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Faribault Regional Center

The land was eventually divided up among farmers. In 1889, dairy farmer G.M. Gilmore sold his farm and another small tract of land near the School for the Feeble-Minded (most recently called the Faribault Regional Center or FRC) to the trustees of the State Institution. The land was to be farmed by the residents of the FRC to serve as a therapeutic activity. The produce was to be used to support the hospital’s population. 726 acres of the land eventually became today’s River Bend Nature Center.

From the late 1800’s to the late 1960’s the farm included a wide variety of operations, such as a dairy farm, piggery, quarry, and numerous vegetable gardens. About 24 residents worked in the dairy operation, 20 on the general farm, 12 in the piggery, and 40-80 in the vegetable gardens.

Springdale Cottage, located where the Arbor Trail loop is today, was where most of the residents who worked on the farm lived and the hub from which farming activities radiated. A fire hydrant and sidewalk remnant located off the trail are the few remaining signs of this building.

Vegetables harvested included berries, peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, lettuce, celery, and potatoes. Much of these fruits and vegetables were canned to be eaten throughout the year. Evidence of disposed tin cans can still be found to the east of Walnut trail at River Bend.
Evidence of the quarry from which limestone was mined can be seen to the southwest of River Bend’s Trailside building. The limestone was taken up to the FRC, where it was crushed to use in concrete for laying some of the early sidewalks.

The old dairy was located along today’s Rustad Road. When the dairy operation began, about 70 cows supplied the milk necessary for the FRC, as well as other institutions. The piggery was also operated along Rustad Road. About 22 hogs were butchered each week.
Much of what is River Bend’s prairie today was pasture for cattle and hogs and was later cornfields. A new dairy was built, located in an area called Peaceful Valley, on today’s Dairy Lane. The dairy barn still standing was built in 1955 after the original barn burned to the ground.

The operation of the farm eventually became less economical. All farming operations were discontinued on July 1, 1969. From 1969 to 1978 no large-scale land management plans were followed, with the exception of some of the land being used as cornfields.

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