A pioneering state-run home for orphaned, abandoned, and abused children, operated from 1886 to 1945 in Owatonna, Minnesota.
At a glance
The Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children was a residential and educational facility for wards of the state from 1886 to 1945. Created by an act of the Minnesota legislature in 1885, it provided transitional housing for children removed from harmful situations. Over 60 years, 10,635 children lived here.
History
The State School opened to remove at-risk children from danger and settle them in a home-like setting. There they received an education before being placed with suitable farm families. The facility closed in 1945, when adoption and foster care came to be preferred over institutionalization.
The complex then became the Owatonna State School for children with developmental disabilities. That institution closed in 1970. After four years of vacancy, the city of Owatonna purchased the campus as its new seat of government and renamed it West Hills.
What you see
The main Administration Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 2010, the larger complex of 19 surviving buildings, including the previously listed Administration Building, was added to the National Register as a historic district. The Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum on the grounds interprets the history of the site.
Cultural significance
The State School represents a specific moment in American child welfare. It moved away from punitive poorhouses toward a system of temporary care and rural placement. Its preservation, including the on-site museum, documents that institutional history for current and future generations.
Key facts
- Country: United States
- City: Owatonna
- Coordinates: 44.0894, -93.2383
- National Register of Historic Places: Administration Building listed 1975; historic district listed 2010
Practical information & getting there
The former State School campus is now West Hills, the seat of government for the city of Owatonna. The Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum is located on the grounds and interprets the history of the site. Check local listings for museum hours and access.
Sources & resources
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