Peterson is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Peterson had a population of 234.
In the year 1853, Peter Peterson Haslerud purchased and platted the village site of Peterson and was the major force behind its early growth and development. The community was named after him. After buying the land and platting the town, he was elected to the Minnesota State Legislature, served in several appointed positions and in 1856 was appointed by the Governor of Minnesota as Immigration officer for the 14th District of Minnesota. Peter was instrumental in bringing the railroad through Rushford Township in 1867 and he gave the railroad company fifteen acres of land and along with other citizens contributed $800. to secure a station and warehouse at Peterson. Peter began buying wheat from local farmers and shipping it back to the eastern part of the U.S.
In 1870, a post office was established in Peterson and Even A. Hjelie was appointed first postmaster. In 1871, Peter Peterson Haslerud developed a "trout farm" on his property outside Peterson and continued to expand the boundaries of the town.
In 1873, Ole Ensberg started a blacksmith shop and in 1874 an additional quarter section of land was laid out into lots and added to the village of Peterson. In 1875, two general stores, a hardware store, and a drug store were established. In 1875, the telegraph was installed at the railroad station and G.P. Haslerud (Peter Peterson Haslerud's oldest son) was appointed agent. Also in that year fifteen additional acres were platted and Prospect Park, Mill, Centennial, Fillmore, Church, and Myrtle Streets were named. In 1876, a mill was built with farmers living in the surrounding areas subscribing most of the stock. A livery barn, a steam mill, the Peterson Hotel, the Northwestern Bar and other small businesses opened for business.
In 1882, the Minnesota and Dakota Gazetteer, gave a contemporary description of Peterson:
"An unincorporated village of 100 inhabitants in Rushford Township, northeastern part of Fillmore County, and a station on the Southern Minnesota Railroad, 25 miles from Preston and 120 miles from Minneapolis. It is situated on the Root Rover which furnishes power to a flour mill at this point. A steam flour mill is also in operation in the village and there is a Lutheran church and district school. The exports are flour and wheat. Modes of communication are: Western Union Telegraph, American Express, two stages semi-weekly from Pilot Mound to Peterson via Arendahl and daily mail service."
Peterson was organized as a village in 1909.
BornÃÂ July 21, 1828, in Rollag Parish. Numedal, Norway,ÃÂ Peter was the son of Peter Knutsen Haslerud ( 1775- 1847) and Ingveborg Pedersdr Bole (1785- 1843).ÃÂ Very little is known about his early years, or that of his familyÃÂ however records show heÃÂ emigratedÃÂ to theÃÂ United States at age 14 onÃÂ May 14, 1843, with his sister Ragnild andÃÂ her husband Gullick O. Laugen.ÃÂ TheirÃÂ ship "Hercules" set sailÃÂ with 55 passengers from Norway and arrived in New YorkÃÂ ninety seven days later.
There were many reasons for the emigrations from NorwayÃÂ to the United States in the 1800sÃÂ but economicsÃÂ and/or religion usually played a big part and we don't know that of Peter Haslerud but we do know that one of the first churches in the village he founded was based on theÃÂ principles ofÃÂ Hans Nielsen HaugeÃÂ (see Wikipedia's entry on Hauge).
After early years in Wisconsin andÃÂ Illinois (where he met and married Cornelia Aslaksdtter Anderson Teigen (born October 1, 1824- died April 15, 1892). the year 1853 brought Peter to the land thatÃÂ eventually became the town of Peterson, which is named after him.ÃÂ ÃÂ He plated and planned the village- seeing that schools and churches were built, naming streets and parks, establishing grain elevators and trout farms. TheÃÂ Trout Farm, or Trout Hatchery, has provided trout to stock Minnesota's lakes for over 150 years and is now operated by the State of Minnesota.ÃÂ ÃÂ By 1874 the hatchery supplied at least 100,000 yearling troutÃÂ to stock waters for fishing.
Prior to 1874 Peter securedÃÂ hundreds of acres of land in Fillmore County, Minnesota, was responsible for getting a railroad depot for Peterson, brought many businesses to Peterson, served in the Minnesota legislature, was appointed to several governmental positionsÃÂ and contributed to the culture and economy of Fillmore County as well as Peterson.
According to "The Peterson Book-1974" written and compiled by Ann Rislove andÃÂ John Ericson ( now curator at Peterson Museum) businesses in Peterson in 1912ÃÂ run by Peter's family members include Agrimson and Ensberg- General Merchandise,ÃÂ MoenÃÂ Furniture, Carl Smaby- Peterson Herald Editor and Owner,ÃÂ Peterson Hardware, A,G, Haselrud, G.P. Haselrud and J.O. Ensberg- owners and operators ofÃÂ the French Burr Mill Factory, O.A.O. Moen -Mortician, Carl Johnson- City Band,ÃÂ Carl R. Moen- photographer.ÃÂ J,O, Ensberg was founder and owner of the factoryÃÂ and held several patents for original design ofÃÂ factory machinery andÃÂ products.
First Structure inÃÂ Peterson
TheÃÂ first structure in Peterson is Peter'sÃÂ home,ÃÂ The original house had a living room, kitchen and two bedrooms.ÃÂ Over the years as the family grew many more bedrooms were added and also, a second kitchen (called a "summer kitchen".), a music room (with a pipe organ imported from Europe,) extra large screened porches around two sides of the home, a much larger dining room and a second "sitting room"ÃÂ Sometime through the years the home came to be called "House of seven gables" and was occupied by Peter and his descendants until the yearÃÂ 2003.
Peter lived in theÃÂ home from its origin inÃÂ 1853 until his death inÃÂ September 1880, his wife Cornelia died there inÃÂ April 1892.ÃÂ Daughter Ingebord (Mary, Maria) born in 1858 lived in the family homeÃÂ with her family until her death in 1934; her childrenÃÂ owned and occupied the home untilÃÂ the year 2003.
PeterÃÂ and Cornelia had five children:
The oldest child, George Peterson HaselerudÃÂ is supposedly the first white child born in Rushford, Minnesota township.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
As of the census of 2010, there were 199 people, 97 households, and 60 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 108 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 99.5% White and 0.5% Native American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 97 households, of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.1% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.63.
The median age in the city was 50.4 years. 16.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19% were from 25 to 44; 32.1% were from 45 to 64; and 25.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 269 people, 98 households, and 65 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 118 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 99.63% White and 0.37% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.
There were 98 households, out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 31.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,781, and the median income for a family was $43,333. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $22,708 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,728. About 12.1% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 7.5% of those 65 or over.
Peterson is one of several towns intersected by the Root River segment of the Blufflands State Trail.