The French Lake Township post office opened in 1860, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, French Lake (1860), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
2020 census: 1,213166 years
How historic is French Lake Township?
C+
More historic than 36% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first French Lake Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).
History grade
What drives French Lake Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, French Lake Township is more historic than 36% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of French Lake Township’s overall grade.
Minnesota towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Minnesota town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so French Lake Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.8 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about French Lake Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of French Lake Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
French Lake is an unincorporated community in French Lake Township, Wright County, Minnesota, United States, near Annandale and Cokato. The community is located near the junction of Wright County Roads 3 and 37. History Many settlers traveled along the Territorial Road on their way from Monticello to Forest City and to points beyond. Few stayed in the area. Thus was the plan for Belgian immigrant Ernest Howard. According to D.J. French's early history of Wright County, Howard and his family were on their way to Forest City driving a team and wagon rented in Monticello. Along the way the wagon broke down. The family was left stranded without shelter or much food. More settlers arrived in the…
Its first post office opened in 1860. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 1,172 to 1,213 (+3%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Timeline
French Lake Township, 1860 to 1958
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of French Lake Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1958Cokato 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 French Lake Township.
Famous people
Famous people close to French Lake Township
Nobody well known was born in French Lake Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
The French Lake Township post office opened in 1860, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
How does French Lake Township rank for history?
French Lake Township is more historic than 36% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in French Lake Township?
17% of French Lake Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1976.
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).
From U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, 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.
