Flooding at the Chaska Brickyards

With the Minnesota River high for much of the fall 2018, flooding is expected again this spring.  Flooding was a constant problem for the early Chaska brickyards, because they were initially located in a low lying area close to the river. These first brickyards were located where the current Carver County Courthouse was built. The clay was dug from where there are now several small lakes behind the courthouse.

Once the floodwaters receded, the water had to be pumped out of the clay pit. However, the river would leave behind a dirty mess of mud that would also have to be cleaned up. After dealing with the flooding threat for a number of years, newer yards were opened in the higher elevations farther back from the river, north of Chaska Boulevard. This area did not flood, and was therefore a much more stable location for making bricks.

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