Acton, Minnesota

Acton is an unincorporated community in Acton Township, Meeker County, Minnesota, United States, near Grove City and Litchfield. The community is located along Meeker County Road 23 near State Highway 4 (MN 4). County Road 32 is also in the immediate area.

Acton
Unincorporated community
Acton is located in Minnesota
Acton
Acton
Location of the community of Acton
within Acton Township, Meeker County
Acton is located in the United States
Acton
Acton
Acton (the United States)
Coordinates: 45°05′03″N 94°39′39″W
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountyMeeker
TownshipActon Township
Elevation
[1]
1,184 ft (361 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
56243, 56209, and 55355
Area code320
GNIS feature ID654561[1]

History

A post office called Acton was established in 1857, and remained in operation until 1904.[2] The community was named after Acton, Ontario.[3]

The Dakota War of 1862
Battle of Acton historical marker

The incident that sparked the Dakota War of 1862 took place near Acton on August 17, 1862. Four Mdewakantons (“dwellers at the spirit waters”) from Rice Creek Village in the Lower Sioux Agency, returning home from an unsuccessful hunt, had a confrontation with Robinson Jones, a settler. The result of the dispute was that the Mdewakantons shot and killed five settlers, including Jones.[4]

On September 3, a 55-man company of the newly-formed 10th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment was routed by a band of Dakota warriors near Acton. Led by Capt. Richard Strout, the regiment managed to break free and was pursued eight miles to Hutchinson. Six of the soldiers were killed and 23 wounded. The number of Dakota dead and wounded is not known.[4]

References

Notes
  1. "Acton, Minnesota". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. "Meeker County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  3. Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 338.
  4. Clodfelter 2006, p. 53

Sources
  • Clodfelter, Micheal (February 28, 2006). The Dakota War: The United States Army Versus the Sioux, 1862–1865. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0408-4.


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