1856 - United States deeds land in the N 1/2, NW 1/4 of Section 10 to John D. and Mary Berry.
July 1857 - Berry sells the 40-acre parcel to Silas Merrill, who also owned an adjacent 40 acres.
Plat maps show there was a house on the property by 1879.
According to 1880 Federal Census Records, Merrill was a farmer who was born in New Hampshire around 1831. His wife, Margaretha, was from New Brunswick. They had one son and two daughters. At the time they owned four horses, three milk cows, two swine and 30 chickens. In 1888 the Hennepin County Assessor valued Merrill's farm at $1,000 for the land and $500 for structures on it.
May 1890 - Merrill sells the N ¼, NW ¼ of Sec.10 to Willard H. and Rosa Bragdon.
August 1893 - the property passes to Julia M. Bargdon for about $45 per acre.
May 1894 - John J. Eidem Jr. and wife, Electa purchase 39 acres, including the house, barn and shed for about $80 an acre.
Electa died in 1950, and John Jr. in 1956. After that the land was no longer farmed. The Eidem grandchildren rented out the house until it was sold.
July 1976 - the house and ten acres of land are purchased for $40,000 by the City of Brooklyn Park, using a federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
September 1979 - the Eidem Homestead opens to the public.
“To preserve our past is to know our future”
To return to Eidem Homestead Home Page - click here
Contact Recreation and Parks Department
Mailing Address:
5600-85th Ave N
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Phone Numbers:
(763) 493-8333
(763) 493-8253 (fax)
Email:
bprecprog@brooklynpark.org 
