Cannon Falls, Minnesota
11 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1953 and the latest in 1990. It stands in Cannon Falls City. It lies in ZIP code area 55009. It stands on Little Cannon River. The Survey maps it on the Cannon Falls quadrangle. 4,220 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 840 feet above sea level.
On record in Cannon Falls
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 12 records
Cannon Falls Schoollisted 1980
Church of the Redeemer-Episcopallisted 1980
Ellsworth Hotel Livery Stablelisted 1980
Firemen's Halllisted 1980
Capt. Charles Gellett Houselisted 1980
Harrison Miller Farmhouselisted 1978
John Miller Farmhouselisted 1980
Third Street Bridgelisted 1989
Yale Hardware Storelisted 1980- Cannon Falls Commercial Historic Districtlisted 2000
- Oxford Mill Ruinlisted 1980
- Darwin E. Yale Houselisted 1980
Population over time
2 figuresCannon Falls grew from 4,083 to 4,220 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,083 | |
| 2020 | 4,220 | +137 (+3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
8 surveys from 11 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1953 USGS Saint Paul quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1953 USGS St. Paul quadrangle1:250000
- 1957 USGS Hastings quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1959 USGS Saint Paul quadrangle1:250000
- 1959 USGS St. Paul quadrangle1:250000
- 1974 USGS Cannon Falls quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Hastings quadrangle1:100000
- 1990 USGS Hastings quadrangle1:100000
In the county-history sources
22,029 words on this townshipHistory of Goodhue County, Including a Sketch of the Territory and State of Minnesota; Together with an Account of the Early French Discoveries, Indian Massacres, the Part Borne by Minnesota's Patriots in the War of the Great Rebellion, and a Full and Complete History of the County from the Time of Its Occupancy by Swiss Missionaries in 1838. Pioneer Incidents, Biographical Sketches of Early and Prominent Settlers and Representative Men, and of Its Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc, published 1878 names this settlement in its chapter on Cannon Falls City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
Derived its name from the Big Cannon River. The first settler was Edway Sto.ughton. Charles Parks soon followed, settling in the village of Cannon Falls, July, 1854. The first birth was Ellen Hartry, born Oct., 1855. The first death was David MeKune, August, 1855. Robert Fotherby and Miss Sarah Strange, were the first couple married who were residents of the township. Charles Parks officiating.
Where a portion of the village now stands, James McGinnis pre-empted lots 1, 2, 5 and 6, sec. 18, in Nov., 1854. March, 1855, Warren Hunt took a claim, ne. qr. of sec. 18, adjoining McGinnis on the east. The same spring, Richard Freeborn, jr., pre-empted lots 3 and 4, sec. 18, west of the McGinnis claim. In May, 1855, William Colvill pre-empted lots 7, 8 and 9, sec. 18, south of the McGinnis claim. Benjamin St. Clair took lots 7, 8 and 12, sec. 7, north of the McGinnis claim, the same spring. June, 1855, William P. Schofield pre-empted lots 9, 10 and 11, sec. 7, northwest from the McGinnis claim. The same month Hugh Montgomery took the se. qr. of sec. 18, east of the McGinnis claim. June, 1855, Frank Clark entered lots 10 and 11, sec. 18, south of the Colvill claim. William B. Barton pre-empted the se*. qr. of sec. 7, ne. of the McGinnis claim, fall of 1855.
October 16, 1856, the Cannon Falls city addition was platted, which included all the Hunt and Barton claims. The Cannon Falls central addition was made December 13, 1856, including a part of the Richard Freeborn claim.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Cannon Falls City - it names this place 62 more 62 times.
Fires near this place
6 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 6 fires within 5 miles of Cannon Falls in 1994, burning about 52 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 3 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April 1994 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 18 April 1994 | Misuse of fire by a minor | 1.0 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 1 April 1994 | Debris and open burning | 50 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 1 April 1994 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 1 April 1994 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 30 October 1994 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
4 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Cannon Falls: 2 producers, 1 unknown, 1 occurrence. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Silica. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gergen Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Goodhue County Sand Deposit No 3 | Silica | Occurrence | ||
| Cannon Falls Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Sasnde Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer |
Storms near this place
45 since 1996Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Cannon Falls in 45 storm reports between 1996 and 2026: 18 thunderstorm wind, 15 hail, 6 heavy rain, 3 tornado. The reports record 2 deaths and 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1998 | Flash Flood | Cannon Falls | 2 killed, $1,500,000 | Slow moving thunderstorms dumped 4 to 6 inches of rain in threes hours over portions of Goodhue county. Zumbrota received 6.46", Sogn 4.38", Wanamingo 5.49". Flash flooding resulted in many road closures. The Shades of Sherwood Campground was evacuated where some campers were washed into the Zumbro River. Several people were rescued when they were carried into the river along with their camper. Over 100 campers were destroyed. Two deaths occurred along the Zumbro River between Wanamingo and Zumbrota. An elderly couple evacuating the campground drove into a washed out section of road, or the road gave way under the weight of their vehicle. It is presumed the couple escaped from their vehicle only to drown in the river. 400 residents of Cannon Falls were evacuated. Flooding also occurred upstream in Sogn where several homes received major flood damage. Damage estimate for entire county. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | 1 hurt | Mobile home destroyed injuring one person. Estimated windspeed. |
| May 2017 | Hail | Cannon Falls | $250,000 | Several reports of very large hail, up to 2.5 inches in diameter, fell from west of Dennison, to near Cannon Falls. There were reports of hail damage to siding, cars and roofs in this swath of large hail. |
