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This is a guide to Collegeville Township and the unincorporated community of Collegeville, Minnesota, both of which were named for Saint John's College, now known as Saint John's University.

Collegeville Township is surrounded by Farming Township, Avon Township, Saint Wendel Township, Saint Joseph Township, and Wakefield Township. The unincorporated community of Collegeville is nearby, but in Saint Wendell Township, northeast of Collegeville Township, near the junction of Collegeville Road and Old Collegeville Road. Collegeville is about seven miles northeast of the center of Collegeville Township, but only a short distance from the northeastern corner of the township. Saint John's Abbey, a large Benedictine monastery is nearby.

The chief routes through Collegeville Township are Stearns County Roads 50, 51, 159, and 160, while the chief routes for Collegeville is County Road 159 and Old Collegeville Road, both of which lead to the Saint John's College campus. Interstate Highway 94/US Highway 52 is nearby.

Cities near Collegeville Township are Avon (6.2 miles north), Saint Joseph (8.3 miles east), Cold Spring (8.6 miles south), Richmond (11.2 miles south-southwest), Albany (12.3 miles northwest), and Rockville (14.6 miles southeast), the distances being from the center of the township to the city center.

The nearest cities to Collegeville are Saint Joseph (3.5 miles southeast), Avon (5.5 miles west-northwest), Saint Wendel (7.9 miles north), Sartell (10.7 miles east-northeast), Albany (11.6 miles northwest), and Cold Spring (12.6 miles south-southwest).

Saint John's University is a private liberal arts men's college in Collegeville, which maintains a shared curriculum with the College of Saint Benedict, a women's college in nearby Saint Joseph. Students at both colleges have access to the resources of both campuses. Originally known as Saint John's Colege, Saint John's was founded by the Benedictine monks of Saint John's Abbey in 1857. Currently, Saint John's University includes Saint John's School of Theology and Seminary, a graduate school that awards the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees, preparing seminarians for the Catholic priesthood.

Saint John's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Collegeville Township, near Collegeville. Associated with the American-Cassinese Congregation, the abbey was established in 1856 and is one of the largest Benedictine abbeys in the Western Hemisphere. Saint John's College was established at the abbey.

Settled by Benedictine monks in 1864, Saint John's Arboretum occupies more than 2,500 acres in Collegeville. Situated on the transition zone between the prairies on the southwest, to the hardwoods in the northwest, the Arboretum includes several small lakes, and is home to a large variety of plants and wildlife.

Collegeville Township was organized in 1880. Its first town meeting was held on April 8, 1881. Peter Eich was chosen to preside as Moderator of the meeting. Town business included the election of three supervisors, a treasurer, an assessor, a justice of the peace, a constable, and an overseer for each of the roads in the township. Other issues to be resolved was to set an election to determine whether cattle, horses, mules, asses, and sheep within the town were to be allowed to run free, and whether to grant licenses to sell liquor within the town.

Peter Eich was elected supervisor chair, Weneeslans Breu and George Klein were elected supervisors, Ulric Northman became clerk, and Mathias Lauer was named treasurer.

Topics related to the township or the unincorporated community of Collegeville are appropriate for this category. These would include, of course, the official township website and any other websites created by or for the town, as well as those of Saint John's University, Saint John's Abbey, and Saint John's Arboretum, and any related businesses, organizations, or publications. Websites representing any business or industry, school, church, organization, individual, or event relating to either Collegeville or Collegeville Township are suitable for this category and may be submitted for consideration if not already listed.

 

 

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