Why visit Canby
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 3 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Canby Theatre, Canby Commercial Historic District and Lund–Hoel House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 5°F, and about 48 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Canby
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Canby
Canby is a city in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Canby, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
Canby Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in Canby, Minnesota, United States
Lund–Hoel House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house museum in Canby, Minnesota, United States
Lundring Service Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Former gas station in Canby, Minnesota, United States
Restaurants and cafes3
P.K. Egans Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
115 Saint Olaf Avenue North
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00
Where to stay1
History
John Swenson, who secured a homestead on section 4 of Norman Township where now stands the City of Canby, was one of the early European settlers in the area. After erecting a claim shanty, for the convenience of his neighbors, he opened a little store in his cabin. In November 1874, he secured the establishment of a post office in that store. At Swenson's suggestion, the post office was named Canby, in honor of Civil War and career officer General Edward Canby of the United States Army. (General Canby had been assassinated the prior year during peace negotiations with the Modoc Tribe of Northern California.)
However, in 1876 the surrounding country was receiving new settlers and the railway company deemed it time to begin the operation of train service over the western part of the line. Canby Station was established and on August 24, 1876, and the city platted by the Winona & St. Peter Railroad Company soon after the railroad was extended to that point. Because of its location on the rail line, Canby grew quickly and was incorporated as a village in 1879 and as a city in 1905.
Lots were sold by the railroad with the provision that they must be built upon within six months. Swenson was the first to buy, and he selected the corner of Front and Main for his first store building.
From the History section of Canby, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare2
Map of Canby
20 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 5°F | 0.8 in | 7.8 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 9°F | 0.9 in | 8.0 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 21°F | 1.5 in | 7.4 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 33°F | 2.8 in | 7.2 in |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 3.4 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 50°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 37°F | 2.4 in | 1.0 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 24°F | 1.4 in | 6.4 in |
| Dec | 28°F | 12°F | 1.1 in | 9.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Canby (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Yellow Medicine County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2022-07-08: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-07-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southwest Minnesota Regional Airport (MML) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 miles away.
- Hendricks 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Ivanhoe 17 mi south, about 28 min by car
- Minneota 18 mi southeast, about 28 min by car
- Dawson 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
- Madison 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Marshall 30 mi southeast, about 48 min by car
- Appleton 36 mi north, about 57 min by car
- Brookings 38 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Watertown 45 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Benson 53 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Canby Commercial Historic District, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- John G. Lund House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cicada at Death, Obershon, CC BY 4.0
- Lundring Service Station, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.