Taylors Falls Historical Society

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Taylors Falls Historical Society

Consider joining the Taylors Falls Historical Society. For membership information, visit www.tfhistory.com. General Information: Adults $5.00, 6-17 yrs $1.00.

Visit the Historic 1855 Folsom House and the 1852 Town House School while you're in Taylors Falls! Open Memorial Day Weekend through September, Fridays-Sundays, and holidays from 1pm to 4:30pm. Children under 6 get in free. Members of the Minnesota Historical Society and the Taylors Falls Historical Society get in free. Pre-arranged group tours (10 or more guests) available at other times." Owned

by the Minnesota Historical Society and operated by the Taylors Falls Historical Society. Also, stop in to see the Visitor Center which is located just down the hill from the Folsom House in the lower level of the community center (the old train depot - 312 Government Street, Taylors Falls, MN 55084). The Visitor Center is open Saturday, Sunday and Holidays from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. No entrance fee. Lower level of the Taylors Falls Memorial Community Center.

06/11/2026

Photographs of the road to the lower steamboat landing (built in 1873 & '74). The first (in sepia) probably was taken in 1874, the second (in b&w) in 1924.

06/07/2026

This 1908 postcard scene looks westward up Taylors Falls' First Street. The pedestrians shown probably were railroad excursionists.

At the extreme left is the hotel known at that time as the Hotel Cocheco (its third of six names). There is a "Schmidt's Beer" sign in front of that hotel. That hotel building was torn down in 1936.

Immediately to the right of the Hotel Cocheco are the two, false-fronted, 1880 Caspar Hauser buildings. Those two buildings were torn in 1962 (east one) and 1967 (west one).
In the scene's middle background, behind the railroad trestle and on the west side of Government Street, is the 1870 Peter Trump building, which in its lowest level then housed the grocery store of Frank J. Schottmuller. That building, since expanded east (front) and west (rear), is now part of the Old Jail Bed & Breakfast.

The large, white building at right is the 1851 Chisago House (hotel) building that was then known as the Dalles House (hotel). That hotel building was torn down in 1956. The sign at that corner, with the leaf decoration, reads, "Golden Grain Belt Beers."

At the extreme right, on the northeast corner of Bench and First Streets, a small portion of the 1903 Otto Agrell building is visible. The "DRUG STORE" sign advertised the drug store of Martin A. Tangen then occupying the Agrell building's south-end commercial space now being used by the Juneberry Cafe.

Note: Downtown Taylors Falls had telephone service beginning in the fall of 1897 and electric service beginning in the summer of 1907.Also, the original wood-frame trusses of the five railroad trestles in Taylors Falls were replaced by steel trusses (one pictured) during the winter of 1899-1900.

- Information provided by Jack Liljenberg

06/03/2026

Happy "World Bicycle Day!"

Here are two photographs from Jack Liljenberg's collection, taken about 1899 by S. C. Sargent in his photo studio in downtown Taylors Falls.

Photo 1: Circa-1899: Miss Maud Mullen (1884-1974). Maud later was Mrs. Sanford J. Carlgren.
Photo 2: Circa-1899: Carl M. Sargent (1883-1978). Carl was the younger of S. C. Sargent's two sons.

The bicycles probably belonged to the subjects, both of Taylors Falls.

05/31/2026

The Caspar Hauser building 1866-1902

Black and white photo:
1869 photo of the 1866 Caspar Hauser building as it appeared in its Italianate style with rooftop belvedere until 1887. It was constructed of buff-colored Kasota stone, which is a limestone quarried in Kasota Township, Le Sueur County, Minnesota. The building's trim was painted brown. A belvedere is a rooftop structure specifically designed for viewing the surroundings.

Sepia photo:
1901 photo of the Hauser-Ellison building after its 1887 remodeling into a French Second Empire style for Smith Ellison. Its new roof was painted bright red. This building, which stood on the northeast corner of Bench and First Streets, burned in 1902. It housed a wide variety of businesses during its thirty-six years.

05/28/2026

A group posed in front of the 1859 Dresser/Murdock House, located at 343 Basil St.

Written on photo reverse:
"1927
Standing L to R
Mrs. E.W. Folsom
Miss Helene Paine
Miss Jean Paine
Mrs. H.G. Murdock (Frances)
Mrs. J.M. Folsom (Tine)
Seated
Mrs. Bertha Paine
Miss Barbara Folsom
W.X. Folsom (the old man)"

05/21/2026

Late in 1900 at Taylors Falls' third railroad station (looking north)... with William H. Everett, the railroad station agent, and Miss Edith Mae Tang. If this station were still standing it would be just south of the Taylors Falls Memorial Community Center (originally the fourth railroad station).
Mr. Everett was the station agent from October 1899 to August 1902. Miss Tang was 19 was this photograph was taken and was then learning telegraphy from Mr. Everett. But she did not use what she learned, as she soon moved away, married, and did not work as a telegraph operator.
- Information via Jack P. Liljenberg

05/15/2026

It's time for Pioneer School!

Each summer the Taylors Falls Historical Society opens the Town House School, built in 1854, for Pioneer School!

Pioneer School sessions include history, arithmetic, handwriting, wood projects and old time games. This is a 3-day session and the cost is $40. The school day is from 10am to 2:30pm. Students bring their own lunch.

There are 4 sessions available:
June 23-25
July 7-9 (girls only)
July 14-16
July 21-23

For more information and to register, visit the Taylors Falls Historical Society Website: https://tfhistory.com/pioneer-school/

05/08/2026

Four boys sit on the original front steps of the Folsom House. The year is unknown, but likely around the turn of the 20th Century, based on their ages. Notice the wood plank "sidewalk" leading away from the steps to the right (east).

Written on reverse of the photo:
“Stanley Folsom
Ralph Bramhall
Erwin Folsom
John Folsom”

05/05/2026

Now / Then: First Presbyterian Church

Taylors Falls’ Presbyterian congregation was established in April 1866. Two years later, in 1868, the congregation had a church building erected by John L. Bullard and his crew. The church was completed in September 1868, and it stood facing south on Block 1, lot 1 (about where is now the west parking lot of the former Pines Motel on River Street). The church was a wooden, 33' x 55' building of Gothic Revival-style architecture.

The church had fifty-two pews/slips and could comfortably seat about 250 people. The pews were constructed in the same design as the pews in the 1861 Methodist Episcopal Church (now the United Methodist Church) in Taylors Falls. The pews had a fake wood-grain finish of butternut and black walnut stain.

The Presbyterian congregation was never a large one, and within just a few years of its founding a significant number of its members either died or moved away. From the mid 1870s to the end of that century, the congregation struggled, and the church was often closed and without a minister for long periods of time.

The small congregation finally decided to dissolve itself in 1902. In July of that year, its church building was carefully dismantled, and its salvaged materials (including its bell) were shipped to Forest Lake for use in the construction of a church there.

Photos:
1: Circa-1900 photo of the 1868 Presbyterian church, looking northwest
2: 2026 photo of the approximate location
3: 2026 close-up of the church's historical marker
4: Undated photo of the 1868 Presbyterian church, looking northeast
5: 2026 photo of the approximate location

04/30/2026

A postcard showing the hydroelectric dam, located between Taylors Falls and St. Croix Falls.

Text on reverse reads:
"Taylors Falls, Minn
April 23rd 1916.
Highest water since 1895.
Compliments of Chas Roos
Power House opposite Taylors Falls - Minn"

Address

312 Government Street
Taylors Falls, MN
55084

Website

http://tfhistory.com/

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