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Document - Historical information/data - Several pppublicati of Dakota County Historical Society. Some minutes, interviews. 512 pages total. - 1/1/2000
1bRCP& SVET'l 7nKom C.o. OVER THE YEARS OUR COUNTY AT 150 OUR COUNTY AT 150 NEWS AND STORIES FROM 1858 - 2008 A PUBLICATION OF THE DAKOTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 51 NO. 1 MARCH 2010 $5.00 Historic Estate Dakota County Historical Society Lawshe Memorial Museum & Research Library Wed9-5,Thurs9-8,Fri9-5,Sat10-3 130 Third Avenue North, South St. Paul, MN 55075 651.552.7548 Fax 651.552.7265 e-mail: dakotahistory@co.dakota.mn.us www.dakotahistory.org LeDuc Historic Estate May 26 - October 31 Wed -Sat 10 - 5, Sun 1 - 5 Tours at 10:00, 11:30, 1:00, 2:30,& 4:00 1629 Vermillion St., Hastings, MN 55033 651.437.7055 Fax 651.437.6225 email: leduc@co.dakota.mn.us Board of Directors: Mark Kaliszewski, President George Savanick, Vice -President Dawn Ridgway, Secretary Virginia Lanegran, Treasurer Bernard Jansen Len Nachman Richard Thill Richard Williams Scott Wright Marian Brown, Rosemount Chapter Jim Olson, Genealogical Society Chapter Diane Utech Ub1, South St. Paul Chapter Bert Goderstad, Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Advisory Board: Bill Wolston, Lu Stoffel, Steve Larson Staff Chad Roberts, Executive Director Rebecca Snyder, Librarian/Associate Director Jessica Bierbrauer, LeDuc Site Manager Nancy Hanson, Collections Manager Margaret Goderstad, Senior Guide Pat Harp, Senior Guide Heidi Langenfeld, Senior Guide Maggie Langenfeld, Senior Guide Maureen Bouchard, Office Manager Jim Abicht, Research Assistant Jeanna Endres, Custodian And more than 100 volunteers contributing more than 4,300 hours annually, THANK YOU! OVER THE YEARS Volume 51 Number 1 March 2010 OUR COUNTY AT 150 This issue of Over the Years features a variety of stories which capture the flavor of this historic county. From tragedy and triumph to humor and development, these stories are a snapshot of how we have matured as a community. Included are all the towns which were founded in 1858, as well as Eagan and Ravenna which were founded in 1860. The issue is capped with a selection of the photographs entered in the contest, "A Photograph is Worth 150 years". r We are a membership organization: The Society operates the Lawshe Memorial Museum in South St. Paul, featuring a well-equipped research library, 7,000 square feet of exhibit space, and hosting a variety of annual exhibitions and events. The LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings is an historic house museum offering fully guided tours, a wide variety of events and numerous historical, family friendly programs. Both museums are available for school and group tours year-round. Society members receive: • Free admission to both museums. • OVER THE YEARS, published three times a year. • "Preserving Our History" newsletter. • Discounts in both museum stores and on rental of the LeDuc Historic Estate for private events. • Invitations to special Historical Society events. • A $15 discount on the purchase of Picturing the Past. This coffee table book, filled with memorable stories, rare photographs and newsworthy events, typically retails for $36.95. Membership levels: Senior $20 Individual $30 Family $50 Sustaining $100 Silver $250 Gold $500 Tower $1,000 You can renew your membership online at www.dakotahistory.org. © Dakota County Historical Society, 2010 FROM THE DIRECTOR Over the course of 2009 as I met with peers and partners, I was always happy to share what the Society was working on. It is quite a list — from core needs like a complete collections inventory and planning a major storage project to those that are stretching our programming and creative capacities like offering summer youth camps and publishing a biography on Governor Harold Stassen. The most common response was, "How do you do all that?" My answer is simple — DCHS has committed volunteers, the support of members and donors, growing partnerships and a dedicated staff. All of these components are essential if your Dakota County Historical Society is to successfully execute its mission of collecting, preserving, promoting, and presenting the history of Dakota County. In these same conversations I have been hearing a lot of "do less with less" as colleagues across the country struggle with shrinking budgets, layoffs, and diminishing contributions. This is in contrast with the "do more with less" mantra that was en vogue the past 20 years. What is curious to me is that small organizations like ours live in both the "do more with less" and "do less with less" worlds every day, and we have for our entire existences. There is no room in our budget for cuts; every time a funding source shrinks a program or service is affected. With all the challenges facing museums and non -profits right now, it is easy to see why "do less with less" has become a reality for many institutions. But I reject the notion that "doing less" is the right course of action for your Dakota County Historical Society. Your staff and volunteers have worked hard over the last five years to open a popular second site, dramatically increase programming across the county, and address core museum needs that had gone unaddressed for too long. All of this has been the prelude to more growth in the quantity and quality of programs, exhibits, publications, and the experiences DCHS provides to all visitors. While we all need to be realistic about how fast that growth will occur, accepting less is not worthy of this organization or the people of Dakota County. 2009 was a challenging year, yet your Dakota County Historical Society directly served nearly 30,000 people, a new record. Tens of thousands of others experienced DCHS at exhibits in satellite locations across the county. These visitors and researchers attended more than 50 public programs, events, and exhibitions. They helped tell the story of agriculture in our county. They participated in hands on history activities and camps. And they came from all over the country and world to see the architecture of Andrew Jackson Downing. We didn't serve these people alone — we partnered with the Burnsville Performing Arts Center to reach about 8,000 of its visitors, with Hastings Community Education to provide classes and camps, with the Dakota County Genealogical Society for four lecture programs, and with many, many others. The Society also accepted 945 new artifacts and about 5,000 photographs, making the collections storage project even more critical. With all these successes and despite revenue reductions, the Society ended the year with a balanced budget. As the Society strives to evolve there will be bumps, mis-steps, delays, and sometimes failures. There will also be tremendous innovation, great successes, and the way we all see and experience history will become more engaging, more personal, and more meaningful. Thank you for your faithful support; with the continued assistance of you and your fellow members the Society will continue to evolve and grow. Warmest Regards, Chad Roberts, Executive Director MARCH 2010 PAGE 1 DAKOTA COUNTY &. MINNESOTA MILESTONES In what can be considered to be a relatively new development, once an anniversary rolls around, we are not ones to overlook it. The following are just some of the ways in which we have celebrated with candles in the past. 1927 PAGEANT "To mark the 100'h anniversary of the 1 permanent white settlement in Dakota County, that of Jean Baptiste Faribault at Mendota, a pageant was staged at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in July 1927. The pageant's episodes included the establishment of Fort Snelling, Faribault's 1827 log cabin, the arrival of Henry Sibley in 1834, the 1851 treaty signing at Mendota, territorial settlement at Hastings, recognition of statehood at Lakeville, and Over the Top, a salute to the County's World War I service. "About 500 county residents participated in the pageant and the cast included Indian Chiefs, Dragoons, Indian Braves and Squaws, Early and Late Pioneers, and Ballet girls called Peppermints, Cookies and Lollypops. Historical Pageant and Centennial Dakota County SCENARIO PROLOGUE —The Vision of Hiawatha. SYMBOLIC BALLET —The Gifts of Nature and the Seasons. EPISODE ONE-1820 to 24. First Temporary Military Camp on the City of Mendota. The stockade and buildings of Fort St. Anthony (later named Ft. Snelling). At the nearby Sioux Camp the braves dance the hunt dance. An Indian wedding takes place; the Chippewas, from a dis- tant camp go to the Fort trading post for their supplies. News is brought to the Fort that Col. Snelling is enroute for the encamp- ment; an escort is sent out to meet the Colonel. The arrival of the party and the transfer of Command. The ladies of the Fort en- tertain in honor of the new Commandant. Two Chippewas at tite trading post are killed by Sioux; the killers are followed and cap- tured by scouts, and taken into the Fort. Soldiers repulse the Sioux braves who rush to the rescue of their captives. "Larry Hodgson penned a special tribute, writing, 'To me Dakota county has been always my mother. I can never regard myself as belonging to any place but Dakota county where my childhood was spent, where my holiest memories cluster where my best friends dwell. ' Dakota County Tribune, July 15, 1927 Grace L. Hosmer penned the following poem as part of the 1927 celebration: A Hundred Years Ago Roll backward, swiftly fleeting years, And to the eye unfold A picture of the vanished past That glows in colors bold. We live again in the lives of those By high adventure led; We view the scenes that looked upon, And paths once theirs we tread. Chorus Brave spirits they who ventured forth, Strong sinewed, true of eye, Into a vast unsettled land With death or danger nigh. Unheralded, alone they came O'er paths they did not know, The valiant souls who blazed the trail A hundred years ago. Here, flowed a mighty river on In silent majesty. There, rose the forest, ageless, green A trackless mystery. While rolling prairies swept away As waves that hurry by To meet the far horizon's rim Again an azure sky. They sleep, these men of early day, Whereas of yore is heard The murmur of the wind and stream, The call of winging bird. While we, our quiet ways secure From harm or lurking foe Shall honor those who went before, A hundred years ago. DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 TERRITORIAL CENTENNIAL On February 15, 1946, Governor Edward J. Thye, a native of Sciota, Dakota County, wrote the following to Kenneth Brill, president of the Minnesota Historical Society: "With the establishment of government in 1849 began the growth of farms and towns and cities, the organization of counties, the development of Minnesota's great natural resources, the expansion of industry, the establishment of newspapers, the building of schools and churches, the movement of organized civilization and culture into an Indian wilderness." With his letter he charged the Minnesota Historical Society with the stewardship of the upcoming 100' anniversary of the territory. MINNESOTA TERRITORIAL CENTENNIAL LeDuc House, watercolor, 1949, Josephine Lutz Rollins Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. In 1948 & 1949 artists were commissioned to paint historic structures in the state. One of the artists, Josephine Lutz Rollins, painted a variety of Dakota County landmarks, including the Donnelly House in Nininger, the Sibley House in Mendota and the LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings. During 1949 the territorial centennial committee published a "how-to" to guide counties and communities in their efforts to celebrate. The state committee designated a delegate in each of the 87 counties to form and lead that county's committee. While celebrations occurred statewide, they were fairly modest. Communities may have been looking ahead nine years to the state centennial and preserving their resources. STATE CENTENNIAL In contrast to the territorial centennial, the state centennial in 1958 was a blow-out. In May the city of St. Paul played host to the "Parade of the Century." The three-hour long parade featured a unit from Dakota County, titled "Dakota County: Famous for History and Industry", sponsored by the city of South St. Paul, livestock and meatpacking industries, and the oil industry at Pine Bend. Riding the float were Carol Mohs, representing Mendota Heights and West St. Paul, Bonnie Gilliams, representing Pine Bend, and Judy Bauch, representing South St. Paul. The city of Hastings sponsored a float featuring the Spiral Bridge. A Centennial Train traversed the state, exhibiting the history of Minnesota. Six of the train's cars featured history, resources, agriculture, industry, social progress and welfare, and the future. The most memorable milestone in Dakota County was the gift of the LeDuc House to the Minnesota Historical Society by its owner, Carroll Simmons on September 7, 1958. The LeDuc House (now LeDuc Historic Estate), would become a museum owned by the city of Hastings and operated by the Dakota County Historical Society in 2005 following a $1 million restoration project. Carroll Simmons, right, presented the LeDuc House to representatives of the Minnesota Historical Society, Russell Fridley and Leonard Lampert, Jr. