A fast growing exurb of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, Lonsdale is located 40 miles south of downtown Minneapolis.

Prior to the American Civil War, a number of families of Czech descent had begun migrating to south central Minnesota from Bohemia.

In 1878, a small settlement of Norwegian farmers built a Lutheran church slightly to the southeast of present day Lonsdale.

It was the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway that proceeded with plans for their existing branch line from Wells to Mankato, to begin constructing trackage northeastward into Farmington.

But the businesses of the Veseli area favored the construction of a spur line of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway (M & St. L) from New Prague instead.

In July and August 1901, the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway created their right-of-way with the purchase of a 100 foot wide strip of land that ran through the Trondhjem settlement and was therefore also a few miles south of Veseli.

At the end of 1901, landowner Thomas Wilby entered into an agreement with the Milwaukee Land Company to develop 40 acres of his property.

But the contract stipulated that he must first convey land to the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway that was necessary to build a train depot.

On July 16, 1902 a grand opening of the town of Lonsdale was held as lots were auctioned for sale.

Businessman Martin Benzik purchased several of these lots, and constructed the first buildings in Lonsdale: a saloon, a hotel and a livery stable.

To be closer to the railway, some former residents of Veseli placed their homes on skids and pulled them to Lonsdale, using steam tractors.

A public election was set for July 1, 1903, and with a vote of 24-0 in favor of incorporation, the city of Lonsdale was born.