The Atwood Family real estate story began in 1867 when Edwin H. Atwood founded a real estate and mortgage loan business in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Later, his son Clarence L. Atwood joined the firm and founded a bank. His son, Frederick C. Atwood moved to Mankato, Minnesota after graduating from the University of Minnesota. In 1934, he founded Atwood Land Company to serve the real estate needs of Southern Minnesota.
In 1954, Mr. Atwood’s son, Charles Atwood joined the firm and thus continued the family legacy of Real Estate service. Realizing the need for expanded services, Charles Atwood founded Atwood Realty in 1965 to offer services for residential and commercial real estate needs.
George Smith joined the firm of Atwood Land Company in 1961 as a sales associate. In 1965, Mr. Smith joined forces with Charles Atwood, as a sales associate with Atwood Realty and later that same year became a partner in the company and the firm’s name changed to Atwood-Smith Realty.
Atwood Land Company continued to operate concentrating on property leasing and management.
Charles Atwood and George Smith saw the opportunity of expanding their services and purchased a CENTURY 21 franchise in 1976. Atwood-Smith Realty became CENTURY 21 Atwood-Smith Realty.
In March 1981, Charles Atwood purchased the stock held by George Smith thus dissolving the partnership between them. The company became known as CENTURY 21 Atwood Realty.
Continuing the family tradition, Charles Atwood’s son Tom joined the company as Sales Manager in July 1983, becoming the third-generation in the family legacy. In 1984, Tom became a Broker with the firm. Tom took over the management of CENTURY 21 Atwood Realty. and Atwood Land Company in 1986.
In February of 1992, CENTURY 21 Atwood Realty acquired Kvasnicka Realty of Mankato and this association grew CENTURY 21 Atwood Realty to become the largest real estate firm in the area and a leader among our peers.
Seeing an opportunity for growth in property leasing and management, Tom founded a new company, Atwood Property Management and transferred the book of business from Atwood Land Company, which then became a holdings corporation.
In 2009, Tom’s oldest son Matthew joined Atwood Property Management. In 2011, Tom’s youngest son Michael joined CENTURY 21 Atwood. Thus began the fourth-generation legacy.
In August of 2013, after a lengthy illness, broker/owner Thomas Atwood sadly passed away. Charles, Matthew and Michael purchased the companies from Tom’s estate and appointed Jeffrey Kaul, an agent with more than 30 years experience, to the managing broker position of CENTURY 21 Atwood and Chris Schmitz, an agent with more than 25 years experience, to the managing broker position of Atwood Property Management.
In 2016, Matthew and Michael Atwood saw a need as the Atwood Companies’ agents and staff continued to grow in numbers. The offices of CENTURY 21 Atwood and Atwood Property Management moved within the newly renamed Atwood Plaza building in downtown Mankato from 5,002 sf to 8,346 sf in a beautifully remodeled space.
In 2017, Matthew and Michael realized an opportunity for growth in a neighboring market and, in April, opened the companies’ first branch office in Saint Peter, Minnesota.
In 2018, they realized growth potential into new markets. CENTURY 21 Atwood acquired an independent brokerage called Mille Lacs Realty in Isle, Onamia, and Garrison, Minnesota. Those branch offices became CENTURY 21 Atwood - Mille Lacs.
Just a few weeks later, CENTURY 21 Atwood acquired another fellow C21 office in Duluth, Minnesota called CENTURY 21 Gilderman & Associates. The branch office then became CENTURY 21 Atwood & Gilderman.
In March of 2020, growth continued with the joining of CENTURY 21 Vista in Fergus Falls, Ottertail, and Battle Lake, MN as well as Wahpeton, ND and CENTURY 21 Gilderman & Associates II in Superior WI. June brought another partnership with Ron Holtan Realty in Albert Lea, MN.
Today, 154 years and 6 generations later, Edwin Atwood’s great-great-great-grandchildren, Matthew and Michael Atwood continue the growth, diversity, quality customer service and high ethical standards that have always been an integral and consistent part of the Atwood Companies’ plan. Our professionalism, success and involvement in the community have made us one of the most successful offices in the CENTURY 21 system as well as a top C21 company in the state of Minnesota.
Connect