Owatonna Minnesota, Located on Interstate 35, southeastern Minnesota, just 35 miles north of the Iowa boarder. Located 60 miles south of Minneapolis. It has a population of approximately 24,000 people.
Owatonna has emerged from its agricultural beginning as a community with truly as diverse economy, a strong industrial, service, and financial base. Owatonna Minnesota is the home of several nationally known firms such as Federated Insurance Company, Jostens, Truth Tool Company, Owatonna Tool Company (Truth Tool and OTC now owned by SPX), Viracon and Wenger Corporation as well as several local and regional concerns. Owatonna has in total 40 industrial firms. Owatonna has experienced substantial growth in residential and commercial annexations that add to Owatonna's charm and life style.
Owatonna is also known as the "City of Parks", with 20 parks totaling just under 500 acres. Much of the credit for such a beautiful a park system is from our founding fathers and modern day city fathers. Names such as Charles Buxton II (Federated Insurance Company) and R.W. (Buzz) Kaplan (Owatonna Tool Company) have given much to assist the city. Also the late Leo G. Rudolph, former Park and Recreation Director for the city of Owatonna had much to do with the coordination and foresight for the present bike trail system. Mr. Rudolph was also honored with the "Leo Rudolph Nature Reserve”, a 57-acre tract of land that is located in Owatonna.