When most people think of Minnesota cities or towns, they picture the Twin Cities or Duluth. But there are many places in the Land of 10,000 Lakes that are well worth visiting – and even a few lost towns that most people don’t know about. These towns may have faded away – they may have even disappeared from maps – but they are still worth remembering. One of our favorite lost towns in Minnesota is a tiny community called Dorothy. Check it out:

Dorothy, Minnesota, was once a small yet thriving town in northern Minnesota's Red Lake County.
Google Maps
It grew around a railroad station built between 1916 and 1917. The Northern Pacific Railway rain through it, bringing prosperity to the tiny community.
elcajonfarms/Wikimedia Commons
In its heyday, Dorothy had many of the things you'd look for in a small town: a church, a school, agricultural buildings, and even a post office.
elcajonfarms/Wikimedia Commons
In fact, the post office ran from 1898 until it finally closed in 1945. Some today may still remember the town's last years.
Mark Rice/Google Maps

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Much of the industry around Dorothy was railroad or agriculture based. But in 1973, that ended. The train and grain elevator were both closed for good.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Years later, even the church was gone. It caught fire and was totally destroyed in 2014.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
While Dorothy doesn't have much to offer by way of jobs or recreation today, it's still an interesting spot if you're in the neighborhood.
Andrew Filer/Flickr
Next time you're on a drive along northern Minnesota's country roads, make a point to turn towards Dorothy.
Google Maps

This wide place in the road may be almost forgotten, but it still lives in the memory of many Minnesotans. For even more abandoned or lost towns in Minnesota, check out our road trip through 9 Minnesota ghost towns.

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