Cannon Falls isn't a very big known place but when it is known it's usually because you hear Cannon trail or Cannon river or hey did you drive through Cannon Falls. But even though Cannon Falls isn't very big for a small town you actually might be surprised by some of the amazing histories behind it. Cannon Falls was crowned the name cannon falls by the falls located along the cannon river in Cannon Falls. There are a couple known famous things about Cannon Falls itself, a civil war colonel William J. Colvil is buried in the cannon falls cemetery there is a memorial for him at the top of the graveyard. Cannon Falls is known as the pachyderm studio The Pachyderm studio hosted artists and helped shape the sound of modern rock music in the 1990s. These were Nirvana in Utero, Soul Asylums Grave Dancers Union, PJ Harveys Rid of Me, and Lives Throwing Cooper. 

WARHERO0702c3 -- William Colvill was one of the first men to sign up for service in the Civil War as part of the First Minnesota regiment. He eventually became a colonel and led the regiment in a historic charge at Gettysburg 150 years ago today. Photo courtesy Al Zdon, Goodhue County Historical Society

The Cannon falls historical museum was the firefighting hall but now the firefighting hall is next to the liquor store, and the liquor store used to be a jail. The Stone house is right by the Cannon Community Center also known as the CCC both the Stone House and the CCC used to be the Cannon school it wasn't that big but they added on to it to make it a bigger school. There are a couple bridges in Cannon falls one of the oldest yet usable ones is Third Street Bridge but right next to the third street bridge is a different bridge that was connected to a mill but also used as a railroad crossing the majority of the bridge is in the water now but it is still cool to look over and think about all the historical logics of the bridge.

Cannon Falls, now a city, has a historic past and a promising future, together with a prosperous present. Its early history is closely associated with that of Red Wing, the names of Sweney, Colvill, McGinnis, and Freeborn being prominent in both places. The following article has been prepared with the assistance of John C. Applegate, editor of the Cannon Falls "Beacon," who has edited the early history and written the story of the modern growth and development of the city and its various interests. In 1855 William Freeborn built a log cabin on the east bank of the Little Cannon river, near the falls, on mill block No. 3. This was the beginning of the present prosperous city of Cannon Falls. Richard Elton built the first store the same year, on block 36, and Eli Ellsworth, the first merchant, kept his goods in that building. The first physician was J. E. Tibbitts, the first lawyer was R. W. Hamilton, and the first resident minister of the gospel was Rev. J. R. Barnes. The Falls House was built by Charles Parks in the fall of 1854. At that time it was a log house sixteen by twenty-four. The house was sold to Andras Durand in April 1855, who at once built an addition as large as the original structure. In the fall of 1856 a building, thirty by forty, two stories, was erected. In the spring of 1858, it was sold to Edward J. Turner, who rented it to Benjamin Van Campen for ten years. Subsequent proprietors were Colonel Williams, Sole Slosson, John English, and others. September 18, 1871, D. L. Davis took charge of the property, he had purchased it some time previous, September 19, 1866. In the fall of 1873, Mr. Davis sold it to Peter Gravlin, who kept the house until 1875, when Mr. Davis again came into possession. Mr. Davis refitted the building, and in the spring of 1872 made an addition, fourteen by twenty-two feet. In 1890 this property came into the hands of Henry Thompson, who rebuilt the main part of the stone and greatly improved it.

The Exchange House was built in the fall of 1866 by Peter Gravlin and Christopher Benway. Benway sold his share the following spring to Charles Brown, and the house was run by Gravlin and Brown as the "New England" house. They sold out to John Williams in 1874, and he in turn to Helstrum and Riddell. David Platt bought it in June 1875 and gave it the name of Platt House. The Cannon Falls "Beacon" is the outgrowth of the Cannon Falls "Gazette." The "Gazette" was started by R. M. Hamline in July 1856. After fifteen months it was purchased by Mr. Hatch, who after a year sold it to the Hoag Bros. The Hoag Bros. changed the name to Cannon Falls "Bulletin." A year later the paper was removed to Northfield. Cannon Falls was without a paper until June 1874, when Mr. Bromwick started the "Echo." This paper lived a year. August 4, 1876, John A. Leonard started the Cannon Falls "Beacon," and continued it until July 6, 1877, when he sold out to O. T. Jones and C. A. Cook. April 5, 1878, sold a half interest to L. C. McKenney. In May 1880, S. S. Lewis bought an interest with Jones, Mr. McKenney having retired. Mr. Lewis conducted the "Beacon" till the summer of 1901 when he sold it to Joe Brynildsen, who, in December 1903, sold it to the present publisher, John C. Applegate. The "Beacon" is Republican in politics and occupies a prominent place in the state press.

