Minnesota State University, Mankato: A History of Growth and Transformation

Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU), a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, has a rich history dating back to the 19th century. From its origins as a normal school focused on teacher education, it has evolved into a comprehensive university offering a wide array of undergraduate and graduate programs. This article explores the key milestones and transformations in the history of Minnesota State University, Mankato.

The Founding and Early Years as Mankato Normal School (1868-1921)

The state legislature recognized the need for an education center in southern Minnesota in 1858. In 1860, the legislature chartered the development of state-run normal schools across the state. Through the efforts of local attorney and state legislator Daniel Buck, the newly formed City of Mankato donated $5,000 raised from the community and sold $5,000 in bonds to found the second state normal school, Mankato Normal School. Chartered in state law in 1860, the Mankato Normal School held its first classes in 1868 with an enrollment of 27. The first classes were held in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal Church by Professor George M. Gage. A building was constructed in 1869 on Fifth Street. The school's original mission was to train and educate teachers for rural schools in southern Minnesota. Early coursework included mathematics, science, civil engineering, agriculture, western classics, and basic pedagogy. The first Normal School-owned building's cornerstone was laid on June 22, 1869. George M. Gage served as the first principal.

A significant event in the early history of the school was the "Sears Rebellion." In 1872, Julia Sears became the first woman to head a public college in the United States. However, in 1873, the State Normal Board demoted Sears to assistant principal, replacing her as principal with David C. Hyde. After it was determined that Hyde would receive the position, 41 students refused to attend classes and 32 were expelled for failing to return after three days. 60 residents signed a petition requesting that Hyde return to his position as instructor and that Sears be reinstated as assistant principal. This became known as the "Sears Rebellion," which lasted until Sears left the school for a professorship at Peabody Normal School.

Transition to Mankato State Teachers College (1921-1957)

By 1921, the school had grown to the point that it began to offer four-year bachelor's degrees. As a result, it was renamed "Mankato State Teachers College".

Post-War Expansion and the Move to Highland Campus

Clarence L. Crawford became college president in 1946. He held the position for 20 years, overseeing and promoting tremendous growth of the college from approximately 400 students at the time of his arrival to about 14,000 when he retired in 1966. During the postwar period, student enrollment expanded greatly. The original university buildings were then in what was known as the Valley Campus, down the hill in lower Mankato. The Valley Campus's size and footprint lacked the space needed to handle the growing student body. The Mankato Teachers College received 12 former Army barracks as a short-term solution.

By the late 1950s work began on an entirely new, modern campus atop the river valley bluff. This became the Highland Campus. An experimental school, the Wilson School, was built on the Highland Campus to research and apply new teaching methods for students in grades K-12.

Broadening Mission and Renaming to Mankato State College (1957-1975)

By 1957, the institution's mission had broadened to comprehensive four-year college education, and the legislature changed the school's name to Mankato State College.

Achieving University Status: Mankato State University (1975-1998)

By the 1960s the institution had grown so rapidly that a bill was proposed in the state legislature to elevate it to university status. In 1975 the college successfully made the case for university status and was renamed "Mankato State University". This change reflected a further 40% growth in the student body to 12,000 students by 1972. Following this, the number of programs increased, to include science, technology, engineering, health sciences, and others.

Becoming Minnesota State University, Mankato (1998-Present)

In 1995, the seven state universities were transferred to the newly created Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system by a mandate from the state legislature. The university was renamed Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1998 in recognition of its significant contribution to the state's higher education system. This name change was also intended to broaden recognition of the university in the Midwest. Richard Rush, then the president of the university, said of the name change, "Our goal is to make this university the other great public university in Minnesota." This marked a significant change in direction in the institution's history, one that would later be realized as it fought to be authorized to award doctoral degrees.

Academic Programs and Organization

MNSU offers over 130 undergraduate programs of study, 13 pre-professional programs, and over 85 graduate programs. Each year, over 3,000 students graduate from MNSU. The university is organized into seven discipline-specific colleges. MNSU has a history of creating new programs to meet the demand of new and developing fields.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Campus Life and Student Activities

Minnesota State's undergraduate student body includes a large proportion of residential full-time students. Minnesota State has five residence communities, housing up to 2,900 students: McElroy Hall, Crawford Hall, Preska Hall, Julia Sears Hall, and apartment-style Stadium Heights. On-campus housing is optional.

The university also has satellite campuses, including one in Edina, serving a diverse student body from the southwest Twin Cities metropolitan area. Programs at this campus include 12 undergraduate programs, including bachelor's degrees, bachelor's completion programs, undergraduate minors, and teaching licensure. Another site is a collaboration of Minnesota State University, Mankato, South Central College, and Riverland Community College to provide lower-division liberal arts, career, and technical education, and upper-division and graduate-level studies in one location in Owatonna.

First published on March 23, 1926, The Reporter is the university's student-run newspaper. It covers Minnesota State athletics and campus happenings and publishes editorials and thought pieces.

