This City In Minnesota Has A Dark Past That Will Never Be Forgotten

Mankato is usually thought of as just another college town in Minnesota. But what many people don’t realize is that it has a dark past that dates back to the 1860s. On December 26th, 1862, Mankato was the site of the largest mass execution in US history.

The U.S.-Dakota War had come to a close and Lincoln ordered the hanging of 38 Dakota men in Mankato for participating in the massacres.

Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper published this drawing of the scene when the 38 were hanged. Lincoln commuted the death sentences of 264 prisoners, but allowed those 38 to continue. One man was granted a reprieve, as there were originally 303 sentenced.

Today this statue, a buffalo carved out of a 67 tons of local Kasota limestone, sits in Reconciliation Park which serves as a reminder on the site of the execution to pay tribute to the Dakota People.

Did you know about this dark moment in Mankato’s past?

Jo Magliocco

Minnesota staff writer for Only in Your State and owner of Minnesota blog NorthGuide.co, I'm a Minneapolis transplant who loves my cats, camera, and local coffee. On the weekends I'm usually exploring the North Shore or making my way through the list of Minnesota's State Parks. Want to talk about MN or ask me a question? Tweet me @sotafiedjo!