Dayton, Minnesota started as an early settlement.  Like much of the surrounding area, Dayton was mostly an area filled with forests. Some of the trees that were common in the area were oak, ash, and birch. Other main geographical features were grasslands and marshes. However, the settlers were not as interested in the forests, and they cut down timber in order to make use of the rich soil for agricultural purposes.

The area was mainly agricultural. People made their living off of what they could grow. Most of the development in the area was a result from the growth of Minneapolis. This growth caused additional residents to seek more private areas to live, therefore, it caused places like Dayton to be residentially developed. Each of the pioneers were allowed to have five acres of land total. President Lincoln created a program where if the owners homesteaded the land for more than five years, they received the five acres for free. Because of this amazing opportunity, settlers came from all over to farm the land, and the development of the township began to flourish.

During the winter months when there wasn’t enough farming to be done, the men of the township found work in the local pine forest by cutting down and chopping up trees for wood. This allowed for the settlers to provide for their families year-round. The logs would be shipped out to Minneapolis as soon as the rivers thawed out, and then the men would return to farming.

Dayton Township, settled in 1851 was named, like its village, platted in 1855, in honor of Lyman Dayton of St. Paul, one of the original proprietors. His main way of living was investing in real estate, and he had a large impact on the city of Dayton.

If you have any questions regarding the city of Dayton, Minnesota, or if you would like to sell or buy a house in the area, please feel free to visit TwinCitiesPropertyFinder.com or call 1-800-909-1953.