| May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | $200,000 | Several hundred trees downed from rear flank downdraft after the Northfield tornado had dissipated. Sheds and other outbuildings damaged. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | $100,000 | There were multiple trees and power lines blown down from southwest of Cannon Falls, through Cannon Falls, and to the east of town. There were 3-4 houses that had roof damage, one of the houses had their entire roof blown off on Pine Street. One privately owned wind sensor between Cannon Falls and Red Wing had a report of 88 mph, but damage was too isolated for that type of wind severity. |
| September 2018 | Tornado (EF0) | Cannon Falls | $15,000 | This is the continued tornado track from the Dakota County tornado that moved an additional 0.7 miles east into Goodhue County. A storm survey concluded that EF0 damage occurred to a warehouse building in northern Goodhue County. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | $10,000 | Several trees were downed. The roof was ripped off a building in an industrial park north of the city. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | Hail measurement provided via NWS Chat. |
| July 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | Trees down across Goodhue County, including the town of Cannon Falls. A MNDOT RWIS station located seven miles SSE of Cannon Falls measured a 58-mph wind gust. |
| June 2021 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | Social media had a picture of 2 inch diameter hail south of Cannon Falls. |
| June 2020 | Heavy Rain | Cannon Falls | - | There was a 12 hour rainfall report near Cannon Falls of 5.28 inches. |
| June 2020 | Heavy Rain | Cannon Falls | - | There was a 12 hour rainfall report south of Cannon Falls of 5.54 inches. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | A large tree limb was snapped, and a 15 foot trailer was blown over in Cannon Falls. |
| August 2019 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | The hail lasted for 15 minutes, but the largest hail stone was ping pong size. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | A tree was blown down in Cannon Falls. |
| September 2018 | Tornado (EF1) | Cannon Falls | - | A NWS storm survey, plus drone footage, concluded that an EF1 tornado tracked 1.9 miles which started 3 miles south of Cannon Falls, crossed over Highway 52, and lifted just south of downtown Cannon Falls. This tornado damaged a warehouse building, numerous large trees, homes, and a cemetery. The damage was consistent with EF1 damage with maximum wind speeds of 95 mph and a width of 440 yards. There was other damage to the north of the tornado track which was consistent with downburst winds. |
| September 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | A NWS storm survey concluded that sporadic downburst and inflow wind damage occurred to trees and power lines from just west of downtown Cannon Falls, to approximately 4 miles east of Cannon Falls. There was no definite path of damage but more random uprooted trees and power lines. The damage is consistent with wind gusts of 70 mph. |
| September 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | A NWS storm survey concluded that downburst winds caused damage to several large trees, and flattened a corn field. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | A few trees were blown down across the road east of Cannon Falls. |
| August 2014 | Heavy Rain | Cannon Falls | - | A measured rainfall report of 2.91 inches fell southwest of Cannon Falls in the last 24 hours. |
| June 2012 | Heavy Rain | Cannon Falls | - | A measured rainfall report of 8.83 inches occurred in less than 9 hours. |
| June 2012 | Flash Flood | Cannon Falls | - | Emergency crews had to evacuate between 30 and 50 homes in Cannon Falls, due to rising waters near the Cannon River and Little Cannon River. The bridge in the main part of town had also been closed because of flooding. |
| June 2012 | Flash Flood | Cannon Falls | - | Flooding was observed on Highway 52 near Cannon Falls, with some flooding reports on County Road 1, 14 and 18. |
| June 2012 | Heavy Rain | Cannon Falls | - | An observer measured 3.31 inches of rainfall in the last 24 hours. |
| September 2010 | Heavy Rain | Cannon Falls | - | A cooperative observer measured 4.85 inches of rainfall in 4.5 hours. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | Portion of large tree toppled onto garage of home in the 1100 block of North 1st Street. Reported by Cannon Falls Beacon newspaper. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | A tree was downed. |
| June 2005 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | Walnut sized hail fell for 10 minutes in Leon Township, Section 8. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | A MNDOT automated wind sensor recorded a gust of 62 MPH. |
| July 2002 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | One mile wide swath of hail. Crops damaged. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | Numerous 8 inch diameter branches down. Estimated windspeed. |
| June 1998 | Tornado (F0) | Cannon Falls | - | Remained near Lake Byllesby. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | 150 trees blown down. Roof ripped off house. Estimated windspeed. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | Trees blown down. Estimated windspeed. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | Trees blown down. Estimated windspeed. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cannon Falls | - | Large tree branches blown down. Estimated windspeed. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| June 2021 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| June 2021 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| July 2009 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| May 2008 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| August 2007 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| April 2004 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| October 2004 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Hail | Cannon Falls | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanton | 6.7 miles | 9 | |
| Sogn | 7.0 miles | 11 | |
| Wastedo | 7.6 miles | 11 | |
| Wangs | 8.0 miles | 11 | |
| White Rock | 8.1 miles | 11 | |
| Belle Creek | 8.6 miles | 11 | |
| Vasa | 9.7 miles | 15 | |
| Welch | 9.8 miles | 15 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Cannon Falls | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q255736 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 640870. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
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.







