The 1878 Fountain Saloon Robbery

In the quiet town of Fountain, Minnesota, the clink of glasses and hum of conversation were shattered one night by a bold and unexpected crime. A local saloon—once a hub of frontier camaraderie—became the scene of a robbery that left residents stunned and rumors swirling.

In this episode of Roots & Riddles, Lenora and Preston dig into the dusty newspaper archives to reconstruct the events of the heist. Who was behind it? What was taken? And why did the story fade from memory? With colorful characters, period details, and a touch of theatrical flair, they explore how one small-town crime reveals the tensions and temptations of life on the edge of the frontier.

Sources

• The History of Fillmore County, 1882.
• Chatfield Democrat, October 19, 1878
• The Winona Daily Republican, October 19, 1878
• St. Charles Union, October 23, 1878.
• Dodge Center Press, October 25, 1878.
• The St. Paul Globe, November 26, 1878.