Cannon Falls has probably never been more prosperous than at present. All of its industries are in operation and all labor is employed at good wages, and the outlook for its continued prosperity is most flattering. Notwithstanding the many new houses built in the city in late years, there are no vacant houses, and one of the pressing needs is a number of dwelling houses at the moderate rental. The city is replacing the old wood and iron bridge across the Big Cannon at Third street with a new steel and concrete structure at a cost of $10,000. The extension of the water system to residential streets has encouraged the home-making spirit, and general tidying up and beautifying of home places has resulted. The streets in resident portions have been narrowed and bordered by boulevards and grass plots. There are practically no wooden sidewalks in the city, they have been replaced by modern cement walks, while cement street crossings are replacing the old flagstone. The principal enterprises of Cannon Falls are as follows: Hardware - H. A. Van Campen is the oldest dealer in implements and vehicles in the city, having been an agent for McCormick harvesting machinery for a third of a century. O. F. Peters is another old dealer in this class of goods, having purchased the hardware business for D. E. Yale nearly twenty-five years ago. Ritchie & Lee as a firm is comparatively new, though John Ritchie of the firm, has been engaged in the implementation and vehicle trade for a number of years. Blacksmithing - John J. Anderson, blacksmithing and machine shop; W. A. Faus, blacksmithing and horse-shoeing and general repair work; Roy Daniels, in Ritchie's old stand on Fourth street, is an up-to-date mechanic, and does good work in horseshoeing and general blacksmithing. Barbers - Frank A. Barlow, John Lynn. Bazaar - Five and ten cent store, Skog Bros., proprietors. Canning industry - The Cannon Valley Canning Company, canners of sweet corn; president, E. B. Seager; secretary, S. Kraft; superintendent, F. A. Agnew; organized in the spring of 1904. Creamery - Wastedo Creamery Company; manager, F. S. Stone. This concern came to Cannon Falls from Wastedo two years ago and has built up a successful business. Cheese - Cannon Falls Co-operative cheese factory; George I. Valentine, president; does a flourishing business and its product ranks among the best in the state. Clothing - Regent Clothing House, John A. Ohnstad, proprietor, carries a full line of clothing and gentlemen's furnishings. Dry goods - The Cannon Falls Dry Goods Company; J. L. Erickson, president; F. C. Carlson, manager, is the largest store of its kind outside the county seat, handling a very large and complete line of dry goods, shoes, and groceries. Meger & Johns have done business in Cannon Falls for nearly twenty years and carry a large and well-selected line of dry goods and clothing. Harry Freeman, general dry goods and furnishings. Drug stores - Scofield Bros., James L., and F. W. Scofield. This is the oldest drug house in the county and has done a successful business in drugs, wallpaper, and jewelry, for forty-one years. George V. Williams carries a full line of drugs, wallpaper, jewelry, and fancy articles, and is doing a good business. Dray line - City dray, Emil, proprietor. Dentists - Lewis L. Conley, D. D. S.; O. E. Doety, D. D. S. Elevators - Cannon Falls Farmers' Elevator Company; F. I. Hohnson, president; Nels Mattson, secretary; F. R. Anderson, manager, is a vigorous institution of great value to the local market. Charles M. Most, grain elevators, Jonas W. Holmes, manager. Express - Wells Fargo Express Company, A. L. Clifford, agent. Electric services - Cannon Falls Electric Service Company, L. F. Blinco, superintendent, has a very complete and modern plant and gives first-class service. Furniture - C. Danielson Furniture Company, Charles Danielson, manager, is an up-to-date concern carrying a large stock and doing a large business. Has branches at Goodhue and Zumbrota. Fur factory - C. O. Bye, proprietor of the old reliable tannery and fur factory, situated on the north side, is well equipped and does a prosperous business. Groceries - Cannon Falls dry goods and city grocery; Magnus Olson, proprietor; Frank A. Lundberg, manager. Falck Bros., Ole E. Falck and John E. Falck; established 