St. Croix Boom Site
United States historic place in Stillwater, Minnesota. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The St. Croix Boom Site is a historic and scenic wayside on the St. Croix River in Stillwater Township, Minnesota, United States. It commemorates the location of a critical log boom where, from 1856 to 1914, timber from upriver was sorted and stored before being dispatched to sawmills downstream. The site was developed as a roadside park along Minnesota State Highway 95 in the 1930s. In 1966 it was designated a National Historic Landmark for its national significance in the theme of industry. It was nominated for being the earliest, most important, and longest serving of the log storage and handling operations that supported Minnesota's major logging industry. Virtually no traces remain of the site's original buildings and structures.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Site |
| Address | 3 mi. N of Stillwater on St. Croix River, Stillwater vicinity, MN |
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | Nov 13, 1966 |
| Listed for | Industry |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 66000407 |
| Type of place | log boom |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 site |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 3 mi. N of Stillwater on St. Croix River, Stillwater, MN |
| Coordinates | 45.0844° N, 92.7856° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Stillwater | 21 listed places in Stillwater → |
| Nearest national park unit | Mississippi National River & Recreation Area · 18 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Lower St. Croix District 12 miles · Highland Ridge 30 miles · Main Day Use 31 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 6 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Washington County
Local history books for Stillwater
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Convict life at the Minnesota State Prison, Stillwater, MinnesotaWilliam Casper Heilbron, 1996Find at Bookshop.org
Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Minnesota
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was St. Croix Boom Site listed on the National Register?
Nov 13, 1966. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Where is St. Croix Boom Site?
3 mi. N of Stillwater on St. Croix River, Stillwater vicinity, Washington County, Minnesota. The nearest national park unit is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, 18 miles away.
Are there historic photographs or drawings of St. Croix Boom Site?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for St. Croix Boom Site?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near St. Croix Boom Site?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Lower St. Croix District, 12 miles away. Highland Ridge is 30 miles away, and Main Day Use is 31 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at St. Croix Boom Site?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G and AT&T 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 66000407. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.