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March Rapids, Village of

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Author:
Mary Moltzan

Location:
T. 27 N. - R. 3 E., Sec. 4, Township of Eau Pleine

Founded:
c1885

Background:

First called Hope, then March, then March Rapids.

  Around 1875, J. B. Holmes and B. Holmes started a sawmill, operated by water wheel, on the Big Eau Pleine River. A small town called Hope sprang up in 1877. About 1885, T. H. March purchased the Holmes property, platted the town of March, put in a steam operated mill saw, planer, shingle machine and on the south side of the river put in a stave mill and drying sheds. In 1891, Doud Sons & Co, Winona MN, purchased the mill. It was destroyed by fire in 1913. The Douds purchased a mill in Fenwood and had it reassembled at March. The mill closed in the 1920s.

Originally called March, the town was later referred to as March Rapids in school records. The name stuck and is called March Rapids today.

Post Office Established:
April 11, 1892

First Postmaster:
Thomas H. March

About The Post Office:

Located in section 4, Eau Pleine Township. Service was discontinued on February 15, 1922 with mail service from Stratford.

Railroad:

With the C&NW Railroad bypassing March/MarchRapids, Doud built a spur line to Staadt to load their lumber products.

Churches:

See Eau Pleine Township

Schools:

See Eau Pleine Township

Business:

At its peak, March had about 40 buildings including several stores and saloons, a shoe-harness- coffin shop, a dance hall (William Molec built), hotel, boarding house, a popcorn stand, and two room schoolhouse.

Industry:

Stave and heading mill

The sawmill, mentioned in "Background" above, was located in Section 4.

Stories:

See Township of Eau Pleine