Winsted/Winsted Township

Winsted

James Baird, trapper and trader, first settled the site of present-day Winsted in 1846.

Eleven years later, the community’s founder, Eli F. Lewis, platted the site and built a soap and potash factory. In addition, he bought and dried ginseng roots to sell for medicine.

He named the town for his birthplace in Connecticut, and the original name of Winsted Lake was Lake Eleanor, in honor of Lewis’ wife.

The community grew very slowly during its early years. Only one small log dwelling existed in the town site at the beginning of 1866.

Later that year, a sawmill was established. In 1867, a one-room schoolhouse and a blacksmith shop were built. A flour mill was added to the sawmill in 1869. The mill, powered by an old steamboat engine, produced a variety of flour, farina, and animal feed.

The thriving community was finally incorporated as a village in 1887, nearly 30 years after its founding. Population in 1890 was 267.

Besides three churches, the growing village boasted four general stores, three saloons, three hardware stores, two drug stores, a harness shop, hotel, post office, meat market, livery stable, and a blacksmith shop.

Winsted has experienced steady growth over the past 100 years, with a 1990 population of 1,581, and a 2010 population of 2,355. The town began manufacturing lighting products, custom welding, racking and shelving, building trusses and components, and dairy products.

Other major employers include trucking lines, banking, a large nursing home, and a variety of retail trade and services.

The parks, stores, restaurants, and shops in downtown Winsted can meet most of the needs of trail visitors.

Because the trail does not go through the town center, an information kiosk is at the point where the trail enters the community on its southeastern edge.

The city has signed a bike route to downtown from the trail that passes a city park on Lake Winsted.

Since the purchase of the Luce Line by the DNR in the 1970s, a severance in the trail has existed at Winsted. Other parties have purchased and developed the former rail grade through town.

A grant-in-aid snowmobile route around the south edge of town has bridged the gap for winter use, but a more permanent route open for all users would be more desirable.

The DNR and Luce Line Trail Association will work with willing landowners to secure a route for the trail.

Winsted Township

Winsted Township lies between Hale and Hollywood townships, enclosing the city of Winsted.

When the gap in the trail is closed at Winsted, the trail will probably be in Winsted Township rather than within the corporate limits of the city of Winsted.

Township population in the 1990 census was 1,103. This rural, farming township is in the northeastern corner of McLeod County, bordering Carver County to the east and Wright County to the north.

A block south of the trail, three-fourths of a mile east of Winsted, across Highway 85, is one of the McLeod County Parks.

McLeod County Park #3 is also known as William May Park, and it was named for a Civil War veteran. This 70-acre wooded park offers a shady spot for picnicking with a shelter, grills, vault toilets, and hand-pumped water. It is a remnant maple-basswood forest with mature sugar maple, basswood, hackberry, and ironwood.