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

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oxcart trail on the southeast side of Elk River. Highway 10 and the railroad line now generally follow the original paths of the military road and the Metropolitan Trail. Ferries The Minnesota territorial legislature granted Oliver Kelley a ferry license in 1855. The license said the ferry would operate between what was then Cass and Benton (now Wright and Sherburne) Counties at the head of "Kelley's Island," which is on the Mississippi River by section 14 in the southeast corner of Elk River.'15 [Not illustrated on map]. (11) In 1856, the Benton County Commissioners granted a license to P.O. Hawes to operate a ferry about one-half mile above the mouth of the Elk River.116 (12) In 1857 a steamboat landing was also located section four of Elk River, near where the branch of the river later used for the Elk River Sawmill reenters the Mississippi River."' ( 13) Horatio Houlton started a ferry across the Mississippi River in 1867, just south of where Highway 10 and Main Street now intersect."" By 1879 the ferry was being operated by G.E. Thomas.1" Prosper Vassar purchased this ferry in 1900 and moved it further up the Mississippi River to straight south of lot three, block five of the original Elk River plat, between what are now Jackson and King Avenues.12' This was referred to as the "lower ferry." The ferry went out of business in 1906 when the bridge across the Mississippi between Elk River and Otsego was completed.121 By 1895 there was also a ferry at Section five of Elk River that crossed the Mississippi River to Otsego." This was known as the "upper ferry" and operated until at least 1903.1' It was likely also out of business by 1906 because of the completion of the Elk River — Otsego Bridge. [Upper ferry not indicated on maps]. Spur Track In 1891, William H. Houlton had a spur track built off the main Great Northern Railroad line to where the flour mill's elevator then stood north of where Main Street turns east after crossing the Elk River.124 The following year Houlton had a short additional track laid that branched off the spur track and ran on the east side of the elevator to Main Street.125 In 1899 the spur track was extended from the elevator on Main Street down to the flour mill along the Elk River. There was speculation at this time that the spur track would be 34