City Of Loretto
Despite Loretto Fun Fest being canceled in 2020 , the city still hosted fireworks .
FILE PHOTO
Loretto , originally a Soo Line railway village , was founded in 1886 , and settled by German and Dutch immigrants . Loretto was named for a Roman Catholic mission for refugees of the Huron Indians near Quebec , Canada , called Lorette , and for the village of Loretto , KY , where a society of Catholic “ Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross ” was founded in 1812 . The source of the name is Loreto , a small town in Italy , which has a noted shrine of pilgrimage .
Some of the early businesses included Koch ’ s Meat Market , Van Beusekom ’ s General Store , The Dutch Mill Dairy , Weidner ’ s Saloon , Loretto Feed and Seed Company , Pettit ’ s Bar , Murphy ’ s Blacksmith , Fullerton Lumber , and the State Bank of Loretto . The old State Bank of Loretto building , built-in 1910 , now houses a landscaping business . Sts . Peter and Paul Church , built-in 1903 , is still in use and its former convent now serves as an area Eucharistic Perpetual Adoration Chapel .
The city was incorporated in 1940 . The fi rst mayor was Albert Van Beusekom . The Loretto Volunteer Fire Department started in 1948 , and still proudly serves the city and surrounding area . Town team baseball started in the 1940s , and the Loretto Lions Club , established in 1969 , both continue to be active parts of the Loretto community .
The City of Loretto has a population of about 750 residents who enjoy quiet , small-town living while being only a short drive from the conveniences of the metro area . For such a small town , Loretto has excellent restaurants , including the Choo Choo , Pig on the Porch ( formerly Axel ’ s Tavern ), Detour 19 , and Warren ’ s ( new in 2019 ). On many spring and summer nights , you ’ ll fi nd a good crowd at the Arnold Klaers Baseball Field cheering on their favorite youth or amateur baseball team .
Loretto City Hall is located at 279 North Medina
Street , Suite 260 . Mailing address : PO Box 207 , Loretto , MN 55357 Phone : ( 763 ) 479-4305 Website : www . ci . loretto . mn . us Events : Events are posted on the website . Offi ce Hours : 8 a . m . - 4 p . m . Monday , Tuesday ,
Wednesday , and 8 a . m . - 2 p . m . on Friday .
City council meetings are conducted on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p . m . Meetings take place at Loretto City Hall unless otherwise noted .
The city council consists of Mayor Kent Koch and council members Brenda Daniels , Melissa Markham , Damon Canaday , and Greg Elsen .
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