Albert Lea. An active and growing city of 2,300 inhabitants, situated at the intersection of the S. M. and the M. & St. L. railroads, in Albert Lea township, 2 miles southwest of the center of Freeborn county (of which county it is the seat), and 116 miles from St. Paul. Also located upon Albert Lea and Fountain lakes, from which power is obtained for driving a flouring mill. A flouring mill, planing mill, foundry and 3 elevators are operated by steam. Contains a church each for Presbyterian, Lutheran, Congregational, Universalist and Catholic, and 2 for Baptist denominations, and a graded school with four teachers; also 2 banks, 5 hotels, opera house and 2 newspapers. It is in a well settled and fine agricultural district, exporting considerable of wheat, cattle and hogs. First settled in 1858. Telegraph, Northwestern. Express, American. Stages to Owatonna, Minn., and Forest City, Ia., semi-weekly. Mail 6 times a day. (Minnesota State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1878-9, Volume 1, R. L. Polk & Co., and A. C. Danser, Detroit, Michigan, Page 44)