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. MARCH 2010 NATIONAL BICENTENNIAL 1976 marked the 200'h birthday of the United States of America and with the anniversary came a nation-wide wave of patriotism and investment in history. One of those investments was the Lawshe Memorial Museum in South St. Paul. Envisioned as a bicentennial project, ground breaking took place on December 31, 1976. While DCHS had existed as a local history organization since 1939, the building of the Lawshe Memorial Museum gave it a permanent home. Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich remarked that Dakota County had taken part in Minnesota's program of improvement by its actions to establish a county museum. During 1976 many towns published histories. In Dakota County, these included Apple Valley, Burnsville, Randolph and Waterford. TERRITORIAL SESQUICENTENNIAL The 150`h anniversary in 1999 of the establishment of Dakota Territory was celebrated in a variety of ways. The descendants of territorial pioneers were recognized in programming all year and a compilation of pioneer narratives was published. The first of a series of Chautauquas was held during the County Fair, starting a tradition that would last a decade. The county also adopted a new logo in a nod to its historic past. Another notable anniversary was the 2004 sesquicentennial celebration of the famed Grand Excursion up the Mississippi in 1854. The original Grand Excursion was a dramatic and ornate marketing event for Minnesota Territory. Hundreds newspaper editors and publishers, authors, businessmen, and politicians were given the star treatment by their Minnesota hosts. It was hoped that these influence peddlers would encourage emigration to Minnesota by sharing their favorable opinions about the land and its potential. STATE SESQUICENTENNIAL Minnesota celebrated its 150`h anniversary as a state with a series of modest celebrations, exhibits, and publications state-wide. A pioneer wagon train rolled through Dakota County, including a festive stop in Hastings, on its way to the capitol just in time for the formal May 18`h celebration at the Mall in front of the capitol building. Dakota County libraries and the Historical Society provided additional programming related to Minnesota statehood and tours at the LeDuc Historic Estate focused more attention on the LeDuc family's role in recruiting settlers to Minnesota Territory. Statewide, scores of exhibits at local history organizations celebrated the event and a statewide Sesquicentennial commission distributed more than $500,000 to assist communities and organizations develop and present programming. After three anniversaries in nine years and growing weary of the term sesquicentennial, it would seem that in a few more years, we will look fondly back on the term. The following list is available online at www.wikipedia.com. (DCHS does not guarantee the accuracy of this data.) Annual - 1 year Biennial - 2 years Triennial - 3 years Quadrennial - 4 years Quinquennial - 5 years Sexennial - 6 years Septennial - 7 years Octennial - 8 years Novennial - 9 years Decennial - 10 years Undecennial - 11 years Duodecennial - 12 years Tredecennial - 13 years Quattuordecennial - 14 years Quindecennial - 15 years Vicennial - 20 years Quinquagenary - 50 years Semisesquicentennial - 75 years Quartoseptcentennial - 175 years Bicentennial - 200 years Semiquincentenniai - 250 years Tricentennial - 300 years Semiseptcentennial - 350 years Quadricentennial - 400 years Quincentennial - 500 years Sexcentennial - 600 years Septcentennial - 700 years Octocentennial - 800 years Nonacentennial - 900 years Millennial - 1000 years Bimillennial - 2000 years WHAT WILL YOUR LEGACY BE? TO learn more about Legacy Gifts at DCHS, contact Chad Roberts, Executive Director at (651)552-7548 I)vhor (;(1INTY185 - 2008 BURNSVILLE'S BUCK HILL Can an Olympic medal winner from Austria find happiness on a 300-foot Minnesota ski hill? Tony Spiss, whose bronze medal in the giant slalom in the 1952 Olympic games at Oslo, Norway, in just one of a long list of skiing championships, thinks the answer is "Yes." Spiss has been named ski school director at Buck Hill, the popular area just south of Minneapolis in Burnsville. Basically, Spiss' decision to leave his beloved mountains and come to the flatlands of the Midwest was dictated by money. "I have a wife and two children and I have to provide the best living I possibly can for them," Spiss commented. "If I had to live here permanently my decision might have been different, but for just three or four months during the ski season ...." One gets the impression that the financial opportunity at Buck Hill was just too good to pass up. Spiss first came to the United States in 1950, a few months prior to the International Ski Federation world championships that were held at Aspen. He trained long hours on the Aspen race course and when his teammates from Austria arrived he was in top condition. He went all out in pre -race trials to impress the Austrian coach — and wound up breaking his leg and watching the races from the sidelines. Following that disaster, Spiss returned to Austria and in the 1951-52 season won the Austrian combined alpine championship as well as the bronze medal in the giant slalom at the Olympics in Oslo. AT DARTMOUTH It was later in 1952 that he decided to return to the United States and enroll at Dartmouth college, the collegiate ski capital of the East. It was there that he met his current employer, Chuck Stone, Buck Hill president. But college studies were side-tracked by the lure of racing medals and in 1954 Spiss was back in his native Austria preparing for the International Ski Federation world championships in Sweden. It was in that world championship giant slalom that Spiss accomplished the almost miraculous feat of winning a bronze medal despite a fall. Spiss has an impressive list of teaching credentials. He spent two years with the world famous Prof Stephan Kruchenhauser, generally regarded as the father of our modern ski equipment. He coached the young Austrian national team for two years, conducted a summer racing camp at Red Lodge, Mont., for two years and taught in the Aspen Highlands ski school for two years. If it seems that things seem to run in two's for Spiss, that's right. He's married (his wife's name is Helga) and he has two children, Tony and Oliver, ages six and two. GOOD SNOW HERE Because of the type of snow conditions we have here in the Midwest (Spiss calls it "frictionless snow") along with our gentle slopes, Spiss looks upon our ski areas as ideal places to learn to ski. The packed snow makes turning easier, he feels, and there is not so much fear of great heights as in the mountains. He will teach the American ski technique with just a slight influence of the French method, he says, twisting his shoulders slightly to indicate the manner in which the French upper body movement differs from the American technique. Spiss will oversee both the recreational skier instruction and the Buck Hill racing program but one cannot help but notice his preference for the racers. There is a growing opportunity for good racers to get college scholarships, Spiss reports, as skiing grows as an intercollegiate sport. WATCH THE RACERS In addition to his Buck Hill duties, Spiss serves on the Hart Ski Company's advisory board, and may take time off to ski in a professional race or two. But in the last analysis, his arrival at Buck Hill will probably be noted most when the medals are handed out after the junior regional championships are run next spring. If the Buck Hill racers win their share, an Austrian mountain man will have found happiness on a Midwestern ski hill. From the Minnesota Valley Review November 16, 1967 MARCH 2010 CASTLE ROCK MONUMENT FIGHT IS GOING ON TO BUY MONUMENT About three years ago an organization was formed called the Castle Rock Valley Monument association and a fund was started for the purpose of purchasing a soldiers monument to be erected in the Castle Rock Valley cemetery. Time went on and numerous ice cream, strawberry and other socials and suppers were held until not long ago it was found that upwards of $300 had been created for this purpose. The amount needed was $400 and it was decided at a recent meeting to raise the balance by private subscription, make the purchase and have it placed in the cemetery and dedicated this Memorial day. Mrs. [W.L.] Parker took a subscription paper and visited the neighbors and it wasn't long until the remaining amount, $75, was raised and the monument has been purchased. The monument selected is the statue of a soldier at parade rest, is of white bronze and is six foot two in height. A seven foot base for this will cost $200 more and the association will hold a meeting at the home of the secretary, Miss Ellen Day, next Monday evening for the purpose of talking over the matter. The Tribune is satisfied that the extra amount could be raised very easily as the amount, coming from so many, would mean only a few cents each. From the Dakota County Tribune April4, 1913 At 1:30 o'clock the [Women's Relief Corps Plot' the Grand Army of the Republic] Ladies of Castle Rock and Farmington and visiting members with the help of our old comrades scattered flowers on the graves of our soldiers dead who rest in the beautiful little cemetery n the hillside. "Sleep on, Dear Comrades, Sleep on in Peace." All then gathered near where the monument had been erected. At sharp 2 o'clock, all were called to order by the President of the association, Mrs. W.L. Parker; we were then favored with a song by the choir, after which a prayer was said for the dead by Rev. J.A. Johnston. The president then introduced the chairman of the day, Robert Carmichael. The white bronze Civil War soldier monument looks over Castle Rock Valley Cemetery. PAGE 6 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 The flag drill by district 55 showed how faithful both teacher and pupils had worked to present the drill in the able manner it was given. The unveiling of the monument was rendered by two little girls, grand -daughters of veteran soldiers, Gladys Rowell and Myra Stevens. This seemed to make the occasion more impressive. Another song was heard from the choir, following came a very appropriate recitation by Gladys Rowell. Several girls of dist. 54 then gave a little piece which was enjoyed by all; a recitation by Elizabeth Becker, also a nicely rendered piece by Della Perry of dist. 80. Mr. P. Bong of Farmington sang the beautiful song entitled, "My Father's Flag and Mine," which was greeted with many hand claps and cheers by all present. The chairman then introduced an old Castle Rock boy, Laurence Hodgson, reporter on the Pioneer Press, better known as "Larry Ho Hodgson." As first speaker of the day, his eloquent works did honor to his homecoming and seemed only too short to many old friends. Mr. Hodgson also recited the beautiful poem called "Old Glory" which was hailed with delight by the 500 listening people. This finishing his remarks he was captured by all Castle Rock and surrounding county and we guess is still shaking hands. A song by the choir. The chairman then introduced the second speaker of day, an old soldier of '61, also National Patriotic instructor of the G.A.R., Levi Longfellow. Comrade Longfellow told of their trials and hardships of '61 and deemed it an honor to address the people of Castle Rock and surrounding country, being an old and dear friend of our devoted comrade, William Parker. We all were more than delighted to meet Mr. Longfellow and certainly enjoyed his speech and hope to have a visit from him again in the near future. A few remarks were said by Rev. Batson after which "America" was sung by all present. By special request Mr. Longfellow sang a song composed by himself, entitled "We Were Boys Together." All the old soldiers gathered around him while he