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6th Avenue looking toward Courthouse, Madison, MN-01Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
–Not graded
History · Madison Township

Madison Township dates to 1884, and 45% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1958 on, and the census since 1890.

1884founded
0on the National Register
45%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Madison Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Madison Township began

When was Madison Township founded?

1884

Madison Township dates its founding to 1884 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 625 in 18902020 census: 204142 years
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓

What stands out about Madison 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 writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 2,380 in 1960; 1,518 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Madison Township’s homes were built before 1956.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Madison Township’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewBuildings designed by Gilbert and other…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Madison Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 2,380

Peaked at 2,380 in 1960; 1,518 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

The story

How Madison Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Madison Township.

Read it all →

Madison was platted in 1884, and named after Madison, Wisconsin. A post office has been in operation at Madison since 1884.

The Madison City Council proposed that the city should be named the Lutefisk Capital of the United States in 1982, and the Madison Chamber of Commerce funded the construction of a 25 ft (7.6 m) fiberglass cod nicknamed Lou T. Fisk, which welcomes visitors.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Madison Township, 1884 to 1960

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1884
    FoundingMadison Township is established
  3. 20th century
  4. 1905In the archiveBuildings designed by Gilbert and others.] [Elevations; sketch renderings
  5. 1958On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1960CensusPopulation peaks at 2,380
By decade

Madison Township, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s2 items
Buildings designed by Gilbert and others.] [Elevations; sketch renderings1905Buildings designed by Gilbert and others.] [Elevation…Court house1908Court house
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today10 recent
The Western Guard Newspaper building detail2025The Western Guard Newspaper building detailDocumentWar Memorial at Lac qui Parle County Courthouse2023War Memorial at Lac qui Parle County CourthouseBusiness district, Madison, Minnesota-032023Business district, Madison, Minnesota-03Business district, Madison, Minnesota-022023Business district, Madison, Minnesota-02Business district, Madison, Minnesota-012023Business district, Madison, Minnesota-01Madison Minnesota welcome sign2020Madison Minnesota welcome signSign-Lac qui Parle History Center2019Sign-Lac qui Parle History CenterMounted Animal collection at Lac qui Parle History Center2019Mounted Animal collection at Lac qui Parle History Ce…Lac qui Parle History Center2019Lac qui Parle History CenterMadison MN City Hall2013Madison MN City Hall
On the map

Madison Township on the map, 1958 to 1985

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

Madison Township on the 1958 USGS mapMadison Township on the 1985 USGS map1958Madison 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 Madison Township.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Buildings designed by Gilbert and others.] [Elevations; sketch renderings
Retake this viewBuildings designed by Gilbert and others.] [Elevations; sketch renderings, 1905

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Madison Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Cerro Gordo TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHamlin TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLake Shore TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townArena TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Madison Township’s history

What year was Madison Township founded?

In 1884, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1890 counted 625 people here.

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 (10), the Library of Congress (2), 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.