BlockFrom the record
23 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service
Redwood County, Minnesota
32 topographic sheets cover 18 settlements here, and 23 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 176 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 23 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 20 buildings, 1 district, 1 structure and 1 site.
- 2 of the 23 listings were added during the 1970s.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 18 populated places in this county; 18 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
- 2 public-domain county histories, 1916, supply 42,825 words of narrative reproduced here.
Places on the National Register
23Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
Storms, 1956 to 2025
60 of 378 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 378 reports for this county, causing 2 deaths, 4 injuries and about $11,820,530 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 153 |
| Hail | 153 |
| Tornado | 29 |
| Heavy Rain | 12 |
| Funnel Cloud | 11 |
| Flash Flood | 11 |
| Flood | 8 |
| Lightning | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1958 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | 1 killed, 2 hurt, $250 | no account filed |
| September 2019 | Flood | Redwood Falls | 1 killed | The local police department reported that an individual had disappeared in the Redwood River near the 100 block of West Bridge Street and was presumed dead from drowning. |
| June 1979 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | 1 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Lightning | Vesta | 1 hurt | Lightning struck a machine shop in which a man was working. Some electricity traveled through a hoist and hydraulic hose that the man was holding, entered his body through one arm and exited out the other. Although struck, the injury was not serious. |
| June 1981 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1968 | Tornado (F5) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Milroy | $1,500,000 | A long-lived and complex storm moved into western Redwood County around 322 PM CST, and moved northeast across mainly the northern 1/3 of the county before moving into portions of far southeast Yellow Medicine County and western Renville County. ||Several hundred trees were either snapped or uprooted along with damage to several outbuildings and large grain storage bins. There were also reported areas of crops destroyed but either the wind or hail. Based on the damage reports and radar imagery, wind speeds were likely sustained above 70 to 90 mph, (isolated 100 mph wind gusts) for 10 to 15 minutes in any given location as the storm traversed the county. |
| April 2023 | Flood | Morgan | $1,300,000 | A 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. Redwood County Emergency Management reported $1.3 Million in damages to roads and bridges. |
| July 2018 | Flash Flood | Delhi | $500,000 | Numerous reports of flash flooding occurred across Redwood County from Belview in the far north, to Walnut Grove and Lamberton in the far south. The town of Wabasso had so much water that baseball fields were covered in a few inches of water. Over 50 township and county roads were impassable during the height of the flood waters. Once the flash flooding part of the storm abated, river flooding took over with river cresting to near or record levels. |
| July 2011 | Tornado (EF1) | Vesta | $500,000 | An EF-1 tornado touched down in Redwood County, approximately 6 miles west of Vesta, and moved into the far southeast corner of Yellow Medicine County, near 100th Avenue and 600th Street. Numerous trees were uprooted along with a few homes damaged along the path across northwestern Redwood County. |
| August 2017 | Flash Flood | Redwood Falls | $350,000 | Very heavy rainfall, and associated flooding led to numerous reports of basement flooding in Redwood Falls, and surrounding communities. Flood waters caused damage to roads and drainage systems. |
| March 2010 | Flood | Vesta | $255,000 | Numerous counties roads were flooded from snow melt and associated runoff along several tributaries of the Minnesota River, and the Redwood River in Redwood County. Monetary costs were based on FEMA, State, and Local assistance which includes the following categories; emergency protective measures, and road systems and bridges. |
| April 2012 | Tornado (EF0) | Lucan | $250,000 | Several witnesses and storm spotters observed a tornado touchdown south of Lucan, Minnesota. The tornado tracked to the southeast and damaged a farmhouse, which included several outbuildings, a greenhouse, pole barn, and shed. Based on damage the tornado was rated an EF0 with top winds of 80 mph. The tornado lifted one quarter of a mile southeast of the farmhouse where debris was thrown one half mile. |
| July 2011 | Tornado (EF1) | Vesta | $250,000 | An EF-1 tornado touched down just east of the Lyon, Redwood County border, and moved northeast to approximately 8 miles north of Milroy. Path length was approximately 2.6 miles, with a maximum width of 300 yards. Numerous trees were uprooted with a grain bin heavily damaged. |
