St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city of 12,185 people in Nicollet County, Minnesota, founded in 1873.
Why visit St. Peter
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 25 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Broadway Bridge, Emily and Stephen Schumacher House, Eugene Saint Julien Cox House and The Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College;Gustavus Adolphus College Arboretum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 3°F, and about 38 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in St. Peter
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About St. Peter
St. Peter is a city and the county seat of Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. It lies 10 miles north of Mankato and is the third largest city in the Mankato metropolitan area. The population was 12,066 at the 2020 census. It is home to Gustavus Adolphus College.
From the Wikipedia article St. Peter, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Broadway Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
NRHP-listed in Nicollet County and in Le Sueur County
Museums and landmarks11
Emily and Stephen Schumacher House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
Eugene Saint Julien Cox House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
Nicollet County Courthouse and Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Courthouse in St. Peter, United States of America
St. Peter Armory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Armory in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States
St. Peter State Hospital Museum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Hospital building in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States
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Traverse des Sioux
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
The Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College;Gustavus Adolphus College Arboretum
Park · 0.7 mi
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes25
Diamon Dust
Bakery
Café that specializes in baked goods, especially known for its cupcakes. Offers in-house meals during lunch hours.
13 more on the map.
History
St. Peter was founded in 1853 by Captain William Bigelow Dodd, who claimed 150 acres (0.61 km2) north of what is now Broadway Avenue. He named the new settlement Rock Bend because of the rock formation at the bend of the Minnesota River. Daniel L. Turpin platted and surveyed the town site in 1854. In 1855, a group of St. Paul businessmen interested in promoting the town formed the Saint Peter Company, and the town was renamed St. Peter. The president of the company was Willis A. Gorman, Territorial Governor of Minnesota. Many of St. Peter's streets were named after streets in New York City, including Park Row, Chatham, Broadway, Nassau, and Union. Dodd was originally from Bloomfield, New Jersey. His second wife, Harriett Newell Jones, a native of Cabot, Vermont, was living in New York at the time of their marriage at the Church of the Holy Communion in New York City, which helped fund the church in St. Peter that shares its name.
From the History section of St. Peter, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Best Western Plus Saint Peter
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
1301 Old Minnesota Avenue, Saint Peter
Engesser House Bed & Breakfast
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
1202 South Minnesota Avenue, St. Peter
Churches and places of worship9
Church of the Holy Communion, Episcopal
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Union Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Holy Communion Espiscopal Church
Church · 0.6 mi
118 North Minnesota Avenue, Saint Peter
John Ireland Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 0.5 mi
1801 West Broadway Avenue, Saint Peter
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Saint Peter Public Library
Library · 0.4 mi
601 South Washington Avenue, Saint Peter
Healthcare3
Map of St. Peter
105 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 3°F | 1.0 in | 8.8 in |
| Feb | 27°F | 7°F | 1.0 in | 8.2 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 21°F | 1.8 in | 4.2 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 33°F | 3.1 in | 2.7 in |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 49°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 35°F | 2.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 23°F | 1.7 in | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 28°F | 11°F | 1.2 in | 10.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for St Peter Hcn (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
Nicollet County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2024-06-28: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 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)
- 2018-09-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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
Mankato Regional Airport (MKT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Mankato 11 mi south, about 18 min by car
- North Mankato 11 mi south, about 17 min by car
- New Ulm 25 mi west, about 40 min by car
- Faribault 34 mi east, about 55 min by car
- Prior Lake 38 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Chaska 38 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Owatonna 40 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Northfield 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Chanhassen 41 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Lakeville 43 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 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
- Nicollet County Courthouse, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gusties ROAR - Gustavus Adolphus College - St. Peter Minnesota (52472538355), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- 1446. Churches, St. Peter, Minn. (20104366832), Nasjonalbiblioteket from Norway, No restrictions
- Gustavus Adolphus College in Winter, St. Peter, Minnesota (26819602508), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Gustavus Adolphus College - St. Peter, Minnesota (cropped), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Gustavus Adolphus College - St. Peter, Minnesota, Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Red Men Club building, St. Peter, MN, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Saint Peter Food Co-Op and Deli - Natural Foods Grocery Store in St. Peter, Minnesota (40690616151), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- St. Peter, Minnesota - 20 Years After Tornado Banner (26234110857), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Downtown St. Peter 1, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Downtown St. Peter crop, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Downtown St. Peter 2, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Winter in St. Peter, Minnesota - Snowy Street (39980552054), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- St. Peter Armory, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. Peter Carnegie Library, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2009-0805-MN-ChurchofHolyCommunion, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- 2009-0805-MN-StPeter-CoxHouse, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- 2009-0805-MN-Ottawa-LittleStoneMethodist, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- 2009-0805-MN-StPeter-BroadwayBridge, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- St Peter State Hospital Museum front-northeast, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2009-0805-MN-StPeter-SchumacherHouse, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- NicolletCountyCourthouseJail, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- 2009-0805-MN-StPeter-UnionPresby, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- TraverseDesSioux, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sarah & Thomas Montgomery House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Central Square Apartments, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Eugene Saint Julien Cox House, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- GwenWesterman, Travellers & Tinkers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hillstrom Museum of Art, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tornado damage to Gustavus Adolphus Old Main - April 1998, August Schwerdfeger, CC BY 4.0
- Gustavus Adolphus Old Main, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ReggieMcLeod, Travellers & Tinkers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nicollet Hotel, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nicollet County Bank, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1986 Jeep J-20 Pick-Up (29177249423), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1947 Dodge Rat Rod Pick-Up (29720338511), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Church of the Holy Communion, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1941 Dodge Rat Rod Pick-Up (29720366651), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1968 Dodge Charger R T (29510594120), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1968 Dodge Charger (29177328413), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
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