Peterson, or Long Grove, as the early settlers called it, was founded by the Christian Kirchner family in 1856. The sons, Gust and Jacob, marked the settlement and planted a garden in May and then returned to Albany, NY to bring Christian and Magdalena with their 10 children to the new land. In the fall, Gust and Jacob went to Cedar Falls for supplies and brought the Bicknell family back with them.
These two families along with the Watermans to the west and the Taylors and Meades to the east were all visitied by Inkpaduta and his band of renegades on their way to Spirit Lake and the massacre of March 1857. Both settlers and the Indians almost starved to death that terrible winter.
The town and surrounding area have the honor of being the first in Clay County to have a: settlement, post office, frame dwelling, school, school house, courthouse, store, only fort, saw mill, grist mill, point of Indian attack, polling place, incorporated town, hotel, newspaper, and religious service. The first Caucasian child was born here. The town was the recipient of an endowed library.
Peterson is still an active community with Congregational, Methodist, and St. John's UCC, and Maple Grove churches. The American Legion and Auxiliary have Memorial Day services and the Avenue of Flags. The Lion's Club has an auction and supports the Swimming Pool and the Shelter House. The entire community has Peterson Heritage Tour Day in the early fall of even numbered years. There are two other museums which are separate from Peterson Heritage, Inc. Those museums are The French Memorial Museum and Jim's History Barn. All of these museums are open on special days and anytime by appointment.
There are picnic areas at the Swimming Pool park, Wanata State Park, and Buena Vista County Park which also has overnight camping facilities. This is a beautiful, friendly town located in the Little Sioux River Valley.
