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History · Clarissa

Clarissa dates to 1877, and 32% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1966 on and the census since 1900.

1877founded
0on the National Register
32%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Quick answers

How Clarissa began

When was Clarissa founded?

1877

Clarissa dates its founding to 1877 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 233 in 19002020 census: 661149 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1880.The full story ↓

What stands out about Clarissa’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 Clarissa are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Clarissa’s homes were built before 1954.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Clarissa’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Clarissa came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Clarissa.

Read it all →

Clarissa was platted in 1877, and named for Clarissa Bischoffsheim, the wife of the founder. A post office has been in operation at Clarissa since 1880. Clarissa was incorporated in 1897.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Clarissa, 1877 to 1966

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1877
    FoundingClarissa is established
  3. 1880Post officeThe Clarissa post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1966On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Clarissa, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Veteran's memorial-Clarissa, Minnesota2024Veteran's memorial-Clarissa, MinnesotaSenior Citizens Center-Clarissa, Minnesota2024Senior Citizens Center-Clarissa, MinnesotaPost Office and City Hall building2024Post Office and City Hall buildingMain Street scene-Clarissa, Minnesota2024Main Street scene-Clarissa, MinnesotaMain Street scene-Clarissa, Minnesota-042024Main Street scene-Clarissa, Minnesota-04Main Street scene-Clarissa, Minnesota-032024Main Street scene-Clarissa, Minnesota-03Main Street scene-Clarissa, Minnesota-022024Main Street scene-Clarissa, Minnesota-02Independent News Herald-Clarissa, Minnesota2024Independent News Herald-Clarissa, MinnesotaFormer creamery building-Clarissa, Minnesota2024Former creamery building-Clarissa, MinnesotaFormer bank and hardware Store buildings-Clarissa, Minnesota2024Former bank and hardware Store buildings-Clarissa, Mi…Former Immanuel Lutheran Church-Clarissa, Minnesota2024Former Immanuel Lutheran Church-Clarissa, MinnesotaAmerican Legion building Post 213-Clarissa, Minnesota2024American Legion building Post 213-Clarissa, Minnesota
On the map

Clarissa on the map, 1966 to 1986

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

Clarissa on the 1966 USGS mapClarissa on the 1986 USGS map1966Clarissa sheet · 1:24,000

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

People over time

Clarissa, census by census

01002003004005006007001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 681

Between 233 and 681 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Clarissa

Nobody well known was born in Clarissa itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
J
Jodi HuisentruitAmerican journalist who disappeared on June 27,… · b. 1968
E
Elizabeth ColsonUS social anthropologist · b. 1917
L
LaVyrle SpencerAmerican writer · b. 1943
J
Jacob WetterlingAmerican kidnap victim · b. 1978
C
Charles P. DavisUnited States Army Medal of Honor recipient · b. 1872
G
Gail T. KulickAmerican politician · b. 1959
Places that used to be

Places now gone

Clarissa’s post office has been open since 1880.

Gone or out of use
Clarissalocale

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Clarissa’s history

What year was Clarissa founded?

In 1877, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Clarissa’s post office opened in 1880, and the census of 1900 counted 233 people here.

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 (12), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.