Project aims to make historic New Ulm spring eligible for National Register

Preparations begin next week for a  project that’s intended to make an historic New Ulm spot eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tree removal on the New Ulm Spring Roadside Parking Area will begin March 1, according to officials from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The spring, located about one mile east of the Highway 14/15 interchange was built in 1938-1938 as part of the New Deal, a federal work relief program during the depression.  It’s currently not eligible for listing on the Register; the goal of the project is to bring it to potentially eligible status.

The spring was a popular spot for locals to stop for a refreshing drink of water.

The actual rehabilitation project will start later this summer and includes repairing the stone wall, walk, and parking area with a new curbed island and right-in/right-out access.   Two picnic areas up the slope will be restored, and a natural surface trail will connect the sites.

The work is in coordination with the improvement plans for Highway 14, beginning in 2022.