Gideon and Agnes Pond House

This house, the centerpiece at Pond-Dakota Mission Park, was the dwelling of Gideon Pond and Agnes Hopkins Pond from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. The Ponds served as missionaries to the Dakota Indians, and as farmers and ministers in the young community of Bloomington, Minnesota.

Following a move from the Bde Maka Ska area in 1843, Gideon Pond and Eli Pettijohn built a two-story log mission house near this site. Nine years later in 1852, Pond built a wood frame “preemption” house to lay claim to the ownership of the land. In 1856 Pond and some hired help constructed the Federal-style brick house you will see if you visit the site today. Attached to the wooden preemption house, it was constructed from a supply of approximately 60,000 bricks made of clay dug out of the river bottoms. Shortly thereafter, the log mission house was dismantled and the timbers were used to construct a split-level barn.

In 1910 the preemption house was dismantled and a two-story addition was constructed in its place. For over 140 years, the Pond House was home to four generations of Pond descendants. The City of Bloomington purchased the property in 1975 and undertook stabilization work in the 1980s. In 1995 a full restoration of the brick house was done during which the two-story addition was replaced by a replica of the original preemption house.

This house has been maintained as a museum by the City of Bloomington since the completion of the restoration work in 1995. The Gideon and Agnes Pond House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Dakota Language Camp

A unique approach to language learning for both Dakota and non-Dakota youth and adults, the Dakota Language Camp provides an introduction to one of Minnesota's native languages. All learning is through hands-on experiences of traditional Dakota games, crafts, songs, dancing and foods. Participants will set up a tipi to learn how it was used and furnished. As Dakota culture is rooted in the land, many words are learned during nature walks on the beautiful trails of Nine Mile Creek. Dakota teachers will also explain their nation's values and history.

• Visit the Dakota Language Camp tab on the Youth Programs page for full details. 

Experience what everyday life was like for early settlers in Minnesota. Each day will be filled with hands-on activities directed by seasoned history reenactors. 

Each camp is a stand-alone adventure that progresses through arriving in Minnesota, setting up a home, and growing a town with tradespeople, shopkeepers, teachers, doctors and more. 

Who: Youth ages 7 - 14
Where: Pond Dakota Mission Park, 401 E. 104th St. (home of the historic Pond House)
Fee: $90 Bloomington residents / $114 nonresidents (per participant, per camp)
Registration: Sign up online at Webtrac
Schedule:

• Pioneer Camp: Arriving in Minnesota
  • It’s the 1800’s and you’ve made the journey west to find a new home. What means of travel did you choose? Discover the skills you needed to survive the trip – navigating, gathering, hunting, fishing and cooking over a campfire. Then learn to build and furnish a log cabin and start creating your new life!
    • June 16 - 18, 2026
    • 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 
• Pioneer Camp: Home Life
  • Never a dull moment on a farm - each day is filled with activity: growing crops and gardens, raising animals, hauling water, washing clothes, cooking, sewing, candle and butter making, and more. Pioneers had time for some fun, too, from music and picnics to playing with toys and games!
    • July 21 - 23, 2026
    • 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Pioneer Camp: Building a Community
  • Farming families gathered at events like barn raisings and quilting bees. But not every pioneer was a farmer. Discover the different occupations and skills that were needed to create a town. Would you be a storekeeper, blacksmith, seamstress, school teacher, banker, hotel owner or something else? Let’s create a new town and give it a name!
    • August 11 - 13
    • 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Participants must bring their own lunch. 

Each year you can experience beautiful Pond Dakota Mission Park in the winter during the annual Pond Dakota Winter History Festival. Enjoy fun activities including frontier games like Graces, and Hoop & Stick, guided tours of the historic Pond House with costumed reenactors, guided hikes/snowshoe walks (weather permitting) around the park and Minnesota River valley, and so much more. 

Pond Dakota Winter History Festival is presented annually as part of Bloomington Winter Fete.