Step Back in Time: Historic Walking Tours of Stevens County MN
There’s something special about small towns that wear their history proudly. In Stevens County, those stories aren’t tucked away in museums (though the Stevens County Historical Society has plenty of treasures, too). They’re out in the open—etched into century-old storefronts, tucked behind white-picket fences, and standing tall in the towns that shaped western Minnesota.
Whether you travel by foot, bike, or car, these self-guided tours invite you to slow down, look closer, and discover the people and places that built the county we call home. Each one is a perfect day trip for history buffs, photographers, and curious explorers ready to see where it all began. Here are just a few things you'll find:
Morris – A City Built on Stories
Morris is where history meets hospitality. With three self-guided walking tours, you can trace the city’s evolution from frontier outpost to thriving county seat, all within a few scenic blocks.
Atlantic Avenue Tour
Downtown Morris was once the heartbeat of early commerce. Bakeries, banks, hardware stores, and millinery shops lined Atlantic Avenue, serving settlers from miles around. Today, many of those same brick buildings still buzz with life—home to cozy cafés, boutiques, and long-standing family businesses.
West Side Tour
Head west and you’ll find Park Avenue, laid out in 1881 as the most prominent street to build on. Locals once called it “Piety Hill” and “The Drive of the City,” where horse-drawn buggies rolled past stately homes and neighbors strolled on warm summer evenings. The West Side Tour is full of stories from those early days—of business owners, doctors, and dreamers whose elegant homes helped shape the heart of Morris. Don’t miss landmarks like the striking “Chimneys” residence and Wells Park, a green space gifted to the city in 1915 by businessman and state senator Harry Wells.
East Side Tour
Across the tracks lies a neighborhood affectionately dubbed “Poverty Hill.” But don’t let the name fool you. This side of town was shaped by hardworking immigrants, skilled tradesmen, and pioneering doctors. It’s home to the first Carnegie Library, St. Mary’s School, and the charming Morris Theatre, still showing movies more than 80 years later.
📸 Photo ops: The ornate brickwork on Atlantic Avenue, the old Carnegie Library, and the leafy paths of Wells Park.
☕ Fuel up before you go: Grab breakfast at one of the local favorites like Common Cup Coffee House, DeToys or Don's Cafe—for a quick recharge before you hit the road.
Hancock – Where Small-Town Pride Runs Deep
Just a short drive south of Morris, Hancock’s walking tour is a blend of history and hometown charm. Founded in 1872 along the St. Paul and Pacific Railway, this area has always been a hub for farming and community spirit.
Walk down Main Street and imagine the bustle of the early 1900s, when the Hotel William welcomed pheasant hunters from across the Midwest and the air smelled faintly of Swedish home cooking. The Ransom House tells one of Hancock’s most heartwarming stories—Dr. Mathias Lent Ransom, the town’s beloved physician, delivered as many as 3,000 babies during his career. In fact, on the very day he arrived in Hancock in 1903, an eager father met him at the train station and whisked him straight to his first delivery just hours after Dr. Ransom had declared Hancock his new home. And the Schmidgall House—built entirely of concrete in 1928—is a local marvel of early engineering.
Donnelly – A Frontier Town with Grit
Founded in 1871 as Douglas Station and renamed a few years later for politician Ignatius Donnelly, this little town still carries its pioneer spirit proudly.
Start at the Donnelly Community Hall, built by the Works Progress Administration in 1937, where dances, plays, and even roller skating once brought the town together. Stroll along Atlantic Avenue to see what’s left of the early banks, hotels, and saloons that gave Donnelly its reputation as a lively frontier stop—and swing by the former Donnelly School, a longtime cornerstone for local students and community life.
The tour also spotlights remarkable residents like Dr. John Whittemore, who delivered babies even in blizzards, and John Hilla, the carpenter-mayor who built homes across town.
🍔 Break time: Stop by Place to Be for a burger, a story, and a sense of small-town camaraderie that hasn’t changed in a hundred years.
Chokio – “The Middle” of It All
The name Chokio comes from a Dakota word meaning “the middle,” a fitting name for a town that once served as a halfway stop between St. Cloud and Fort Sisseton along the Wadsworth Trail.
Today, Chokio’s walking tour captures its role as both crossroads and community. The Nelson’s Grocery Building, which fed the town for more than 100 years, still stands as a symbol of small-town enterprise. The Depot, once a bustling stop for passengers and freight, remains a favorite photo stop for railfans. And the Memorial Park garden, lovingly created in the 1990s, blooms with local pride and color each summer.
🪻 Take a breather: Bring a picnic and enjoy the garden’s mural and flowers before heading to your next stop.
Alberta – Where Education Made History
Tiny but mighty, Alberta began as Wheeler Station in 1882 before being renamed for Alberta Hardin, the postmaster’s daughter. Despite its size, Alberta played a big role in shaping rural education.
Its tour highlights the Alberta School and Teacher’s Manse, once a model for teacher housing nationwide and even featured at the World’s Fair. The Alberta State Bank tells a tale of small-town scandal and resilience, having survived multiple robberies and reinventions. The Cargill Elevator, a constant since 1914, still stands as a nod to Alberta’s farming heritage.
📸 The school’s classic architecture and the backdrop of open prairie skies—perfect for golden-hour shots.
A Day in the Past: Suggested Itinerary
Morning: Start your adventure in Morris. Grab coffee and breakfast at Common Cup, The Homestead, Don's Cafe or DeToys before strolling one of the in-town walking tours.
Late Morning: Drive ten minutes south to Hancock to explore its historic homes and Main Street charm.
Afternoon: Make your way west toward to Alberta and Donnelly, where small-town stories and hidden gems await.
Late Afternoon: Finish in Chokio—wander the depot, enjoy the gardens, and snap a few photos before the light fades.
Evening: Circle back to Morris for dinner at one of its great local spots, such as Mi Mexico, A Taste of Italy or Prime Steakhouse. Then catch a film at the historic Morris Theatre to end your day the old-fashioned way—on the silver screen.
Find links to each walking tour in the map below! 👇🏼
Historic Walking Tours — Stevens County, Minnesota
Click a town to open its walking tour brochure(s). Bike it, walk it, or drive it—your call.
Where the Past Meets the Present
Each of these tours offers more than architecture and plaques—they’re love letters to the people who made Stevens County what it is today. Every storefront, home, and park carries the mark of someone who dreamed big in a small place.
Pick a day, grab your camera, and explore the stories waiting just down the road.
Because around here, history isn’t hidden—it’s alive and well, one step (or pedal) at a time.