Its historic bridge out, Southeast Minnesota ghost town gets temporary span

Jun. 11—FORESTVILLE, Minn. — Ken Heidlebaugh has worked as an interpreter at the Minnesota State Historical Society's Forestville for six years.

"It's the best job I've ever had," he said. "I get paid to talk to people."

Heidlebaugh gives tours of the remaining buildings of the 19th-century town and guides them through hands-on displays and activities.

"Before going into the kitchen, it's tradition to ring the dinner bell," he said to Marquez Johnson, who toured the site Sunday, June 9, 2024.

Johnson gave the bell a pull, sounding out two loud rings.

"You can hear that out in the field," Heidlebaugh said.

Last summer, Heidlebaugh and other tour guides and historic interpreters at the village site were forced to take the year off. Most events and tours there were canceled after the bridge into the village, built in 1899, was closed for safety reasons following an inspection in December 2022.

Last week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources opened a pedestrian bridge spanning the south branch of the Root River, restoring access to the Fillmore County ghost town from the south and from the Forestville State Park campgrounds.

The following day, the historic site had its busiest day of the season, with about 150 visitors.

"That's a solid day," said Matt Eidem, Historic Forestville site manager.

Meanwhile, the steel truss structure sits behind a fence on a lot south of its mooring for 124 years. It was temporarily removed for eventual restoration and to prevent further damage and trespassing. The goal of the Minnesota Historical Society, the DNR and the Fillmore County Historical Society is to repair and restore the bridge and then place it back where it was. When it was removed, the bridge was the oldest one in use in Fillmore County. A timeline for the project has not been announced, as funding for the work is still being secured.

The bridge, along with surviving buildings, contributes to the entire historic site. It's the first thing most visitors interact with when visiting the site.

"It's an entry point to the past," Eidem said. "You walk across an old bridge and into a world that doesn't exist anymore."

According to the Minnesota Historical Society, European settlers moved into the Forestville area in 1852. The town was organized in 1855 — three years before Minnesota became a state — and was incorporated in 1891. It had a post office, multiple businesses including a blacksmith shop, a cabinet shop, saw mill, a grist mill, general stores and hotels.

The boom town went bust after the anticipated railroad bypassed Forestville in 1886. The steel bridge, the third built at the Forestville crossing of the Root River, was the last major construction project at the town. The post office closed in 1902 and in 1910, the final general store closed its doors.

The Minnesota State Legislature created the Forestville State Park in part to preserve the ghost town in 1949.

The site is a draw for campers and park visitors. The south crossing is the most convenient way for park visitors to get to the town.

Johnson was camping at Forestville along with Ashley Jacobson. The two, from Minneapolis, decided to take a scheduled tour of the site Sunday morning.

The two catch sites when they travel and camp, but often they do self-guided tours of historic sites. They said they were grateful for the guided tour on Sunday.

"It's nice to hear the history," Jacobson said. "Hearing it, you get a little more context and it's more interesting than reading a sign."

"And there's only so much information you can fit on a sign," Johnson said, adding you can't ask a sign questions.

Eidem said it's nice to see visitors returning to the town for the season.

"It was a long season (last year)," he said.

Interpreter-guided tours are Thursdays through Sundays through Labor Day.

A barn dance with Bob Bovee is scheduled for Saturday, June 15, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.