| April 1985 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 1985 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| June 1981 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| June 1981 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| July 2011 | Tornado (EF1) | Belview | $200,000 | An EF-1 tornado continued along a path across northwest Redwood County, northeast to the Minnesota River, or approximately 3.5 miles north of Delhi where it crossed the Minnesota River into Renville County. The most concentrated area of tornadic damage with hundreds of trees uprooted or blown down was in the town of Belview. In addition, a few homes were damaged along the tornado path. |
| July 1997 | Hail | Lamberton | $200,000 | Damage estimate for Lamberton and Morgan areas. Grapefruit size hail did considerable damage to crops in Lamberton area. Hail also stripped trees of leaves, broke off tree limbs, shattered windows and put holes in siding. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Revere | $150,000 | A large grain bin and garage were destroyed. There was tree damage also reported in Lamberton. |
| April 2001 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wabasso | $50,000 | Numerous trees were uprooted between Wabasso and Wanda, Minnesota. A large grain bin was also blown down near Wabasso, Minnesota. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lucan | $40,000 | Part of roof from shed ripped off. Several trees down, including one on shed. Grain bin tipped over. |
| March 2017 | Hail | Redwood Falls | $25,000 | Several reports of large hail occurred from south of Redwood Falls, north-northeast toward the Renville County line. The largest hail stone was 2 inches in diameter. There was damage to local vehicles and vinyl siding due to the hail. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Redwood Falls | $25,000 | Several trees were blown down, and one half of a barn's roof was blown off. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wabasso | $25,000 | A pole barn and several trees were blown down. |
| August 2001 | Hail | Belview | $25,000 | Numerous vehicles dented. Hail ripped through a few tin buildings. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Delhi | $15,000 | Several trees and power lines were blown down. |
| August 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clements | $10,000 | Several large trees were uprooted north of Springfield, Minnesota. Based on photos, some damage occurred to a farm with structural damage to siding, and garage. In addition, corn was stripped and beans were flattened. |
| August 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Vesta | $10,000 | Several power poles were toppled in the city of Vesta. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clements | $10,000 | Several large trees were blown down from near Clements, to one mile north of Clements, including one tree that fell on a car. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sanborn | $5,000 | A shed and power lines were blown down on the west side of Sanborn. |
| May 1959 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| June 1958 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $30 | no account filed |
| July 2025 | Funnel Cloud | Revere | - | Trained spotter reported a rotating wall cloud with a brief funnel cloud near Revere along CR 14. |
| August 2025 | Flash Flood | Walnut Grove | - | Law enforcement reported water over portions of US Highway 14 near Walnut Grove, to the point where road/lane markers cannot be seen. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Redwood Falls Arpt | - | ASOS station KRWF Redwood Falls AP measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 68 mph. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Gilfillan | - | Trees were down five miles east of Redwood Falls. |
| June 2024 | Heavy Rain | Lamberton | - | A total of 2.5 to 3.5 inches of rain fell from multiple rounds of thunderstorms. CoCoRaHS observers measured 3.0 inches in Lucan. |
| October 2023 | Hail | Lamberton | - | Photo provided via social media of hailstone next to a quarter. The size of the hailstone was estimated to be golf ball size. |
| July 2023 | Hail | Morgan | - | Mostly quarter size hail fell but spotter was able to measure one hail stone that was half-dollar size. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Gilfillan | - | The Lower Sioux Community repoarted a few trees down at the community center. |
| July 2023 | Hail | Morgan | - | Photo of hail stone that fell from a strong thunderstorm provided through social media. |
| July 2023 | Hail | Milroy | - | Picture via Twitter between Milroy and Tracy. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Milroy | - | The Minnesota Department of Transportation wind sensor measured a wind gust of 54 knots. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Milroy | - | A private weather wind sensor measured a wind gust of 51 knots. |
| September 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Redwood Falls | - | Several trees and power lines were blown down in Redwood Falls. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Seaforth | - | Numerous roads were closed for several days due to snow melt, and the flood waters that develop from it. Rapidly runoff led to impassable roads, especially along streams and creeks along county roads. |
