The Grand Prairie Township post office opened in 1875, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Grand Prairie (1875), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
2020 census: 206151 years
Founding year: the first Grand Prairie Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
What stands out about Grand Prairie Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Organization of Grand Prairie Township was approved by the Nobles County Board on September 22, 1873, though settlers has taken up root in the township as early as 1871. The first township meeting was held on October 30, 1873. There were originally three names proposed for the new township: Colfax, Grand Prairie, and Union Township. The Nobles County Board liked Grand Prairie Township best, and that is why the name was chosen. Grand Prairie Township is in the extreme southwestern corner of Nobles County. One of the first settlers of Grand Prairie Township is known in history only as "Uncle" Stillwell. Mr Stillwell made a claim in section 29 where the town of Ellsworth now stands. He established a small store on his farmstead, supplying the needs of local farmers. He also operated a peddler's wagon in the vicinity. Mr. Stillwell had great confidence in the future of the region. However, …
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Grand Prairie Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1967Adrian SW 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 Grand Prairie Township.
On the National Register
1 historic place in Grand Prairie Township
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
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 the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, 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.
