Withrow, Minnesota
Withrow is an unincorporated community located in the city of Grant, Washington County, Minnesota, United States. Formerly an unincorporated village on the edge of the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area, Withrow was located in three different local government jurisdictions: May Township, Grant Township, and Oneka Township. The village had a post office and general store in May Township and a railroad station in Oneka. Withrow is located 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of White Bear Lake and 6.4 miles (10.3 km) northwest of Stillwater.
Withrow, Minnesota | |
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Aerial photo of Withrow in 1964 | |
Withrow, Minnesota Location of Withrow within the city of Grant, Washington County Withrow, Minnesota Withrow, Minnesota (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 45°07′27″N 92°53′51″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Washington County |
| Elevation | 981 ft (299 m) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 55038 and 55082 |
| Area code | 651 |
| GNIS feature ID | 654293 |
Withrow was established when the Minneapolis and St. Croix Railroad, which later merged with the Soo Line Railroad, was extended through Washington County in 1883. The village was named after Thomas Joshua Withrow, a farmer from Nova Scotia who had settled in the area in 1874. The well-drained, sandy soils around Withrow made it ideal for growing potatoes. Withrow was formally platted in 1914, but it was never incorporated; a petition to incorporate was denied in 1947, since Withrow did not meet the population requirement of fifty inhabitants. Immigrants to the area were primarily French-Canadian, Irish, and German.
The center of Withrow today is generally considered to be the intersection of Keystone Avenue North and 119th Street North. The portion of the community that was located in Section 36 of Oneka Township was absorbed by Hugo in January 1972; the portion that was located in Section 2 of Grant Township was absorbed into Grant Township when it was incorporated as a city in November 1996. A small portion of Withrow existed in Section 31 of May Township; that section contains the Keystone Weddings and Events Center (formerly the Withrow Ballroom) and the cemetery.
The Stillwater Area School District, ISD #834, maintained an elementary school at Withrow until 2017. Withrow is currently considered to be a distinct residential and business district instead of an official village. Today, the district contains a few small businesses, a private school, and a handful of residential homes.