Take a trip down memory lane and discover the historic past of Verndale, MN. People think that nothing happens in a small town, but examine the photos on this site and you will see that quite a lot has happened at Verndale over the past 130 years.

Photo Galleries:

CHECK OUT the new photo galleries: Photo Gallery 1 & Photo Gallery 2 & Photo Gallery 3

Add your old Verndale photos to this site.
Photo Gallery 3 is specially designated for vintage Verndale photos that are contributed. Please let me know if you have a photo that you would like to contribute and I will gladly scan it and post it in Photo Gallery 3. You can also email me scans of your photo(s) at ctdd98@yahoo.com.

Verndale's WWII Hero - General Lesley J. McNair:
General Lesley McNair was one the most important leaders of the U.S. Army during World War II; he may also be one of the most unknown.

In 1940, General George C. Marshal selected McNair to be the chief of staff at General Headquarters, United States Army. General Headquarters was responsible for mobilizing, organizing and training the Army ground forces. In March 1942, the Army was re-organized into three areas: Army Ground Forces, Army Service Forces, and the Army Air Forces. McNair was designated Commanding General, Army Ground Forces.

Over the next two years, General McNair architected and managed the largest mobilization in the history of the United States. By the end of the war, Army Ground Forces had:

* recruited, organized, trained, and shipped to overseas combat areas more than 2,000,000 men
* activated more than 80 divisions across five specialties (infantry, mountain, armored, airborne, and cavalry)
* maintained at fighting strength the Army Ground Forces fighting in three major theaters around the world

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Verndale's Civil War Heroes - First Minnesota Volunteer, Infantry Regiment:

Harrison Lyons
Harrison was the third of four brothers, all of whom served during the Civil War. Stephan, the oldest, (1839) & Harrison served together in company A of the 1st Minnesota Infantry. George F (1841) served in the 9th Minnesota and John L, the youngest (1847) served in the 11th Minnesota. At 6' 2" tall, Harrison was the tallest enlisted man in the regiment. On June 29, 1862, at Savage Station, while charging a Confederate artillery battery, he was wounded by a piece of shell cutting the right side of his right knee. The regiment retreated. He was left on the field and eventually captured. The hospitals were full of sick and wounded. He lay on the battlefield without shelter for 10 days, all the time being exposed to heat, cold and rain. He was then moved to the Libby prison hospital in Richmond. He was exchanged six weeks after his capture.

Harrison was an influential member of his community. He was County Commissioner for Wadena from 1876 through 1917. He sold property, farmed, was a County Clerk and Justice of the Peace. Charles Parker, a comrade from their days in the First Minnesota, also lived in Verndale and they were best of friends. The two of them went on exploratory excursions in northern Minnesota as they surveyed much of the land up there. Lyons State Forest is named after Harrison.

Charles Parker
Charles Parker is another Verndale citizen who was in the First Minnesota, Infantry Regiment. Parker was born at Faribault, MN, and came to Verndale in about 1876 with a few of the earliest settlers. Mr. Parker owned a dry goods store and was involved in other ventures. He and his family left Verndale for Forsyth, Montana, in 1884; but three months later he died on July 13, 1884. He was only 47 years old. His remains were sent back to Minnesota for burial. The GAR Post #113 in town was named after him.

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Read the news from the 1880's when Verndale was a growing pioneer town with a bright future. You're sure to find the Verndale Journal newspaper from the 1880s very interesting.

In the Spring of 1880, the enterprising E.M. Britts came to town from Osage, IA, and erected his large flour mill on the banks of the Wing River just north of town. Read about this historic grist mill, the first water powered mill in the northern part of the state.

Did you know that Verndale was once home to St. Otto's College and Academy?

Read about one of Verndale's most colorful pioneers: John Wesley Speelman. He started the Verndale Sun newspaper and has the dubious honor of introducing carp to the waterways of Wadena County.

Checkout photos of the the old fair ground's grandstand on the Fun & Games page.

Have fun exploring historic Verndale on this site!
Come back soon as new information and photos are being added all the time.