Lambert, Minnesota (Ghost Town)

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Alfonse F. Lambert and wife, Cesarie, of Quebec, Canada, came to Lambert Township, Polk County, in 1881. Here they built their home in what was to become the Village of Lambert. He assisted in the organization of the new township that bears his name and was a leader in founding St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. At one time the village had the church, a hotel, a blacksmith shop, a post office, four stores, and several homes. The present Lambert Town Hall along Hwy 92 was built as schoolhouse in 1882 and used until 1904. The first teacher was Agnes Monpetit. The building is still in its original location.When the Soo Line Railroad was built in 1904 towns began springing up along the tracks to make use of the new transportation facilities. Oklee was such a town. The small village of Lambert, one and a half miles west of present Oklee had been in existence for several years but it was more that a mile from the railroad. An enterprising man named O.K. Lee, who dealt in real estate, sold some of the Lambert businessmen on the advantages of being closer to the railroad and thus created the birth of Oklee, so named in honor of the owner of the land. Many of the businesses of Lambert moved their buildings to Oklee.