The city of Waverly, Minnesota is located in Wright County, mostly surrounded by Marysville and Woodland townships, although a portion of the city abuts the city of Montrose.
Nearby cities include Howard Lake (5.0 miles west), Winsted (11.0 miles southwest), and Watertown (12.2 miles southeast). The main route through the city is US Highway 12, which is also known as Pacific Avenue. County Roads 8 and 9 also serve the city.
In north Waverly, Waverly Lake is a 492-acre lake, that is about 71-feet deep at its deepest point. Little Waverly Lake (338-acres) is just west of Waverly Lake, abutting the northwestern part of the city, and Carrigan Lake (149-acres) is in southeastern Waverly.
In 1855, when Wright County was organized, there were a few homesteaders in the area that was to become Waverly, but the land was primarily the Big Woods, with a mixture of basswood, hickory, maple, and oak, with portions of wet prairie on the eastern edge of Waverly Lake.
In 1856, a dam, sawmill, and grist mill were built at the outlet of Little Waverly Lake, and the settlement that grew up around it became known as Waverly Mills. A town site of about three hundred acres was platted, and the settlement soon gained a general store, a log church, a cemetery, and a post office. The community survived a financial crash and major grasshopper infestations two years in a row.
In 1869, the Saint Paul and Pacific Railway extended its track to the area, establishing Waverly Station south of the townsite at the outlet of Little Waverly Lake. Consequently, the community's focus at the previous site was transferred to the area around the depot a mile away. Waverly Station was platted by the railroad, although the village remained part of the township until 1881 when it was incorporated. In 1899, the village's name was shortened to Waverly.
The early economy of the village was supported by railroad traffic and the patronage of settlers in Woodland and Marysville townships, many of whom were recent immigrants from Austria, Germany, Ireland, Prussia, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as from French Canada and other parts of the United States. Thus, it became a regional commercial center, supporting a bakery, bank, churches, a creamery, a drug store, flour mills, furniture shops, general stores, grain elevators, hardware stores, hotels, livery stables, lumber companies, meat markets, millinery shops, a newspaper, saloons, and a sawmill.
Waverly is not a large town. Until the 2010 census, its population remained below a thousand, and it experienced some slight population decreases until 1990, when it began to grow more quickly.
Today, Waverly is more of an urban, residential environment than a rural, agricultural one.
Hubert Humphrey, who twice served as a US Senator, and as the 38th Vice President of the United States, owned a lakefront home in Waverly, and lived there from 1958 until his death in 1978.
This is a guide to the city of Waverly, Minnesota. Appropriate topics for this category include websites representing the municipal government, as well as local industries, businesses, churches, schools, organizations, events, or individuals. Informational sites focused on the city are also suitable for this category.
Recommended Resources
Organized in 1884, the Roman Catholic church meets at its facilities on Maple Street in Waverly, Minnesota. Weekly and daily mass schedules, reconciliation schedules, and its policies and schedules for baptisms, first reconciliation and first communion, confirmation, and marriages are put forth. Family formation schedules, and registrations, volunteer opportunities, and church bulletins are posted to the site.
http://www.stmarys-waverly.net/
The building and business have changed hands several times since the early 1900s, but it now serves as a restaurant and bar. Its appetizers and sides, specialty items, burgers, chicken wraps, breakfast menu, kid’s menu, and specialty items are listed on its menu. Its location, hours of operation, a calendar of scheduled events, a photo gallery, and a history and profile of the business is put forth.
http://uptownwaverly.com/
Created and maintained by Herald Journal Publishing, this guide to the city of Waverly, Minnesota presents a profile of the city, and of the surrounding townships, Marysville and Woodland, and a directory of local government facilities and services, housing options, churches, organizations, schools, entertainment venues, and events. Links to relevant websites are included, along with other information.
http://www.waverlyheraldjournal.com/
The Waverly Gun, Rifle and Pistol Club is a non-profit, members-only organization that provides a few public events each year, such as trapshooting, a hunter safety program, a handgun league, youth trap league, a black powder shoot, and ladies only nights. Its location, membership policies and fees, and an overview of the facilities are put forth, along with a calendar of events, and a concealed carry registration form.
http://www.waverlygunclub.org/
Located on Big Waverly Lake, about thirty-five miles west of the Twin Cities, Waverly offers a small-town sense of community. The official municipal website posts news and announcements, a history of the city, and a profile of the city. Ordinances, fee schedules, city council agendas, and minutes are made available, along with a guide to local businesses, services, facilities, and recreational opportunities, as well as schools, churches, organizations, health services, and events.
https://www.waverlymn.org/