sang, making a grand picture of old gray heads which God has blessed. All were invited by Mrs. Parker to have a lunch at the gate, given by the Corps Ladies for the soldiers and their friends and the Corps members. The monument is Private Soldier on dress parade and is a grand piece of art, which is a beautiful remembrance to the old soldiers. The cemetery was a mass of people, there being over 500 present from all points, Hastings, Castle Rock Station, Hampton, Greenvale, Empire, Vermillion, Northfield, Hibbing, Minn., and from both the twin cities and Farmington. In the evening the Castle Rock Monument fund association met with their president, Mrs. Parker, for a business meeting and to disband, as their work was finished; also for a social time. The meeting was called to order by the president, Mrs. Parker. All joined in repeating the Lord's prayer, after which the secretary, Miss Day, called the roll of officers; the minutes were read and approved. They found that after paying $500.25 for their monument, they still had a balance of $15 in the treasury. This they decided to use as a flag fund to buy flags each year for the soldiers' graves in their cemetery. A rising vote of thanks was given Mrs. W.L. Parker for her untiring efforts in the interest of the society. A movement was then made to adjourn. A nice program was then given by some of the little folks. A duet by Floyd and Gladys Rowell brought pleasure to all, as they are grand -children of an old veteran soldier; recitations were given by Nina Perry, Gertrude Tutewohl, Mae Nacy and Della Perry. Mrs. Davidson of Northfield, president of a Monument Ass'n in Northfield, gave an interesting talk telling how they were raising money for their monument. She also recited a beautiful poem which touched all as it was about our Stars and Stripes. Last but not least was a paper by Lewis Stevens telling his experiences as an editor which was very interesting. By his paper we found Mr. Stevens to be an extra fine poet, he also read the history of the society written by Miss Ellen Day. This society was the [sole] thought of our dear old friend and comrade, William Parker, and each day as it grew more in his thoughts he told his neighbors about it and they decided to band together for this purpose. There were many ups and downs to meet but they faced them bravely and conquered them all, for today, this band has one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the state, made more beautiful by the lovely monument purchased by the untiring efforts of the little band of workers for the soldier dead. Many of the members have from year to year gone away or dropped out of the society and sad to say, the one whose thought it was and who gave the first $5.00 for this purpose, now he lies in his eternal sleep on this memorial day. There are only twelve members left who struggle on for the desired gem which we all had the pleasure of witnessing. From the Dakota County Tribune June 6, 1913 MARCH 2010 PAGE 7 COMING TO DAKOTA COUNTY - 1884 Excerpts from the Memoirs of J.A.H. Anderson, (John Axel Herman Anderson 1871-1950), son of Axel G and Marie C. Anderson, who immigrated to Etter in 1884. Transcribed in 1998 from hand written memoirs originally written in 1945. My father, Axel Gillis Anderson was a descendant of the titled and once prosperous family of Wrangel, in the central part of Sweden. But owing to financial reverses, they lost their social standing and my father's grandmother married beneath her, and owing to the expense in taxes etc. my father decided to drop the title when he fell in love with my mother, who was only a farmer's daughter in south central Sweden about midway between Stockholm and Goteborg. THE JOURNEY TO AMERICA In the Spring of 1884 when I was 12 years old, we prepared for our journey to immigrate to America — the land of plenty it was said. So the farm was sold, and furniture and household goods were sold at auction. The packing of the trunks and suitcases and also baskets of food to be consumed on the journey was finally accomplished, and after a farewell party was given by the neighbors and good- byes and wishes for a happy journey, two of them hitched up their teams and drove us to the station and we were on our way to America. I had never been on a railroad train before so I enjoyed the novelty of the ride to Goteborg, where we stopped at a hotel overnight and boarded the steamer in the morning bound for Hull, England. The trip across the North Sea was a wonderful pleasure trip as the sea was calm with barely a ripple on the water, though the North Sea has a reputation of being very rough. We crossed England to Liverpool by very fast train (considered very fast in those days) and eventually boarded the steamer "City of Montreal" bound for New York. The ship got a full load of passengers bound for America. It stopped at a certain point to receive more passengers from Ireland brought to our ship by a small steamer, and then our ship was on the way for the long trip across the Atlantic. The ocean was quite rough even before we got out of St. Georges Channel and the wind and waves were increasing as we proceeded on to the ocean, so it was not long before most of the passengers were seasick and the rolling motion of the ship kept increasing — and so did the sickness and complaining and lamentations by the immigrants, and the stink in the lower decks became worse and bad enough to force the well ones to get sick. I did not get seasick but had vomiting spells from seeing the others and from the bad smell. My mother was sick all through the crossing of the Atlantic. The worst day was Easter Sunday when the wind was blowing a gale and what looked like mountain high waves which were continually rolling over the deck of the ship. No passengers were allowed on deck, so the passage ways to the decks were battened down tight but even so, a lot of water was swishing around on the floors in the passages and among the cabins below deck. The stink and lack of fresh air was almost unbearable as there was no way of getting proper ventilation. In late afternoon a giant wave hit the ship broadside and turned it over on its side, and it did not right itself for several minutes. An awful howl came from frightened passengers, and some prayed and a few swore and all thought that we were doomed to go down to "Davy Jones Locker". Everything, tables, chairs and all that was not fastened to the floor rolled, slid and tumbled to the low side of the ship. The sailors tried to quiet the passengers and soon the ship again came to a comparatively even keel, so all gave a great sigh of relief. While the ship lay on its side it was impossible to move across the floors. We all had to hang onto something solid to keep in an upright position. We had plenty of food served though the cooking was not done to make it very good tasting and anyway, very few had any appetite. I remember that I liked a sweet dish that was served with dessert. It tasted like honey but a lot of minced orange peelings were mixed in with it. I imagine it was some kind of marmalade. When we arrived in sight of the Statue of Liberty, everyone that was sick seemed to get well as quick as the wink of an eye and most of us rushed up on deck and shouted "Land, Land, Hurrah!" We soon landed and arrived in Castle Garden where custom officials examined our baggage and gave the DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 O.K., after which a lot of men were urging us to come with them to their individual hotels to stay overnight. A Swedish sea captain that crossed the ocean with us, and who had been friendly to us on the voyage, had been to America previously and knew the language — said to pay no attention to these barkers, so he helped us to select a respectable hotel for the night. And even then it was a sleepless night for father, as he was not satisfied with the safety for the family — and maybe he was right, as toward morning someone tried to break into our rooms and he shouted to stop it. Nothing came of it, though he made a complaint to the hotel manager. The next day we got on the train for our destination which was Red Wing, Minnesota — specified on our tickets. We went through Buffalo, N.Y. and we thought that city was not clean as a cloud of smoke almost hid it, and the smell of coal smoke was very strong. Night came on shortly after we left Buffalo and I can't remember seeing anything interesting before we reached our destination Red Wing, where my oldest sister and brother-in-law met us and got on the train with us to Etter, Minn. — 15 miles west, where they lived close to the railroad tracks. There was a little difficulty getting all our baggage extended to Etter instead of Red Wing, but the railway officials were very nice about it and with some additional cash fare we arrived at Etter on April 4, 1884 . We had been about 3 weeks of travel from Sweden. My sister and brother-in-law lived in a small two room house or shanty and my father was terribly disappointed and thoroughly disgusted, and wanted to return to Sweden soon as possible. My brother-in- law and four of the neighbors living in Etter, and working for the C.M. & St. P. Railroad as section maintenance hands had contracted, or at least had an option on, 160 acres of land each at Lake Benton Minn., which was federal land and open for homesteads, all wild and unoccupied and several miles to the nearest occupied land. My brother-in- law had been there and hired men that broke and plowed a few acres of what was his and my fathers land — of the 160 acres. He had also bought lumber for a small house, that was brought to the shanty in Etter, to be loaded into a freight car with the rest of the household goods and moved to our new land. The agreement or plan was that father was to furnish the money to buy two teams of horses and other equipment that was to be used mutually by all that had applied for land from Etter, and these men had agreed to do the work and give some compensation C.A...indew gr' 720 s. z are . T or 49.7 `�J s ct 1 eTos.Ebri,, 80- I F.T.Taylor 120 0'; to 74 1-C•f.Spect7Ees I FARM.. �, � �.S O \.,,M �'•-�d_�,.. ' S. 1 �`� Y .. �a a, E. C. Gr. 90.02 T 40 , GROVE W Speac%es 160 tN%rSD71. 40 Ala x Al ;� e r 396.82 ' tCN Q. L , . TTIER • .& St - tey 160 cZ Herman, 1Yor Oro -(Tohnson • Neer .°j C• 40 •- AI yz 40 , : )1, , 'il The Andersons' land is seen just south of Etter on the 1896 plat map. for the use of the horses. My father balked at this arrangement as he wished to be entirely independent of other helpers, so the result was that he decidedly refused to go there under those conditions and the project fell through. So nobody went to Lake Benton and all lost the money already invested, and kept their jobs as section hands on the railroad. The land near Etter station was wild and unoccupied and father saw no way that he could immediately return to Sweden, so he bought 80 acres and used the lumber already stored in Etter, which was meant for the house at Lake Benton, and built a house with additional lumber and help from a carpenter living near Etter. Before winter we had a house to move into and a small part of the land grubbed out and plowed ready for planting in the following Spring. My oldest sister Amanda and brother-in-law Johan came to this country two years before we did, and also my oldest brother Emil, who was married shortly before they left Sweden and came to Pilot Mound, Iowa. Also, my next to oldest MARCH 2010 PAGE 9 brother Oscar also went directly to Iowa a year before we came over. Both of them had been in the army in Sweden which was compulsory for military training at the age of 18, and all men when in the army were given a different name from their own. My oldest brother was named Lindroth, and Oscar was named Eklund. Emil Lindroth kept his name, but Oscar did not like his so he changed it shortly after he came to this country, from Eklund to Crawford. These changes of names have often been very confusing as it does not seem possible that Lindroth, Crawford and I, named Anderson, would be really brothers, but so it is. It was real hard to produce enough on this undeveloped farm to make a living for the family. One of my older sisters got married and the next oldest went to work for a family in Red Wing, but we were still 4 children at home and I was then the oldest. Father worked hard grubbing and cleaning more land, and he had given up the idea of returning to Sweden, though he was often disgusted and discouraged with conditions. One year most of the crops were entirely ruined by chinch bugs, but that reminded him of when one year in- Sweden after the grain