Blackduck, MN

Blackduck is a small town located in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The population was 1,564 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

The town's name comes from an Ojibwe word meaning "black water." Blackduck was first settled in 1856 by John and Elizabeth ( Benson) McNamara, who built a sawmill on the banks of the White Earth River. The community grew rapidly as settlers arrived to work in the mill and to take advantage of its natural resources, including lumber, water power, and farmland. A post office was established in 1857 and renamed Benson after Elizabeth Benson's father.

In 1870, Benson became incorporated as a village with a population of about 400 people. The village grew rapidly as more settlers arrived to take advantage of its natural resources and proximity to Minneapolis and St. Paul. By 1890, Benson had a population of 2,000 people and boasted two churches (the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church), two schools (one for boys and one for girls), four businesses (a blacksmith shop, a grocery store, a hardware store, and a wagon shop), three banks (the First National Bank of Benson; the Farmers' State Bank; and the Union Savings Bank), two newspapers (the Benson Tribune; which later became the Blackduck Herald; and the Northern Pioneer), six physicians (including Drs. Jno Condon & Wm Biddle), three dentists (Drs Jno Condon & Wm Biddle Jr.), two lawyers (Jno Condon & Wm Biddle Sr.), one postmaster (Alfred Gifford), one telegraph operator/operator-in-charge (Wm Davenport), one fireman/fire chief (#1) (#2) (#3) from Engine Co No 1 on Hennepin Ave., five policemen from Station #1 on Hennepin Ave., four merchants from stores located along Main Street: A E Smith Grocery Store; F L Smith Hardware Store; G R Brown Drugstore; S P Kline Mercantile Company; J M Keefe Clothing Store). There were also several residences including those belonging to Drs Jno Condon & Wm Biddle Jr.; Alfred Gifford; George Brown Sr.; James McNamara Sr.; John McNamara Sr.; Mrs Mary McNamara Foley who ran boarding house for mill workers their wives children etc...

The town continued to grow through annexation by neighboring towns until it reached its present size in 1920 with a population of 4500 people. At that time there were six churches: Baptist Church [First Baptist]; Congregational Church [First Congregational]; Lutheran Church [Lutheran]; Methodist Episcopal Church [Methodist Episcopal]; Roman Catholic Church [St Patrick's]], ten businesses: A E Smith Grocery Store ; F L Smith Hardware Store ; G R Brown Drugstore ; S P Kline Mercantile Company ; J M Keefe Clothing Store ; T D Ford Motor Car Dealership ; Ira Nelsen Furniture Dealer ; Fredrick Peterson Meat Market ; Alonzo Olson Bakery . There were also eleven residences: those belonging to Drs Jno Condon & Wm Biddle Jr.; Alfred Gifford; George Brown Sr.; James McNamara Sr.; John McNamara Sr.; Mrs Mary McNamara Foley who ran boarding house for mill workers their wives children etc...

There has been little change since 1920 other than an increase in population due primarily to an influx of retirees during recent years as well as families moving into Blackduck seeking affordable housing within easy commuting distance to downtown Minneapolis or St Paul