Forestville, ghost town in Minnesota
Forestville is an abandoned settlement in Minnesota listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town contains original structures from the mid-1800s, including a general store, houses, and workshop buildings that document early settlement life.
The first settlers arrived around 1852 when Robert Foster claimed land and established the community. After the Civil War, decline began when the hoped-for railroad failed to reach the town, causing residents to relocate elsewhere.
The name Forestville refers to the forested landscape that once defined this area. The layout and buildings still reflect how settlers in the 1800s gathered around the general store as the social center of their community.
The site is open to visitors from late May through October, allowing you to walk through the old streets at your own pace. Interpretive signs and information are available to help you understand the buildings and their stories.
The Meighen family purchased the town around 1890 and converted it into a large farm operation with cropland and livestock. This transformation shows how an abandoned town took on new economic purpose.
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