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History · Larkin Township

29% of Larkin Township’s homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1967 on.

0on the National Register
29%homes built before 1940
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What stands out about Larkin 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 Larkin Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Larkin Township’s homes were built before 1961.
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Start Larkin Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Larkin 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 Larkin Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Larkin Township.

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Organization of Larkin Township was approved by the Nobles County Board on March 27, 1883. It was the last of Nobles County's townships to be organized. Petitioners had proposed the name Grove Township and were angered that the Nobles County Board chose the name Larkin. The township was named for John Larkin, late brother-in-law of county commissioner Maurice O'Hearn (and brother of Ann Larkin O'Hearn). The rationale at the time centered on the supposedly pivotal role John Larkin had played in supporting Bishop John Ireland's Catholic colonization efforts in southwestern Minnesota; however, little evidence exists that Larkin played any major role.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

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On the map

Larkin Township on the map, 1967 to 1985

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

Larkin Township on the 1967 USGS mapLarkin Township on the 1985 USGS map1967Adrian 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 Larkin Township.

Famous people

Famous people close to Larkin Township

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

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Patricia A. ThielAmerican chemist · b. 1953
C
Cedric AdamsAmerican broadcaster · b. 1902
L
Lloyd VossAmerican football player · b. 1942
R
Robert J. TennessenAmerican politician from Minnesota · b. 1939
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

WilmontIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWilmont Township1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSummit Lake TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLismore TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townOlney TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Larkin Township’s history

Memory lane

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

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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 Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps 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.