Historic Forestville — Attraction in Minnesota

Historic Forestville: The Tiny Town with a Historic Story—and a Cool Bridge (Plus a Few Phantom Houses)

We stopped by Historic Forestville late one Saturday afternoon while road-tripping between Minnesota state parks. The quiet setting was a welcome break—but since we arrived after hours, the few historic buildings still standing were closed for the day. Even so, walking the grounds offered a surprising mix of reflection, curiosity, and a little chuckle or two.

Once a bustling town—by 1850s standards—Forestville was home to around 150 residents at its peak, with about 20 buildings, including two hotels, sawmills, a gristmill, a distillery, a school, and the now-famous Meighen general store. But after the railroad bypassed the area in 1868, Forestville's population and purpose quickly faded. By the early 1900s, it was all but gone. Today, only a few of those original buildings remain—some restored, others remembered only by name.

One highlight still very much present, though temporarily out of place, is the Forestville Bridge. Originally built in 1899, this steel truss bridge once carried travelers across the South Branch of the Root River. It’s a rare surviving example of a pin-connected Pratt through truss bridge, one of the last of its kind in Minnesota. While it’s currently removed from its river crossing for repairs and preservation, the bridge remains on-site—a reminder of how much care is being taken to preserve not just buildings, but infrastructure that once connected the town to the wider world.

As for the rest of the site—it’s well-maintained and thoughtfully interpreted by the Minnesota Historical Society. But what really stood out to us were the placards marking where buildings used to be. Some stand beside old stone foundations. Others are staked in carefully mowed grass, commemorating structures long gone. One read something like, “This was where someone lived- a name but without much info.” I couldn’t help but joke with the kids, “Look, everyone—Look at the house thats not there!”

Still, there’s meaning in that simplicity.

Though the descriptions are brief—mostly who lived where—it’s clear the intention is sincere. The goal is to preserve not just structures, but the spirit of a community. Not every piece of history comes with four walls and a chimney. Sometimes it’s just a name on a post where a front door used to be. And that’s enough—a quiet acknowledgment that someone once lived, laughed, and probably had strong opinions about their neighbors on that very spot.

In a way, it reminded us of our own family home lots from generations ago—nothing left standing, but full of memories. This place understands that feeling.

Tip: Arrive earlier in the day if you want to tour the interiors or learn from a guide. But even if you show up late, like we did, you’ll still find a peaceful walk, thoughtful storytelling, and even a bridge that’s worth admiring—whether it’s over...

The modern site was built with the main entrance and parking lot on one side of a river, with the historic area a short walk across a bridge (and through time). Previously you could go on a guided educational tour; however, the bridge is out and tours cancelled until at least 2024. Recommendation: avoid visiting until the bridge is fixed and tours scheduled. Currently, visiting is not worth the effort. At the time of posting there are tiny junk signs which make an attempt, and fail, to guide you down dirt roads to drive to the side of the river that is the remaining historic site with buildings. The purpose of the signs are obscured by text that is too small and overgrown vegetation; at first glance it looks like a garage or estate sale didn't collect signage. They are functionally useless. I only observed their purpose by chance at an intersection while leaving. IF you arrive in the right location in spite of the direction signs, be prepared for very limited roadside parking. Similar junky little signs are located around the site that hold nuggets of information to replace a proper guided tour; however, they blow in the wind making them hard to read to the point of being useless. BE YE WARNED, a grumpy troll lives in one of the buildings watching TV all day. He hates if you touch something as he is mandated to approach, be bluntly rude, then wander about checking to see if you touched anything else while grumbling about missing his show because he doesn't...

Based on online reviews I had a lot of hope for this ... the bridge was blocked off so we couldn't drive through and there wasnt much to do. Or at least we didnt know where to go or what our options were... we had a 6year old and a 2 year old and neither of them found anything that held their interest

Now for Mystery Cave the boys loved it!! It was a lot of fun learning how everything was formed our guide was nice! Only bad thing is I was hoping to be able to touch and feel what it all felt like ... I understand why we couldnt but it's just who I am I want to experience...