A driving force in the livestock industry

Editor’s note: Information for the article was provided by Dakota County Historical Society, trucker Bryan Pexa, two employees at the stockyards, Don Glassing and Tom Ostlie, along with independent research.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Situated on a portion of 260 acres purchased in 1886, the South St. Paul Stockyards brought in more than 300 million head of livestock before closing their doors in 2008.

When the land was first purchased, 75 acres were plotted into town lots while the remaining 185 acres were designated for stockyard use. Despite challenges, the stockyards grew, driven by the dedication of those who worked there as it led the way to shaping a city dependent on the livestock industry.

At its peak in the early 1900s, the stockyards saw record livestock receipts. In 1934, 1,475,890 cattle were sold as well as 840,413 calves.

A decade earlier in 1924, the stockyards saw 3,751,395 hogs. Two years later in 1926, 88,279 rail cars were used. In the midst of the war years in 1943 the stockyard sold 1,787,014 sheep.

For Don Glassing, the stockyards were a family tradition. His father worked at the Central Livestock Association Commission, and Glassing himself started there at age 16, dedicating 55 years to the industry. At 23, after three months of marriage, he was drafted into the military, serving two years in active duty, two years in the reserves and another two years on standby.

“I still think of the stockyards,” Glassing said. “It was our livelihood for a lot of people that lived in South St. Paul.”

Tom Ostlie, a friend of Glassing, started working at the stockyards in 1972.

“The last few years, we became closer friends,” Ostlie said. “We still meet up.”

Bryan Pexa, who spent 43 years trucking livestock, also said he recalls the stockyards fondly, though he is relieved not having to deal with heavy traffic.

“That’s one thing I don’t miss,” Pexa said. “Driving in traffic got worse over the years.”

The history of the South St. Paul Stockyards began May 3, 1886, with a meeting of local businessmen, western cattlemen and railroad officials. At the center of it all was A.B. Stickney, then president of the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad, who recognized the need for a livestock market.

Stickney saw the need watching 75,000 western cattle pass through the St. Paul area enroute to Chicago. That same number of beef carcasses were moving back from Chicago.

Among those early conversations was one with Theodore Roosevelt before he served as president.

“There can be no possible disadvantage,” Roosevelt said. “It must be a great advantage to the producers. The great loss from shrinkage in the shipment of stock east is between St. Paul and Chicago. We would certainly gain on shrinkage, freight and absence of competition with inferior and southern cattle and still have the option of shipping to Chicago.”

Stickney knew community support was important and outlined the potential for a livestock market and meat packaging plant in St. Paul.

“In whatever we may do in this matter, I want the hearty support of every businessman and citizen, and all these matters must be decided on their merits,” Stickney said.

Ostlie described the stockyards as a bustling hub.

“There were a lot of cattle, hogs, and sheep — large numbers,” Ostlie said. “It was a small city inside of a city. It was big in its time.”

Ostlie said there is an ever-present need for markets that support farmers, especially small producers.

“The larger producers always have different options, but small producers need good markets for their animals,” Ostlie said. “It continues to be a crucial part of livestock marketing.”

Historical documents from the 1970s highlight how livestock marketing became an issue when farmers produced more animals than their families needed.

In response, Minnesota farmers centralized cooperative selling in 1921, forming the Central Cooperative Commission Company. Now known as the Central Livestock Association, it was the last commission firm operating in the stockyards before shifting most sales to its Zumbrota location.

The South St.Paul Stockyards faced many challenges that led to its closure. A drought in the 1930s led to increased sales, while World War II price controls created market confusion. Over time, industry trends changed, making it harder for large processing plants to operate efficiently.

“The economy, the expenses, the costs of operating those big plants — it was difficult,” Glassing said. “So, they moved to smaller slaughter plants outside the city.”

Though the South St. Paul Stockyards are now gone, their legacy remains.