In 1877, William D. Washburn of Minneapolis purchased all of sections 3, 4, 5, 9, and part of section 6 in Holland Township to create one of Minnesota's first bonanza farms. Following the example of factories, bonanza farms were typically very large, managed by someone other than the owner, often grew one type of crop and raised large numbers of livestock, and were often associated with railroads. The Washburn Farm covered nearly 5 square miles, the largest single land acquisition in Kandiyohi County by a private individual. Washburn stocked the farm with a large herd of cattle and built barns for them before any permanent housing was built for the hired hands or managers. His managers never made the farm self-supporting or profitable in the tough economic climate at the end of the nineteenth century. The farm never showed a profit, and Washburn eventually sold it; it was later parceled out and sold to new settlers. Headquarters for the farm was located near this site.