Town Naming
Version 1
When the village was to be named the officials, likely in Preston,
sent two names for suggestions, one was South Fork because it was
on the South Fork river, the other name may have been Thompson,
after Sven Thompson, the first store owner and the first postmaster.
The letter said "Take your Choice". They didn't like either name so
they took Choice.
Version 2
When the town of Choice was originally named, the townspeople
sent in "Anderson" and "Thompson" as their two requested names.
Both of the names were okay'd with the reply
that the decision makers could make their choice.
Somewhere along the line, possibly at the post office, someone
misinterpreted this to mean "Choice" was the chosen name. That's
what the town has been called ever since.
Snakebite Remedy
1912 Fillmore County History, pages 118-120
The "Moonshines." In the year 1856 a promising young man of the western part of the "Keystone" state and who had just recently married the lady of his choice, decided to emigrate to the then "far west" and seek their fortune. After a time of reconnoitering in the east part of this county, looking for their anticipated prize, which they no doubt thought was lying around loose somewhere on the prairie, they established themselves among the hills on the south branch of Root river on section 9 in Preble township (where Choice post office was afterward located), there to begin the foundation for their anticipated colossal fortune. The young man was a genius and of an inventive turn of mind, who at once set his wits at work with the expectations of a great and prosperous future. In a short period of time he found that the country in that locality was infested with a species of serpents called rattlesnakes. Being on the alert to discover some way to accumulate wealth without any extra manual exertions, he soon believed that he had struck the "keynote" for his success, which was to erect a plant to manufacture and dispense a liquid that could be used as an antidote for the bite of the most venomous reptiles known to mankind. more...
1966 Article
They Still Choose Choice
Sunday, June 5, 1966, Winona Sunday News
By BURR GRISWOLD, Sunday News Correspondent
CHOICE, Minn. - More than a century ago, early immigrants settled in a tiny little valley between the steep hills characterizing much of this area of Minnesota, and called it Choice.
Either they found it a choice place to live or several names were suggested, and their lader [leader] said, "Take your choice."
THEY DID choose "Choice," and the folks who live there now still find Choice a choice place to live; they like it, and are very proud of its present. It's in an unusual setting: The steep approach from one hill, where you have to slow to 20 miles an hour, then the narrow ravine that is the unincorporated village, then another hill.
The scenery at Choice itself is not only picturesque, but for persons who like to hike up a hill or two, there's more around. more...
