History

In 1947 and 1948 the property that is now Vermillion Highlands was part of the 12,000 acres deeded to the University of Minnesota by the United States federal government.  The property was, in part, the site of the Gopher Ordnance Works which supported the war effort. Over the years, the University has conducted various forms of research on the property.  In May 2006, the Governor of Minnesota signed into law legislation that set aside the 2,822 acres to be a natural space in perpetuity.  As part of the legislation, the property will be deeded by the University to the State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in 2032, in conjunction with the State’s support for the University’s new Gopher football stadium on the Minneapolis campus.