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Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota

41 topographic sheets cover 12 settlements here, and 9 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

9 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Minnesota within the United States
Lac qui Parle County within Minnesota

What the record shows

  • 89 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 9 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 7 buildings, 1 site and 1 district.
  • 1 of the 9 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 12 populated places in this county; 12 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

9

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
Camp Release State Monumentsite197373000981
Commercial Bank Buildingbuilding198282002978
Dawson Armory and Community Buildingbuilding199595000615
Dawson Carnegie Librarybuilding198585001770
Lac qui Parle County Courthousebuilding198585001759
Lac qui Parle State Park WPA/Rustic Style Historic Districtdistrict199191001055
Louisburg Schoolbuilding198686001348
Madison Carnegie Librarybuilding198585001823
Madison City Hallbuilding198585001820

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

42 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 42 of them, burning about 2,882 acres. 4 started naturally and 6 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning16
Missing data/not specified/undetermined7
Arson/incendiarism6
Equipment and vehicle use5
Natural4
Recreation and ceremony2
Other causes1
Smoking1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
7 April 2004Debris and open burning1,149 acresBig Stone National Wildlife RefugeFISH WF
11 May 2004Natural354 acresBig Stone National Wildlife RefugeSELLIN
14 April 2004Missing data/not specified/undetermined230 acresMorris National Wildlife RefugePLOVER WPA AGASSIZ 13
30 April 1992Debris and open burning212 acresBig Stone National Wildlife RefugeN AUTOTOUR
13 May 2007Natural150 acresMinnesota Department of Natural ResourcesSECTION 32
8 May 2016Debris and open burning146 acresBig Stone National Wildlife RefugeHAPPIE WILDFIRE
15 May 2019Debris and open burning132 acresMorris National Wildlife RefugeMNBNR-FY19-WF-BEYER WF
7 April 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined80 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

