Leaving Preston and traveling north on 52, we arrive at the idyllic town of Fountain, Minn. Isn’t it fun when looking at these old photographs, that in spite of the fact that most of the buildings are gone, enough of them remain, enabling us to know exactly where we are and what we are seeing!
There’s so much to take in as we study each one. The one entitled, “MAIN STREET, LOOKING SOUTH, FOUNTAIN, MINN.”, is fabulous in that the red brick buildings are in color. . .the fourth building on the left side, is approximately where The First State Bank of Fountain stands; the old bank on the corner is currently the fantastic Village Square Restaurant; and the three buildings on the near right side occupied the spot where Drury’s Furniture Store is located today!
Are you wondering about the building with the steeple? It wasn’t a church— it was the Fountain Town Hall way back when! There is no writing on the reverse side. I’m guessing the date of the picture is the early 1900’s. A few people walk along the raised sidewalk as they do their daily errands.
The other picture is unusual. A large crowd of people have gathered and the vintage, topless automobiles add extra interest to the photo. I’m at a loss to explain the caption: “The Lanesboro University Advertising Tour, Fountain, Minn.” I’ve never heard of a “Lanesboro University”— have you? Perhaps we’ll never know, but the crowd of mostly men appear to be examining the vintage cars parked diagonally on the street.
Two descriptions of Fountain written 108 years apart are fun to compare! The first one, an intriguing entry in “The Fillmore County History of 1912,” describes the town like this: “Fountain is a flourishing village in Fountain Township, on the Southern Minnesota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul road. It has good schools, three churches, two hotels, two general stores, a drug store, a bank, a newspaper, street lights, water works, two restaurants and grocery stores, two blacksmith shops, a hardware store, an implement store, a lumber yard, two elevators, and the usual business and professional activities.” That is a remarkable amount of businesses when we consider the population of the town in 1900 was approximately a mere 294 people!
The second narrative of Fountain found on the “Bluff Country” website touches on several drawing points the town has to offer!
“Fountain is the western gateway to the Root River State Trail, a 60-mile route that encompasses 42 miles of former Milwaukee Railroad bed, winding along the Root River. The karst topography lends to rolling hills and deep-cut valley of the area, on which this unique trail system resides.”
“The Fillmore County History Center and The Emery and Almeda Eickhoff Genealogy Library highlight the heritage of the area. ‘County museums can be dull, but not this one,’ states travel site Roadside America. A notable exhibit includes the 1932 Model T Sky Scout and a 1947 Air Camper, both built by famed aviator Bernard H. Pietenpol, the ‘Grandfather of Experimental Aircraft.’”
“The Bue Photography Collection, by 1900’s Fillmore County Photographer Mathias O. Bue, is another museum treasure. Bue’s work is ‘a virtual historical picture book that provides a glimpse of a period, places, and people that exist now only in memory and literature.’ The comprehensive genealogy library is acclaimed as one of the best organized and extensive local history libraries in the State of Minnesota.”
With a population count of approximately 405 people in 2020, and more new businesses arriving on the scene, Fountain has become a very popular place to visit!
Next week will find us exploring more history of this picturesque village, so please, stay tuned!
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