MNSU is home to the nation's second-oldest LGBT resource center for students. Originally called the "Alternative Lifestyles Office", the center was founded by Minnesota State alumnus James Chalgren in 1977.

Athletics

The Minnesota State Mavericks consists of eight men's and ten women's varsity teams. More than 650 students participate in athletics each year for the university. It offers teams in men's and women's hockey and basketball, football, baseball, golf, women's swimming, track, cross country, women's tennis, wrestling, soccer, golf, volleyball, and softball. The men's and women's ice hockey teams both compete in NCAA Division I. The school mascot is Stomper the Maverick, a caricature of a wild steer. The school colors are purple and gold, officially announced in 1892.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

Minnesota State athletics teams have placed favorably in national competitions in NCAA Division II athletics in several sports including hockey, football, baseball, women's basketball, men's basketball, men's track & field, wrestling, women's soccer and softball.

Key Landmarks and Traditions

The Ostrander-Student Memorial Bell Tower stands in the campus arboretum. The Minnesota State fight song is "The Minnesota State Rouser", also known as the "Maverick Rouser". It is played at all the athletics events as well as other events, along with the school song, "The Minnesota State Hymn". Minnesota State hosted the Minnesota Vikings summer training camp from 1966 to 2017. The Taylor Center opened in 2000, and was made possible by the donations of alumnus Glen Taylor. The MNSU Admissions office is also there, and the 5,000 square-foot Hall of Champions showcases the university's history.

Mankato's Historical Context

In 1880, Mankato was the fourth largest city in Minnesota with a population of 5,500. Today, more than 50,000 people call Mankato and North Mankato home. Mankato was originally named “Mahkato” (meaning greenish-blue earth) by its early inhabitants, the Dakota. Today, many memorials and buildings exist to commemorate the diverse and important history that has shaped the Greater Mankato area.

In 1852, Parsons K. Johnson and Henry Jackson staked claims along these banks of the Minnesota River and founded the town of Mankato. The city was established on land purchased in the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux between the US government and the Dakota, breaking of this treaty by the government lead to the US-Dakota Conflict of 1862. North Mankato, which sits just across the river, was established in 1898. The first bridge between North Mankato and Mankato was an iron truss bridge constructed in 1879.

Mankato received its charter on March 6, 1868. It provided for a mayor and three city council members and remained intact until 1952, when the council/manager form of government was approved.

Historical Attractions in Greater Mankato

The Mankato Heritage Plaque program is a collaboration between the City of Mankato and the Blue Earth County Historical Society highlighting our community’s historic places. There are currently 18 heritage plaques installed around Greater Mankato at historic buildings, homes, and some of our city parks. Each Mobile History tour features stories not included on the plaque. The timeline features history specifically of interest to travelers.

Maud Hart Lovelace wrote 13 Betsy-Tacy books from 1940 to 1955. The books were set in Mankato (Deep Valley) at the turn of the twentieth century and told the story of Lovelace (Betsy) and her best friend Frances ‘Bick’ Kenney (Tacy). Julie Schrader, of Minnesota Heritage Publishing said “Maud Hart Lovelace is specifically important to Mankato because our history at the turn of the 20th century is recorded within the pages of the Betsy-Tacy books. The books are fiction based on fact. Maud did not rely only on her childhood memories, but was meticulous in her research for accuracy. Most all of the characters are based on real people Maud knew and all of the places were real places in Mankato.”

From 1903-1977, the Carnegie Library served Mankato and surrounding area as a public library. Now the Carnegie Art Center serves the Southern Minnesota area as a space for visual art with two galleries and a gift shop area and rental of private studio space. The building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980 and was added to the Mankato’s Heritage Preservation Landmarks in 2018. The Carnegie also received in 2018 an Honor award from the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota.

The Historic R. D. Hubbard House is one of the finest examples of the classic Victorian architecture in Minnesota. Explore the 16-room mansion of local flour mill giant R.D. Hubbard and his family, completed in 1905. The Hubbard House is open seasonally May-September.

Built in 1916, the Historic Masonic Hall is Mankato’s newest wedding and event space.

Realizing the need for a local source of flour, Louis Seppmann, a stone mason by trade, began construction of this wind mill in 1862. The 32-foot-high stone flour mill was completed in 1864. By the time Minneopa State Park was established in 1905, only the foundation of the granary remained. In 1970, the granary was completely rebuilt to its original dimensions with new materials.

Moulin Rouge House, originally known as the historic Hunt House, was purchased in 2018 by owners, Chris Crowell and Kristin Fisher with the intention of restoring the home to its original Queen Anne style beauty. Named after the Moulin Rouge Beauty Shop, located in the home’s parlor from 1940-2015, the home was originally built in 1886 by the owner of the Mankato Free Press, Lewis and Lisbeth Hunt.

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