Leaf River, Minnesota

Leaf River, or Leafriver, is a ghost town in section 22 of Leaf River Township, Wadena County, Minnesota, United States.Today the town has a population around 50. There is a restaurant, a golf course, an old school house and a residential community.

The Leaf River Town Hall in 2024

History

The village of Leaf River had a post office from 1880 until 1882, and again from 1902 until 1908.^[1] It was served by a station of the Great Northern Railway.^[2]

Etymology

The village received its name from the Leaf River, which was in turn named for the Leaf Mountains, which were called by the Ojibwa Gaaskibag-wajiwan.^[3] This name was translated by Gilfillan as "Rustling Leaf Mountains."