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Austin, MN Real EstateAustin, Minnesota is located 111 miles south of Minneapolis on Interstate Highway 35W, near Albert Lea. Founded on the old Territorial Trail on the south banks of the Cedar River, Austin stands at the junction of US Highway 218 and Interstate Highway 90, providing easy access to the City from all directions. In 1853 Austin Nichols built the first log cabin on the Cedar River (also called the Red Cedar River), which he subsequently sold to Chauncey Leverich in 1854. Leverich built the first sawmill in 1854 and supplied the earlier settlers with lumber. A Methodist preacher first held services in 1855. Settlers in covered wagons containing all their worldly possessions trailed by livestock came into the area. The first hotel was started in 1856 by J.H. McKinley, and that year Dr. Ormanzo Allen became the small town's first doctor. In 1885, service to Austin on the Chicago Great Western Railway began, and in 1892, the move that would eventually shape the face of Austin for decades to come, George A. Hormel, Austin native, started George A. Hormel & Co. The last passenger train on the Chicago Great Western Railway left Austin on September 30, 1965, and Austin has not had passenger service since. Of notoriety in the City's history is a strike at the Hormel plant that lasted from August 1984 to June 1985. Then-governor Rudy Perpich requested National Guard intervention to allow replacement workers access to the plant. The strike was documented in the Academy Award-winning Barbara Koppel film, "American Dream." To this day, the town remains divided over the issue of labor unions at the plant. Today, Austin is better-known by the monicker, "Spamtown USA." It's the only Minnesota city outside of the Twin Cities metro area with a Fortune 500 company. Besides Hormel, Austin boasts the Austin Medical Center, part of the world-renowned Mayo Health Systems. Fine arts enthusiasts will appreciate performance art and band, symphony and choir concerts, as well as visual arts exhibits at the Paramount Theater. Outdoor recreation and nature appreciation opportunities abound with the 507-acre Hormel Nature Center featuring restored and remnant prairie, hardwood forest, wetlands, streams and seven miles of trails. Twenty-seven additional area parks, recreation center, astronomical observatory and municipal pool add to the value of the community. For a real cultural opportunity, visit the tongue-in-cheek Spam Museum where visitors are treated to sophisticated exhibits and displays pertaining to the history of Hormel foods and its various products, including the world famous SPAM® line. Local's Notebook:Local Flavor: The SPAM® Café at the SPAM® Museum offers a SPAM® meal to large groups. Kenny's Oak Grill Restaurant--diner fare, Coffee House on Main, and The Point Ice Cream Shop. Area Shopping: Quaint downtown district including Bone Appetite Canine Bakery and Gift Shop, Good Earth Natural Foods (no SPAM here!), antiques and hobby shops; Oak Park Mall; and Sterling Shopping Center. Around Town: Annual events taking place throughout the year include Quilting Weekend Retreats, the Minnesota Storytelling Festival, Birding Festival, Scrapbook Weekend, Fourth of July Festival, National Borrow Show, Mower County Fair and Pioneer Days. Official sites:
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Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul Real EstateMinneapolis (Neighborhoods)St. Paul (Neighborhoods)
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