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History · Barnesville Township

Barnesville Township dates to 1874, and 17% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listings are the Barnesville City Hall and Jail and the Patterson-Hernandez House. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1919 on, and the census since 1890.

1874founded
2on the National Register
17%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Barnesville Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Barnesville Township began

When was Barnesville Township founded?

1874

Barnesville Township dates its founding to 1874 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 1,063 in 18902020 census: 181152 years
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓

What stands out about Barnesville 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 writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19193 editions of the USGS map, 1919 to 1981. Watch Barnesville Township change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Barnesville Township’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewDriver Boy, Barnesville, Mine. LOC nclc…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Barnesville Township on the map, 1919 to 1981

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

Barnesville Township on the 1919 USGS mapBarnesville Township on the 1952 USGS mapBarnesville Township on the 1981 USGS map1919Barnesville 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 Barnesville Township.

The story

How Barnesville Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Barnesville Township.

Read it all →

Barnesville was founded in 1874 by George S. Barnes and named for him. A post office called Barnesville has been in operation since 1877. Barnesville was incorporated as a city in 1889.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Barnesville Township, 1874 to 1919

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1874
    FoundingBarnesville Township is established
  3. 20th century
  4. 1908In the archiveDriver Boy, Barnesville, Mine. LOC nclc.01084
  5. 1919On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Barnesville Township, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s2 items
Driver Boy, Barnesville, Mine. LOC nclc.010841908Driver Boy, Barnesville, Mine. LOC nclc.01084Drivers and Trappers Going Home- Barnesville Mine. LOC nclc.010821908Drivers and Trappers Going Home- Barnesville Mine. LO…
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today16 recent
Barnesville, Minnesota-11-Old Creamery building2024Barnesville, Minnesota-11-Old Creamery buildingBarnesville, Minnesota-10-Eagle Cafe2024Barnesville, Minnesota-10-Eagle CafeBarnesville, Minnesota-09-City Hall showing side of old building2024Barnesville, Minnesota-09-City Hall showing side of o…Barnesville, Minnesota-08-City Hall2024Barnesville, Minnesota-08-City HallBarnesville, Minnesota-07-Businesses on Front Street2024Barnesville, Minnesota-07-Businesses on Front StreetBarnesville, Minnesota-06-Old City Jail2024Barnesville, Minnesota-06-Old City JailBarnesville, Minnesota-05a-Front Street at Main Avenue2024Barnesville, Minnesota-05a-Front Street at Main AvenueBarnesville, Minnesota-05-Old City Hall2024Barnesville, Minnesota-05-Old City HallBarnesville, Minnesota-04-Front Street at Main Avenue2024Barnesville, Minnesota-04-Front Street at Main AvenueBarnesville, Minnesota-03-Assumption Catholic Church tower2024Barnesville, Minnesota-03-Assumption Catholic Church …Barnesville, Minnesota-02-Assumption Catholic Church2024Barnesville, Minnesota-02-Assumption Catholic ChurchBarnesville, Minnesota-01-Welcome sign2024Barnesville, Minnesota-01-Welcome signSquaw2017SquawBarnesville City Hall, Fire Station and Jail2012Barnesville City Hall, Fire Station and JailBarnesville water tower2009Barnesville water towerBarnesville, Minnesota2006Barnesville, Minnesota
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Driver Boy, Barnesville, Mine. LOC nclc.01084
Retake this viewDriver Boy, Barnesville, Mine. LOC nclc.01084, 1908

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Barnesville Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

2 historic places in Barnesville Township

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1980
Barnesville City Hall and Jail
Barnesville City Hall and JailPatterson-Hernandez House
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Queen Anne1
Barnesville City Hall and JailBuilding
Patterson-Hernandez HouseQueen Anne

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Barnesville Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,00019001920194019601980200020202,759

Grew from 1,063 people in 1890 to 2,759 in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

Places that used to be

Places now gone and burying grounds

Gone or out of use
Mathew Private Fieldairport
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Barnesville Township
RosemoundSaint Marys

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Barnesville1 historic placeB−Atherton TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHumboldt TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townElkton TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAlliance TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Barnesville Township’s history

What year was Barnesville Township founded?

In 1874, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1890 counted 1,063 people here.

What is on the National Register in Barnesville Township?

Two places: the Barnesville City Hall and Jail (listed 1980) and the Patterson-Hernandez House (1980).

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
Start a conversation
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 (18), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.