1954 to 2025

60 of 214 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 214 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 2 injuries and about $7,178,500 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind98
Hail85
Tornado19
Funnel Cloud7
Flash Flood3
Heavy Rain2

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 1957Tornado (F4)not stated2 hurt, $25,000no account filed
June 2007HailHarris$2,000,000Widespread hail damage to houses, barns, outbuildings, vehicles, and crops. Hail size was estimated. Some hail did not melt until the next morning.
May 2001HailWyoming$2,000,000Numerous cars and structures damaged.
July 2019Tornado (EF1)Lindstrom$500,000This is the continuation path of the Washington County tornado that moved into Chisago County on 240th Street North, east of Morgan Avenue. This EF1 tornado continued for approximately another 3.8 miles before dissipating north of a farm that was damaged on 268th Street. Along the path in Chisago County, the tornado damaged a farm shed, uprooted numerous trees, damaged an outdoor wedding venue near Highway 25, and destroyed an outbuilding before dissipating. Maximum winds were estimated at 90 mph, with a width of 250 yards in Chisago County.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindChisago City$500,000Scattered trees toppled.
June 2001HailRush City$400,000Ninety percent of homes in town received damage. Hundreds of broken windows. Siding, roofs and vehicles damaged by wind driven hail.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindRush Pt$250,000The bow echo that moved across Pine County, continued to intensify. It moved from the northern part of Chisago County, southeast into Polk County in Wisconsin. The path of straight line winds was noted as it crossed interstate 35 where very large trees were uprooted or blown down. There was damage to barns, outbuildings and homes along the path. The Chisago County fair grounds was closed due to blown down trees and power lines in Rush City.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindHarris$250,000Several trees were blown down in Harris, Minnesota.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindStacy$250,000Several trees were blown down in Stacy, Minnesota.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindRush Pt$250,000Numerous large trees were blown down around Rush City, Minnesota. In addition, residents reported heavy damage to homes in the northwestern part of Chisago County.
June 1954Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
July 2020Thunderstorm WindHarris$100,000A NWS Storm Survey determined that severe straight-line winds and occasional downburst winds, damaged hundreds of trees between Harris and Rush City along County Road 30. Some of the trees landed on vehicles, roofs and sheds. One machine shed had its roof blown off.
June 2013Tornado (EF0)Wyoming$100,000Dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped along a half mile long path around Ashton Lake in Wyoming. Some trees landed on houses, fences and sheds with the greatest damage on the northeast side of the lake.
September 2013Thunderstorm WindRush Pt$100,000Scattered large trees were blown down across the northern half of Chisago County, including a tree falling on a house west of Rush City.
August 2009Tornado (EF0)North Branch$100,000A National Weather Service Storm Survey determined that an EF-0 tornado tracked from near the North Branch Middle School, northwest to near Rivercrest and Riverview Courts in North Branch, Minnesota. Roof damage was indicated at the middle school, with a telephone pole snapped, and major trees blown down in the residential area. Based on roof damage and trees blown down, winds were estimated at 70 to 80 mph.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindRush City$60,000Roof ripped off pole barn. Siding torn from garage, and then blown onto truck. Trees toppled on to two pickup trucks.
July 1966Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 2009Thunderstorm WindWyoming$15,000A local resident in Wyoming, Minnesota reported numerous trees blown down, a portion of their porch supporting beam destroyed and a shop garage door blown away.
May 1962Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
June 2015Thunderstorm WindRush Pt$1,000A tree was blown down in the Rush Lake area. Plus, sliding damage occurred due to the large hail and wind near Rush Lake.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindNorth Branch-Large tree was snapped near its base in North Branch.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindNorth Branch-A large tree snapped near its base in North Branch.
May 2024HailAlmelund-The hail damaged garage doors and the roof of a camper.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindAlmelund-A few trees were downed near Almelund.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindStacy-Report of multiple trees down.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindNorth Branch-Multiple trees reported down.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindWyoming-Some trees were blown down.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindCenter City-Some trees were blown down.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindNorth Branch-A Hennepin County Emergency Management Meteorologist forwarded multiple photos of trees down in the city of North Branch along Harder Parkway.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindCenter City-There was a report of 4 to 6 inch branches and trees down in Center City.
July 2023HailRush City Muni Arpt-Photo measurement provided via social media.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindSunrise-Trees measuring 8 to 10-inch diameter and powerlines down across roadway, 3 miles east of Sunrise, MN or 7 miles NE of North Branch, MN.
July 2023HailAlmelund-Delayed report of quarter to golfball size hail in Almelund Minnesota.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindRush City Muni Arpt-Several trees down 2 miles ESE of Rush City, MN.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindLindstrom-There was a social media picture of blown down power lines near Lindstrom. The emergency manager also reported several trees down in Lindstrom.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindCenter City-A number of trees and power lines were downed, with some trees and large branches landing on houses.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindShafer-Two buildings lost a portion of their roofs at a farm. About a dozen trees were tipped over.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindStacy-A large tree blew down and it took down a power line near Stacy.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindSunrise-There were a few trees uprooted east of Sunrise.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindTaylors Falls-Several dozen trees were uprooted or broken, with some landing on houses, sheds, and vehicles.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindRush City-A few trees were blown down in Rush City, along Highway 61.
July 2020Tornado (EF0)Rush Pt-A brief tornado cross the southern portion of West Rush Lake, uprooting trees and knocking down numerous large branches. It flipped several boat docks and pontoons. Some debris from the docks was blown 1/2 mile downwind into some trees.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindRush City-A large tree was blown down near 525th and Fairfield Avenue in Rush City.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindAlmelund-The Wild River State Park had damage throughout their park area. Numerous trees were blown down and blocked roads in and out of the park.
July 2017Tornado (EF0)Lindstrom-A brief tornado hit three properties, knocking down dozens of trees and collapsing a barn.
July 2017Tornado (EF0)Wyoming-After exiting Anoka County, the tornado clipped the southwest part of Chisago County, downing over 100 trees. The tornado did take some tin off the roof of a shed. It dissipated just before reaching Washington County, where the collapsing storm produced widespread downburst damage in and around Forest Lake.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindHarris-A few trees were blown down near Harris, along Falcon Drive at 425th St.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindChisago City-Several large trees, up to 5 feet in diameter, were blown down south of Chisago Lakes and into Chisago Lakes Township.
July 2016Heavy RainChisago City-A trained spotter measured 3.07 inches of rain south of Chisago City.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindStark-Several trees were blown down in North Branch.
June 2015HailRush Pt-Several reports of large hail occurred around Rush Lake, and Rush City. The largest hail stone was 3 inches in diameter.
June 2015HailWyoming-Several reports of large hail occurred at and near Wyoming to Chisago City in southern Chisago County. The largest hail stone was quarter size.
June 2015HailNorth Branch-Several reports of large hail occurred around the city of North Branch. The largest hail stone was tennis ball size.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindNorth Branch-A few trees were blown down near North Branch.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindAlmelund-A few trees were blown down in Amador Township, near Almelund.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindRush City Muni Arpt-Several trees and power lines were blown down in Rushseba Township, northeast of Rush City.
June 2013Heavy RainStacy-Storm total rainfall amount of 2.46 inches was measured near Stacy.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindLindstrom-Several large tree limbs were blown down.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindNorth Branch-Numerous trees were blown down near North Branch.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindAlmelund-About 20 trees were downed, and half of a roof was torn off a horse stable.

Mines and quarries

3 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 3 workings inside this county. All of them still produce. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction3

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
E F Hals Sand & Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Herberg Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Succo Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

22

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.