Lost Communities in Pine County, Minnesota, Part 3

Researched and written by LaJune Troolin

Fortuna Village - Finlayson Township, Section 11 - Fortuna was platted in January 1857 and was incorporated May 19,1857. It was to be the county seat for the new Buchanan County (May 1857- March 1861), which is now the northern part of Pine County. The investors believed the village would grow because of the stagecoach stop that was already there and with lumbering companies coming to the area. Fortuna had a hotel, and traces of other foundations that might have been businesses or houses have been found. The Rocky Dam Relay Station was on the site before Fortuna. It was a stagecoach rest stop that was built in 1855 for $5,000 and was owned by Burbank Merrian & Co. of St. Paul. Some have claimed that Fortuna was on the site that later became Sandstone, but it was not. Sandstone is actually about six miles farther south.

Sandstone the Quarry City-page 11; Pine County and its Memories-page 107

Friesland Village - Dell Grove Township, Sections 25 and 36 - In 1895 the Theodore F. Koch Land Company was hired by the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad to sell railroad land in Pine County. It started sending out advertisements to the Dutch communities of Holland about the great farming land in Pine County, Minnesota. Friesland was built to accommodate the immigrants that were coming from Holland. They had a number of businesses, a post office (1896-1917), and a railroad station.

Minnesota Place Names-page 442; Pine County and its Memories-page 96

Groningen Village - Dell Grove Township, Section 1 - Groningen started out with the name of Miller Station. The St. Paul and Duluth Railroad established a flag stop and section house in 1870 at Miller, and by 1890 a depot was moved there. A post office called Belknap was established (1877-1881) at Miller. After the 1894 fire the immigrants that were coming from Holland purchased land in and around Miller and changed the name to Groningen. The village had a number of businesses, a school, and a post office (1896-1913 and 1917-1954).

Minnesota Place Names-page 442; Pine County and its Memories-page 96

Harlis Village - Nickerson Township, Section 1 - The Soo Line Railroad had a depot at Harlis. The village had a school and a post office (1914-1932). There were also a few houses built around the depot. Nothing is left of the village now.

Minnesota Place Names-page 442; Pine County and its Memories-page 253

Holly Community or Center - Danforth Township, Section 21 on Fleming Road - This community was a staging center for loggers' supplies that were coming from Grantsburg, Wisconsin, and also a location for loggers to pick up their mail.

Pine County and its Memories-page 209

Hustletown Community - Chengwatana Township, Section 19 - There are a number of nationalities that settled near Hustletown. The community had a school and a church with a cemetery.

Pine County and its Memories-page 3; One Hundred Years in Pine County-page 135

Lost Communities in Pine County, Minnesota, Part 2

Researched and written by LaJune Troolin

Chengwatana Village (Alhambra Village) - Chengwatana Township, Section 26 at the point of were the Snake River leaves Cross Lake - The area around Chengwatana (Alhambra) had been inhabited for many years by an Indian village and later by trappers, traders, etc. The settlement was first platted in 1856 as Alhambra by Elam Greeley, Judd, Walker and Company, and before the ink was dry, a share was bought by Daniel Robertson (Robertson Company). In July 1856 Herman Trott became an agent for Robertson Company, and his first task was to plat a new town and call it Chengwatana. The Alhambra plat was set aside, and the new plat was made larger. In February 1857 Chengwatana became the first county seat for Pine County. The first county commissioners were Herman Trott, George Staples, and Royal Grey. The village had a school, post office (Alhambra 1856-1857; Chengwatana 1857-1873), court house, general store, hotel, blacksmith shop, sawmill, several houses, etc. When the train went through Pine City instead of Chengwatana, Pine City became the new county seat in 1872.

Minnesota Place Names-pages 440-441; Pine County and its Memories-page1; Who's Who in Minnesota 1942-page 1156; A Preliminary Historical and Archaeological Survey of the "Old Chengwatana" Locale, Pine County, Minnesota by Douglas A. Birk

Clint Village - Royalton Township, Section 29 - This area was developed by Swedish immigrants in the late 1890's. The village contained a store, post office (1900-1902), sawmill, school, and cemetery.

Minnesota Place Names-page 441; Pine County and its Memories-page 73

Copper City - Nickerson Township - This village was proposed for the Arrow Line Electric Railroad (Twin City and Lake Superior Railway) about 1907.

