Why is this city called Corcoran? Let’s step back in time to discover the origins of this place. Corcoran, Minnesota owes its name to one of its founding fathers, Patrick B. Corcoran.
In the mid-1850s, the area that is now Corcoran was opening up to American and European farmers. 1855 marked the arrival of Yankee Benjamin Pounder. He built a house in what is now section 25. Shortly after, Irishman Patrick B. Corcoran arrived.
Patrick Corcoran settled in Section 23. He and his wife Anna Fian eventually farmed 640 acres. The first French settlers arrived in 1855 as well. They included Michael Patnode, his son Peter, and others. They settled in the southern part of town.
Patrick B. Corcoran was a significant figure in the early community. He built the first school in Corcoran in the winter of 1857. It was a small log house measuring 12 x 16. Corcoran himself was the first teacher. His first class had sixteen students.
Corcoran then started a general store. It began in a log house with a thatched roof on the west side of town. The business grew quickly. He built a larger store with a shingle roof. Soon, he needed even more space. He constructed a two-story building measuring 30×40 feet.
The P.B. Corcoran General Store became the largest in town. It carried a wide variety of merchandise. The upper story served as a space for town meetings and public entertainment. E. Huot opened a second store. It provided more goods to the growing community.
Patrick B. Corcoran was also the first postmaster. He used his home as the post office. His weekly mail routes ran from Osseo to Rockford every Saturday. Later, in 1875, Joseph Dupont established the Dupont Post Office. He also served as postmaster.
The town was officially organized on May 11th, 1858. The meeting occurred at the house of P.B. Corcoran. At the meeting, town positions were established. Israel Dorman was nominated as temporary Chairman. John Molan was Moderator. Pat Braw was temporary Clerk.
The elected officers included Supervisor Israel Dorman, Chairman P.B. Corcoran, and Chairman John P. Kleresy. Pat Bra was Town Clerk, and Thomas Riley was Assessor. Michael Patnode served as Collector. Francis Garnieen was Overseer of the Poor. Israel Dorman and Peter Patnode were Justices of the Peace. J. Burret and John Coon were Constables. At this meeting, the town was named Corcoran. It honored P.B. Corcoran, its founder.
Another early resident was Joseph Morin. Born in Montreal in 1810, he moved to Michigan in 1840. He worked at Lake Superior shipyards for four years. In 1844, he married Lissette Landeau. In 1845, he and his wife journeyed to Minnesota in a birch bark canoe. They followed the Black River for 15 days. They then carried their belongings and canoe on foot to the St. Croix River. They reached it in one day. They followed it to the Mississippi, then to St. Paul. They stayed there for 11 years before moving to Corcoran in 1856. They built a home and had 11 children.
Corcoran has grown since its founding. It was incorporated as a city in 1948. Today, Corcoran continues to evolve. It honors its history and embraces the future.