"Country meets community" in St. Augusta
South of St. Cloud, the rural city of St. Augusta stays true to its motto: “Where country meets community.” “When you talk about small-town America, that’s what it is,” says Cmdr. Brandon Hanebuth of the St. Augusta American Legion. “There’s not a lot of big industry, and everybody is willing to help everybody. It’s like going 50 years in the past as far as the friendships and the hometown feel.” The area is predominantly made up of woods and farmland, with small industrial shops and a few local businesses on County Road 7, which leads to all the amenities in St. Cloud, about 15 minutes away.
Subdivisions scattered around the countryside
Subdivisions are scattered throughout the rural community, and some homes sit out on their own in the countryside, surrounded by farms or tucked away in the woods. For the smaller lots, ranch-style and split-level homes built between the 1950s and ’90s range from $150,000 to $390,000. Similar homes on larger lots sell for $390,000 to $500,000. Newer homes with ranch-style, bi-level and Colonial Revival layouts range from $270,000 to $490,000, while some large, upscale houses sell for $730,000 to $870,000.
Two parks and a snowmobile club
Locals come together for youth baseball games and other activities at Kiffmeyer Park, where there's a shelter for celebrations, a playground, pickleball courts and walkways that lead to bridges over Johnson Creek, which feeds into the Mississippi River. Hidden Lake Park is home to a challenging 18-hole disc golf course, plus a rentable pavilion, a playground, a sand volleyball court and a pier on the lake. A local snowmobile club, the St. Augusta Blizzard Busters, maintains 26 miles of trails from Clearwater to St. Augusta to St. Joseph. “Everyone is welcome to use the trails,” says Hanebuth, a club member. “Throughout the year, when the trails aren’t being used for snowmobiles, we have members go out and clear the brush and put up signs so they are well marked.”
St. Augusta American Legion and other businesses in town
Most shopping and dining options are on County Road 75 at the interchange of Interstate 94, which divides St. Augusta from St. Cloud. On the St. Augusta side, there’s a Dollar General for basic shopping needs. The St. Augusta American Legion serves as a local bar and restaurant. “We’re not your typical legion,” Hanebuth says, “People are used to legions that are dark and dungy, but we’ve created a nice atmosphere where everyone is welcome, whether or not you’re a veteran.” The legion hosts monthly raffles to collect proceeds that go toward the community. Hanebuth says they have made several donations, whether it be to build a new baseball field, support a local school or fund an event. Club Almar, another watering hole in town, has a lively dive bar atmosphere with frequent live music. More fast-food restaurants and local spots are on the St. Cloud side, including RJ’s American Grill at the Pilot Travel Center truck stop. Both sides of the interstate are dotted with auto shops, trucking centers and other businesses. Dozens of big-box retailers are 5 to 10 miles away in the core of St. Cloud.
Technical education at Tech High School
The St. Cloud Area School District serves St. Augusta. Students may attend Clearview Elementary School, which is in Clear Lake and receives a B-minus grade from Niche. They’ll go on to C-plus-graded South Junior High School. Tech High School receives a B and offers technology programs, such as engineering, construction and aeronautics.
St. Augusta Days makes a comeback
St. Augusta Days had been an annual tradition until 2017 before making a comeback in 2025. “The community really came together, and everyone donated to make it happen,” Hanebuth says. “There’s a big parade, a 5K run and live music.”
Getting to St. Cloud and Minneapolis
With easy access to Interstate 94, it takes less than 90 minutes to drive 60 miles to Minneapolis. It's also about 15 minutes to downtown St. Cloud. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is the closest major airport.
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
