Then & Now: A History of Rice County, Faribault & Communities

Faribault, about 1874, looking east from old courthouse r oof befor e Third Street bridge UXJS built.
which is still standing.
He built the first Catholic Church in Faribault in ·
1855, for the Rev. George Keller- a frame structure
which was burned in 1855. He was a generous donor of
the site of the present church, and gave at a cost of
$3,000, the first bell for the Church of the Immaculate
Conception, the church which now stands on the site of
the church burned in 1857. This bell was destroyed
when the building was partially burned, June 30, 1903.
Mr. Faribault also is to be credited with many liberal
gifts to the St. Paul and Mendota churches.
In 1856 Mr. Faribault built his last home at
Faribault- his early camping ground on the Straight
River bluffs, now crowned with magnificent
institutions, overlooking the site of his pioneer trading
post. In 1873 he sold his home to the State of Minnesota
and the building is still being used by the Minnesota
Braille and Sight Saving School.
After a long and eventful life Alexander Faribault
passed away on Nov. 28, 1882 at Faribault, and was laid
to rest in Calvary Cemetery with his kindred and other
pioneer neighbors - that hilltop where once flashed
the red signal fire of "alarm" to the Big Village
braves.
1853 Settlement Date
Although this city's fifst trading post was
established by Alexander Farib