This Central MN Town Was Once Known as Swan

Dassel is a town of 1,472 located in eastern Meeker County along Highways 15 and 12.  Dassel was plotted in 1869 and named for railroad official Bernard Dassel.  To help tell the story of Dassel I was joined by Dassel History Center and Ergot Museum Director and Assistant Director Carolyn Holje and Therese O'Fallon.

First Settlers

The first settlers arrived in the Dassel area in the 1850s with the first settlement north of what is currently Dassel on Swan Lake.  Therese O'Fallon says the first settlement was known as Swan. The location of the settlement changed and the name also changed when the railroad came through the area.  The new name of the town was called Dassel after railroad official Bernard Dassel.  Dassel was plotted in 1869, a post office has been in operation in Dassel since 1869 and the town became incorporated in 1878.

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Railroad

Dassel wasn't the first choice in the area for the railroad to come through.  Nearby Collinwood was.  O'Fallon and Holje indicate the farmer that owned that property wouldn't sell the land the railroad requested so they chose to send the railroad through Dassel instead.  Collinwood was 5 to 6 miles southeast of Dassel.  O'Fallon says there is a school house (now township hall) and a couple buildings still standing where Collinwood was.

Holje says the majority of the early settlers have Scandinavian descent from Finland and Sweden.  The predominant religion in the early days was Covenant Lutheran.

Seed Corn Big Business

Seed corn has been a big industry in Dassel.  Holje says nearby Cokato farms grow sweet corn while Dassel area farms grow seed corn.  Early businesses in Dassel included the elevator, blacksmith shop, hardware stores, a general store, hotels, grocery stores and clothing stores.  As Dassel grew and technology changed Dassel had added numerous car dealerships (Plymouth, Chrysler and Ford), repair garages and gas stations.  Holje says Dassel also had a movie theatre and hospital for a short period of time.

Religious Influence

Dassel has a significant religious influence on the community.  Holje says Dassel had just one bar and it only served beer.  She says they had a group in town called the Christian Temperance Movement who were against alcohol.  Holje isn't sure if Dassel had numerous bars or saloons in the early days of the community.

Prior to 1972 Dassel had its own school system.  Since 1972 Dassel has consolidated with Cokato to form Dassel-Cokato High School.  The school is centrally located between the two communities.

The biggest business in town has been seed corn.  Holje says Dassel had 26 seed corn companies from the late 1800s until 1939.  She says 20 of those went into the hybridization seed corn industry.   Holje indicates agriculture has been huge and continues to be in Dassel along now that have just 3 seed companies in the community.

Famous People from Dassel

Famous people from Dassel include Hildred Olson, who played one of the munchkins in the 1939 film, the Wizard of Oz.  Magnus Johnson was famous for being a Minnesota congressman and U.S. Senator.  He is from the Kingston/Dassel area.

Unique Businesses

Holje says Dassel has unique industry which includes Spectralytics (A Cretex Medical Company), American Time and Signal, and Centrex Rehab.  Dassel and Cokato have hosted the State Amateur Baseball tournament.  Holje and O'Fallon say baseball in big in the community.

Red Rooster Days

Dassel celebrates Red Rooster Days on Labor Day Weekend which includes a parade, queen coronation, and the eating of chicken.  The nearby hatcheries are the inspiration for Red Rooster Days.

If you'd like to listen to my 2-part conversation with Carolyn and Therese, click below.