Photo by SimplyMary
An irony existed when the banks of the Root River could not contain recent rainfall amounts temporarily closing Historic Forestville just days before the Minnesota Historic Society announced that on September 1, 2025, this site dedicated to preserving rural history in Minnesota would be closing.
Will this closure be similar to a time over a hundred years ago when Thomas Meighen boarded the windows and locked the doors? Many questions are on the minds of those who have grown accustomed to this educational attraction within Forestville State Park.
“We are committed to preserving the site and serving visitors through free, self-guided tours of the historic town, including interpretive panels that will be updated as part of a multi-year statewide effort across all MNHS sites.” stated head of communications at MNHS, Allison Ortiz, adding “Please take a look at the media release we put out last month, including quotes from our Director and CEO Kent Whitworth. “
Part of the statement to the media reads, “This is a painful time as we say goodbye to valued colleagues who contributed to our mission at the Minnesota Historical Society,” Whitworth said. “Due to the challenging economic environment and changing visitor priorities, we must implement these organizational changes to continue our legacy of service to the people of Minnesota.” The full statement can be found at www.mnhs.org/media/news/mnhs-addresses-organizational-sustainability.
Creating “powerful engagement with history to cultivate curiosity” so the “people of Minnesota will be grounded in their personal, community, and state history. They will understand how history shapes, inspires, and informs the present” are in their mission and vision statements.
Historic Forestville as well as the Charles Lindbergh House and Museum in Little Falls, and the Snake River Fur Post in Pine City are changing to “free, self-guided outdoor interpretive experiences and occasional special programming,” and The Gale Family Library is making schedule adjustments.
The rich history of Forestville with pioneers like Levi Waterman, the Fosters, Meighens, Bassetts and others can be accessed at mnhs.org/forestville/learn/meighens.
In the early 1900s, Thomas Meighen closed the general store leaving a time capsule to be opened in the 1960s when the land became a part of the state park system. Fifteen years later, “Historic Forestville” became a part of the Minnesota Historical Society and documenting artifacts and interpreting the site began. In 2003, Friends of Forestville (founded in 1977) by area residents whose “sole mission is to ensure Forestville Mystery State Park and Historic Forestville remains open as a cultural treasure for all to enjoy!” raised $50,000 to keep the village a viable attraction for education and entertainment.
The buildings of the town are impressive, however a short hike to the north reveals the foundation of the Foster house, the one room school house and up a steep hill a pioneer cemetery with at least 30 graves of those first settlers.
A video of history of Zumbro Hill Cemetery can be viewed at
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/destinations/state_parks/forestville_mystery_cave/cemetery/zumbro_hill_cemetery.wmv.
Former Site Supervisor of Historic Forestville, John Grabko, president and founder of Historic Adventure Travel Tours, and a bus load of Historic Buffs ventured to Historic Forestville on their “Ghost Towns of Southeastern Minnesota” tour on August 20, 2025. Land claims starting in 1852 grew into a vibrant village flourishing in this beautiful valley.
“Those buried in Pioneer Cemetery came to this area in covered wagons and the history of their lives as they built homes, businesses and communities, as many common rural folks throughout Minnesota did, will never be forgotten,” commented Grabko.
A passion for preserving and sharing America’s past is engrained in Grabko, having spent a decade as an historical interpreter retiring in 2013, to engage travelers desiring to learn history to embark on tours. “Bringing people to a historical site always brings educational insights to me,” mentioned Grabko. “At Historic Forestville, I have made an attempt to enter into the role of Felix Meighen, authentically costumed and in a first-person narrative style to share his life stories as visitors gathered around a campfire. However, nothing interpreters can do comes close to touching the spirit of adventure or the ability to withstand hardships that those early settlers endured.”
Grabko concluded, “Their sacrifices and determination to thrive in life have been preserved not just as relics of historical artifacts but to encourage and bring hope to those of us engaged in life’s daily struggles. The tombstones in the pioneer cemetery and throughout the countryside, mark the importance of the life of settlers in history and we can not add to it – we can only appreciate it and will continue to do so whether or not site interpretative programs exist.”
Although changes are coming to Historic Forestville, DNR Supervisor Bob Storlie wants to assure visitors and campers that Forestville State Park is open and welcomes them.
Tours inside Historic Forestville buildings are available until doors are closed on September 1, 2025.
Terry Meyer says
Thank you Mary for your reporting. Question: will the $300,000.00 education endowment established by The Friends of Forestville with MNHS remain in tact – continue $’s to the new interpretive “education “?