Old Sauk Rapids Home Bought by Historical Society

SAUK RAPIDS -- One of the oldest homes in Sauk Rapids has a new owner. The Benton County Historical Society has recently bought the Robinson-Stanton house at 202 Second Avenue South.

Executive Director Mary Ostby says the property is on the National Historic Registry. She says it is 146 years old and was built in 1873 by Leonard Robinson.

And it was actually quarried out of a granite quarry that existed in downtown Sauk Rapids, by today's standards if you go down one block to the next block where Village Drug sits, behind Village Drug there are two apartment buildings and that is where the old quarry was.

Leonard Robinson was recruited to town back in the 1870s by other local businessmen who wanted him to help them build a dam on the Mississippi River.

Leonard Robinson was brought into town because he knew granite, he knew quarrying, and he knew how to make that happen and there as a lot of granite in the area, so he was instrumental in getting the granite business open in the area.

Ostby says it is the oldest documented home in Sauk Rapids and it even survived the 1886 tornado.

She says how the historical society eventually utilizes the old home is still up in the air, she says they plan to do some fundraising for renovation work. The mainframe is made out of granite block, but it has been covered by stucco over the years.

Eventually, it will be the main building for the Benton County Historical Society. She says it is a larger space than they currently have.