City of Mankato history

A building called The Opera house opened in 1872 which brought in many interested travelers.

In 1880, Mankato was the fourth largest city in Minnesota with a population of 5,500.

The first flood was in 1881 and affected small portions of Mankato.

North Mankato, which sits just across the river, was established in 1898.

Mankato Silver DiskPottery etching found during the 1907 dig.

Previously the zoo had held a lion, monkeys, and even alligators. It was founded around 1920 and was an immediate hit among residents.

The building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1924.

Notable flooding did not occur again until 1951 when the banks of the Blue Earth and Minnesota Rivers overflowed into North Mankato.

The books have also been translated in many different languages including German, French, Italian and Japanese. It provided for a mayor and three city council members and remained intact until 1952, when the council/manager form of government was approved.

In 1965, the banks of the Blue Earth River overflowed into Mankato, sparing downtown Mankato but hitting West Mankato the hardest.

Reconciliation Park is a site to reflect, meditate and remember. “A reconciliation for all people.” Dakota Elder Amos Owen, 1997.

In 1999, it was renamed Minnesota State University, Mankato.

In 2011 HarperCollins reissued The Betsy-Tacy Treasury, an anthology of the first four Betsy-Tacy books.