was cut and shocked it started to rain, and kept on raining until late in the fall, so the grain started to sprout in the shock and the crop was worthless — so he knew that reverses were possible in Sweden too. We had been in Etter only a few days when 3 of us children started school in a small schoolhouse close to where we lived. It was not easy for us as we did not understand a word of the English language. Two of the school boys laughed and teased us because we could not understand what was said. And I said (in Swedish of course) when the teacher heard me say "Jog tycker icke orn dem". The teacher thought that I said a swear word when I said "dem", and really did scold me. Translated into English I said "I do not like them". I asked a couple of Swedish girls what the teacher was mad at me for and they told me she thought that I was swearing. Then they told the teacher what I really said and the teacher, Miss Behrman laughed, so then everything was O.K. It did not take very long before we learned to understand many words and soon learned to speak the simpler words. In the fall of the first year here, I got a job for a farmer to ride and guide the front team of the 4 horse team pulling the selfbinder at harvesting. The next summer my brother-in-law built a 3 room house on an acre of land sold to him by father on the edge of our land. I attended school every term for 3 terms which completed my education. Though I did not understand many words, especially the longer words, I was considered to be very good at spelling. We had "spelling down bees" every week and two girls (sisters) and I always were winners. When I was 15 years old, I hired out in the fall to cut and husk corn and to do plowing until it froze up. I also helped to cut the supply of wood for our winter use. We bought the trees for wood on a track near the river. In the early spring, my pal and I set traps on muskrat houses to catch muskrats. We got only 10 and 15 cents each for their hides (or skins). Later we set out lines along the river bank for fishing channel catfish, although we caught other fish too — Northern Pike, eel etc. We caught catfish that weighed up to 11 & 12 pounds (and incidentally my father caught an eel that weighed over 6 pounds). We were bothered a lot by snapping turtles caught on the hooks of our lines and often caught some that were too heavy to lift up on the river bank, so had to cut the line and let them go. I remember having one that seemed big as a washtub. No chance to take him out of the water. We carried hatchets with us to cut off their heads before we dumped them back in. We shot blackbirds and caught frogs for bait. In summer, we did a lot of swimming in the muddy — and water snake infested river. Water snakes were plentiful and we stood on the bridge and could often count over 20 snakes in the water and on the driftwood. On the hillsides and valleys were blow snakes, blue racers, bull snakes and garter snakes. I got a job in a dry goods store in Hastings, sweeping and dusting and selling cheap cloth, thread, ribbons etc. I did not like this work so after two months I quit and went with a friend and schoolmate to St. Paul to go from door to door and sell a cleaning fluid called "spot remover" which he made up from a certain formula. I said that I am no good at that but I later sold a few bottles. The profit was small so had to do something different to earn a living. I finally answered an ad in the newspaper to clerk in a clothing and dry goods store for room and board and $2.00 per week. I stayed there nearly two months and in the meantime, the owner hired 3 experienced clerks and each quit after working 2 to 4 weeks. He was as dishonest as he dared, and tried to cheat them out of their wages. We had some words that were not at all complimentary to either one of us, so I quit shortly after that, even though he offered to give me $1.00 a week more pay. I went back to Hastings and went to work for a retired German farmer, to haul some hay and grain PAGE 10 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 from one of his 3 farms which he leased out. He had two teams so I drove one team and did some of the chores. This job was temporary in late fall, so I stayed there only one month. Positions were scarce, so it was about impossible to get anything with pay, so I went home to spend the winter. Next spring in May, I went to Minneapolis and got a job for a railway conductor living in Kenwood, to take care of a horse and cow and the garden. I drove his horse and buggy with him to the Milwaukee Depot for his trips to Watertown, S.D. and met him at the depot on his return. I stayed there only a month for which he paid me $4.00. Jobs were very scarce, and a surplus of workers. Men were working on the streets for $.50 per day (of 10 hours), and a foreman standing over them continually hollering, "Hurry up there you greenhorn. Get a move on you. Hey you! Don't let the grass grow under your feet." While I was watching them, the foreman asked one of them, "Are you tired?" The man said, "Yes I am." "Well," said the foreman, "Here is your time. Go get your pay for 7 hours" — 35 cts. A dozen more men were waiting to take his place. Times were getting harder and I had only 50 cts. left of my pay from the conductor. I tried everywhere that I could think of to get a job, even for my board and lodging, but could not find a thing so after living a whole week (I had my room rent paid for this week) on the 50 cts., I put my few belongings in my satchel and walked home to Etter in two days. I went to a farmhouse near Langdon and asked if I could do some work for something to eat. The farmer said, "No, but I will give you something to eat," as he went into the house and came out with a half loaf of bread and half gallon of milk. I got home tired and hungry and stayed home the rest of the summer, helping with the farm work and earning a little money from farmers in the vicinity at harvest time. Transcribed by Dennis Crawford, Grandson of Oscar Alfred (Anderson) Crawford, older brother of J.A.HAnderson. NOTES: 1. Maria Christina Johansdotter, born in Gimnestorp, Linderas, Jonkopings lan, Sweden. 2. Harjestad farm, Skattegarden in Lommaryd Parish, Jonkopings Lan, Sweden. 3. Castle Garden was the immigration station located in lower Manhattan prior to transferring the headquarters to Ellis Island in 1892. 4. Amanda Kristina Carolina Anderson and Johan Aron Palmer immigrated to America together in 1881 and were married Jan. 14, 1882 in Red Wing, MN. 5. Date discrepancy: Records indicate that they arrived in N.Y. on April 14, 1884. 6. John Emil (Anderson) Lindroth and his wife Hilda immigrated to America in April, 1882. 7. Oscar Alfred (Anderson) Crawford immigrated to America in Sept., 1882. Axel and Marie Anderson immigrated to the U.S. in 1884 (at the ages of 54 and 48 respectively) with their 6 youngest (of 9) children: Hulda Josephine, Alma Sophia, John Axel Herman, Hanna Mathilda , Naomi Alberta and Carl David Hjalmar). Their 3 oldest children had previously immigrated in 1881 and 1882: John Emil Anderson Lindroth, Oscar Alfred Anderson Crawford and Amanda Kristina Carolina Anderson Palmer. Axel and Marie farmed their land in Etter for 20 years, and it's said he also had a tailor shop there for a time. Eventually all of their children grew up and departed, and in 1904 Axel and Marie retired and moved to Minneapolis where they lived out their lives. Marie died in 1908 and Axel in 1917. Their graves are located in Lakewood Cemetery in Mpls. THE LEDUC HISTORIC ESTATE OPENS FOR THE SEASON ON MAY 26 THROUGH OCTOBER 31 The hours are: Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Tours start at 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm, 2:30 pm, and 4 pm. Historic Estate MARCH 2010 DOUGLAS' TROUT BROOK Twelve miles south of here in this country is a natural trout brook, a great resort for tourists, and although the stream is but three miles long, the number of trout taken therefrom is surprising. The brook is formed by springs, two of which are very large ones, the water cold, and quite free from lime. At this place, and immediately at the head of the brook E.W. Grosvenor, of this city, has built a fish -house for breeding and rearing the speckled beauties. This building is, perhaps, forty feet wide by one hundred feet long, merely a frame with roof, and sides roughly boarded. Across this building are constructed troughs, watertight, the bottom covered with gravel, and through which the water is allowed to flow to the depth of four to six inches. In these troughs are the young trout to the number of forty thousand, which are now about three-quarters of an inch in length. The fish are not crowded together as one would naturally suppose, but each instinctively occupies his allotted space, deviating scarcely a hair's breadth. To give an idea of their position imagine a checker -board four feet wide and twenty feet long with the squares the ordinary size and covered with water to the depth of four inches, and over each square, near the surface, a trout, and you have some conception of how the young trout appear in this artificial reservoir. They are fed with milk -curd, eggs, and occasionally a little beef liver, though the latter is rather strong for their young stomachs. Trout, however, are greedy feeders, and by the time these small fry reach the size of an inch and a quarter scarcely any kind of feed will come amiss. Besides this house two ponds or tanks have been constructed, with fall enough to carry the water from one to the other, to which may be added others, as it shall be determined to raise one, two, three, four, or five year old trout. This becomes necessary as trout are voracious cannibals, and one of two years old would eat up the entire forty thousand young fry in twenty four hours. When the young trout have acquired such an age as to be no longer under the constant care of the piscatory artist, they are removed to the first pond, there to remain until a new spawn shall have developed, when they are removed to the next, and so on, each year's produce occupying different ponds. There are some three hundred trout kept in reservoirs for breeding purposes, varying in size from four to eight inches, who dart with great velocity for their feed, or playfully and sometimes listlessly sport in the transparent water. Mr. Cleghorn, who has charge of the fish, takes great pleasure in exhibiting them to visitors, while Cheatham, who has charge of Mr. Grosvenor's farm, is profuse in attention and information, making your stay pleasant, and, if you please, you can take your rod and line and try your luck along the brook for the shy but greedy beauties which lie under the banks or in the deep holes. Whether you catch fish or not you will remember your trip to trout brook with pleasure. From the Hastings Gazette May 3, 1873 • ;a L i t h him r. Hoy n1 ---- 'LJahn 7 home .li l }: NA l I.I. F: -1 P 1.0, n IP - ,r _ - '4,0 Fred ' 14 by Senn, Philippe N.Sfi,.,•/>ir c £. AA . Fa " 4. / gar /r L1'rhaelnr .Y. II Inman • / h. no Haller/ strh _ __• -.—�IrieAr/arhvr • Jinn/peen! John 1, Est ryre. O. Reno, fen ■A7eo.7 P. Al6sh-rq.ao f. BAe� •„� • Jahn A.s mann ms "John r ▪ Isreere rhi Ani :./.0.fehnim4 s n. s i Frrrrhscr ISPn • about three miles Trout Brook is the Cannon River tributary running northwest from the lower right corner. The Grosvenor farm is seen outside of Miesville in 1879. DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 SHIELDS SORGHUM MILL A crumbling foundation located in a wooded hollow on the south shore of LeMay lake, is all that remains of a historic sorghum mill which more than 60 years ago was a beehive of activity during sugar cane harvest time, in northern Dakota County. Located on the Martin Shields property, the mill was erected by the late Mike Shields, Martin's father. Reuben LeMay, 83-year-old resident living just east of the old mill site remembers some of the early history of the northern Dakota County area. Reuben's father, Thellesphore LeMay, immigrated to Mendota from Canada in 1852 when he was 21 years old. (He lived to be 96.) The young French Canadian did such odd jobs as he could find about Mendota, the parent settlement of the section. The little village was the center of culture as well as fur trading. The palatial home of Henry Hastings Sibley, now preserved as.. the oldest stone dwelling in Minnesota, was then in its prime of distinction and hospitality, being 17 years old. The city of St. Paul became known to early Mendota as "the new town across the river." It grew rapidly into a city of paved streets, wide lawns, factories and jobbing houses. Fourteen months after Thellesphore's arrival (January 1854) he was married to Vitaline LeMay, who had the same last name, but was not related to him. For their wedding they came to St. Paul in a stoneboat drawn on the river ice by horses. Their residence was taken up at the present farm owned by Reuben LeMay, a son, who is still living at the farm. It was west of this farm, on the shore of LeMay lake that the late Mike Shields went into the sorghum business. His first mill was a temporary, crude affair, using the power of one horse to make his sugar cane press work. The first mill was located on the west side of present day Co. Rd. 19 [Pilot Knob Road]. After a couple of years Mike removed his equipment across the road and began construction of a "modern" sorghum mill. He and his brother, a priest, worked all summer on the mill, which was quite an accomplishment in the early days. The basement was made of rocks and mortar, and the top was constructed of boards. The two 4 eft, 61 ? °' ' Ks6 • 25 /1 .Zabbe- 0 •U , Zudwig Trapp 225.27 > ii 6!