Harkin's Store - West Newton, Minnesota
Harkins General Store was built in 1870 by Scottish immigrant, Alexander Harkin. At that time the town of West Newton was a more active town in the area. This was due to its location on the Minnesota River and the steamboat landing which served as a stopping point for much of the river traffic. Located in the town were a hotel, dance hall and brewery.
In the 1870's, the railroads began to replace riverboats and a line was run through nearby New Ulm. This had an adverse effect on the town but the store remained open and served as a hub for the farming community.
Eventually the town became less active and businesses began closing down. The owners of the Harkins store closed it down on Jan. 1, 1901. The building was reopened as a museum in 1938 as a museum with almost everything remaining where it had been in 1901.
At right Alexander Harkin welcomes visitors to the store and provides information about its history and it's importance to the people of Nicollet County.
Please stop by and support this historic site or atleast check out their web page: http://www.mnriv.com/harkin.html