Old Wadena Historic District

Old Wadena Historic District, located in Thomastown Township in Wadena County, Minnesota, preserves one of the more layered historical footprints in the region. The site encompasses the locations of four successive trading posts, established in 1782, 1792, 1825, and 1856, along with the original townsite of Wadena as it stood on the Red River Trails and the county's first farm. The town itself was eventually relocated 3.5 miles south to where it stands today. The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Most of what remains is archaeological in nature — ground-level traces and interpreted sites rather than standing structures. Today the historic district falls largely within Old Wadena County Park, which provides public access to the area. Visitors should expect a quiet, pastoral setting where the history is felt more through context and interpretation than dramatic ruins. It suits those drawn to early American frontier history, landscape photography, and unhurried exploration.