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Mille Lacs County, Minnesota

31 topographic sheets cover 17 settlements here, and 7 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

7 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Minnesota within the United States
Mille Lacs County within Minnesota

What the record shows

  • 147 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 7 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 6 buildings and 1 structure.
  • 2 of the 7 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 17 populated places in this county; 17 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

7

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
Bridge No. 3355-Kathio Townshipstructure199898000685
Robert C. Dunn Housebuilding198585001922
Ephraim C. Gile Housebuilding198585001907
Great Northern Depotbuilding197777000757
Milaca Municipal Hallbuilding198585002201
Mille Lacs County Courthousebuilding197777000756
Onamia Municipal Hallbuilding198585002333

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

1,208 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,208 of them, burning about 9,814 acres. 4 started naturally and 387 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning415
Arson/incendiarism387
Equipment and vehicle use119
Misuse of fire by a minor102
Missing data/not specified/undetermined84
Smoking55
Recreation and ceremony26
Fireworks7
Power generation/transmission/distribution5
Natural4
Other causes3
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
13 October 1996Recreation and ceremony1,460 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
16 October 2010Missing data/not specified/undetermined280 acresSherburne National Wildlife RefugeKUNKEL FIRE
23 October 1992Arson/incendiarism250 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
17 April 1993Misuse of fire by a minor250 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
24 March 2010Debris and open burning215 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
16 April 2016Missing data/not specified/undetermined196 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
2 May 2015Debris and open burning190 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
3 April 2010Equipment and vehicle use160 acresSherburne National Wildlife RefugeRICE LAKE

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

Storms, 1955 to 2025

60 of 251 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 251 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 5 injuries and about $1,755,350 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind111
Hail106
Tornado16
Flash Flood9
Funnel Cloud4
Heavy Rain4
Strong Wind1