$s2 b- -, rl.� l b i 4,/Ri e v i PC Est a 0 6 Aru c • • n4 1 y W ri c h N ,0 LONE A:bcit� i ,y O 'aa c0 OAR ROAD t lr-i c 17 i •—47-19P., 80 8 07t'9e, ug' 81 a+ i TO �• Ernes .Can N HALL' cot, 1. i G r � dzcgus 10 phoma.,, Silk Zs 40 No. l2 111.59 't r�i Sch,rdi . • \ • =• -• ` \ 1' Goe 151 _�-� a r 9 al 445 • t6 1 N Pti 4 Y. I? cd271.2 80 • Ruben ie y 3© The 1896 plat of Eagan Township shows the Shields property. tanks were installed to boil the sugar cane into sorghum syrup; water for the steam came from the lake, via a long pipe, and later a cistern. Farmers hauled their loads of sugar cane, causing a problem of storage. To cope with this situation, Mr. Shields constructed a storage shed. The shed seemed to work fine for a while, but soon the sugar cane stalks started to sprout, and they had to be hauled out into the sunlight. During the busy season, Mr. Shields and his occasional helpers worked day and night. They fed the big sugar cane press with bundled sugar cane stalks, boiled the juice, and hauled the sorghum to the market in barrels. Business continued good for about seven or eight years. But the sorghum boom was short lived. It seems Mr. Shields could pay only $3 or $4 per ton for the cane. Farmers then began growing other crops. MARCH 2010 PAGE 13 Lois Ann and Richard LeMay are shown looking at the remains of the old Shields sorghum mill in Eagan, 1949. Reuben LeMay, who helped Mr. Shields in his busy seasons, remembers that the Shields farm was at one time devoted to nothing but the sugar cane crop. The storage shed was about 100 feet long and the cane mill was 20 x 30 (two stories). A steam engine from an old threshing machine was employed in the place. It was a 12-horsepower engine. Each boiler had a 200-gallon capacity. Reuben was asked if he remembered any of the stories his father told about early Mendota. He said when Thellesphore first came to Mendota the Indians were camped on an island there (no doubt Pig's Eye Island). The Indians, he said, were friendly, good natured people, until they went to St. Paul to load up on "firewater." When liquored -up, they suffered a turn- about in personality. They were anything but friendly. Most of the time when on their sprees, they would enter people's houses and snoop about, picking up beads or anything they were curious about. Early residents reported that Indians, when they'd come back from "scalping trips," would hang their scalps on poles, and dance all night. An uncle of Reuben came near being shot by an arrow at one time. From the Dakota County Tribune April 29, 1949 One of the labels used by the Shields company. Printed in the Dakota County Tribune in July 1976. EAGAN IS 150 YEARS OLD! Eagan, Minnesota's 8t" largest City, is celebrating 150 years since its creation as a township. Residents enjoy abundant amenities, parks and recreation facilities, neighborhoods, nature areas, shopping and outstanding City services. The city will be celebrating during the year 2010. Among the plans is a food drive aimed at collecting 150,000 pounds of food for the needy. See www.eagan150.com for more information. MINNES0-t-A DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 EMPIRE' S EARLY YEARS by the Farmington Area Historical Society Henry Sibley, a fur -trader from Mendota, told the story of an encounter with some pioneers while on a hunting excursion in the early 1850s. The settlers mentioned to him that they were interested in purchasing land near the Vermillion River. Sibley said he would loan them the money at one and a half percent per month, and that he would not accept a higher rate of interest, as a matter of principal. The prospective homesteaders were skeptical of Sibley's generosity. They discussed among themselves his proposition and noticed that Sibley was amused at their doubt. Finally they accepted his offer. Sibley loaned money to more than seventy- five settlers in Dakota County on the easiest conditions. One of these men was Alidon Amidon, who was among the first to settle in Empire Township. The Amidon brothers, Alidon and Noredon, moved their families from New York state to Empire Township in 1854. Noredon and Elizabeth Amidon's daughter, Angelina, was one of the first of Empire's newest citizens to be born in November 1854. Only a small area of land was under cultivation at the time, however the territorial newspapers described the farming possibilities with great enthusiasm. In 1856 James C. Dow, editor of the Dakota Weekly Journal, wrote this about Farmington: "Farmington is situated on the Vermillion River, about fifteen miles from Hastings. This place is rightly named, for it looks like a village of farms. Good soil, good water, good timber and intelligent citizens is their wealth." Having borrowed money from Sibley, Alidon Amidon purchased land in section 29 of Empire Township near the Vermillion River and close to the St. Paul and Northfield Road, what is now known as State Trunk Highway 3. Five years after the Treaty of Mendota was signed in 1851, which opened the area for settlement, more families from the east were settling at Farmington, which encompassed sections 19, 20, 29, 30, 31, and 32. A post office was established in 1856 by which the government acknowledged the town. In 1860 Alidon and Dorothy Amidon opened their home as a hotel. This was a large residence and had a hall for public meetings and dances. Amidon's hotel became a station for the stages running on that route. Horses were changed at the hotel to resume the trip. This was the first station from St. Paul. A modest, 18x22 one -room school was constructed in 1862. School was taught prior to that at the Empire City Hotel and in private homes. Amidon's hotel added more rooms, making a total of 15. It became the focus of the community. The county treasurer received payment of county taxes at the hotel. County and local political conventions were also held there. James Tuttle established a store nearby, the small schoolhouse housed more students, and the post office received more business. Farmington, Minnesota, named after Farmington, New York, was growing. Described as "a village of farms," the community was never platted and built as a recognizable town with lots and blocks. HENRY AND LAURA LILLIE'S FARM Irving Todd, publisher of the Hastings Conserver, recorded these observations in 1863: "Farmington seems to us to be suitably named, being a vast conglomeration of farms and farm houses. We could not but notice the thrifty look which bespoke the careful husbandman." The "vast conglomeration of farms and farm houses" would soon be platted. As the Civil War raged on, news spread of the Minnesota Central Railroads intention to survey and lay a railroad line from St. Paul to Faribault. The project was delayed due to lack of manpower because of the war. In 1864 the railroad purchased the farm of Henry and Laura Lillie in section 31. In November a portion of section 31 was platted into lots and blocks and recorded in Hastings. It was no surprise that the railroad called the plat Farmington, of which the Lillie farm was already a part. The surveyors named the streets running east and west after shade trees: Oak, Spruce, Elm, Maple, Walnut, and Locust, trees that would eventually be planted in 1873 and grow with the town. The streets running north and south were numbered. A stone marker was placed in the middle MARCH 2010 PACE 15 of Spruce and Second Streets indicating the center of section 31. The streets were 80 feet wide and the alleys that divided the blocks were 20 feet wide. The blocks were 360 feet square with lots 170 feet by 60 feet. Charles Curry, who came to Eureka Township as a boy in 1855 with his family from Indiana, left a description of early Farmington. In 1905 he wrote a narrative of his childhood memories. Describing former Fourth of July celebrations he wrote, "The next fourth that made impression on my mind was that of 1865. The war of the rebellion had just closed, peace had been restored, and everybody was happy. The boys in blue had not yet returned from the front but we knew that they were coming soon. There were no great demonstrations anywhere within the circle of my knowledge. The people contented themselves by gathering here and there in neighborhood picnics. It was my privilege to attend a little gathering held in the grove near Farmington, now known as Akin's Grove. It was on that day the first locomotive crossed on the bridge just north of town. The track was finished that day to where our depot now stands." On July 4, 1865, eight months after the town had been platted the railroad track was completed to Oak Street and the first locomotive entered into town. The railroad promoted the plat of Farmington and many Civil War Veterans, looking for a new home free from the ruin of war, decided to come. Many of these soldiers became farmers, others merchants and manufacturers, doctors and lawyers. Local settlers moved their homes and business to the new town. Isaac Lincoln, a blacksmith from Empire, was one of the first to move to Third Street. By September the railroad began running a daily train from Mendota to Northfield, connecting with St. Paul by the steamer Stella Whipple, and Minneapolis by stage. In October, Dr. Levi Dodge, one of several Civil War veterans, arrived. He served the Union as a non-commissioned surgeon in Company C of the Sixth Regiment of the New Hampshire Volunteers for three years. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Dodge left his medical practice in Sutton, New Hampshire and arrived at Farmington on October 11, ten days after his marriage to Henrietta Shackelford of Fredricksburg, Virginia. Farmington was a young community with many opportunities and welcomed the 24-year-old Dr. Dodge as he established his medical practice. As one of community's leading citizens, Dr. Dodge worked to improve the quality of life in Farmington and saw to it that the young community would have all the advantages that more established communities enjoyed. That same year Noredon Amidon moved his store from Empire Township to the northwest corner of Third and Oak Streets. The large wooden structure would also serve as the post office. A year later Alidon Amidon sold his farm and hotel in Empire and built a two-story frame hotel on Second and Oak Street near the depot. Amidon's hotel, "The Star of the West," did a brisk business. Lots were bought from the railroad and construction began to boom in 1866. Businesses were established and homes were built. More Civil War veterans continued to move to the new community. Major James Donaldson, one of the leading citizens in town, wrote to his nephew, Leroy Fluke, who served in Company C of the 27 h Ohio Regiment, and asked him to consider moving his family and business to Farmington. The community was in need of his services. Fluke worked as a hospital druggist during the war and was a well -trained pharmacist. Shortly after his arrival in 1866 Fluke established a pharmacy partnership with Dr. Dodge. Business people from Hastings also came and set up shop. Reuben J. Chewning and Roswell Judson, lawyers from Hastings, found new clientele and commerce good. Their skills and knowledge of the law were in demand. Judson became a judge and Chewning a state legislator acting in the interests of the new community. He would later introduce legislation to have Farmington incorporated in 1872. "Though it has scarcely completed its first year of existence, Farmington already boasts of a good hotel, six or seven stores, an elevator, and thirty or forty dwellings, and there is considerable building being