The town of Mankato was located about two and a half miles south of present day Butte, on what is known as the "Fairbanks Homestead," the "Wittry" or "Holmberg" Farm. It was founded and named by J. T. Woods, who named it after his hometown of Mankato, Minnesota. Only eight residences were built in Mankato and these were, for the most part, "soddies."
School was held for a few months each year in a vacant farmhouse on the Hornback farm, southwest of town. Three of the teachers there were Mrs. Pierce, Mr. McLaughlin, and Mr. Spicknall. Mr. Spicknall rode to and from the school on a bicycle with a very large front wheel and small rear wheel.
Some of the Mankato businessmen were:
Dr. Stockwell lived near Mankato, and so did Joe Reiser, Jim Kinnalley, John Mentzer, George Lee, William Dereg, Edward Fairbanks, and the Evans and Gratz families.
