Wasioja has a pretty amazing history going back to the 1850's. In 1862 it had a flour mill, a seminary, dozens of stores, and a hotel....then the civil war began. 80 men from this community left, and only 25 came back...the town never recovered from it's loss.
This is the only civil war recruiting station left in the state of Minnesota and the only known one still standing west of the Mississippi. Over 200 men joined the war and marched away from this station.
The Seminary was built in 1860 for the Free Will Baptists and had over 300 students enrolled in the first year. 25 students from here marched off to war.
The Seminary closed in 1894, and burned in 1905. This is the remains.
These evergreens were planted for those who never came home.
The school was built in 1860.
