Bridging the Past and the Future
In 1856, members of the Strafford Western Immigration Company traveled west from Massachusetts to establish a new settlement. Coming upon the beautiful Zumbro River Valley, they found the location which would become the City of Zumbrota. The predominately German and Scandinavian settlers began the work of building churches, schools, shops and grain mills. Zumbrota’s famous covered bridge (the only one remaining in Minnesota) was originally installed in 1869, and the railroad arrived in 1870. Zumbrota’s Main Street, a symbol of small-town heritage, is thriving even today. The city is now home to over 3,100 residents and about 210 businesses. Zumbrota is located about 20 miles north of Rochester and 40 miles south of the Twin Cities on the fast-growing Highway 52 corridor.