In May of 1854, Lewis West and family, Orlando Wilder, A.J. Wilder and his two sons, Nelson M. and Frank R., arrived at the home of Lorenzo Merry at the Merry's Ford near present day Otranto. They decided to remain in Otranto Township but moved farther north, almost to the State Line. Here they took their claims along the Cedar River believing in the future possibilities of water power.

    In 1856, the town site of Old Otranto was platted in Section 7 and 8, by Solon Shedd and Robert Moore. The site chosen was an excellent place on the banks of the Cedar River. There were good prospects of building a good sized town. Steps were taken and building begun. Several stores were erected by Wilder and Lacy, John Crandall and others. David L. West operated a hotel there for four years. He served in Old Otranto as Justice of Peace for 20 years, and later, when New Otranto was built, he served in the same office for 8 more years.

    Andrew Jackson Wilder was operator of the first store in 1855. A post office was established in 1855 under the name of Orville Post Office, with Davis L. West as the first postmaster. In those days mail was carried by Philo Cady, sometimes in sacks and sometimes in market baskets. Years later the name was changed to Otranto Post Office and J.C. Van Camp was appointed the post master. He was the grandfather of Jack Wilder who is still a resident of Otranto Township living on the site of the old town.

    For several years the place thrived, but after no railroad came to the village, as the founders had hoped, it dwindled and gradually vanished.

    A mill was erected in 1856 by William Moore in Section 8 on the east bank of the river across from the village. It began operating that same year and had one run of stone for grinding feed and grist. A saw mill was also operated from the same source of power. After two years he sold to the Cedar Valley Land Company, but their tenure was short due to a freshet which washed out the dam.

    In 1875 Simon Anderson erected the second mill which stood in the same section but farther down the stream. He built a large frame building, a good dam and secured good water power. Five runs of buhrs were put into use and it operated for two years when he sold it to the firm of McClellan, Smith and Chase. They installed modern type rollers but it burned in 1883 and was never rebuilt.

    All that remains of the old town site today are the foundation of the Van Camp house that housed the first post office and Andrew Jackson Wilder house. In the early days it is said to have been used as an inn.

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Reproduced with the approval of the Mitchell County Historical Society; from "The Story of Mitchell County 1851-1973".

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NOTE:

In the spring of 2002, Vivian Du Shane and Paul Link visited the Ghost Town of Old Otranto. It's located about 1/4 mile south of the Minnesota-Iowa state line on the east side of Beech and just north of 503rd. The present owners pointed out stage coach ruts that are still visible. If your want to visit the site, please respect the landowners property--ask before you enter.

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Transcribed in June 2002 by: Neal Du Shane

Contact information:

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