1894. Lundquist's grocery and feed store, Charles O. Lundquist, proprietor. Westman's grocery, C. J. Westman, proprietor. North Star grocery; N. C. Olson, proprietor; Carl Olson, manager; established 1886. Hardware - O. F. Peters carries a full line of builders' hardware, cutlery, stoves, household utensils, agricultural implements, and vehicles, and does a large business. J. H. Carlson Hardware Company, John H. Carlson, manager. This firm carries a complete line of hardware and house furnishings and is building up a large and paying business. Harness - Hjalmar Olson succeeded in the business of J. A. Ekloff some years ago and built up a prosperous business in this line. Frank Schurch is one of the oldest dealers in harness and horse supplies in the county and is doing a prosperous business. Hotels - The Falls House, a commercial hotel, William C. Carroll, proprietor; the Platt House, Willis H. Platt, proprietor. Ice - Tanner & Seager Ice; also proprietors of the Cannon Falls Nursery. Jewelry - Scofield Bros., Caspar Walfahot, manager; George V. Williams, John Seagren, manager; Albert Lagerstrom. Livery - Riverside livery, Frank B. Lucking, proprietor; City livery, Reisner & Schickling. Lumber - Ballard Trimble Lumber Company, F. R. Hall, manager; North Star Lumber Company, E. E. Lee, manager. Lawyers - Peter S. Aslakson, Charles P. Hall, Thor R. Johnson, Willis W. Woodruff, George E. Wilson. Lands - Emil J. Holmes, lands and city property. Monuments - Lars C. Lockrem. Meat markets - Bremer Bros., George Bremer, Fred Bremer, established 1892; Dibble Bros., Richard Dibble, and Dan S. Dibble established 1889. Millinery - Mrs. Carrie Tanner, Mrs. Gertrude Ohnstad. Mills - Goodhue mill, operated by the Cannon Valley Milling Company, a Minneapolis concern; James C. Boynton, local manager. Cannon Falls Milling Company, T. L. Beister, president. New Cannon Plansifter Mill, Paul W. Rothe, manager. This is the old stone mill on the Little Cannon, for many years known as the Thompson mill. Mr. Rothe is very successful in its management. Newspapers - The "Beacon," John C. Applegate, proprietor; founded in 1876. The "Beacon" under its present management was the leader in the movement for railroad regulation in the state and was recognized throughout the northwest as an authority on the railroad question. The result of this movement was radical reforms in transportation methods, and reductions in freight and passenger charges, saving millions every year to the business and farming interests of the state. The "Ledger," a weekly, published by S. S. Lewis. Postoffice - Peter A. Peterson, postmaster; Ella M. Johnson, assistant postmaster; Hader F. Wallander, clerk. Rural carriers: John A. Anderson, August M. Johnston, Oscar E. Olson, Harry F. Hine, John A. Lundberg, John A Johnson, Alfred G. Swanson, and Edwin Larson. Shoes - Andrew J. Hagg has been selling boots and shoes to the people of Cannon Falls and its vicinity for thirty-two years, and success has rewarded his industry and honorable business methods. Samuel Kraft, a business established in 1888; carries a very complete line of shoes and gentlemen's furnishing goods. Sorghum mill - Carlson & Wohlander, located on the west side, is a new and modern mill. Telephone exchange - Cannon Falls Telephone Company, established in 1901. President, Charles L. Scofield; secretary, J. L. Scofield; treasurer, F. W. Scofield, who is also the manager. Has a northwestern long-distance connection and a local and rural service of 1,2000 subscribers. Tailors - Johnson & Swanson; John Johnson, John Swanson. These two men have been in business together in this city for thirty-five years and enjoy a well-earned reputation for good workmanship. Charles G. Wahlberg, a first-class workman in his line. Veterinarian - Albert J O'Hara. V. S. Well Drillers - Hartrey Bros., James Hartrey and Edward Hartrey, Martin Holland. Physicians - A. T. Conley, M. D.; H. E. Conley, M. D.; Peter H. Cremer, M. D.; Martin L. Golberg, M. D.; A. P. Woodward. Photographers - The Clifford Studio, Paul Engstrom, artist, and manager. Restaurants - Johnston & Lorenson, J. Sigfrid Johnson and J. Edwin Lorenson, Henry J. Kulker. Railroads - Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, Frank P. Murphy, agent; Chicago Great Western, Charles B. Tompkins, agent.