09/09/2026
DID YOU KNOW?
The Little Falls Ravine is one of the most fascinating "hidden" geographical features in Minnesota's history. While it is completely invisible today, it once heavily dictated the layout, architecture, and daily life of downtown Little Falls.
🏞️ What and Where It Was
The ravine was a massive, deep slice of land running right through the heart of the east side business district. It was an environmental spillway for the Fletcher Creek system. While Fletcher Creek naturally empties into the Mississippi River about six miles north of town, the ravine acted as a natural overflow channel that carried water directly into the city and back out to the Mississippi.
🏗️ How It Was Used in Daily Life
To get around downtown, the city had to build a network of wooden pedestrian and wagon bridges. Local businesses built right into the edges of the ravine to use its depth. For example, the LaFond Motor Company utilized the ravine floor so customers could drive vehicles straight into the building's lower basement level for auto repairs. In the 1930s, local livestock transporters used the sunken ravine floor to corral animals right in the middle of town.
🚧 Why and How It Disappeared
The process of filling in the ravine was slow, beginning in the 1880s and lasting until the 1950s. Some sections were packed tightly with dirt, while other parts of downtown were simply built directly on top of it. Today, several local basements—like the subterranean levels of old storefronts—exist because they were built into the old ravine hollows.
💧 The Ravine's Modern Legacy
Though you can no longer see it, the ravine still makes its presence known. Because it is a natural waterway path, heavy rains cause groundwater to aggressively follow the old ravine route. As a result, certain downtown businesses and homes sitting along its historical path still experience flooded basements to this day.
To learn more, here is the original publication from the Morrison County Historical Society.
https://morrisoncountyhistory.org/?page_id=642
Or check out the booklet version of this article for more photos and stories.
https://morrisoncountyhistory.org/ravinetour.pdf
