Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children, Historic orphanage and educational institution in Owatonna, United States
The Minnesota State Public School is a former state-run institution comprising a Romanesque Revival administration building and sixteen residential cottages situated on former farmland spanning about 330 acres. The campus includes restored structures with exhibits that document the original education and daily life experienced at the facility.
Established in 1886, the school adopted a cottage system model that divided children into smaller residential groups rather than housing them in large institutional buildings, following a design pioneered by Michigan. The facility operated as a state-run institution until 1945, representing a progressive approach to caring for homeless and neglected children of its era.
The institution reflected a shift in how society cared for vulnerable children, moving away from large institutional buildings toward small cottage communities that mimicked family life. Visitors can see how these separate homes were designed to provide a more normal childhood experience than traditional orphanages allowed.
The museum site is located at 540 West Hills Circle and features a self-guided audio tour with six stations to help you navigate the grounds. The restored buildings are spread across the property, so plan to walk and explore at your own pace to fully experience the different structures.
The campus preserves an unusually complete example of the cottage system design, with multiple original residential buildings still standing and representing one of the finest remaining examples of this care approach in America. This rarity makes it significant for understanding how this progressive model evolved and was physically implemented.
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