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History · Alden Township

Alden Township dates to 1869, and 40% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1955 on and the census since 1880.

1869founded
0on the National Register
40%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How Alden Township began

When was Alden Township founded?

1869

Alden Township dates its founding to 1869 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 235 in 18802020 census: 283157 years
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓

What stands out about Alden Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Alden Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Alden Township’s homes were built before 1961.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Alden Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Alden Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Alden Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Alden Township.

Read it all →

A post office called Alden has been in operation since 1866. Alden was platted in 1869 when the railroad was extended to that point. Edmond Conn (1914-1998), farmer, businessman, and politician, was born in Alden.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Alden Township, decade by decade

Today2 recent
FireDeptAldenMN2023FireDeptAldenMNMNMap-doton-Alden2005MNMap-doton-Alden
On the map

Alden Township on the map, 1955 to 1982

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Alden Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Alden Township on the 1955 USGS mapAlden Township on the 1982 USGS map1955Wells sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Alden Township.

People over time

Alden Township, census by census

010020030040050060070018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 713

Between 235 and 713 people in every census since 1880.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Alden Township’s Wikipedia page.

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

CongerIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMansfield TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townCarlston TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townPickerel Lake TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAldenIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townFoster TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Alden Township’s history

What year was Alden Township founded?

In 1869, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 235 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.