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Mounds

County Rd 4
Spicer, Minnesota 56288
Burial mound complex from the Woodland period, between 1000 B.C. and A.D. 1650. Permanent Marker
Where:  4 miles east of Spicer on County Road 10 (105 Ave NE), then 2.5 miles North of County Road 4. Permanent Marker.
Map and Directions

Missionary

Spicer, Minnesota 56288
Father Guignas, a missionary at the state's first permanent white settlement at Fort Snelling, reportedly visited Indians at this village site.
Where:  North shore of Green Lake. 2.5 miles east of Hwy 23 on County Road 30.
Map and Directions

Camp Site

12381 North Shore Drive
Spicer, Minnesota 56288
Camp Site for Dakota and earlier Indian groups.
Where:  Park 5 on northeast shore of Green Lake. Permanent marker.
Map and Directions

Waconda

County Road 3
Location of a number of burial mounds. In the Dakota language, the word "Waconda" refers to the palce where the Spirit dwells. Although some later maps call this lake "Wagonga" (Grass Lake) early settlers and maps referred to it as Waconda.
Where:  5 miles south of Hey 12 on County Road 4 and County Road 20 (90th Ave Se)
Map and Directions

Indian Dance

Junction of County Road 9 and County Road 10
Camp ground for Indian Hunting parties. Early settlers reported seeing a group of Dakota dancing here, after a victory over an enemy tribe.
Where:  West of George Lake at the junction of County Roads 9 and 10
Map and Directions

Little Crow

spicer, Minnesota 56288
An early settler reported that he had a conversation with Dakota Chief Little Crow when the chief camped at this site.
Where:  2 miles north of Spicer on Hwy 23, then 1/2 miles east on County Road 30 (North Shore Drive. Permanent marker
Map and Directions

Battle of the Broom

Site of skirmish between Dakota and Ojibway hunters, about 1860. Call the Battle of the Broom becasue a white settler threatened the Dakota with her broom.
Where:  1/4 mile northeast of Hawick on Hwy 23, then 2 miles south on County road 143
Map and Directions

Columbia

Spicer, Minnesota 56288
Established in 1856 by E.T. Woodcock. Later become the present city of Spicer.
Where:  Spicer city park, southwest shore of Green Lake. Permanent marker.
Map and Directions

Woodcock Home

Spicer, Minnesota 56288
First home in the county occupied by Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Woodcock.
Where:  Northern section of City of Spicer, Lake Avenue
Map and Directions

Irving

Site of claim staked by land speculators in 1855. A hotel on the site was burned during the Dakota Conflict. "Buttertown" halet in later years.
Where:  4 miles east of Spicer on county Road 10 (105th Avenue NE) then 1.5 miles north on County Road 4.
Map and Directions

Whitefield

Location of a townsite platted by land promoter and artist Edwin Whitefield in 1856.
Where:  South out of Willmar on Hwy 71, then 1/4 miles east on 60th Avenue S.
Map and Directions

Capitol Hill-Kandiyohi Townsite

Kandiyohi Townsite was platted in 1856, and this land was later selected by the Capitol Commission as a site for the State Capitol. Lucy Lobdell, disguised as a man, spend the winter guarding claim.
Where:  4 miles south of Hwy 12 on County Road 134 (120th St. SE)
Map and Directions

Fullerville

First business firm in Kandiyohi County, a sawmill owned by Randall Fuller. Moved to Sauk Rapids in 1861.
Where:  North of Willmar on Business Hwy 71-23 service road, west side of Eagle Lake
Map and Directions

Gates Homestead

The Joshua and Luncinda Gates family settled here in 1857. he was one of the first farmers and teachers in the county.
Where:  1/2 mile north on Diamond Lake County Park 3, on County Road 4
Map and Directions

Church

A cabin at this site, converted to a church, housed the county's first congregation. A replica church has been built by the Norway Lake Lutheran Church Historical Association.
Where:  North out of Willmar on Hwy 71, then 1/2 mile west on county road. 25 (60th Ave NE), then 1.5 miles north on Long Lake Road.
Map and Directions

Shipstead Homestead

Birthplace Henrick Shipstead (1881-1960), U.S Senator from 1923-1947.
Where:  1 mile east of Atwater on Hwy 12, then 1 mile north.
Map and Directions

Berger Thorson

Norwegian immigrant bachelor, was the first white settler in what would become the City of Willmar, also the first settler killed in the county during the Dakota Conflict of 1862
Where:  North 7th Street
Map and Directions

Dakota Conflict

Spicer, Minnesota 56288
Bergeret Haugen and her son Frederick were killed at their cabin here in 1862; her husband Olof was killed about seven miles to the northeast. This is the location of Olof's burial site.
Where:  County Rd 9, 1 miles north, 1 mile east and 1 miles north from the junction of Hwy 71 and 23
Map and Directions

Dakota Conflict

Burial parties found the body of Johannes Iverson west of here on a hillside; Killed August 2, 1862.
Where:  9 miles north of Hwy 12 on County Road 5, then 1/4 mile west.
Map and Directions

Threshing Crew

Nine Settlers were attacked here, while threshing grain, during the Dakota Conflict of 1862.
Where:  3 miles east of Hawick on Hwy 23, then 1/4 mile north
Map and Directions

Battle Site

Settlers from Columbia (Now Spicer) fought a running battle with Indians at this site during the Dakota Conflict of 1862.
Where:  County Park 3, at Diamond Lake. 1/2 mile north of Diamond Lake County Park 3, on County Road 4.
Map and Directions

