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History · Grey Eagle Township

Grey Eagle Township dates to 1882, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1950 on and the census since 1900.

1882founded
0on the National Register
15%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Crown Star Images · CC BY 2.0
Quick answers

How Grey Eagle Township began

When was Grey Eagle Township founded?

1882

Grey Eagle Township dates its founding to 1882 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 313 in 19002020 census: 556144 years
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓

What stands out about Grey Eagle 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 writtenNo old photos of Grey Eagle Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Grey Eagle Township’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Grey Eagle Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Grey Eagle Township.

Read it all →

Grey Eagle was platted in 1882, and named after an early settler, A. M. Crowell, who had shot an eagle near the original town site. The first post office opened in the town of Grey Eagle, which is sections 7 and 8 of the township, in 1877. The town had a Northern Pacific Railroad station. The town is near the banks of Trace Lake.

Grey Eagle is less than five miles from Burtrum, a town notable for its abandoned schoolhouse.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Grey Eagle Township, decade by decade

Today11 recent
Water tower2024Water towerStreet banner2024Street bannerState Street, View from Southwest2024State Street, View from SouthwestState Street looking south2024State Street looking southState Street at Woodman Street2024State Street at Woodman StreetPost office and Town hall-Grey Eagle, Minnesota2024Post office and Town hall-Grey Eagle, MinnesotaLibrary2024LibraryGrey Eagle, Minnesota2024Grey Eagle, MinnesotaFormer creamery building2024Former creamery buildingFormer bank building2024Former bank buildingFormer Grey Eagle School2024Former Grey Eagle School
On the map

Grey Eagle Township on the map, 1950 to 1978

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

Grey Eagle Township on the 1950 USGS mapGrey Eagle Township on the 1978 USGS map1950Swanville 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 Grey Eagle Township.

People over time

Grey Eagle Township, census by census

01002003004001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 428

Between 313 and 428 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
North ShorePleasant Beach
3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Grey Eagle Township
LakeviewOld Saint MarysSaint Joseph

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.

Burnhamville TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBirchdale TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMillwood TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townElmdale TownshipIts storyBSwanville TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Grey Eagle Township’s history

What year was Grey Eagle Township founded?

In 1882, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1900 counted 313 people here.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
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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 (11), Wikidata (1), 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.