History

• The City of Comfrey was founded in 1899 thanks to the Chicago Northwestern Railroad.
• Comfrey is located, for the most part, in Brown County. There are few homes in Comfrey that are technically located in Cottonwood County.
• Highway 258 runs through Comfrey. The Cottonwood River and Mound Creek Dam are near town.
• The town of Comfrey was founded when the Chicago Northwestern Railroad purchased one-quarter section of land from C-J Holm in 1899. Postman and farmer A-W Pederson moved the post office to the new town site to be near the railroad. He named the town “Comfrey” after a plant that grew abundantly in the area.
• Comfrey’s weekly newspaper is the Comfrey Times. It was 1st published in the year 1900.
• The City of Comfrey was devastated by a tornado ini March of 1998. Over two thirds of the buildings in town were destroyed, but the community pulled together and rebuilt the town better than ever before.
• A famous Comfrey native is the owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Glenn Taylor.

 

Businesses

• The Comfrey School District employs many people in town. THeir mascot is the Rockets.
• Two of Comfrey’s businesses that are important to the surrounding area are Harvestland Co-Op and Clement’s Lumber. They play a key economic role ini the agriculture and construction industries.
• The clinic in Comfrey shares the responsibility of caring for southern Minnesota veterans. They are part of St. James Health Services, which was awarded the V-A contract in 2005.

 

Festivals & Events

• Comfrey’s big summer event is called Comfrey Community Days. Itfeatures an ice cream social, lots of local entertainment, a tractor pull, raffles, a street dance, softball tournaments, and lots of other fun events. Comfrey Community Days is held in June.
• The various service groups in the Comfrey area, such as the Lions, the Legion, and the Legion Auxillary, hold numerous pancake feeds throughout the year. Rarely a month goes by when you can’t get some pancakes in the community of Comfrey.

 

People

• In 2011 the Brown County Veterans Council approved a $1,000 appropriation to erect a plaque on the site where an airplane crashed north of Comfrey nearly 50 years ago. The US Air Force B47 bomber crashed on February 20, 1963, and 4 Air Force Officers were killed.

• KNUJ’s Hometown Hero for March 2011 was Duke Cook of Comfrey. Duke has dedicated his life to the sport of softball, volunteering many, many years to coaching numerous teams of all ages. The Hometown Hero recognition is sponsored by KNUJ AM and FM and select Thrivent Financial Lutherans agents.
• The Mayor of Comfrey is Gary Richter. The population is around 400.
• The 2010 Comfrey Teacher Of The Year was Janelle Tews. Janelle began teaching in Comfrey in 2002. She teaches Family and Consumer Science classes to junior and senior high school students, serves as a school counselor, and leads Operation Respect, which teaches elementary school students character development. She also serves as the Comfrey Childcare Director for the school’s daycare program, and is an advisor to the senior class and student council.
• In 2010 first and second graders in Comfrey corresponded with U.S. Troops stationed in Iraq. The Comfrey kids boxed up a total of 47 boxes of supplies along with cards thanking the soldiers for their service. The event was organized by Comfrey School Paraprofessional Beth Griffis.
• The City of Comfrey’s wastewater treatment project was begun in 2010. The 1.6 million dollar upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant is being partially funded through state and federal grants, as well as a $675,000 loan. The work expanded parts of the treatment plant and brought it up-to-date with new phosphorus limit laws coming in 2012. The first stage of the project was scheduled to be completed by the Fall of 2011.

 

 

 

Click on the title below to listen to the Town Days Podcasts

• Commercial Club’s Darlene Arnsdorf

  16 Feb 12

• City Clerk and School Board

  16 Feb 12