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

Storms, 1959 to 2025

60 of 288 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 288 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 1 injury and about $3,901,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail144
Thunderstorm Wind109
Tornado16
Funnel Cloud6
Flood6
Flash Flood3
Lightning2
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
October 1997Thunderstorm WindHaydenville1 hurt, $1,000,000Hog barn collapse resulted in one injury. Damage estimate for entire county.
March 2010FloodBoyd$515,000Several county roads became inundated due to flood waters along the Minnesota River.||Monetary costs were based on FEMA, State, and Local assistance which includes the following categories; debris removal, emergency protective measures, road systems and bridges, water control facilities, and utilities.
March 2007FloodDawson$425,000Spring snow melt with rapid warming brought ice jams and flooding to portions of West Central Minnesota. On the 14th, Lac Qui Parle county officials reported flooded township roads west of the intersection of roads 212 and 75 (along the West Fork of the Lac Qui Parle River). The ice jam responsible for the flooding was west of the city of Dawson. The Dawson Sentinel reported plenty of damage to the Helgeson Bridge southeast of Dawson. Three quarters of the bridge was toppled.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindMadison$400,000Barn blown down, killing one horse. Tree and shed damage. Approximately 8 miles of wind damage. Estimated windspeed.
March 2019FloodRosen$300,000Snow melt and a slow thaw led to numerous county and township roads to close; in total, roughly 71 sections of roadway had been closed, accumulating an estimated 81 miles. Many of these sections were washed out and damaged and required repairs. The City of Dawson experienced flooding of their football and baseball fields, as well as a portion of city park and Ash Street.||A driver drove around the barricade blocking County Road 55 about a half-mile north of Hwy. 212 in Garfield Township on Thursday, March 28th. Deputies from the Lac qui Parle County Sheriff's Office retrieved a female driver and her male passenger after their vehicle was swept off a country road and pushed into a farm field. No significant injuries were reported.||Preliminary damage estimates indicated nearly $300,000 was caused by flood waters.
April 2023FloodRosen$260,000A combination of record setting seasonal snowfall, high snow water equivalent values, and rapid snow melt led to low lying areas, ditches, and ravines across the county to flood for a prolonged period of time. Road infrastructure such as bridges, gravel roads, and culverts experience varied degrees of damage caused by rapid runoff. Lac qui Parle County Emergency Management reported $260,000 in damages to roads and bridges.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindDawson$250,000Severe winds destroyed a machine shop north of Dawson.
March 2009FloodMarietta$250,000Three township roads were closed due to flooding. In addition to the flooding, several roads and bridges needed repairs with county official estimating $250,000 in damages. This estimate was reported on March 29th.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindMadison Arpt$200,000Numerous power poles and lines were destroyed by the strong winds. Most of the county was without power anywhere from 3 to 24 hours. Numerous trees were toppled, including some falling on homes, sheds, and vehicles. A few agricultural buildings were also damaged. Losses were reported by the emergency manager.
August 2010Tornado (EF0)Louisburg$100,000Local law enforcement officials, spotters and chasers observed a brief tornado touchdown on the southern edge of Louisburg. It picked up a grain bin at the Louisburg elevator and threw it 100 yards. Some trees were also uprooted near the same area.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindRosen$50,000The local emergency manager reported wind damage, with large trees and tree limbs blown down throughout the county. A machine shed roof was damaged in Louisburg. Corn laid down and was damaged near Rosen. Power lines were blown down in Madison.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindMadison$50,000Several buildings in Madison sustained damage, with roofs ripped off and debris blocking roads. Power was out for nearly two hours.
August 2010Tornado (EF0)Rosen$25,000Local law enforcement officials, spotters and chasers observed a brief tornado touchdown southwest of Bellingham. The tornado ripped off a building's porch roof.
June 1981Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 2001Thunderstorm WindMadison$20,000Numerous trees down, especially on south side of town. Few grain bins blown over. Tree fell on the roof of county museum.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindBellingham$10,000Several large trees and power lines were blown down around Bellingham. There was also damage to a local garage.
June 2002Tornado (F1)Boyd$10,000Tornado embedded within a rain-wrapped storm was videotaped as it crossed open country. The tornado continued into Yellow Medicine County.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindLouisburg$3,500Power lines were blown down near Louisburg, Minnesota.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindNassau$3,000Machine shed down. Shingles off roofs. Numerous trees toppled.
July 1970Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
May 2012HailRosen$2,000no account filed
July 2025HailRosen-Mostly nickel sized hail but a few quarters also reported.
July 2025Funnel CloudLouisburg-A brief tornado was reported by somebody with a fire department, but there were no photos provided nor any reports of damage. Satellite imagery did not show any path or damage, and nobody else spotted a tornado. With the uncertainty, this was most likely a funnel cloud.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindMarietta-Mesonet station MN059 T.h.212 - Marietta - Mp 1 measured a 57 kt wind gust at 3:40am and 3:45am LST.
June 2025Flash FloodProvidence-Many county and township roadways were washed out and damaged from the round of storms on June 28th.
June 2025Tornado (EF1)Haydenville-The tornado developed over a field and moved toward a home where it knocked down a couple trees and produced some other tree damage. Four different videos from various locations enabled determination of its track to the east, as it moved over more fields before dissipating. The maximum estimated wind was 90 mph.
June 2024HailMadison-The hail measurement was provided by a broadcast meteorologist. Time estimated via radar.
