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History · Viking Township

Viking Township dates to 1884, and 39% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1918 on and the census since 1930.

1884founded
0on the National Register
39%homes built before 1940
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Photo: In memoriam afiler · CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answers

How Viking Township began

When was Viking Township founded?

1884

Viking Township dates its founding to 1884 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1930.

First census: 133 in 19302020 census: 175142 years
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓

What stands out about Viking 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 Viking Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19183 editions of the USGS map, 1918 to 1976. Watch Viking Township change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Viking Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Viking 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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On the map

Viking Township on the map, 1918 to 1976

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

Viking Township on the 1918 USGS mapViking Township on the 1959 USGS mapViking Township on the 1976 USGS map1918Viking 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 Viking Township.

The story

How Viking Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Viking Township.

Read it all →

A post office called Viking has been in operation since 1890. The city was organized in 1884, and was named by Rev. Hans P. Hansen, a Norwegian Lutheran pastor in Warren, after the Vikings.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Viking Township, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Viking, Minnesota2006Viking, MinnesotaViking, Minnesota2006Viking, MinnesotaViking, Minnesota2006Viking, MinnesotaViking School Sign2006Viking School SignViking Diner and Antiques Viking, Minnesota 3-17-20062006Viking Diner and Antiques Viking, Minnesota 3-17-2006MNMap-doton-Viking2005MNMap-doton-VikingWelcome to2001Welcome toViking, Minnesota2001Viking, MinnesotaViking School2001Viking SchoolViking Elementary playground2001Viking Elementary playgroundOld creamery(?)2001Old creamery(?)Hartz Store2001Hartz Store
People over time

Viking Township, census by census

010019401960198020002020Peak: 146

Between 79 and 146 people in every census since 1930.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Numedal TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townNew Solum TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMarsh Grove TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townComstock TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHelgeland TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Viking Township’s history

What year was Viking Township founded?

In 1884, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1930 counted 133 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 (12), 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.