In the earlier 20th century, some of MN’s small towns were booming. The logging industry was big and small towns were beginning to have all the businesses and characteristics that make us love them to this day. Here are a few things that you were guaranteed to find no matter what small town you drove into in MN.
- A main street.
Photogrammar/John Vachon No small town is without an adorable main street. This one is in Kelliher.
And this one’s in Northome.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee
- A city hall.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee In Winton, you could find this beautiful one.
- A general store.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee This store in Funkley is fully stocked!
They were the center of town and the perfect place to hang out and read the paper!
Photogrammar/Russell Lee
- A pharmacy.
Photogrammar/John Vachon These boys are looking at the shaving equipment in the local pharmacy.
Here the pharmacist is filling a prescription.
Photogrammar/John Vachon
- A schoolhouse.
Photogrammar/John Vachon This fun modern style school is in Hibbing.
- A church.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee Every town in MN of course had a church. This adorable one is in Littlefork.
- A vegetable stand.
Photogrammar/Arthur Rothstein This one in Rice County is adorable.
- A post office.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee
- And a postmaster!
Photogrammar/John Vachon Meet the postmaster of Benson.
- A restaurant.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee This restaurant and pool room was in Margie.
- A saloon.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee This former bank turned saloon is in Mizpah.
- A barber shop.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee Barber shops are a staple in all small towns!
This awesome barber pole is from Big Falls.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee
- A boarding house.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee They were often used by lumberjacks in the small towns in MN. This one stood in Littlefork.
- A telephone operator.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee This operator is working hard in Littlefork.
- A gas station.
Photogrammar/John Vachon This one even has a Paul Bunyan on top of the pump!
- A steam bath.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee Not every small town had these, but they were very popular with the hard-working lumberjacks in MN. This one was in Craigville.
Clearly while there have been a lot of advancements and changes, the spirit of the small towns remains the same, and a lot of our favorite small town aspects have stuck around over the years.
Photogrammar/John Vachon
No small town is without an adorable main street. This one is in Kelliher.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee
In Winton, you could find this beautiful one.
This store in Funkley is fully stocked!
These boys are looking at the shaving equipment in the local pharmacy.
This fun modern style school is in Hibbing.
Every town in MN of course had a church. This adorable one is in Littlefork.
Photogrammar/Arthur Rothstein
This one in Rice County is adorable.
Meet the postmaster of Benson.
This restaurant and pool room was in Margie.
This former bank turned saloon is in Mizpah.
Barber shops are a staple in all small towns!
They were often used by lumberjacks in the small towns in MN. This one stood in Littlefork.
This operator is working hard in Littlefork.
This one even has a Paul Bunyan on top of the pump!
Not every small town had these, but they were very popular with the hard-working lumberjacks in MN. This one was in Craigville.
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