Document - Historical Society Minutes - Eagan Historical Society Minutes 12062011 - 12/6/2011MEETING NOTES/MINUTES
EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
TUESDAY
DECEMBER 6, 2011
3:30 p.m. – EAGAN ROOM
Members present: Kim Hazel, Millie Gignac, Martin DesLauriers, Joan Remick Kennedy, Lori
Tripp, Linda Bendt, Mary Ellen Voracek, Ron Erickson, Bernie Jansen and Jean Jannsen. Also
present was Communication Coordinator Joanna Foote.
MEETING MINUTES & SECRETARY
Notes from the November 1, 2011 meeting were misplaced but were recreated with the help of
members who were present. Addition members present at November meeting were Lori Tripp and
Ted Ringberg.
Foote took notes for the December 6, 2011 meeting. The minute from the November 1, 2011 meeting
were approved with noted corrections.
UPDATE ON HISTORICAL MARKET
Foote said the early draft of Patrick Eagan Park Historical Marker information has been circulated
and will be completed in the 2011 funding. She asked DesLauriers and Janssen to recount some of
the stories they had previously shared regarding Native Americans in the area, for inclusion on the
marker. She also wanted stories of how the McCarthy’s and other area families interacted with one
another.
DesLauriers told of when the settlers were called into Fort Snelling during the Indian uprisings,
Chief Blackdog offered to protect the families of this area including his grandfather Quigley’s
family. The Chief had told him not to worry, that they would not be harmed and the Chief sent
members of his tribe to the Quigley farm and others in the area to protect the settlers. The Indians
were very friendly and often traded with the farmers. They brought squirrels and wildlife and traded
for chickens and eggs. The farm families let the Indians continue to hunt on their lands.
DesLauriers’ Great grandma Quigley was the midwife for the McCarthy women when their children
were born. Grandmother Quigley lived a half mile from Catherine Eagan. They were friends and
would walk through the woods to meet one another. A photo from the Lone Oak Years shows the
two together with Catherine holding a shotgun. They carried this for protection.
Jannsen said that her Grandmother told her and her mother recalled that when the Indians were
traveling thru on their hunting trips they would stop and warm themselves by the stove and they
would leave items such as rabbits for the family. Jensen remembers a big tree trunk on the north side
of the lake (McCarthy Lake) where the Indians would leave hides out to dry. They often camped by
the lake and fished there.
DesLauriers said that many soldiers received ten acres of property down on the riverbank, lowlands
from Henry Sibley when they brought 80 acres above the river, now the Lost Spur area so they could
raise hay in the river bottoms. The Slater’s and ______ family would come down in the winter and
bail loads of hay. They couldn’t get in any other times of the year because it was too muddy.
UPDATE REGARDING EAGAN HISTORY BOOK/GRANT PROCESS
Lull Engineering was one of the earliest industrial businesses in Eagan. They were issued a building
permit from Town Clerk Alyce Bolke and they went to her home where she issued permits from her
back porch.. Originally, Mr. Lull, wanted to build in Mendota Heights but when it didn’t happen, a
very unhappy Mr. Lull went to a council member in Eagan and was told to go see Alyce for a permit.
Lull manufactured high lifters for contractors similar to “heister”. Lull also had a small plant in
Bloomington, MN.
Mr. Lull died about 1983 and the company was then sold to XXXXX in 1993 (additional research
showed that it is now called Lull International, Inc. and has moved to Wisconsin.)
Larry Wenzel worked for an outfit out of Bloomington, MN for years. He moved to Eagan and
started his own business Wenzel Plumbing and Heating on Oct. 1, 1960. He died July 22, 2005, of
heart failure. He and his brother Vic were raised on Beau DeReau. Their father owned a great deal
of property that later became known as Cedar Grove. Larry built Rahn Villa Apartments and owned
the Glenn Ponds Apartments (previously Highsite Apartments).
Vic is still alive and started VIC'S Crane and Heavy Haul, Inc. which is a family business, owned
and operated by the Vic Wenzel family since 1951. His wife Bernice is still living and may have
and know the family history and may also have photos.
Larry and Vic had a younger brother Wayne who lived on Blackhawk by the park. He was raised by
John Nachtagal who resided by Highway 55 and 149.
OTHER
There eight to ten Scouts coming to the Town Hall at 6:30 pm.
Bernie Jansen said that Lockheed Martin will be shutting down in 2013 and he and other members
of the retirees club have been looking at what is salvageable to donate. There is a large display in
the cafeteria area that depicts the company history in a photo timeline, computers, other items, and
large signs. Chad at the Dakota County Historical Society has agreed to accept the large items and
will create a display related to Lockheed’s history in the area. The MN Historical Society has some
“Drum Memories” which were original hard drives created by Sperry/Univac as well. The Eagan
Historical Society members agreed that the photos it has received from Lockheed are all that it
likely can accept with limited storage capabilities and that the distribution to State and County
Historical Societies is appropriate as Lockheed and its predecessor companies where so important to
the broader region and country.
NEXT MEETING
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. in the Eagan Room,
located at the City of Eagan Municipal Center.
ADJOURNMENT
DesLauriers made a motion to adjourn the History Committee meeting and Remick-Kennedy
seconded the motion. All members voted and adjournment was at 4:50 pm.