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
September 1955Tornado (F1)not stated1 killed, $250,000no account filed
June 1991Thunderstorm Windnot stated2 hurtno account filed
July 1974Tornado (F0)not stated1 hurt, $25,000no account filed
June 1974Tornado (F1)not stated1 hurt, $25,000no account filed
August 1994Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtA roof was blown from a building and a tree was blown onto a car and injured a woman.
April 2001Flash FloodCountywide$300,000no account filed
August 2020Thunderstorm WindOnamia$250,000Two large barns had their roof structure uplifted and blown off south of Onamia.
July 1959Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
August 2019Tornado (EF1)Milaca$200,000A NWS storm survey indicated that an EF-1 tornado touched down in a field just east of Mille Lacs County Road 4, and tracked to the southeast. EF-1 damage occurred along 70th Avenue where a large pole barn was completely destroyed. A nearby home also saw about half of its roof decking lifted off. Dozens of trees were broken or uprooted. The maximum winds were estimated at 90 mph.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindVineland$100,000Swath of damage along the south side of Mille Lacs Lake. Many boats and docks turned over. Numerous trees down, some onto houses and vehicles.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindIsle$50,000The local emergency manager reported that several large 100 year old trees were blown down along the 3000 block of View Point Road, in Isle, Minnesota. One home was severely damaged by a tree, and another smaller building was damaged.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindPrinceton$50,000Several street lights and large trees blew down across Princeton, Minnesota, some knotted down several power poles on the east side of the city.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindForeston$25,000Straight-line winds blew down numerous trees and power lines from near Foreston, northeast to Borgholm Township, and Bock in Mille Lacs County.
August 2010Thunderstorm WindMilaca Muni Arpt$25,000Severe straight-line winds caused a patio awning to blow away, a port-a-potty to blow over, and several 2-3 inch diameter tree limbs to be torn off a large tree. In addition, the northern portion of Milaca, Minnesota, lost power.
July 2002Flash FloodCountywide$25,000Four to nine inches rain resulted in several creeks out of their banks, and approximately two dozen county and township roads were closed across the entire county. State Highway 95 was closed west of Princeton. Several dozen basements were reported flooded with several feet of water.
June 1986Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
July 1985Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
July 2018Thunderstorm WindPrinceton$20,000A tin roof blew off a business in Princeton. The roof came off in three large pieces and landed in an adjacent parking lot. It appears to have been tin sheets placed over the shingles. The shingle roof was still in place. The tin landed on an SUV in the parking lot and caused damage to the vehicle. A few power poles, and power lines were also blown down in Princeton.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindPrinceton$20,000Numerous trees down, some on homes and vehicles, in a swath that continued into Isanti County, from 12W to 2 SW Cambridge.
May 2021Thunderstorm WindPease$15,000Damage to a local farm was significant as a downburst likely caused an iron fence and a barn door to be blown down. There was also damage to trees and other farming structures.
August 2019Tornado (EF0)Page$15,000A NWS storm survey indicated that an EF-0 tornado touched down along 300th Street, where trees were damaged near a farm and a barn was pushed over. The worst damage occurred at at home along 290th Street where a detached garage was pushed off its foundation. Maximum winds were estimated at 80 mph.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindForeston$15,000A homes roof was blown off at the junction of 155th and 165th Ave near Foreston, Minnesota. In addition, a few trees were blown down in Milaca.
June 2001Flash FloodOnamia$10,000Several roads flooded. Basements flooded in Wahkon. Four and seven tenths inches of rain at Gull Lake.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindOnamia$10,000Numerous trees down, some falling on homes.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindOpstead$5,000There were numerous downed trees along the Aitkin/Mille Lacs County line. Some landed on power lines, and a boat flipped out of the water.
August 2011Flash FloodEstes Brook$5,000Excessive rainfall washed out a culvert near the intersection of County Road 6, and 55th Street.
August 2010Thunderstorm WindMilaca Muni Arpt$5,000Several large trees were broken, a shed was destroyed, and some siding on a house was ripped off. In addition, a large tree was blown down in the city of Milaca.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindIsle$5,000Trees down, including one on a trailer.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindForeston$2,500Several two foot diameter trees were uprooted, along with damage to several screen doors.
July 1971Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
May 2012HailPage$250The large hail stone damaged the storm spotter truck windsheld.
June 2005Flash FloodCountywide$100Several roads were covered by water including 100th Avenue and 45th Avenue just south of Highway 27. Rainfall amounts of 3.5 to 4.5 inches were reported in the Isle, Onamia, and Wahkon areas. Most of the rain fell in one hour.
April 2025HailOnamia-A few quarter size hailstones mixed in with mainly pea size hail.
April 2025Funnel CloudPrinceton-Funnel cloud reported west of Hwy 169 and Hwy 95 just west of Princeton.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindPrinceton-Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 65 mph knocked down a large tree knocked onto structure.
September 2021HailWahkon-Radar suggested the hail size was much larger over Lake Mille Lacs, but there were no reports from that area.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindIsle-A few trees were blown down, one large pine tree had its top blown off to the south near Isle.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindMilaca-A few large trees were blown down north of Milaca.
June 2020HailVineland-There were several reports of large hail, up to half dollar size, that fell in a swath from south of Vineland, southeast toward the Mille Lacs, and Kanabec County line.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindMilaca-Farm equipment was blown over and damaged. In addition, 800 pound hay bales were blown across the farm.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindOnamia-The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Tribal Emergency Management showed a few trees that were blown down in the city of Onamia.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindVineland-Several trees were blown down near Vineland.
September 2019Thunderstorm WindPrinceton-There were reports of scattered trees blown down around Princeton.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindOnamia-The local emergency manager indicated that a few trees and power lines were blown down from southwest of Onamia, to the Kanabec County line.
July 2018Heavy RainPage-A measured rainfall report of 3.43 inches fell north of Page in 12 hours.
August 2018HailPease-A swath of large hail, up to golf ball size, occurred near Pease, and east of Pease near the Isanti County line.
September 2017Thunderstorm WindVineland-Several trees and power lines were blown down north of Vineland.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindPage-A large pine tree was blown down north of Page.
July 2016Heavy RainPage-A measured rainfall report of 4.28 inches occurred north of Page.
July 2016Flash FloodForeston-Several pictures from the general public and trained spotters showed flooded roadways due to excessive rainfall in portions of Mille Lacs County. Several waves of thunderstorms on Monday, July 11th, from the early morning, through the evening, caused rainfall amounts in excess of 3 to locally 5-7 inches.
August 2016Flash FloodMilaca-Significant flooding was reported in both Milaca & Borgholm Townships. Some areas had as much as 8 inches of flowing water in Milaca, and water was a couple feet deep on roads around the high school, with one car floating down a road.
August 2016Heavy RainMilaca-A measured rainfall report of 4.50 inches occurred near Milaca.
June 2015Funnel CloudPrinceton-A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud east of Highway 169.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindOnamia-A few trees were blown down in the city of Onamia.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindMilaca-Power lines and a large tree were blown down in the eastern part of Milaca.
July 2015Heavy RainMilaca-A rainfall amount of 2.11 inches occurred in Milaca in less than an hour.
May 2014Thunderstorm WindBock-Large trees were blown down, some over one foot in diameter, between Milaca and Bock.
May 2014Thunderstorm WindPrinceton-Numerous trees were blown down just north of Princeton.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindForeston-Numerous trees were blown down in Foreston, and Milaca township.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindForeston-Several large trees were blown down on the Benton, and Mille Lacs County line, approximately 3 miles northeast of Oak Park.

Mines and quarries

7 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 7 workings inside this county. 5 still produce and 2 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction5
Peat1
Granite1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Diamond Gray QuarryGranitePast Producer
Mille Lacs County Peat BogsPeatProducer
Mcminn PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Mille Lacs Aggr. & Concrete PlSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Pierson Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Sanford Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Sanford Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

17

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.