The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911.
Rock County Village (continued from 02-18-20 edition of the Star Herald)
Other Places
Warner is the name given to a grain station, three miles east of Luverne, on section 7, Magnolia township, on the Worthington-Mitchell branch of the Omaha railroad. It has never advanced beyond the condition originally intended. Late in July, 1877, a grain warehouse, 20x40 feet in dimensions, was erected at this point to house the products of the farms of Capt. Blakely and Messrs. Thompson and Seney, capitalists who controlled vast agricultural interests in Magnolia township at that early day. For a year this point was designated as Hill Siding, then came by its present name Warner, in honor of Eling F. Warner, one of the original directors of the Sioux City & St. Paul railroad. An elevator marks the site of Warner today. It was built in August, 1901, by the Hubbard & Palmer company.
During the eighties plans for a town at the foot of the Blue mounds, a short distance north of Luverne, were made. The quarrying industry had developed to quite an extent, and it was a scheme of J. F. Shoemaker, the head of the controlling company, to found a small town or colony, where the men employed in the quarries might establish convenient homes. The first activity toward this end was the construction of 2000 feet of side track to the proposed site in November, 1884. For a time appearances led to the belief that the station the Burlington company had decided to locate in Rock county north of Luverne (Hardwick) was to lie at the foot of the mounds.21 In the spring of 1885 Mr. Shoemaker made preparations to plat a townsite,22 but the intention was never carried into effect. A station at Mound, established in June, was maintained for a short period, but no agent was located there. A few temporary dwelling houses were erected, but beyond that no improvements were ever made in the “town.”
In the days of star mail routes it was the custom to maintain country postoffices at convenient points. There were a number of such in Rock county prior to the founding of villages and the establishment of rural mail routes, which carry daily mail to all parts of the country. With the modern methods of distributing the mail came the abandonment of country postoffices, and there is now none maintained in Rock county.
Denver was the name of one country postoffice. It was located at the residence of H. Goodale, on section 10, in the township of the same name. The office, established in February, 1885, with Mr. Goodale as postmaster, existed for a number of years. The Burlington railroad traversed section 10, and a “mail catcher” was put up at the most convenient point to the Denver postoffice in May, 1886, and thereafter mail was received at the office Monday and Friday mornings of each week.
Handy postoffice, located on the east line of Kanaranzi township, came into existence during the first decade of the county’s history. The first postmaster, Mr. Meris, was succeeded in December, 1877, by O. D. Bryan. The office was maintained several years.
A postoffice in Martin township, known as Martin, was established in June, 1876. John D. Tyler was the first postmaster. With the coming of railroads Martin postoffice was discontinued.
Clinton postoffice, in the township of that name, was established the same month as Martin and Nels Clemetson commissioned postmaster. In April, 1877, the name of the office was changed from Clinton to Kongsberg. It was discontinued in November, 1884, and the mail formerly consigned to that office was sent to Ashcreek.
In eastern Rose Dell township was located Meadow postoffice, established in the early eighties. K. K. Steen was postmaster for many years.
Pleasant Valley postoffice had an existence of a few years in the late seventies. It was discontinued in December, 1880, and the patrons thereafter received their mail at Luverne.
21“The delay in laying out the proposed townsite on section 26, Denver, coupled with the character of the work in progress at the mounds, has excited the suspicion that the town of Jasper [Hardwick], instead of being located at the point originally proposed, will be located at the foot of the mound.”—Rock county Herald, October 31, 1884.
22J. F. Shoemaker has decided to plat a portion of his land in the vicinity of the quarries for the use of employees of the quarry company, and it is understood that a considerable number of residences will be built. The plat, however, will not be recorded, and none of the lots will be sold, as Mr. Shoemaker is determined that no saloons shall be there.”—Rock County Herald, March 20, 1885.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.