City of Appleton
Swift County
Chamber of Commerce
Appleton is home of the Swift County Fairgrounds, the Applefest Celebration held annually in September, and a city bike trail. Also it’s the only city in the United States to honor all of its fallen war heroes in this most unique manner. In 1946, Appleton’s mayor, Robert P. Miller, proposed that streets bear the names of local heroes instead of conventional numbers and other names. On May 30, 1947, in a large Memorial Day service, all the street names were changed so that each one is named after a local war hero. Today the community proudly continues this tradition in tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
The town was originally named Phelps, after Addison Phelps, whose family moved west in 1858. Other settlers at the time included two Civil War veterans, the Lathrop Brothers, who built a flour mill on the banks of the town’s Pomme de Terre River.
These first settlers were of Scandinavian and German descent. Eventually the township’s name was changed to Appleton in honor of the town in Wisconsin where Phelps grew up.
Appleton is a major river access point for paddling adventures down the Pomme de Terre River. It also offers a 9-hole golf course, a 325 acre OHV and 4×4 park and Mill Pond Park Municipal Campground. Appleton is centrally located to all the major state parks, national wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas and regional rivers and lakes. Winter snowmobile trails link up with other counties for added fun.
The Pomme de Terre, the northern most tributary of the MN River, runs through a variety of land types from low bluff lands, woods, pasture, farmland, and makes its way right through the town of Appleton. Great for tubing, canoeing, or fishing!
Bike or walk the smoothly paved path that runs through Appleton. The Appleton Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club has created a designated groomed snowmobile route throughout the area connecting to other trail systems.
City of Appleton
Address: 323 West Schlieman Ave, Appleton, MN 56208
Phone: (320) 289-1363
Email: roman@appletonmn.org, liz@appletonmn.org