done this spring," wrote the Farmington correspondent to the Hasting's Gazette in early 1867. Agriculture was the backbone of the community and Farmington became an important grain and dairy center. Its educational and health care facilities were the envy of the county. Farmington would eventually rival Hastings in size and influence, becoming the county's western business center. More than once Farmington would contend with Hastings for the county seat. PAGE 16 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 THE WOLF OF EUREKA L_ . John Giles works for H.B. Chase, of Eureka, and Chase has a steel trap, and thereby hangs a tale. Some time ago Giles set the trap for some wolves, which had been carrying off Chase's chickens. He visited the trap with great regularity for several days, but without result, when, hope long delayed having made the heart sick, he gave up looking at the trap each morning and let several days pass without visiting it. One day, while out in the cornfield at work, he found the clog to which the trap had been fastened. Then there was consternation! Investigation showed that the wolf had indeed been caught and had escaped by breaking the chain, after dragging the clog into the cornfield. "Here endeth the first lesson." On Thursday of last week, A.C. Bean and J.H. Mallery startled a couple of wolves somewhere in West Eureka, one of which had the trap on his foot They gave chase, on show shoes, and the wolves were hunted that day from the neighborhood of Mallery's up to Gilbert Donen's and back again across the Dodd road, during which Mr. Bean had many falls from his snow shoes and the hunters were far more exhausted than the wolves. Night cast its sable mantle, or a blanket, (we're not certain which) over the scene and the trap was allowed a rest. Friday morning when Jesse Scofield started to build the fire at the schoolhouse he discovered the gay and festive wolves in his father's cornfield. Having made the fire he concluded he would rather hunt wolves than go to school that day, so he returned home. Meantime the alarm had been sounded and Willis Hatfield, who works at Mr. Scofield's, had loaded a rifle, and prepared for mortal combat, while Mr. Scofield stepped out doors to watch the enemy with a spy glass. Hatfield leaned the gun against the side of the room, the floor "Meandering across the fields." was wet, having just been washed, and the butt of the gun slipped out, fell to the floor and was discharged, the contents passing through the side of the house so near Mr. Scofield that the splinters from the outside flew against him, and the grand wolf hunt was fairly inaugurated! This mishap fully satisfied Hatfield's thirst for gore, so he concluded that he didn't feel very well anyway and wouldn't hunt wolves that day. Mounting a horse Jesse Scofield started in hot pursuit, the wolves going down across the fields to an old strawstack on the Caskey place, just west of the Eureka church. D. Burton, who had scented the smoke of war, and J.H. Mallery had already joined in the chase. At the strawstack the wolves were discovered by Joe and Nick Stehly, who were returning from Lakeville. Arming themselves like cow boys they joined the chase, and got a shot at the game as they left cover at the stack, but they had forgotten their ammunition and so could not reload. The crowd was then re -enforced by S.P. Morton on horseback, and by this time the whole neighborhood was in arms and men on horseback, in sleighs and on showshoes could be seen in all direction. The wolves passed the church without stopping for service, going down toward I.C. Curry's, thence eastward nearly to A.A. Osborne's, where they were headed off and started toward the south. Here they separated one going west up the ravine, the other south, past D. Burton's. The hunters also separated, one crowd, headed by Jesse Scofield, who rode like Paul Revere, without regard to drifts or roads, following the wolf that went westward, chasing him up past the old Gephart place, where the hunters gave it up, as his wolfship was already well across the school section and nearly into the woods. The other party, headed by Burton, Mallery and the Stehlys, followed the other which had the trap on one foot. Seeing the game abroad Willie Phillips loaded his musket to join the fray, but neglected to go out doors before discharging the piece, and came nearer shooting his father than anything else except the house. It is thought the house will recover. Passing near Leander Livingston's the wolf called at Robert Pool's, to inquire if the school near by was a good one, as he thought of studying mathematics sufficiently to find out how many persons it would MARCH 2010 PAGE 17 take to catch a wolf with a trap on one foot. He concluded not to stop that day but passing near the house he sent word in to the teacher by a small boy, that his trap was out there. He then consulted the guide board south of the school -house and took the road west. The teacher, H.B. Chase, sent the dispatch to the Tribune, previously given, and the entire school joined in the chase, on snow shoes, while the crowd in the rear, which had been gathering recruits from every direction, pressed boldly on. The much -hunted wolf proceeded westward to the place where he originally captured the trap, then turned south across Chase's field. Here was the scriptural quotation that the first shall be last, again verified. John Giles was still at work in the cornfield; we are not certain whether he had been there ever since he found the clog, but he was there, and he had his gun and his snowshoes with him. With all the vigor of a new hunter he started on the track of the weary wolf, pursuing him nearly to the Norwegian churches, when he was joined by a young man on horseback, who run the animal down and with Giles' gun shot him dead!!! Giving the young man a quarter for his trouble, Giles bore the trophy home in triumph and will claim the $5.00 bounty, although it is rumored that several lawsuits are threatened for the consequential damages and several others will claim a part of the reward, as accessories before the fact. With disappointed looks many of the hunters had dropped off by the way and stopped for refreshments at various farm houses. In the meantime, G.B. Mallery, returning from Lakeville, discovered a wolf in the Catholic cemetery, south of that village. Stopping at Q. Kingsley's he gave the alarm, and Jesse Scofield, who was stopping there for refreshments, again took to the war path, which Tom Barrie, remarking that it was a very cold day when he couldn't lasso more than one wolf, seized a strap and started after him, being joined by Wm. Newcomb, with a 32-caliber revolver. The wolf was startled and ran down nearly through the village, some declaring that he stopped at Ackermann's for a drink. Here the Gun Club was aroused and Balch and Lenihan trotted out a young arsenal and driving out of town a little distance began a bombardment with a Winchester rifle. The wolf evidently thought this meant business and he actually began to run, and then the hunters, for the first time in three days, saw a wolf running, and they stopped as one man and stood in open-mouthed and speechless wonder while they hear him whiz, and then, like Mark Twain's dog which chased a coyote, they turned round and went home and nothing was said aloud, but the wolf reporter thought he heard a murmur from several directions which sounded very much like "damn." By careful computation, it is found that 713 men and boys were engaged in the hunt, not counting horses and dogs, and the conundrum has been propounded. If it takes 713 men and boys three days to catch a wolf with a stub tail* and a trap on one foot, that wasn't feeling very well at the start, how long would it take how many men and boys to catch an able bodied wolf? Referred to the wolf class at the Central Eureka school. The financial part of the affair has been thus summed up: Twenty of Chase's chickens, used to get $4.13 the wolf in condition Time setting up the trap 2.25 Damage to the trap .15 Damage to A.C. Bean, .75 falling off his snowshoes Damage to Scofield's house 1.48 Willis Hatfield's loss of appetite 1.92 from the scare+ Wear and tear of Jesse Scofield's horse .98 Loss of blood from Burton's horse 1.46 Damage to S.P. Morton's health, .17 from excessive excitement Meals furnished famished hunters by 2.50 W.A. Parry, M.T. Lahert & others Lost time at Chase's school .25 Damage to Tom Barrie's strap .03 Ammunition wasted 6.50 Damage to Phillips' house 1.18 Disappointment experienced by 75.25 those who didn't catch him Paid the young man who shot him .25 Wear and tear of a conscience .00 (a keen observer informs us there was none used) Conceit taken out of the hunters 48.32 who saw the wolf run Total 147.37 Credit — by one wolf bounty 5.00 Net Loss ++ 142.37 *The Tribune has been repeatedly informed that it was the stub tailed wolf that got away, but we don't think the one that was caught had a fair show and it sounds better for the poor wolf to say he had a stub tail, so he couldn't steer well. PAGE 18 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 + This item should really be placed as a credit, as a saving to Mr. Scofield. ++ Bill will doubtless be presented at the next meeting of the county board. THE STUB -TAILED WOLF: EUREKA'S HISTORIC ANIMAL MEETS AN IGNOMINIOUS DEATH Poor Bob -tail is dead! The wolf that has braved so many storms of leaden hail, has eluded the wily hunter and the deceitful trap, has cast a scornful leer at the poisoned chicken and laughed to scorn the dogs of four towns, bit the dust last Monday morning, and will no more be classed with the weather, as a never -failing source of items. As H.B. Chase, of Eureka, sallied forth to perform the patriotic duty of working on the roads, he espied the historic animal quietly meandering across the fields. Hastening up the road he alarmed Jesse Scofield, who started the great wolf hunt in February, 1885. Since that time Jesse doesn't place as much confidence in horses, as a means of catching wolves, as he did, and has invested in a Winchester rifle. Seizing his trusty rifle, Jesse started up the road, with an admonition to Chase not to send word to Willis Hatfield, for fear of further damage to the house, nor to Tom Barrie, lest there should be a corner in the strap market. Proceeding up the Dodd road a short distance the object of so many hunts was seen quietly resting in the shade of a tree, thirty rods away. A well - directed shot from Scofield's rifle did the work so many have been anxious to do, and Bob -tail was dead. It proved to be the mother of a family, and there are probably some young Bob -tails waiting somewhere for their supper. After securing the scalp, with which to obtain the bounty, a procession was formed, headed by "John Giles returning from the chase." "Jesse Scofield after the successful shot." • J Chase & Kelly's West Eureka Tin Band, with Tom Barrie, Willis Hatfield, John Mallery, Nick Stehley and John Giles as chief mourners, and Jesse Scofield master of ceremonies, which bore away the carcass to its final resting place in a secluded spot on the banks of the Vermillion. A tin pan was passed and a collection taken up with which to purchase a monument, the collection consisting of four buttons, two shingle nails, a blank cartridge, two gun wads, three buckshot, a fish hook and a broken buckle. As the collection did not pan out as well as had been expected, S.C. Scofield donated a board and John Kingsley cut the inscription, which was as follows: Sacred to the Memory of OLD BOB -TAIL. Requicscat in :'ace. It is said that there are a number of rifles for sale in West Eureka now, with any number of traps and second-hand bottle of strychnine. The wolf reporter of the Tribune has been discharged. From the Dakota County Tribune February 5, 1885 and June 10, 1886 GET CLOSE TO NATURE AT: Dakota County Parks www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks Dodge Nature Center, West St. Paul www.dodgenaturecenter.org Carpenter Nature Center, Denmark Township www.carpenternaturecenter.org MARCH 2010 PAGE 1;9 EXPLORE DAKOTA COUNTY! By the South St. Paul Chapter of DCHS Are you looking for a little adventure? The Minnesota Department of Tourism has a slogan, "Explore Minnesota." Well, the South St. Paul Chapter of DCHS took that to heart and explored a part of Dakota County this past June. We met at the Lawshe Memorial Museum on a beautiful summer day and drove down Highway 3 through the sprawling suburbs, over the rolling hills and past the patchwork of farms to Castle Rock Township. We proceeded east on 255`h