Lock From Avon Bank Robbery Is An ‘Interesting Artifact’ At Stearns History Museum [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD - Way back in 1909 there was a bank robbery in Avon. A piece of the lock from the Avon State Bank vault is one of the more interesting artifacts you'll find at the Stearns History Museum.

In 1909 in the morning of October 16th there was a loud explosion in Avon. Somebody tried to rob the bank that morning. So, after the bank vault was blown, the criminals escaped on a train towards Royalton. Then they jumped on another train going toward St. Cloud.

Curator Adam Smith says the bank robbers eventually made it to the Twin Cities, but they were caught two weeks later. They escaped Avon with $1,700 in cash. They also caused about $2,000 in damage to the bank.

After all the excitement, an Avon resident grabbed the lock.

One of the neighbors that lived across the street from the bank, after the robbery took place, he went over to the bank and retrieved this and brought it back home. They kept it in the family for a number of years, until his son brought it into the museum.

Smith says, once the museum got their hands on it, they did their research to confirm its authenticity.

Once a month WJON news features a different interesting artifact in the collection at the Stearns History Museum.