May 2023Tornado (EFU)Louisburg-A weak tornado develop north of Madison in Lac Qui Parle county. There were several images of this tornado on social media, but no reports of damage.
September 2023Tornado (EFU)Cerro Gordo-A brief rain wrapped tornado was spotted in an open field for approximately 45 seconds.
May 2023HailBoyd-CoCoRaHS observer recorded quarter size hail 4 miles WSW of Watson, MN. This cell would continue northward across county lines into Chippewa County before weakening.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindCerro Gordo-Several grain bins and sheds were badly damaged. Numerous trees were broken. Shingles were removed from a house.
May 2022Tornado (EF1)Madison-This tornado moved across the southeast section of Madison. A house had its roof removed, a camper was rolled, and three light poles at the baseball field were bent over. One of the poles had the cement support ripped out of the ground. There was also extensive tree damage. Maximum winds were estimated at 100 mph.
May 2022Tornado (EF1)Louisburg-Damage was convergent, with peak winds estimated near 105 mph. A house received significant damage, with much of its roof removed. Numerous trees were broken.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindBoyd-Several tops of pine trees were snapped off near Boyd.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindBoyd-A large pine tree was blown down northeast of Boyd.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindDawson-A metal shed was destroyed and several trees were broken.
May 2022HailBoyd-There was a social media picture of 3 inch hail.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindDawson-Roof covering was partially removed from a house, part of the the top of a grain bin was blown away, dozens of trees were broken, and part of a large metal shed lost its roof and walls.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindMadison-Numerous machine sheds and other buildings were destroyed or sustained major damage. The survey team noted a definite divergent pattern, indicating downburst. The greatest damage was several miles southeast of Louisburg, where a machine shed was obliterated, resulting in the 100 mph (87 knot) wind estimate.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindBellingham-Multiple machine sheds were destroyed, and a large warehouse building in Louisburg lost much of its roof. Large grain bins at the Bellingham elevator were badly damaged, with two being blown off their foundations. Numerous trees were broken or uprooted.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindRosen-There were numerous trees blown down or snapped off near the intersection of 330th and 121st Ave, west of Bellingham. Also, a few trees were blown down in the community of Rosen.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindBoyd-Large branches were blown down.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindMarietta-Several large trees and power lines were blown down in Marietta, with the worst damage southeast of the town. Some damage occurred to local soybean crops.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindDawson-Numerous trees and power lines blown were blown down near Dawson.
June 2016HailProvidence-Local farmers indicated significant damage to their corn crop.
June 2016Funnel CloudBellingham-The funnel cloud was photographed. It was quite high-based.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindDawson-Several large trees were uprooted or snapped above ground level near Dawson.
August 2016Heavy RainMadison-A trained spotter measured 5.55 inches of rain in Madison.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindBellingham-There was a swath of large unknown size hail that covered the ground from 5 miles west of Bellingham, to the east side of town. Three inches of rain occurred in less than 2 hours, and the combination of hail, wind and heavy rainfall, caused significant crop damage.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindRosen-A downburst associated with a decaying funnel cloud hit several groves of trees. A trained spotter from the area provided a very detailed map and photos of the damage. The photos clearly showed the tree damage occurred in a divergent pattern.
May 2015Funnel CloudRosen-A storm chaser recorded video of a funnel when it was over Minnesota.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindLouisburg-The local emergency manager received damage reports in areas east of Highway 75, and north of Highway 40 as a severe storm moved through. The following are some of the reports received: one hog barn destroyed, 13 power poles broken, 3 grain bins damaged, one hoop barn damaged, one machine shed damaged, one 5th wheel livestock trailer destroyed, numerous windows broken, and house siding damaged.
June 2015HailLouisburg-A swath of large hail, the largest being ping pong ball size, occurred in an area between the Lac Qui Parle, and Big Stone County line, southeast toward the town of Cerro Gordo. The combination of hail and wind caused considerable damage to the row crops in this area as well as substantial building/property damage. It was also indicated that an estimated 10,600 acres of soybeans were likely destroyed and another 10,600 acres were damaged.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindBellingham-Large tree branches and power outages occurred in the town of Bellingham.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindDawson-Several large tree branches were blown down in Dawson.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindBoyd-A measured wind gust of 56 knots occurred northwest of Boyd.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindLac Qui Parle-Lac Qui Parle state park officials reported trees and large branches toppled, including some falling on a building. The building was barely damaged.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindMadison Arpt-A measured wind gust of 53 knots was reported by the Madison County Airport wind sensor.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindBoyd-A measured wind gust of 54 knots was reported by a trained spotter with a private weather station northwest of Boyd.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindLac Qui Parle-A few trees were blown down in Lac Qui Parle State Park.

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
Granite2
Sand and Gravel, Construction1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Stoupman Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Dakota Granite QuarryGraniteProducer
View QuarryGraniteProducer

Every populated place in the county

12

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.