St. west to the old Civil War -era Castle Rock Valley cemetery. This cemetery was established in 1863 and is located on Alverno Avenue. It has a very interesting white bronze statue of a Union soldier stoically standing guard. As a side note, one can glean a lot of information from the head and foot stones there. With a little imagination one can sense the accomplishments and heartaches of these early settlers. [See story on page 6.] From there we proceeded on 260`h Street west to the former Nike Missile site. This was part of the NORAD defense system during the Cold War. The site was deactivated and the missiles removed many years ago. Our next stop was the "ghost town" of Lewiston, located at the intersection of County Roads 94 and 59 in Sciota Township. If you've been following Over the Years, there was an article in December 2008 describing this town site, abandoned long ago. After failing to find any indication of the ghost town, we headed to Randolph and their fine museum. It is filled with artifacts of the bygone railroad era of the County and has an extensive genealogical library. It Members of the South St. Paul chapter gather at the foot of the Castle Rock Valley Civil War monument. Diane Utech Ubl, Tom Kaliszewski, Dorothy Cashman, Mary Kaliszewski, Virginia Lanegran, Jeanette Birnstengel, Jane Birnstengel, centenarian Ed Horst and Dave Ubl. should be noted that this is where A.B. Stickney started laying track for the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad, which later became the Chicago Northwestern and, later still, the Union Pacific. A short drive along the shore of Lake Byllesby brought us to the dam and power plant. These were built in 1910 and are both still in use today. After lunch in New Trier, we were fortunate enough to gain access to St. Mary's Catholic Church. This church was built in 1906 and sits proudly on the crest of a hill overlooking a broad valley. The remarkable stained glass windows were a sight to behold with the bright afternoon sun streaming through them. The adjacent cemetery has many unusual markers, including some German -influenced iron crosses. As you walk through the grounds, notice the dates and stories carved into the headstones. This short adventure doesn't require much time or money and is located right in our own "back yard." So, explore Dakota County, you will find something interesting if you look! More information is available at the Lawshe Memorial Museum. DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 IMMIGRANTS FROM ISLE OF MAN WERE EARLY SETTLERS IN GREENVALE TOWNSHIP By Sage Van Slyke Silliman, daughter of V.G. Van Slyke and Ann Clague. Paper read before the Rice County Historical Society at the 1945 spring meeting, held in Northfield, May 22. Publication of this interesting paper has been delayed on account of paper restrictions and shortage of help. In the Irish sea, halfway between England and Ireland, and an equal distance from Scotland, lies the Isle of Man. It is 33 miles long and from 8 to 12 miles wide. It contains 15,000 acres. At the southwestern extremity is an islet known as the Calf of Man, containing 800 acres. A chain of high hills traverses the island longitudinally. The coast line is very beautiful with lofty headlands and lovely sweeps of bay. It is said that the sea has a clearness rarely seen on the coast of Britain. The climate is moist and mild and vegetation is abundant. Flowers which in the greater part of England require shelter in the winter, flourish in the open air all the year around and attain extraordinary dimensions. ORIGIN OF NAME UNKNOWN It is not definitely known how the island came to be named "Man." Many sources have been given, including the Manx "Mannin," meaning middle island; the Saxon "Mang," meaning among; the British word "Mon," meaning isolated; the Celtic "Maen," a stone; and one writer states that the surname of St. Patrick was "Maune," and hence the name "Man" for the island. My mother told me of a large stone on the shore near Douglas that had what the people imagined was the print of a horses' hoof in it, and legend says that it was the mark made by St. Patrick's horse when he landed on the Isle of Man when he was on his way from England to Ireland. Be that as it may, there were no snakes on the island. Whether that had anything to do with the fact that the Manx cats have no tail, I know not. The British bought the island from the duke of Athol in 1765 for 70,000 pounds, the chief object being the suppression of smuggling, which was carried on very extensively in the island, to the great detriment of English revenue. The desired result was obtained to the vexation of some of the Manx folks who had made an uncommonly good thing of the contraband trade. The island afforded immunity from arrest for debt, but this rule brought it many undesirable inhabitants. The law was the excuse for my grandfather's last trip to the island. A man who for many years had owed him a large sum of money had protected himself by keeping his residence on the island, but after Mr. Clague had been away for many years the man moved back to England. My grandfather learned of this and took his wife and one of my older brothers and sailed to collect his debt. The man, however, heard of my grandfather's arrival and got back to the Isle of Man before any collection proceedings could be started against him. MANY TOURISTS VISIT ISLAND Now the main industry in peacetimes is the tourist trade. At one time at least 2,000 men and boys earned their living fishing. The ocean herring were caught and were marketed in Liverpool. The lead mines on the island were very deep, having been worked for many years. Before the open pit method was used in Minnesota the mines on the Iron Range drew some of their most experienced miners from the Isle of Man, and many of the mines had Manx foremen and captains. The Manx language is like no other spoken in the world and was used only on this island. It is said that now it is almost a dead language. Probably not more than 1,000 of the 50,000 there can speak it. At present the island is being used as a prison for enemy aliens rounded up on the mainland. The island usually pays 40,000 pounds annually to the British government as a contribution to expenses. It paid $3,000,000 as its share toward the cost of World War I and has already paid over $4,000,000 toward the cost of this war. The islanders still defer to the supreme authority of the British government only when the island in named specifically in British enactments. The thousand -year -old House of Keys was established on the island when the Vikings captured it in the ninth century, and has remained the Manx parliament ever since. MARCH 2010 Many of the early Manx settlers are buried in the Greenvale cemetery. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. JOHN CLAGUE FIRST TO LEAVE In 1822, because of his familiarity with the ocean and his love of adventure, John Clague, a boy of 12 years old, was a passenger on a boat to the new world. He spent the winter of that year in New York and earned his living by working for a shoemaker putting the copper toes on children's boots. Twice later he came to this country, but of these visits we have no record. In 1853 he sailed from Liverpool with his family, resolved to make his home somewhere in the great western part of the United States. They were a month on the ocean, having taken a sailboat because Mrs. Clague thought those new steamships were much too dangerous. Ten years earlier several of their friends had come over and settled in or near Galena, Ill. Some of them had been miners and had been attracted there by the reports of the fine lead mining prospects. The Galena boom, however, did not last and the men were soon ready for a new adventure. In 1853 John Clague and Thomas Hodgson came up the Mississippi to Hastings, and explored a large part of Dakota county, selecting a location in what is now Greenvale for the colony they expected to bring there in the spring. They returned to Illinois and two months later, on Oct. 2, 1854, John Clague with William Kegg and William Clegg, all about 40 years of age, Thomas Gill, 26 years old, and the 12- year-old son of Thomas Hodgson, left the little mining village of Weston, Ill., to take a steamer on the Fever river at Galena for what was then known as Hastings Landing. GROUP LOCATES CLAIMS The purpose of this expedition was to locate claims and build homes for each family that was to come in the spring. John Clague was a man of considerable means, and he furnished the entire outfit for the winter expedition. He was a well built, heavy -set man, sympathetic and generous, with a keen sense of humor. Had it not been for him, probably none of them would ever have come to Minnesota. PAGE 22 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 William Kegg was an overly modest man, loved by all who knew him. He was a good shoemaker but called himself a kind of half -cobbler. He often called himself a half -fool, but took great comfort in the thought that wisemen, and not fools, sometimes go crazy. Mr. Clegg was the cook, and the young boy was his helper. Mr. Gill was a large, strong man, always able to see the humorous side of life. He had already had more than one man's share of adventure. He had made his way across the country to California in search of gold and had returned to Illinois by way of the Panama route, traveling by foot through the jungles. From the Caribbean shore he took passage on a merchant ship to New Orleans, then up the Mississippi and the Fever River to Galena. Many were the hours that he entertained the men with his experiences. Some tales were humorous, some tragic. Shortly before his death a caller asked him how he was feeling and he said that he was having frequent pain, then a smile lit up his face and he said, "I am reminded of what Jimmy Fury said when asked if it was not difficult to get his cow, which he was trying to lead all the way to Northfield, over the Frogtown road. `Yes,' said Jimmy, 'it was a frightful road, sure, and I was no sooner into one puddle than I was out of another.'" These four men and the boy left the women and children and started out on the expedition that was to be filled with many hardships. They remained in Galena one day purchasing supplies for the winter, and the next day, Wednesday, took passage on the "War Eagle" for Hastings Landing. They reached there Friday night. There was but one store there at that time. The next morning they loaded part of their freight in a prairie schooner, with two oxen to pull it, and were ready for the journey to the Cannon river. They took the southern route and struck the Cannon at Lewiston. PARTY REACHES WATERFORD It was a beautiful Indian summer day. The men walked the whole distance and reached Waterford about midnight. They went into camp on the premises of Abel Lamphere (Barber's Island). The first four logs of his future home were laid and that was the only sign that men had been there. The next day was Sunday, so the men rested and decided to walk up and look over the land that had been selected for them by Mr. Clague and Mr. Hodgson. On the way out from Hastings Mr. Gill had shot two prairie chickens, and they were to be cooked for dinner. Mr. Clegg and the boy were left to prepare the meal. It was a beautiful fall day, and everything was going fine when an Indian appeared coming over the hill. The boy had read every story he could find the previous winter in Galena of Indian massacres, and now he was face to face with a bloody massacre of which he would be the victim. 