Greenleafton, Minnesota

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Greenleafton is a small hamlet located in York Township of Fillmore County, Minnesota. The name honors Mrs. Greenleaf, a benefactor of the Dutch Reformed Church (now the Reformed Church in America) established there.

[edit] Geography

Greenleafton is located at 43°34'48" North, 92°12'36" West. It is southeast of Spring Valley and southwest of Preston, Minnesota. It appears in all but the most recent state transportation maps.

The area features a Karst topography. Nearby Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park features the state's longest publicly-accessible cave system. Caves even closer to the town have been discovered and are opening up for exploration.

[edit] History

Greenleafton was first settled by Dutch immigrants, including Arend Jan Nagel, who moved westward from Alto, Wisconsin, seeking inexpensive land. Like him, many of the first settlers had originally come from the Achterhoek region which is in province of Gelderland in The Netherlands or from neighboring areas in Germany. These settlers established the Greenleafton Reformed Church in 1867. Norwegians and other groups also settled the area.