Redwood County, Minnesota - Chapter 43: Mercantile and Civic Development, 1916

Redwood Falls, the first town in Redwood county, was started by Col. McPhail, in 1864, and began to spread out from the stockade in the spring of 1865, taking its name from "Redwood River" and adding to it the name of the "Falls," which are located in its immediate vicinity.

At the first county election held in the fall of 1865, Redwood Falls was made the county seat of Redwood county, and has since continued to remain such.

The first general store to start in Redwood Falls, and the first in Redwood county, was that of Louis Robert, who, in the spring of 1865 opened a store on Second street, east of where the "Golden Rule" store now stands.

A little later in the same year another general store was opened up by Henry Behnke & Brother, and a store building erected by them on Second street.

Hustin & Garvin were the next to open a general store here in 1868, and prior to the year 1870 a number of business enterprises sprang into existence.

Among the list of the pioneers are the names of the four gentlemen who settled here at a very early date, and are still living here : John H. Thomas came in 1865 and opened the first blacksmith shop. D. L. Bigham came in 1868 and started the first lumber yard. Wm. Pitts Tenney arrived in 1870 and opened the first barber shop, called the "Pioneer." Milton E. Powell came the same year and opened a law office.

Among other early settlers, since passed away, who contributed largely to the interests and improvement of Redwood Falls in its early days, may be mentioned a few as follows : James Mc- Millan, in 1865, built and operated the first hotel, The McMillan Hotel, name afterward changed to "Exchange Hotel." The Redwood (flour) mill, built in the year 1868, by Park and John Worden, was looked upon as a splendid addition to the new burg. This mill, located on the Redwood river, a short distance above the falls, has several times been overhauled and remodeled and is still in service. The Delhi Roller Mills, another flour mill, erected in 1869, by A. M. Cook & Son, was also considered a valuable acquisition to the new town. This mill was located a little distance up from the Redwood bridge. It was destroyed by fire in the early nineties.

The first newspaper published in Redwood Falls was the "Redwood Mail," established in 1869, by V. C. Seward. It was purchased in 1873 by "William B. Herriott and the name changed to "Redwood Gazette," under which name it is now issued by Mrs. Bess M. Wilson.

Birney Flynn, another one of the very early settlers, came in 1865 and engaged in the real estate business. Before his death he was elected to, and held several county offices.

Doctor D. L. Hitchcock coming here in the later sixties, was the first physician to locate in the place; he also opened the first drug store which is still in existence, now being conducted by his son, H. M. Hitchcock.

David Watson was the first surveyor to arrive and locate in the new town. He also operated the first stage between Saint Peter and Redwood Falls.

with a goodly number of business and professional men, among whom we mention Dr. Wm. D. Plinn, a noted physician and surgeon, who located here in 1870. He later became a member of the state medical board, afterward he was made its president; he was also a member of the U. S. Pension Board.

Judge H. D. Baldwin, another early and highly esteemed citizen, came here in the year 1871 and established a law office ; since locating here he served as judge of probate and district judge; also other offices of trust.

Wm. F. Dickinson came here in 1871 and established the Bank of Redwood Falls. His death occurred a few years ago, then the affairs of his bank were taken over by the present First State Bank.

Geo. W. Braley also arrived here in 1871 and shortly after established the Redwood County Bank, which he continued to operate until his death in 1884, when his affairs were closed by administrator. In 1880 he was elected state senator from this district.

During the years intervening between 1870 and 1880, quite a number of new concerns located in the new town; also quite a few changes were made in the old concerns ; of these we have not sufficient space here to mention.

Coming down now to the year 1880, the beginning of our own observations, we find Redwood Falls an enterprising little burg of about nine hundred population and about the only town of any particular importance within twenty-five miles of it.

A branch of the C. & N. W. R. R. from Sleepy Eye had been built in here in 1878. A depot and four elevators had been erected on its tracks and Redwood Falls now began to put on the appearance of a thriving city. However, the country tributary was but sparsely settled at this time and the community had just passed through the grasshopper scourge ; trading was done mostly with butter and eggs, but merchants were blessed with a good outlet for disposing of these commodities and therefore able to pay their customers fairly good prices, which brought farmers to this market from a radius of thirty miles around. It is reliably stated that at one time upwards of 40,000 pounds of butter were held in the basements of two Redwood Falls merchants.

