Oak Park Heights dates to 1857, and 11% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 52% of U.S. towns · #103 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Lake St. Croix Overlook, the Log Cabin and the Bergstein, Moritz, Shoddy Mill and Warehouse. Below: maps from 1948 on and the census since 1950.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Oak Park Heights is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #103 of 273 in Minnesota. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Oak Park Heights’ 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 Oak Park Heights’ 6.3 sits above most of its state (67% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 3 listings outnumber those of 65% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1857.
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 (±4.5 points).
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Oak Park Heights’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Oak Park Heights was platted by John Parker, William Dorr, Gold Curtis, Mary Curtis, Olive Anderson, and William M. McCluer with the name Oak Park on May 27, 1857. The plat was located in present day Baytown Township, between Stillwater and South Stillwater (Now called Bayport.) Early settlers included David Cover, a river pilot who came to Oak Park in the 1840s and specialized in logs and lumber, and John Parker, who relocated from St. Croix Falls in 1850.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Oak Park Heights. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1948Stillwater 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 Oak Park Heights.
On the National Register
3 historic places in Oak Park Heights
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
In 1857, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1950 counted 580 people here.
How does Oak Park Heights rank for history?
Oak Park Heights is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #103 of 273 in Minnesota. 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.
What is on the National Register in Oak Park Heights?
Three places: the Lake St. Croix Overlook (listed 2007), the Log Cabin (2007) and the Bergstein, Moritz, Shoddy Mill and Warehouse (2008).
How old are the homes in Oak Park Heights?
11% of Oak Park Heights’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.5 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1988.
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 Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), 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.
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