The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-07-27
NEW ULM TO CELEBRATE
Will Observe SEVENTEEN AnniveI
sary Of lts Founding

New Ulm, July 25.-Next year
will mark the seventeen anniversary
of the arrival of the first group Of
white settlers on the site OF the
present city of New Ulm, October
6, 1854, and a movement is being
inaugurated to commemorate this
important historical event some
time next summer, the date to be
decided upon later.
Probably very few of the present
generation in this section are aware
Of the fact that Brown county orig
inally covered q vast territory, in :
Guiding the IA southwestern coun-
ties now existing in Minnesota, as
well as practically the entire ex-
panse Of land east of the Missouri
river in what is now South Dakota.
II was named in honor of Joseph r.
Brown, drummer boy in the first in
fantry regiment of regular army
troops that came to Minnesota un-
der command Of Colonel Leaven-
worth in 1919. This regiment was
first stationed at Mendoza, later be-
ing transferred to Fort Smelling.
Il will probably be interesting to
learn that in May, 1858, a number of
settlements In the original Brown
county, of which New Ulm was the
county seat from the outset, were
registered here, including Leaven-
worth, sixteen miles west; Arcadia,
twenty miles. southwest; Madelia,
twenty miles south; Watonwan,
thirty Eve miles southwest; Fair
mont, fifty miles south; Odessa.
fifyt- Ave miles southwest; Jackson,
egan, on the Missouri river, and Os-
wsgo, on the James and Missouri
rivers.
Brown county was organized by
act of the territorial legislature,
February II, 1855. and Willis A.
German. territorial governor, au-
thorized the late F. Baasen to rec
ommend suitable persons for ap
pointment to the various county Of
Aces. On May %, 1857, the counties
of Martin, Cottonwood, Jackson,
Murray, Mobiles, Pipestone and Rock
were organized from parts of the
original territory Of Brown county.
A map of Minnesota territory,
prepared by J. H. Young and pub
lished by Charles Desilver Of Phila-
delphia, Pa, in 1855, shows the orr
gtnal extent of rBown county. This
map is contained in book, entitled
MluuGbOld lSb
written by J. W. Bond and publish
1855, which Is now the property Of
Aug. Humrnel of this city, who has
q Comprehensive and highly inter
esting collection Of early historical
data pertaining to Minnesota. The
eastern boundary Of Minnesota ter
ritory was practically the same as
that of the present state, while its
western boundary extended to the
Missouri river.
The map is admirably accurate in
every detail. New Ulm is indicated
under its original name, Prairie La
Belleview, and is the only settle
ment recorded in the entire original
Brown county, aside from Fort
Ridgely and the New Sioux agency
located in the present vicinity Of
Redwood Falls). The Big and Lit
tie Cottonwood rivers are shown by
their Indian names, Waratu, and
Hanska lake is spelled with fin-
al "h."
The original territory of Brown
county covered Sc present counties,
in whole or In part, including 10 in
Minnesota and Il in South pakTa:
Medicine, Lincoln, Lyon. Redwood,
wood Watonwan, Rock Mobiles,
Jackson, Martin and Blue Earth
counties in Minnesota and Union,
Clay, Yankton, Bonhomme, Charles
Mix. Douglas, Hutchinson, Turner,
Lincoln, Brute, Aurora, Dawson,
Hanson. McCook, Minnehaha, Buff
falo, Jerauld, Sanborn, Miner. Lake
Moody, Hughes, Hyde. Hand. Bea-
die, Kingsbury. Brookings, Sully,
Potter, Faulk. Sphinx, Clark. Hamlin,
Codington, Deuel. Grant, Walworth,
Edmunds. Brown, Day and Roberts
counties in South aDkota.
1t is planned to make the 10th an
niversary celebration next summer
one OF the most elaborate affairs OF
it's kind ever held in the Northwest,
with representative delegations pre-
sent from all of the counties In both
states that comprised the original
vast territory of Brown county.
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