History

Scott County is rich with history. 

There are multiple organizations within the county dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history of this great region. Check out the links below to connect with these organizations. 

Interested in Genealogy? Scott County Library staff members have special expertise in genealogy and family history. Visit SCL's Genealogy Resources page  to find online resources such as Ancestry Library Edition. You can also contact staff at your library for hands-on assistance with personal history projects. 

General Winfield Scott Portrait

Name Origin

Scott County was named after General Winfield Scott. General Scott was an officer in the War of 1812, Commander of the United States Army during the Mexican War, and an unsuccessful Whig candidate for the presidency in 1852. Though General Scott never visited the area, he was only a few miles away when he made an official inspection of Fort Snelling in 1824.

Scott County: The New Frontier

The video below explores the stories of Scott County's unique history. Along the way, local historians provide much of the information.  Today, Scott County is still one of the fastest growing areas of the state. As it observed its sesquicentennial year in 2003, Scott County had found itself in the same place as it had been 150 years earlier. It was then, as it is now, The New Frontier.