Kiester City Government
Kiester has a very active city government. In this section you will find contact information for our mayor and members of our city council. We are also providing a brief history of our community, information about public safety services such as fire, police, ambulance and health care.
Mayor’s Greeting
Staff and Contact Information
City Clerk –Doris Troll: 507-294-3161 office located in City Hall, Main Street- hours Mon.9-5, Tues. 8-5, Wed. closed, Thurs. 9-5, Fri. 9-5 or by appointment.
City Maintenance – Gary Skartland: office located in City Hall, Main Street
Council
Mayor – Doug Trytten 507-402-5625
Council Members:
Larry Dahleen 763-300-7555
Jason Kluender 507-383-7173
Hope Bauman 507-402-5808
Brandon Hagenson 507-383-7458
City Hall, 116 N.Main Street
Kiester History
The Kiester Hills of the Algona Glacial Moraine have brought people to the community for centuries. Early residents certainly walked up all 1,432 feet of the Kiester Hills and back down again as they made their homes on and around what is commonly known as Tveit’s Pit southeast of present-day Kiester. Later, high-spirited investors flung money after the oil they believed the Kiester Hills contained. To know Kiester, one must know the hills. They signify one is, once again, home. Both the City of Kiester and the Kiester Township land which surrounds it were named for Judge J. A. Kiester, a prominent figure in Faribault County history. Although the city’s name has been a topic of conversation for both residents and friends, all Kiester residents are proud of its origin and even prouder of this progressive, beautiful community built on the rolling Kiester Hills.
Early settlers first lived in the surrounding Kiester Township countryside, with Eli and A. W. Judd filing the first land claim in the fall of 1865. Today, their claim would run from the Almberg farm southwest of Kiester into the southwest corner of the city.
When the Iowa, Minnesota and North Western Railroad began marking their trail through this area in 1899, beginning in Belle Plaine, IA, through Mason City and on to Blue Earth and Fairmont, it left behind many villages platted on its tracks, including the City of Kiester. By June of 1900, the combined population of the city and township was 896, and the city already boasted several general stores, a state bank, a hardware store, implement store, railroad depot, two blacksmith shops, a dray line, a newspaper, and a livestock dealer.
Kiester has enjoyed a progressive community status throughout its lifetime, maintaining a strong business base and enjoying unending support from its residents. Progressive city fathers worked hard to plan a complete curb and gutter system, paved streets, built a sanitary sewer system and an upgraded water system during mid-century. With that infrastructure in place, new projects became the focus.
A city-sponsored renewal project on Main Street in the 1990′s brought a newly-constructed retail complex to town, including a grocery store unrivaled in a community of Kiester’s size and comparable to markets found in larger cities.
Communality volunteerism, fostered with the city’s progressivism, makes an impact. The annual Farming of Yesteryear show, the summer Kiester days celebration, the Kee Theatre, the fire and ambulance services, and the many community-service clubs are possible because of talented residents and friends who donate their time and skills.
The cooperative, progressive spirit continues to make history in the Kiester Hills. Like the rolling hills, the community has found itself looking uphill at times and enjoying a downhill coast during others. But the ride, like the hills, continue to be a source of pride and enjoyment