Savage (Images of America)

Savage's history is deep and diverse. The city was home to a famous racehorse and its owner, the site where Charles Lindbergh's plane crashed, and a prominent ship-building industry that thrived during World War II. It all started in 1852 when a small trading post was established at the mouth of the Credit River where it empties into the Minnesota River. Soon, the town of Hamilton was established, and its residents made a living farming and trading. In the early 1900s, Marion Willis Savage purchased a pacer named Dan Patch and built the International Stock Food Farm along the river. In 1904, the depot agent suggested Hamilton be renamed Savage after the man who brought notoriety to the town with Dan Patch, a horse that set records and charmed crowds until his death in 1916. Today, the horse that was viewed as a symbol of the past serves as a beacon to residents who continue to celebrate the city's heritage along with the natural beauty of the community.