Peterson is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 199 at the 2010 census.
History
In the year 1853, Peter Peterson Haslerud purchased and platted the village site of Peterson and was the major force behind its early growth and development. The community was named after him. After buying the land and platting the town, he was elected to the Minnesota State Legislature, served in several appointed positions and in 1856 was appointed by the Governor of Minnesota as Immigration officer for the 14th District of Minnesota. Peter was instrumental in bringing the railroad through Rushford Township in 1867 and he gave the railroad company fifteen acres of land and along with other citizens contributed $800. to secure a station and warehouse at Peterson. Peter began buying wheat from local farmers and shipping it back to the eastern part of the U.S.
In 1870, a post office was established in Peterson and Even A. Hjelie was appointed first postmaster. In 1871, Peter Peterson Haslerud developed a "trout farm" on his property outside Peterson and continued to expand the boundaries of the town.
In 1873, Ole Ensberg started a blacksmith shop and in 1874 an additional quarter section of land was laid out into lots and added to the village of Peterson. In 1875, two general stores, a hardware store, and a drug store were established. In 1875, the telegraph was installed at the railroad station and G.P. Haslerud (Peter Peterson Haslerud's oldest son) was appointed agent. Also in that year fifteen additional acres were platted and Prospect Park, Mill, Centennial, Fillmore, Church, and Myrtle Streets were named. In 1876, a mill was built with farmers living in the surrounding areas subscribing most of the stock. A livery barn, a steam mill, the Peterson Hotel, the Northwestern Bar and other small businesses opened for business.
In 1882, the Minnesota and Dakota Gazetteer, gave a contemporary description of Peterson:
"An unincorporated village of 100 inhabitants in Rushford Township, northeastern part of Fillmore County, and a station on the Southern Minnesota Railroad, 25 miles from Preston and 120 miles from Minneapolis. It is situated on the Root Rover which furnishes power to a flour mill at this point. A steam flour mill is also in operation in the village and there is a Lutheran church and district school. The exports are flour and wheat. Modes of communication are: Western Union Telegraph, American Express, two stages semi-weekly from Pilot Mound to Peterson via Arendahl and daily mail service."
Peterson was organized as a village in 1909.
Founder of Peterson- Peter Peterson Haslerud
Born July 21, 1828, in Rollag Parish. Numedal, Norway, Peter was the son of Peter Knutsen Haslerud ( 1775- 1847) and Ingveborg Pedersdr Bole (1785- 1843). Very little is known about his early years, or that of his family however records show he emigrated to the United States at age 14 on May 14, 1843 with his sister Ragnild and her husband Gullick O. Laugen. Their ship "Hercules" set sail with 55 passengers from Norway and arrived in New York ninety seven days later.
There were many reasons for the emigrations from Norway to the United States in the 1800s but economics and/or religion usually played a big part and we don't know that of Peter Haslerud but we do know that one of the first churches in the village he founded was based on the principles of Hans Nielsen Hauge (see Wikipedia's entry on Hauge).
After early years in Wisconsin and Illinois (where he met and married Cornelia Aslaksdtter Anderson Teigen (born October 1, 1824- died April 15, 1892). the year 1853 brought Peter to the land that eventually became the town of Peterson, which is named after him. He plated and planned the village- seeing that schools and churches were built, naming streets and parks, establishing grain elevators and trout farms. The Trout Farm, or Trout Hatchery, has provided trout to stock Minnesota's lakes for over 150 years and is now operated by the State of Minnesota. By 1874 the hatchery supplied at least 100,000 yearling trout to stock waters for fishing.
Prior to 1874 Peter secured hundreds of acres of land in Fillmore County, Minnesota, was responsible for getting a railroad depot for Peterson, brought many businesses to Peterson, served in the Minnesota legislature, was appointed to several governmental positions and contributed to the culture and economy of Fillmore County as well as Peterson.