A Look at Hallock, MN

Hallock was founded by Charles Hallock, a man from New York City who came to hunt for many years. Charles Hallock founded the magazine “Field and Stream” and he considered the Northwest Corner of Minnesota to be a “Sportsmen’s Paradise.”

In his autobiography, "An Angler's Reminiscence," he wrote of this area, "bands of elk came within a few miles to town; once a moose ran directly through the village, past the post office; a black bear came up out of the bottoms to play with the school children at recess; a couple of pet bears were always kept on hand for the Swedes to practice boxing on."

A few years after Hallock first came to hunt, James J. Hill built the railroad.

Hallock is the county seat of Kittson County, which was organized in 1879. Kittson County is named after a fur trader named Norman W. Kittson.

Kittson County was once part of glacial Lake Agassiz. Evidence of this prehistoric lake can still be seen in the topography of the county today. Remnants of “McCauleyville Beach” of Lake Agassiz, can be found on the eastern portion of the county. This is an area of sandy soil and sand ridges.

Evidence of occupation dating back 1800 years has been confirmed through archaeological expeditions done in the 1930’s and the 1970’s around the burial mounds that are located on the sand ridges in the eastern part of the county. This dates back to the “Woodland Period.” Evidence has been found that the Laurel, Arvilla, St. Croix & Blackduck complexes were the early occupants of the county. However, approximately 400 years ago, the Cree, Assiniboin, Sioux and Ojibway inhabited the county.

Joe Rolette, who started a fur post for the American Fur Company in Pembina, and Norman W. Kittson were two explorers who predominately opened this area by developing the Red River Ox Cart trails and broadening the use of the ox carts. The need for the ox carts diminished as the steamboats became the new mode for transporting furs and supplies; eventually the steamboats were replaced by the railroad.

Hallock has Kittson County’s only Ice Arena, and Curling Club. The Two River Golf Club is a 9-hole golf course with a new clubhouse. There are two tennis courts, a swimming pool, two baseball diamonds, and campgrounds located within two different parks (Horseshoe and Gilbert-Olson Park). 

There is one bowling alley, three restaurants/bars, three motels, two gas stations, a race-track with new grandstand facilities, county fairgrounds, recycling center, community compost pile, several shopping locations, and six churches.

Hallock has a hospital, clinic, and nursing-home located at the Kittson Memorial Health Campus. There is a K-12 school which represents the communities of Hallock, Kennedy, Humboldt, and St. Vincent.

Recently, Kittson Central has incorporated Lancaster into their athletic programs, and now they are known as Kittson County Central. There is one library in Hallock, which is part of the Northwest Regional Library System. There is a new Senior Center in Hallock, which they call the Station. Hallock has 36 senior housing units.

Farming is a big part of Hallock’s culture, and an even bigger part of their economy. Farms are not too diverse, most planting monocultures of corn, sugar beets, soy beans, or others. An ethanol plant was recently built south of Hallock.

NMF Board Member Kristin Eggerling resides in Hallock.

 
Click here for demographics and other interesting facts and details about Kittson County.

NMF Investments

From Inception to January 2015

Grants

·       Kittson County                 256 totaling $197,548 (.9% of total regional investment)

Loans

·       Kittson County                 26 totaling $1,705,683 (7% of total regional investment)

Leadership Trainees

·       Kittson County                 19 (2% of total regional trainees)

Management Trainees

·       Kittson County                 32 (1.3% of regional trainees)

Component Funds

·       Kittson County                 4 (1.2% of regional component funds)