About Minnesota Veterans Home
Historic, Historical Places, Interesting Places, Historic Districts
The Minnesota Soldiers' Home, later known as the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minneapolis, is an old soldiers' home near Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After the American Civil War and the devastation that it caused, there was sentiment that the United States should provide care for its veterans. The Minnesota Legislature authorized the establishment of the Soldiers' Home in 1887, as a "reward to the brave and deserving". Construction began the following year, in 1888. By 1911, the home had five men's cottages and one women's cottage, along with other buildings such as an infirmary, a dining hall, and so on. The home was originally envisioned as a place of rest and as a monument in appreciation of veterans' contributions. As such, it was beautifully landscaped, and medical care was not provided until after World War I. Even then, medical care was a secondary goal.
