History
Presettlement:
The area where Edgerton is located lies on a bedrock of Sioux Quartzite and is very close to the quarry where the Sioux and many other Native American tribes traveled to mine the soft stone used in making ceremonial pipes. "A History of Pipestone County" gives a more detailed area history before white/European settlement. There was a battle just south of where Edgerton is now located in the Rock County township of Battle Plain.
First land claims on what is now Edgerton:
In 1876, Alonzo Kingsbury, A.A. Dodge and M. M. Gunsolus staked out and filed claims to the section that is now Edgerton. Kingsbury had a half section and the other two each a quarter to make up the original 640 acres of Edgerton. They didn't actually move into the area until 1877.
Arrival of the Railroad:
The Southern Minnesota Railroad arrived in Edgerton in October of 1879. This line continued over to Hatfield, and arrived, with great fanfare, in Pipestone late in November. The coming of the railroad resulted in an influx of people, and Edgerton grew rapidly. Of the 12 times a federal census was taken, only once did Edgerton see a significant decrease in population. (1930 had 30 less people than 1920.)
Sources:
1Quoted from "A History of Pipestone County" Printed by Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas Texas, July 1984 Copyrighted 1984 by the Pipestone County Historical Society, Pipestone Minnesota