Bank of Litchfield

G.A.R. Hall & Meeker County Historical Society

Litchfield, Minnesota
Text Box: Litchfield, Minnesota Text Box: Litchfield was named after Mr. E.D. Litchfield, an English capitalist and stockholder of the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, who lived in London. In 1869, a wheat field in Meeker County became the community of Litchfield. The field belonged to George Wheeler, and he built the first house in town. Before this time in Minnesota, the railroads built to the existing communities. Litchfield was one of the first communities to follow the railroad. In November, 1869, it was decided that Litchfield would be the county seat. Litchfield was the first town built on the Minnesota Prairie northwest of the Big Woods. The first hotel in the community was the Litchfield House, which opened in August, 1869. It was also the final hotel to be torn down, in 1986. It had served for many years as an apartment building. In 1888, there were six hotels in Litchfield. The Album of History and Biography of Meeker County from 1888 describes Litchfield in this way: “Litchfield is beautifully located on portions of sections 11, 12, and 14, and reaches north from the shores of lovely Lake Ripley… The entire city is well laid out with wide streets and avenues, and the site is dotted all over with handsome residences, many of them surrounded with elegant and well-kept grounds. The business portion of the city presents a substantial and thrifty appearance, owing to the large number of fine brick stores, offices, hotels, etc., all in fine taste.” Downtown LitchfieldThe shopLitchfieldDepotLitchfield Opera HouseLitchfield HomesLitchfield
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