Refugee Camp

During the Dakota Conflict of 1862, a group of settlers who had fled from their homes at Columbia (Spicer), camped overnight here at "Wheeler's Grove", with their ox cart train.
Where:  1 mile north of Atwater on County Road 2, then 1/2 mile west, and then north 1 1/2 mile.
Map and Directions

Dakota Conflict

Andreas Lorentson and Sven Backlund, two members of the group of settlers who had fought a battle with the Indians and camped at Wheeler's Grove, were killed at this site.
Where:  1 mile east of Atwater on Hwy 12, then 1 mile north.
Map and Directions

War Camp

A group of about 30 Dakota men camped during the Dakota Conflict of 1862.
Where:  2 miles west of Prinsburg on MN 7, then north 1/4 mile on County Road 7.
Map and Directions

Lundborg Cabin

Worship services conducted here were interrupted in August 1862, when young Peter Broberg came to warn the settlers during the Dakota Conflict.
Where:  2 miles South of Sunburg on MN 104 (140th St. NW) on a farm. Permanent Marker
Map and Directions

Erickson Cabin

Home os Oscar and Gertrude Erickson; site of battle during Dakota Conflict of 1862.
Where:  North out of Willmar on Hwy 71, then West on 41st Avenue NE, then South a short distance on 15th St NE.
Map and Directions

Foot Cabin

Home of the first white settlers in Willmar Township, the Foot family after whom Foot Lake was named.
Where:  North out of Willmar on Business Hwy 71/23, then West on 26th Avenue NE (Golf Course Road). Permanent Marker
Map and Directions

Enderson

Where:  West out of Willmar on Hwy 12, then 4 miles north on County Road 5 (30th St. NW) then West on 67th Avenue NW at directional sign, then turn at next directional sign.
Map and Directions

Isle of Refuge

During the Dakota conflict of 1862, settlers took refuge on this island in Noway Lake.
Where:  10 miles west of New London on County Rd 40, in Norway Lake Lutheran Churchyard. Permanent Marker.
Map and Directions

Robbins Island

Once owned by John S. Robbins merchant. Around 1900, it was the site of an "isolation house" for those with contagious diseases. Now part of the City of Willmar's park system.
Where:  Robbins Island Park, Foot Lake, northeast section of Willmar off business Hwy 71/23. Permanent Marker
Map and Directions

Robbins Island

Once owned by John S. Robbins merchant. Around 1900, it was the site of an "isolation house" for those with contagious diseases. Now part of the City of Willmar's park system.
Where:  Robbins Island Park, Foot Lake, northeast section of Willmar off business Hwy 71/23. Permanent Marker
Map and Directions

Other Day

John Other Day, a Dakota, led a group of white settlers to safety here during the Conflict of 1862.
Where:  5 miles South of Hwy 12 on County Road 8.
Map and Directions

Military Post

Site of military post staffed from 1865 to 1866, after which a nearby creek was called "Soldier's Creek".
Where:  County Park 1 on west shore of Big Kandiyohi Lake
Map and Directions

Military Post

Military post maintained on this site form 1862 until 1866, when settlement was forbidden after the dakota Conflict.
Where:  4 miles east of Sunburg on MN 9, then 1 1/4 mile south of County Road 1.
Map and Directions

Conflict Aftermath

In 1863, two Indian men, accused of stealing horses, were killed by white soldiers at this site.
Where:  County Road 8, 3 miles north of the village of Lake Lillian
Map and Directions

Green Lake Village

Site of the county's first gristmill and hydroelectric plant.
Where:  North out of Spicer on Hwy 23, then 1/2 mile east on County Road 30 (North Shore Drive) Permanent Marker.
Map and Directions

Grasshopper Plague-Willmar Farm

Grasshoppers invaded this county in 1876, while Paul Willmar (song of Leon Willmar, after whom the town was named) farmed here. The farm site later become part of the Willmar Regional Treatment Center.
Where:  Business Hwy 71/23 north of Willmar, then 1/4 mile west on 26th Avenue NE (Golf Course Road). Permanent Marker
Map and Directions

Blizzard

Twelve people were killed in Kandiyohi County during the "Great Blizzard of 1873". Four men died at this site.
Where:  2 miles north of MN 7 on Hwy 71, then 1/4 mile west on County Road 80 (165th Avenue S)
Map and Directions

Washburn Farm

Site of headquarters for a "bonanza farm," owned by W.D. Washburn.
Where:  2 miles north of Prinsburg on County Road 1 (105th Street SW)
Map and Directions

Great Train Wreck

13 men were killed and 19 were injured when a construction train overturned on the "s" curve of Summit Lake, one mile east of here, in 1882.
Where:  3 miles west of Atwater on Hwy 12, then 1/2 mile south on County Road 4.
Map and Directions

Red River Trail

Before roads and railroads, ox cart trails between rivers were trade and transportation links. A portion of the road along the southwest shore of Diamond Lake was built over one of these trails.
Where:  County Road 4, 3 miles north of Hwy 12
Map and Directions

Farm Holiday

Birthplace of the National Farmers' Holiday Association, begun when the Farmers Union at Lake Elizabeth organized to stop a foreclosure during the Depression.
Where:  7 miles south of Hwy 12 at intersection of County Road 4 and County Road 20 (90th Avenue SE)
Map and Directions