A 19th-Century Past, A 21st-Century Vision
Located in the picturesque Zumbro River Valley in southeastern Minnesota, Mantorville has an extraordinarily rich architectural heritage. This quaint town even shares the distinction of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places along with such other famous American locales as Williamsburg, Gettysburg and Freedom Square in Philadelphia. Mantorville was named after brothers Peter and Riley Mantor who arrived in the area in 1853. These early settlers recognized it as a resource-rich location because of the cool-flowing river, hilly acres of woodland layered with easily quarried limestone, and rich, unbroken prairie soil perfect for farming. By 1854, a burgeoning Main Street business district was being built from the local limestone—a product that soon was being shipped to other areas of the country. Mantorville limestone was very soft and easily worked into buildings, bridges and roads. To this day, you may see that limestone in many well-known historic structures including St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, the Dodge County Courthouse (built in 1871 and now the oldest in-use courthouse in Minnesota!), and Hubbell House (built in 1856 as a three-story hotel).
Today, Mantorville is a destination point for visitors from around the U. S. and offers intriguing specialty shops, excellent dining, entertaining live theater, recreational activities, a vivid history as a Civil War-era settlement, year-round festivals, talented artists and much more.