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–Not graded
History · Deer River

Deer River’s post office opened in 1893

Most of Deer River was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1973.

1893first post office
0on the National Register
10%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Quick answers

How Deer River began

When was Deer River founded?

1893

The Deer River post office opened in 1893, the earliest record of the town by name.

2020 census: 909133 years
Founding year: the first Deer River post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Deer River’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 Deer River are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Deer River’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Deer River’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 Deer River came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Deer River.

Read it all →

Until 2011, Deer River had a site on the National Register of Historic Places, the Itasca Lumber Company Superintendent's House, built in 1904 by the area's leading lumber company.

Late in World War II, a logging camp manned by prisoners of war was at the site of an old CCC camp near Deer River.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Deer River, 1893 to 1946

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1893Post officeThe Deer River post office opens
  3. 20th century
  4. 1908Born hereHarry Basford is born here
  5. 1942Born hereJohn Linder is born here
  6. 1946Born hereCharles Honorton is born here
By decade

Deer River, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Cyrus M. King Elementary2025Cyrus M. King ElementaryCommercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-022025Commercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-02Commercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-012025Commercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-01Commercial on Great River Rd2025Commercial on Great River RdCommercial businesses on First Street SE2025Commercial businesses on First Street SECity Hall2025City Hall
Famous people

3 famous people were born in Deer River

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
John LinderAmerican politician · b. 1942
C
Charles HonortonAmerican parapsychologist · b. 1946
H
Harry BasfordAmerican politician · b. 1908
Places that used to be

Old corners and places now gone

Deer River’s post office has been open since 1893.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Liston Evergreen Mobile Home Park
Gone or out of use
Deer River Municipal Airportairport

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). 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.

Deer River TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMorse TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townZempleIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Deer River’s history

What year was Deer River founded?

The Deer River post office opened in 1893, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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 (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.