Historic commercial buildings along the main street also reflect its 19th-century heritage. The river attracted not just travelers, but residents who yearned for the scenic view and river pleasures near their front doors. Afton's origins rest, however, on land as well as on water. Site of Minnesota's first farm in 1839, Afton became a leader in Minnesota agriculture. Recognized in the early days for its wheat production, Afton boasted the state's first private grist mill, built by Lemuel Bolles in 1843 on Valley Creek.
Bolles ground corn and wheat and served as the region's first postmaster.
That rich and colorful history has been preserved the past quarter-century by the Afton Historical Society, organized by Gloria and David Haslund. Their work is most evident among the photographs and display cases in the town's museum. Afton residents have not left retention of quaintness to chance. They have controlled growth carefully by enacting stringent zoning requiring that new home sites be a minimum of five acres. Residential development is further inhibited by the area's natural features, particularly the protected environs of the St. Croix River and the adjoining flood plain.