Prehistoric and Euroamerican Archaeology of Elk River, Minnesota: Current Knowlege and Probability Modeling

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Establishment (1850s—1870s) Water power from the Elk River formed the basis for the settlement of Orono. Godfrey and Jameson's mills gradually attracted other settlers to the area who started farming and opened a few businesses as well. In 1856 P.O. Hawes built a general store and Eddy Dickey, who had helped build the dam and mills, started a door, sash, and blind factory. Most of the early settlers in both Elk River and Orono came from New England, especially Maine. Orono was named for Godfrey's hometown of Orono, Maine. Some also came from Canada but it was not until the later part of the nineteenth century that more Germans and Scandinavians began to settle in the area. Many Hungarians also settled in northern Elk River Township during the 1890s. Orono was first platted by Godfrey in May 1855. The original Orono plat consisted of nineteen blocks along the southern shore of Lake Orono. In 1857 Alden Heath platted two blocks on the large peninsula of Lake Orono. The plat became known as Heath's Addition to Orono and included the Orono Cemetery, Elk River's oldest cemetery.10 Orono's faster development than Lower Town Elk River led to Orono becoming the Sherburne County Seat for a few years in the 1860s. From 1856 to 1862, Sauk Rapids served as the center of government for Sherburne County. Orono then became the county seat but county officers worked out of their homes because there was no courthouse." The first school in Elk River was built at Orono along Main Street on lot eight, block nine of the original Orono plat. The earliest religious services in Orono were held in a back room of P.O Hawes's store.12 The completion of the railroad through Elk River by the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1864 changed the orientation of the Elk River — Orono area. Instead of going through Orono, the railroad went through the center of Lower Town Elk River. Elk River was platted a year after the railroad was built and was largely oriented toward the railroad.13 This changed center of business and population from Orono to Elk River and in 1867 Elk River became the county seat of Sherburne County.14 (For additional information on the railroad in Elk River, see Elk River Historic Contexts Study, 18-19.) The new railroad greatly aided the steamboats on the Mississippi River in bringing the stream of immigrants to Elk River. The population of Elk River village and township was 200 people in 1860, 538 in 1870, and 895 in 1890. As Elk River began to grow more rapidly, new additions were made to the original Elk River plat. After the town site was re -platted in 13