Denmark Township Historical Society

DENMARK TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY

2016 Membership Invitation 

DTHS works to preserve the history and stories at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers.  From stories of the ghost towns and farms of Point Douglas and Basswood Grove to memories of local one room school houses, DTHS keeps history alive.  

Denmark Township Historical Society hosts free programs for community members.  

DTHS collects oral histories of local residents to preserve the stories of our older residents.  A Vintage Farm Machinery and Car Show is held each October at the Denmark Town Hall.  Denmark Township is home to apple orchards, farms, a county park, several cemeteries, and a nature center.  In the early days of Minnesota state history, Denmark Township had many school houses, and a thriving town at Point Douglas.  Events hosted by DTHS highlight the history of our beautiful area.  

DTHS is working to preserve and restore Valley School, District 34 in Point Douglas, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The Valley School was a vital part of the community of Point Douglas for more than a century.  Built in 1852, Valley School District #34 was much more than a school—it was a center of family activities such as box suppers, community meetings and school programs.  After the one-room school closed in 1946, its new owners, the Point Douglas Woman’s Club, continued holding card parties, luncheons and meetings there until 1972, when they sold it.

Today, 160 years after the schoolhouse was built, it still stands on its original site at 13728 St. Croix Trail South, in the former village of Point Douglas in Denmark Township, south Washington County.  In January 2012 the Denmark Township Historical Society, a 501©3 organization, bought the schoolhouse and land, with plans to restore it so it can once more  be a rich resource for the community.  Members envision a time when the restored schoolhouse will host schoolchildren learning about pioneer education, visitors to the Lower St. Croix Valley wanting information about the area, and people attending programs and events organized by the Society. 

Valley School holds an important place in the history of the St. Croix Valley as the only publicly- owned building left in what was the major lumbering and supply center of Point Douglas, now a ghost town.  Because of its location at the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers—the only means of transportation—the village was called the “Gateway to Minnesota.”

Members of the Denmark Township Historical Society launched a capital fundraising campaign with a goal of $325,000, including $80,000 for the purchase of the building and land and $245,000 for restoration costs. Generous donors enabled the Society to reach the goal of purchasing the school on May 1, 2013.  In May 2014 District 34, Valley School, was entered into the National Register of Historic Places. We are honored to be participating in this national movement to preserve our cultural heritage for the future generations. Currently, we are working on the first phase of planning for the restoration of the building.  This phase involves careful architectural study and grant applications for restoration.  We are so very grateful to our community, donors, and members for your support.

For more information about DTHS, please contact president Carena Kelz 651-357-4244.

Donations to the Denmark Township Historical Society are tax-deductible and can be made directly through this website or mailed to DTHS at 14008 90th St. South, Hastings MN 55033.