Topelius Ghost Town
Otter Tail County, Minnesota46.4792, -95.2861
Can you visit?
Likely private land
Private or unlisted land · Ask the owner first
- Nearest town
- 5 miNew York Mills, MN
- Mild months
- May–Sep5 of 12
- Next ghost town
- 9.7 miLeaf River
Topelius is a former settlement in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, listed among the ghost towns of Minnesota.
On the map
- State
- Private or unlisted
Star: Topelius. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.
The closest town with more than 1,000 people is New York Mills, MN, about 5 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Fargo, ND, 78 miles away.
Ghost towns nearby
- Leaf River9.7 mi east
- Old Wadena Historic District22 mi east
- Shell City27 mi northeast
- Philbrook30 mi southeast
- Oak Lake40 mi northwest
- Pomme de Terre43 mi southwest
- Thorsborg46 mi southwest
- Old Crow Wing47 mi east
Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.
Who owns the land
Private or unlisted land
The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.
The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.
Weather by month
Mild months here run May to September, judging by NOAA normals from New York Mills. Snow is normal from October to April.
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the New York Mills station (USC00215902), 5.6 miles away. About 26.7 inches of precipitation a year.
Facts
| Location | Otter Tail County, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46.47917, -95.28611 |
| Sources | Wikidata Q22060326 · Wikipedia article |
Questions
Where is Topelius ghost town?
In Otter Tail County, Minnesota, at 46.4792, -95.2861. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is New York Mills, MN, about 5 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Fargo, ND, 78 miles away.
Can you visit Topelius?
Likely private land. The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road.
When is the best time to visit Topelius?
Mild months here run May to September, judging by NOAA normals from New York Mills. Snow is normal from October to April.
Are there other ghost towns near Topelius?
Yes. Leaf River (9.7 mi), Old Wadena Historic District (22 mi), Shell City (27 mi), Philbrook (30 mi).
