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Pond-Dakota Mission Park, Bloomington
Pond-Dakota Mission Park in Bloomington is built on the grounds of a former mission founded by brothers, Gideon and Samuel Pond. The historic 1856 Gideon and Agnes Pond House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, sits in the park. Run by the Pond Dakota Heritage Society and the City of Bloomington, the park is an education site that works to preserve the rich history of and explore contrasting cultural and religious vewpoints of the early Minnesota settlers, the Christian missionaries and the Dakota people of the mid-nineteenth century.
Image used with permission courtesy of Bloomington Parks and Recreation
Self-Guided Tours of Pond-Dakota Mission Park
Sunday Open House at the Pond House
The Pond House is open on Sundays from 1:30 – 4 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $2 for adults. The weekly open houses often have special themes and are very family-friendly, which you can find on our Family Fun Calendar. The Pond Dakota Heritage Society often arranges guest speakers for these events.
Further Study for History-Loving Families
For families who would like to learn more about the Pond Family, you may want to start on the Pond Dakota website. The Minnesota History Center's library has boxes full of documents related to the Pond Family, and Minneapolis Central Library has a copy of the book, Two Volunteer Missionaries Among the Dakotas, Or, The Story of the Labors of Samuel W. and Gideon H. Pond in its 4th Floor special collection for use in the library only. You can also purchase the book through Amazon. The picture below is an affiliate link and Family Fun Twin Cities receives a small commission on sales through this link..
Membership to the Pond Dakota Heritage Society
Families who want to support the work of the Pond Dakota Heritage Society can join on an annual Household level for $30. More information can be found on the website.