A Short History of New Brighton

A SHORT HISTORY OF NEW BRIGHTON Good Land by the Lake they recognized the need for an the Harris Forge and Rolling As with most towns in Minnesota, organized settlement. In 1858, a Company, operating two iron rolling New Brighton and the surrounding settlement was established which mills; the Marston Business Block; area was first inhabited by Native included a general store, school and and the Merriam-Barrows lumber Americans. The Dakota (also referred mission church. A government with office and yards. to as the Sioux) and the Ojibway elected officers was also formed, Around the same time, New (commonly known as the Chippewa) called Mounds View Township. Brighton, not yet officially a city was came through the area on rice given its name by the predominately harvesting treks, eventually locating Stockyard Industry Booms English founders. The city was near Long Lake at Rice Creek. Many The most significant point in the named after Brighton, Massachusetts, artifacts have been found in this history, which led to the founding of a cattle center serving the Boston location including bones, pieces of New Brighton, was the formation of area, which in turn was most likely pottery, pipes and arrowheads. the Minneapolis Stockyards and named after the famed Brighton, Due to poor language translation Packing Company in 1888. The England resort city. and continuous warring between the company, which was located in what tribes, there is little oral or written would be known at New Brighton, First Hotel and Church history of New Brighton’s early was formed to supply home demands With the industry booming, residents. It is estimated, however, and to claim a share of the growing hotels, houses and other needs of a that they occupied the area for trade. Leaders in the venture were bustling town emerged. approximately 15-30 years from such prominent Minneapolis people Shortly following the buildings of 1755-60 until about the end of the as streetcar magnate Thomas Lowry, the stockyards and packing plants, Revolutionary War. flour millers, J.S. Pillsbury and numerous hotels were established. In the Senator J.D. Washburn, ex- The most prominent hotel was the mid-1800s, Minneapolis Mayor W.H. Eustis and four story brick Cattlemen’s Hotel, came French industrialist W.O. Dunwoody. also known as the Exchange and English The following year, the Twin City Building. The hotel was ultra modern settlers Packing Company began operation for its day and cost $35,000 to looking for bringing more business to the area. construct. land to A number of slaughtering houses, homestead. rendering works and hide houses The Exchange Building (Cattleman’s Hotel) As the were located in the “Butcher’s Spur” number of area, a unique name on the New settlers Charles Perry, first local Brighton map to this day. Other increased, settler, and his wife industry at the time included Aurelia pictured in 1899. New Brighton Town Hall where many social gatherings were held from the late 1890s to 1950s. One year before New Brighton House Hotel on what is now the became incorporated the first church southwest corner of 10th Street and was erected. The white wooden 5th Avenue. A firm saloon man, he building with its tall spire was a refused to sell liquor to customers distinctive landmark perched on the whom he judged had drunk their hillside on Cleveland Avenue. The limit. He was one of the most church served as a center of worship esteemed people in the community as well as social activity. Later it and known as a sensitive gentleman became part of the New Brighton and humanitarian. United Church of Christ, which The Soo Line’s New Brighton depot, built in 1887, is now the New Brighton History presently stands west of Long Lake Center, located in Long Lake Park. A Celebration of History near I-694. As one can tell from reading New daily newspaper housed at the Brighton’s early history, the presence Cattlemen’s Hotel. Ticker services New Brighton Becomes of the stockyards transformed a allowed the paper and cattle industry sparsely populated piece of land into An Official City to maintain contact with Boston, a thriving community. It is for this The Village of New Brighton was Chicago, and Kansas City cattle reason the citizens of New Brighton incorporated on January 20, 1891. At centers. Edited by George F. Wright, annually celebrate “Stockyard Days,” that time fourteen passenger trains the paper later became known as the in appreciation of the industry that passed daily through the newly New Brighton Journal. gave the city its beginning. incorporated village. New Brighton’s first mayor was Now that the city was fully John T. Davies who bore the title of vested, there needed to be an official President, a title that continued well newspaper. The first newspaper was into the 20th century. Davies was a the Twin City Livestock Reporter, a Welshman who owned the Transit New Brighton’s annual Stockyard Days was named to commemorate the city’s colorful past. Further information can be found in A Centennial History of New Brighton, MN, by Gene F. Skiba, and a second & third book entitled A Pictorial History: New Brighton, MN from 1880s-1950s, and ….from 1950s-2000s by Joyce Kloncz. Books are available at City Hall, Community Center, Beisswengers Hardware, and the New Brighton History Center (summers only). To join the New Brighton Area Historical Society, send the following information and a check to: NBAHS, P.O. Box 120624, New Brighton, MN 55112 Name --------------------------------------------------------------------- Address ------------------------------------------------------------------- City, State, Zip ---------------------------------------------------------- Phone --------------------------------------------------------------------- Membership Types: ! Single, $10 ! Family, $15 The New Brighton Congregational Church, an ! Senior, $7 ! Club, Business $25 attractive landmark in the Village for many years. _____ Yes, I’d like information about volunteering for the New Brighton Area Historical Society. .

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