Later other branches of the C. & N. W. R. R. were built through the county and small towns began to spring up which had a tendency to draw more or less trade from Redwood Falls. The M. & St. L. R. R. also came along building their line through the northern portion of the county, establishing several small towns along its track, all of which trading territory had heretofore been tributary to Redwood Falls. One of these towns being the little town of North Redwood, located some two miles north of Redwood Falls, where three elevators have been built, taking from this place quite a bit of grain that formerly came here. Yet, with these difficulties to contend with and overcome, Redwood Falls has steadily forged ahead until at the present time it has become a statewide noted little city of no small importance.

The principal business interests of Redwood Falls in 1880 were represented as follows: James McMillan, and Philbriek & Francois, general stores ; Robt. A. Wilson, dry goods ; W. S. Clayson, clothing; McKay & Race, Lechner & Ackman, and Wm. Crouley, groceries; D. L. Hitchcock and B. O'Hara, drugs; Laird & Dornberg and E. A. Chandler, hardware; Bishop Gordon and J. J. & C. W. Tiffany, agricultural implements ; Liebenguth & Mc- Connel, meat market; Geo. Drake, harness goods; W. F. Dickinson, Bank of Redwood Falls; Geo. W. Braley, Redwood County Bank; Winona Lumber Co., C. W. George, agent; Laird, Norton Lumber Co., H. D. Chollar, agent ; A. E. McCarty and Saml. Baker, liveries ; J. D. & Geo. W. Bunce, Commercial Hotel ; J. W. Towsley & Son, Exchange Hotel ; J. J. McDonald, Canada House ; E. O. Chapman, wagon maker; Aiken & Rigby, Gazette Printing Office ; Worden & Rutter, Redwood Flour Mills ; Cook & Son, Delhi Roller Mills; Joseph Lichtwarck, Matt Offerman and F. M. O'Hara, saloons; Mrs. S. O'Jai and Mrs. T. E. Walton, millinery; Fred V. Hotchkiss, Wasson & Bager, Geo. F. Crooks and John Thomas, blacksmiths ; Dr. Wm. D. Flinn and Dr. C. S. Stoddard, physicians and surgeons ; M. E. Powell, H. D. Baldwin and Alfred Wallin, lawyers.

Redwood Falls also contained at this time four elevators, three churches (Methodist, Presbyterian and Episcopal), a fairly good school building, a County Court House, and a branch of the TJ. S. Land Office with Wm. P. Dunnington, register, and Wm. B. Herriott, receiver.

The principal business streets were Second and Mill streets, but owing to a fire that occurred in January, 1886, destroying eleven of the business buildings on the north side of Second street, between Washington and Mill streets, a change in the business location was brought about.

Washington street now began to take the lead by building a row of substantial two-story brick buildings on each side of the street between Second and Third streets. Prior to this time there was but one brick building in the place. Immediately after the fire the village council passed a fire ordinance prohibiting all frame buildings being built within the business district ; so while this fire was quite a loss to the community in many ways, it proved to be a good thing in other ways, being the means of starting up the building of good substantial brick buildings in place of those wooden ones destroyed.

namely : H. M. Hitchcock, drugs, and F. W. Philbriek, dry goods, the others have gone out of business, departed for other fields, or have passed to the great beyond.

The city at the present time (1916) has a population of 2,240. It contains a magnificent waterpower, derived from the Redwood river and falls. This is being only partially utilized for operating the flour mills and electric light and water plants. Several surrounding towns are being supplied with light and heat from its local electric light plant.

Redwood Falls aside from its scenic beauty and waterpower facilities, is noted for its substantial business buildings, clean, well-kept streets, its many blocks of cement sidewalks and fine water and sewerage system. The water furnished the city is taken from natural living springs, that come to the surface along the banks of the Redwood, within the cities' limits, and is much praised for its purity and fine medicinal qualities. The city has excellent telephone and electric light twenty-four-hour-service. It has a large grade school and a splendid high school requiring the employment of a corps of some twenty or more teachers, which provide excellent educational advantages for this and surrounding community. It has six thriving churches, a Carnegie library, fine court house and jail, an up-to-date creamery, a tile factory, flouring mill, a machine shop and several garages. It has two wide-awake newspapers, three strong, finely equipped and well managed banks, good hotels, and stores in all lines worthy of a city four times its size.

It is the home of Company L, Second Regiment, Minnesota National Guard, a company composed of some sixty or more of its best young men, and in which the city takes a great pride. A large armory has recently been built for their accommodation.

The building of a central heating plant has recently been started, and when completed will, no doubt, prove a valuable acquisition to the city's business interests.

The Ramsey State Park, which is located within the city's limits, is one of the latest natural attractions. This beautiful spot of nature is being improved and made more beautiful each year, and when completed is destined to become one of the greatest pleasure resorts and beauty spots in the state of Minnesota. All of which combine to make Redwood Falls one of the most attractive little cities in the state.