Owatonna (pop. 22,000) is named after a spot where Native Americans camped on the banks of a river they called "Ouitunya," which means straight and is today the name of the major river. Legend has it that Owatonna, the sickly daughter of Chief Wabena, was restored back to health by the local curative waters. The Village of Yesteryear is a complex of 19th and early 20th century buildings.
The Minnesota State School for Dependent and Neglected Children began in 1886 and served as home to 13,000 children until its closure in 1945. It is now a museum. The institution had its own power plant, icehouse, hospital, gym, greenhouse and farm. The Children's Cemetery contains the graves of 198 children and a memorial dedicated to the children.
The Owatonna Arts Center & Sculpture Garden is housed in an 1887 Romanesque-style building. Works by local and regional artists are displayed. A small sculpture garden on the grounds features works by Minnesota sculptors.
Address: Owatonna Arts Center, 435 Garden View Lane, Owatonna, MN 55060, United States
Phone: 1 (507) 451-0533, Fax: 1 (507) 446-0198
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