POMME DE TERRE
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POMME DE TERRE |
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NAME: Pomme de Terre COUNTY: Grant ROADS: 2WD GRID: 3 CLIMATE: Snow in Winter, warm is Summer BEST TIME TO VISIT: Spring, Summer, Fall |
COMMENTS:
Go 3 miles east of Elbow Lake on Hwy.79,
then 5 miles north on Co.Rd. 21,(which dead ends where it meets Co.Rd. 4).
The site was just east of this intersection. The river crosses under the
road and the schoolhouse is 1/4 mile to the east. REMAINS: Schoolhouse and Cemetery (Pomme de Terre Riverside) |
| The village of Pomme de Terre, was located along the old stage route from St. Cloud to Fort Abercrombie. The village was laid out by Timothy Heald in 1868, platted in 1874, and was the first village in Grant County. In 1873, Fred Williams and man named Schaeffer built a grist mill on the Pomme de Terre River near a small bodyof water, which has for many years been known as the Mill Pond. Thereafter, the town was off to a good start with a Post Office (1868-1902), two General Stores, one of which was a two story, two BlacksmithsShops, an Elevator, which burned in 1887, a Hotel and Saloon, Schoolhouse and of course, the Grist Mill. In 1873 an attempt was made to make Pomme de Terre the county seat, but it failed. After such a good start, however, the railroad did not come, running some distance to the north. All that remains today is the Schoolhouse, which is now the Pomme de Terre Township Hall and a small cemetery (Pomme de Terre Riverside).The village was named after the lake to the South. It is received from the early French voyageurs and traders, meaning literally apple of the earth, that is, a potato, but it was here applied to the edible ovoid-shaped root of the wild turnip (Psoralea esculenta), called Tipsinah by the Dakota Indians. During my research of this ghost town, I was delighted to learn that I had spent many a warm Summer's day around the old schoolhouse and village site.You see, the ghost town of Pomme de Terre was located on my uncle's farm. Many thanks to Patty Benson of the Grant County Historical Society for her assistance. Submitted by: Duane V. Peterson |
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