Garen, Minnesota

Garen is an abandoned townsite in Washington County, Minnesota.

History

Garen was a town just south of Forest Lake, Minnesota. It was located on present U.S. Route 61 and 190th Street. Garen South School in District No. 72 opened in 1893. It had 5 grades: A, B, C, D, and E. The school eventually burned to the ground and the site is now covered in brush.

A former Forest Lake historian recalls: "A labor of love that impressed me was to learn about the thoughtfulness of the mothers on cold, winter days. They took turns bringing a hot dish, soup, home baked beans or scalloped potatoes to add to cold lunches the children brought from home in their lunch pails. There also was an oil stove for cooking. Sometimes they had hot chocolate to drink, which at times was a little scorched."

Further reading

• Elsie Vogel, The Forest Lake Times; Oct 31, 1991

Coordinates: 45°13′30″N 92°58′54″W / 45.22500°N 92.98167°W / 45.22500; -92.98167

Municipalities and communities of Washington County, Minnesota, United States County seat: Stillwater Cities Afton Bayport Birchwood Village Cottage Grove Dellwood Forest Lake Grant Hastings‡ Hugo Lake Elmo Lake St. Croix Beach Lakeland Shores Lakeland Landfall Mahtomedi Marine on St. Croix Newport Oak Park Heights Oakdale Pine Springs Scandia St. Marys Point St. Paul Park Stillwater Willernie White Bear Lake‡ Woodbury Townships Baytown Denmark Grey Cloud Island May Stillwater West Lakeland Unincorporated communities Arcola Basswood Grove Maple Island Siegel Ghost towns Garen Point Douglas Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties