Pierz Wasn’t Always Known As Pierz; The Story of Pierz

Pierz is a small town in east central Morrison County in Central Minnesota.  It is located along highways 25 and 27 with a population of 1,418.  Pierz was settled in the 1860s when Father Francis Xavier Pierz came to Central Minnesota as a missionary to the native Ojibwe people.  The town was incorporated in 1892 with the name Rich Prairie.  The towns people later voted to rename the town Pierz after Father Pierz in 1894.

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To help tell the story of Pierz I was joined by longtime residents Lloyd Boeder, Herold Meyer and John Kurtz.  Boeder says Father Pierz came to the area in 1865 and started a parish in the community, St. Joseph's Catholic Church.  He says people in Morrison County started moving east of Little Falls in the 1870s and settled in Pierz due to logging and the railroad.  The majority of the people who settled in the Pierz area were German Catholics.  Herold Meyer explained the train came through Genola, which is just south of Pierz, in the early 1900s.  He says his father explained how the sound and sight of the first train coming through was incredible.

Pierz, like many small towns in Minnesota had numerous grocery stores, car dealerships, banks, hotels, bars/saloons, gas stations and black smith shops.  Pierz is unique today for having an active ballroom with a bowling alley in the basement, Thielen Meats, Hartmann's Hardware Store, Pierz Healy High School and numerous medical options for residents.  Pierz is uniquely separated into a downtown south of the church with Hartmann's and Thielen Meats located on what is uptown.

Pierz has undergone many changes over the years.  John Kurtz says one change that isn't for the good is that they don't have restaurants in town anymore.  He says they have plenty of bar/restaurants but not a family restaurant.  Boeder says the town really has lots of events and advertises well.  He indicates they have an Easter egg hunt in the spring, garage sale days in May, during the summer Pierz hosts "Rock, Roll and Stroll" where people bring their vintage cars to town and line them up on the street.  Boeder says they will have 125 to 250 cars that line up once a month for 4 months.  In July Pierz hosts Freedom Fest, which is a country music concert which brings 3,000 to 5,000 people to town.  In August Pierz hosts Crazy Days and they do an Octoberfest in the fall at the park which also includes a parade.

Meyer says the community is also very proud of their school system.  The first school was St. Edward's School, which burned down and then St. Joseph's School was built.  In the 1950s the public school was established.  Pierz Healy High School exists on the east side of Pierz.

Thanks to Frosty's Bar and Event Center for hosting my conversation with John, Herold and Lloyd.  If you'd like to listen to my conversation with John, Herold and Lloyd, it is available below.