Historic Rock Wall gets total makeover
by Karin L. Nauber
For many years now, the Historic Rock Wall that surrounds the Historic Todd County Court House and the general area around the county buildings in Long Prairie, has been talked about.
What to do about it and how to pay for any “fixing” of the wall has been the main discussion points.
A lot of work on grants and specifics was worked on by former County Coordinator Chris Pelzer among others and finally grant dollars were obtained to do part of the work.
The rock wall has been a part of the Todd County landscape since the early 1900s.
According to Pelzer (in an interview before her retirement from the county), “The wall did change quite a bit with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) project that was completed in 1938. That is when the entire front entrance was done and the stairway was completed, as well. I believe that is when we also went to a one tier wall versus the original two tier.”
Pelzer knows a lot about the historic rock wall. She has done research for grants to help get each phase done since around 2018.
In the summer of 2023, the county was awarded a large construction grant through the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS). They were approved for a $395,000 grant and the county’s match was larger, at approximately $616,000.
The funds are coming from the Minnesota Historical Society, Historical and Cultural Heritage Program....