| June 2019 | Funnel Cloud | Belview | - | A firefighter observed a funnel cloud moving near their home. |
| June 2019 | Tornado (EF1) | Wabasso | - | This slow moving tornado was widely photographed and caught on video by multiple citizens and storm spotters. It hit several farmsteads, breaking or uprooting dozens of trees. One open air building on a feedlot was destroyed. Several machine sheds had doors blown out, and tin was peeled off the portion of several roofs. |
| June 2019 | Hail | Clements | - | The Farm Service Agency office for Redwood County indicated a one to three mile wide swath of hail as large as golf balls fell across southeastern Redwood County, with many crops heavily damaged or destroyed. Time estimated based on radar. |
| August 2019 | Hail | Morgan | - | There was a social media image of half dollar size hail that fell near Morgan. |
| July 2019 | Heavy Rain | Belview | - | There was a measured rainfall report of 3.44 inches near Belview. |
| July 2019 | Heavy Rain | Redwood Falls Arpt | - | There was a measured rainfall report of 5.15 inches near Redwood Falls. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Belview | - | Several trees and power lines were blown down in Belview. |
| July 2018 | Flood | Belview | - | Southwest Minnesota received significant rainfall during the morning of Tuesday, July 3rd. Runoff from the excessive rainfall caused widespread flooding throughout the county. Several roads closed for a long period of time due to the flood waters. These roads include Highway 19 at the intersection of County Road 5 and Highway 14 from Tracy to Walnut Grove and Springfield. ||A 16-year-old driver in southwestern Minnesota had to climb out his cars back window after heavy rains washed out the road and he drove into a sinkhole. The Renville County Sheriffs Office said the sinkhole was formed after a culvert beneath the township road was washed out. |
| July 2018 | Heavy Rain | Redwood Falls | - | A measured rainfall report of 5.21 inches fell west of Redwood Falls in 24 hours. |
| July 2018 | Heavy Rain | Lucan | - | A measured rainfall report of 4.55 inches fell west of Lucan in 24 hours. |
| July 2018 | Heavy Rain | Redwood Falls Arpt | - | A measured rainfall report of 5.25 inches fell northwest of Redwood Falls in 24 hours. |
Mines and quarries
7 recordedThe 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 |
|---|---|
| Granite | 2 |
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 2 |
| Kaolin | 1 |
| Gold | 1 |
| Clay | 1 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi Prospect | Gold | Unknown | Gold | |
| Morton Pit | Kaolin | Producer | Gibbsite, Illite, Kaolinite, Montmorillonite, Quartz | |
| Norton Clay Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Chapman Pit and Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Delano Granite Future Quarry | Granite | Prospect | ||
| Hetle Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| View Quarry | Granite | Producer |
The townships, in 1916
42,825 wordsThe History of Redwood County, Minnesota devotes a chapter to each township: its boundaries and streams, who settled it and when, the mills, the schools and the churches. All 16 are reproduced here in full. Each row shows the township's own shape and where it lies in the county, drawn from the Census Bureau's boundary. Which settlements belong to which township is computed from that same boundary, not taken from the book.
| Shape and position in the county | Township | Settlements in it | Length | Sections |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belview City | Belview | 2,180 words | 0 | |
| Delhi Township | Delhi | 3,253 words | 0 | |
| Granite Rock Township | Lucan | 433 words | 0 | |
| Lamberton Township | Lamberton | 7,270 words | 1 | |
| Morgan Township | Morgan | 6,406 words | 1 | |
| New Avon Township | Rowena | 772 words | 0 | |
| Redwood Falls City | North Redwood, Redwood Falls | 4,866 words | 0 | |
| Revere City | Revere | 805 words | 1 | |
| Sanborn City | Sanborn | 1,990 words | 0 | |
| Sheridan Township | Seaforth | 2,158 words | 0 | |
| Three Lakes Township | Clements | 522 words | 0 | |
| Vail Township | Wabasso | 403 words | 0 | |
| Vesta City | Vesta | 4,407 words | 0 | |
| Walnut Grove City | Walnut Grove | 3,964 words | 1 | |
| Westline Township | Milroy | 460 words | 0 | |
| Willow Lake Township | Wanda | 2,936 words | 0 |
The county's history books
424,609 words2 books written about this county, cut here where the book itself is cut, at its printed chapters: 44 chapters in all. Every chapter is public domain, machine-read from the scan and reproduced complete. A chapter already given under one of the county's towns is not repeated in this list.
The History of Redwood County, Minnesota (1916)
The History of Redwood County, Minnesota (Volume 2) (1916)
| Chapter | Length |
|---|---|
| The whole text | 200,595 words in 13 parts |
Every populated place in the county
18Named 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.
-
North Redwood
Redwood Falls city · 56283 · On Redwood River · Redwood Falls quadrangle
13 sheets, 1952 to 1992
-
Redwood Falls
Redwood Falls city · 56283 · On Ramsey Creek · Redwood Falls quadrangle
13 sheets, 1952 to 1992
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.