Pine County and its Memories-page 263

Danewood Community - Royalton Township, Section 31 - Danish immigrants settled the southwest part of the township in the late 1890's.

Minnesota Place Names-page 441; Pine County and its Memories-page 73

Deer Creek Stage Stop - Barry Township (first called Arthur Township but changed because Kanabec County already had an Arthur Township), Section 9 - Deer Creek Stage Stop was midway between Hinckley and Sandstone on the government road.

Pine County and its Memories-page 197

Eaglehead Community - Wilma Township, Section 7 - The Farmers Land and Cattle Company established an experimental farm called Eaglehead. The new settlers in the area had no farming skills, and they were shown how to plant and farm. At the headquarters, they had a post office (1911-1917) and a confectionery. By 1918 Eaglehead and its farmers had closed down because the soil was no longer rich.

Minnesota Place Names-page 441; Pine County and its Memories-page 261

East Rock Community - Rock Creek Township - The first settlers in East Rock were Yankees, and then the Swedish immigrants arrived a short time later (late 1800's). A Baptist Church was organized on September 12, 1885 in Section 36 and a school in Section 36.

Pine County and its Memories-page 54

Elkton Stage Stop - Windemere Township, Sections 10-11 - The stage stop was on the old government road.

Pine County and its Memories-page 80

Ellson Village - Bremen Township, Section 4 - Ellson started out as a lumbering community in 1895. There was a sawmill, a halfway house that also served as a post office (1904-1925) and a store, a town hall, and a school. The 1918 fire completely destroyed the small village.

Minnesota Place Names-page 441; Pine County and its Memories-page 229

Erie Community - Keene Township, Section 28 - The Erie Community was a farming area with a school, which was organized on September 16, 1915 and closed in 1936.

Pine County and its Memories-page 328

Lost Communities in Pine County, Minnesota, Part 1

Researched and written by LaJune Troolin

Quarry Settlement - Finlayson Township, Section 34-35 - In 1892 the Water Power Sandstone Company began operating in the quarries by Hells Gate. That same year St. Paul & Duluth Railroad put a spur in from Miller (Groningen) to the quarry, and between 300 and 500 men were employed at the quarry. A boarding house was located near the quarry for the employees. At the time of the 1894 fire, the boarding house was not burnt, and the Sandstone survivors were able to walk there for help after their town was destroyed.

Banning Village - Finlayson Township, Section 34 - In 1896 Martin Ring bought property near the Water Power Sandstone Company and persuaded the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad to extend the tracks of the spur 1/3 mile to where he started quarry operations. He platted the village above the quarry and named it Banning after W. L. Banning, who was a past president for the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad.

The village had close to 300 people. There were two hotels, a general store, saloon, school, post office (1896-1912), boarding houses, etc. By 1905 the quarry work was finished. The Barber Asphalt Company, who had started operating a few years before, continued to operate and give employment. The asphalt company closed in 1912 and of the Banning population only four families were left.

Brochure Banning Park; Pine County, Minnesota, Minnesota Place Names-page 439; Pine County and its Memories-page 107

Beldon Village - Beldon Township, Section 1 - The village of Beldon was established in 1912 when the Soo Line Railroad began operating through that area and was incorporated in 1921. The village received its name from Grace Beldon, a lady who worked in the Tri-state land office in Minneapolis. Beldon was primarily a lumbering and pulpwood town. It had a general store, post office (1913-1943), depot, blacksmith shop, school, etc. The little village was auctioned off in November 1943.

Minnesota Place Names-page 440; Pine County and its Memories-page 314

Big Spring Camp (Fox's Logging Camp) - Hinckley Township, then Sandstone Township, section 15 - It was one of the largest logging camps in the area and was still operating after the 1894 fire.

Pine County and its Memories-page 148

Blomskog Community (Swedish meaning "blooming forest") - Windemere Township, Section 10 - The Blomskog church was established on July 13, 1897, by a Swedish Lutheran Congregation. It was named after their parish in Värmland, Sweden. The church closed on October 27, 1968. The Blomskog cemetery is in Section 8.

Minnesota Place Names-page 440; Pine County and its Memories-page 83

Browns Hill Community - Mission Creek Township, Sections 33-34 and Pokegama Township Sections 3-4 - This may have been an early site of Beroun.

Minnesota Place Names-page 440