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G. ;Ray NW Aishback .041.i • ,so I ,se S 1I a 1 g {Fy T camaolv 7 ', �• o Zl•a. s �' i` _1sp•__ Chub Creek runs through the northern half of Greenvale Township in this 1986 map. under the covers and there was Mr. Clegg lighting the Indian's pipe with a coal from the fire. They took three or four puffs from that pipe and the Indian regaled Mr. Clegg with tales of the Chippewas that he had killed. Each feather in his hair represented a dead Chippewa. He spoke a little English, enough to boast of his many bloody murders. Having smoked and boasted to his heart's content, he shook hands, mounted his pony and rode away. Thus ended happily their first encounter with an Indian. I have heard my mother tell of many others; some full of fright, but none serious. The men returned with their pockets full of potatoes taken from a patch that had been planted by John Lamphere in the spring. They feasted royally then on prairie chicken and potatoes, but never saw another potato until the next June. PICK CHUB CREEK AREA Early the next morning they were off for Chub Creek and before noon went into camp by a large oak tree. This tree proved to be on the line between John Clague's and Thomas Hodgson's farms. Clumps of burned -over poplars made excellent campfires and the men were pleased with the locality. There was living water, an abundance of firewood, green poplar wood and a wide expanse of farm land. But there was no nearby hardwood or heavy timber, so they had first to scour the country and see how near it could be obtained. The boy was left to watch the oxen, and after the Indian experience which he had the day before every move of a leaf or crack of a branch filled him with terrible fear. Night came on and the wolves started to howl on every side, it seemed to him. He did not dare to start after the men for fear of getting lost, so he chained the oxen to a tree, put out the fire, crawled into the wagon, pulled the covers over him and did what a less brave boy would have done, cried himself to sleep. He was later awakened by voices and heard Mr. Gill say, "That's the very tree," and in a moment the men were beside the wagon. Thomas, Jr., got scolded for not keeping up the fire and having no light to guide the men back. The men had been lost and had been hunting for the camp for some time in the dark. They built a big fire, cooked supper, and Mr. Kegg soon convinced them that they and not the child were to blame. He had been left alone with real fears of Indians and wolves, which were worse than being lost. GRASS IS DEFECTIVE The next day they got out their scythes and began to cut hay for the oxen. The weather was the best they could wish for, but the frosts had killed the grass and it was plain that the oxen, Dave and Berry, were in for a hard winter. The wire grass that grew in the swamps deceived them. The men plunged in with their scythes and enthusiasm, and felt thankful that there was a frost resisting grass in Minnesota. They had not been mowing very long when Mr. Clague became convinced that the grass was not good for fodder. It dulled the scythes and it could not be chewed up. He went down by the creek, tried the coarse blue joint grass that grew there and pronounced it better. They put up both kinds of hay but it was the coarse blue joint that saved the lives of the oxen. That was after the 10th of October. The next task was to cut logs and build a cabin. It was built 14 by 18 feet and when it was built up high enough an extra log was built in about four feet from the end, and split poles cut the right length were laid across from this log to the end of the building. When another round of logs had been put on, another pole was put on four feet in, or just above the one the slats rested on, and thus their bedstead was made the length of the cabin. Three of them slept on one end and two in the other, with their feet toward the middle. The men were all familiar with thatched roofs and so they put on a good one. From the Northfield Independent January 31, 1946 Have you seen the Over the Years entitled "The Enigmatic Mounds of Greenvale" from June 2005? • Eal.matie Lenawarl Noun. of Wawa sod kke Ccomtien WHAT WILL YOUR LEGACY BE? To learn more about Legacy Gifts at DCHS, contact Chad Roberts, Executive Director at (651)552-7548 PAGE 24 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 HAMPTON BUSINESS DISTRICT WELL SUPPLIED WITH MODERN, PROGRESSIVE INSTITUTIONS Hampton was a thriv Courtesy of the Allonesota`" it , Hampton, Minn., on the map and Hampton, Minn., in real life are two places that it might be difficult to recognize as one and the same community. New business enterprises, the expansion of trade territory and the inauguration of a regular bus service through the village have given Hampton a new standing in the business world and it is rapidly becoming a trade center of more than passing importance. HAS LARGE GENERAL STORES The commercial institutions of Hampton are such as to compare favorably with those of many other localities possessing several times its population. There are two general merchandise stores in the village that are equipped to handle nearly every requirement of their patrons. MARCH 2O10 N.P. Gores, the proprietor of one of these establishments, came to Hampton in 1895, after having started his business career with a partnership enterprise with his father, Francis Gores, at New Trier. Mr. Gores was first associated in the grain and general merchandise business at Hampton with Conrad Doffing but he later retired from the elevator management and gave his sole attention to the mercantile line. At present his store is a family enterprise, his sons, John and Paul Gores, his daughters, Misses Lena and Gertrude Gores, and J.A. Becker constituting his clerical staff. Mr. Gores has been postmaster at Hampton for two different terms and is now president of the Farmers & Merchants bank. The other large general merchandise store which is serving Hampton and vicinity is under the proprietorship of L.L. Reinhardt. Mr. Reinhardt, PAGE 25 The community gathers at the hotel for this 1909 postcard. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. besides operating one of the most complete and successful establishments of its kind in the territory, is also postmaster at Hampton, having held that office for the past seventeen years. He came to this locality from Illinois where he taught school for some time as a young man. He is assisted by his daughter, Miss Lenore Reinhardt. HOTEL SERVICE UNEXCELLED With the increased patronage that bus lines are bringing into Hampton, "Doc" Mies' Colonade hotel has become one of the flourishing enterprises of this vicinity and with twelve waitresses and clerks handing out the meals and other refreshments at the popular hostelry, it is with difficulty that the institution is able to keep up with its custom. "Doc," in addition to keeping the Colonade on a paying basis, is also mayor of Hampton and will probably be re-elected to the office as often as he can be persuaded to let his hat be thrown into the ring. MANY OTHER BUSINESS PLACES Besides the institutions mentioned, Hampton possesses two garages, a grain elevator which is a co-operative proposition managed by H.E. Swanson of Hastings, a barber shop, operated by R.B. LaRock who came to that vicinity from Minneapolis last year and has developed a large patronage, two confectionery shops, a meat market, furniture store and dance hall. Professional needs of the residents are well attended to by Dr. C.C. Rasmussen, M.D., and Dr. H.A. Von Ruden, dental surgeon. Dr. Rasmussen is a new practitioner at Hampton but Dr. Von Ruden is widely known in this vicinity having won a large practice in Hastings before opening his dental parlors at his present location. NORTHERN STATES SERVES COMMUNITY Electric light and power service is provided Hampton and vicinity by the Northern States Power company but the village has its own water plant, the reservoir which feeds the business and residential districts. From the Hastings Gazette November 20, 1925 PAGE 26 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 B-52 CRASH HERE I3 AFTERMATH STORY OF AUGUST KAHL FAMILY They lost seven puppies, three cows and a calf and nearly everything they owned, but members of the August Kahl family miraculously are all alive today — and very thankful for it. It's a strange sort of anniversary they are celebrating this Thursday evening — because it was just a month ago that the ball of fire and torn metal came out of the sky and tore open the ground next to their home in Inver Grove Township. Are you curious about how they have fared since? How they feel about the disaster? Here is their story. The August Kahl family sat down around the big table on their 30 acre farm at 8:30 so that the children could get their home work done. "We had finished the dishes," said Mrs. Kahl. "Dad and I were in the farm yard," said Larry. At the table sat Mrs. Kahl, Corene, 17, Emagene, 14, Ruth Ann, 12, and little Lynn, 5. They all heard a rumbling sound and then an explosion. "I don't remember hearing an explosion," recalled Mrs. Kahl. A discussion followed as to just who did hear the explosion. Larry said he did, and he was the only one that seemed positive about the sound. Mrs. Kahl remembers hearing the tinkling of glass as the windows in their house went out, then the plaster started to fall. They all rushed outside. Some of them didn't have any shoes on! The farm yard was on fire, not the house but the whole yard! Describing it they said, "Everything was fire! Just fire! Debris and fire!" Two strangers stopped along from the highway and screamed at them to inquire if there was anyone left in the house. To this date they don't know who the strangers were. There wasn't anyone left in the house. August Kahl had rushed into the house and saved Grandpa, who was upstairs in his room. Grandpa is eighty -one-year old Edward Kahl. The family was taken to Riverview Hospital. It was later that the family learned that their house had burned to the ground and that ten thousand spectators had thronged to their farm to view the spectacular B- 52 jet crash which had snuffed out all the crew members lives but one. There is no one out on the farm now. White signs with "No Trespassing" printed on them hang neatly in place on red snow fences strung across the road leading to their former home. There is no house, no barn, just foundations which show where everything might have been. What happened to this family that became lost in the shuffle of news happening around the world making fresh headlines? Corene Kahl said, "I talked to the newsmen that night, since then no one from the newspapers have made any inquiries." They may have become lost to the general public An aerial photo shows the still smoking Kahl farmhouse and the five craters at the impact point just east of Highway 52. From "On Final ", March 2003. MARCH 2O10 but they weren't lost as far as friends, neighbors, and relatives were concerned. They gave them food, and shelter and within several days found them a new place to live. A stove and refrigerator appeared for them, clothes for the children and the adults and many other items; for they all had come out of the disaster with just what they were wearing. The family is now living on Oakdale Rd. in a quiet neighborhood in a neat white farm house that is up for sale by the owner. The family is regrouping under the guidance of patient, soft spoken Mrs. Kahl. She was lucky and she is aware of just how lucky, she has her family, every last one of them! As to the injuries the family received, Mrs. Kahl received cuts and burns, but they are now faded. It wasn't necessary for her to stay overnight in the hospital. Loren, 15, was in the hospital in Riverview for twenty-four days. He was released this week. He suffered burns on his hands and face. He will not scar, according to his doctor. He isn't back in school yet but he will be going back soon. Corene stayed one night at the hospital. She was also treated for minor cuts and burns. A couple of stitches were made to close one cut on her foot. Emagene will carry a scar on her right ankle as a permanent reminder of the fantastic night. She stayed overnight in the hospital. Ruth Ann, 12, had a small cut by her nose. She wasn't hospitalized. Lynn, 5, had burns on her hands. Grandpa spend 13 days recovering in the hospital with burns on his hands and face. August Kahl, 45, the head of this family, is still in the hospital. The family expects him to be out in a couple of weeks. Some skin grafting was done on his hands and he is losing all his fingernails. When the whole thing was over and they started counting noses, they found out the sad news. They had lost seven puppies. The mother dog was saved, however, and is now at the neighbors. Three cows and one calf didn't make it either. These things were important to them yet there were more important things. The house was gone. The furniture was gone all except a new TV set, one small chair and table belonging to Lynn and a bookcase with the books intact that Larry had made in school. None of the children changed schools. When they first went back to school everyone asked all kinds of questions the first week. "Didn't you see it coming?" was the main question asked. "Everyone saw it but us, we were almost in it yet we did not see it." Collections were taken up in both the Senior and Junior high for the youngsters. Surprisingly enough it's the little things that need replacing that add up when it comes to shopping. One thing missing from their new home that everyone seems to have forgotten is toys. Lynn, 5, received one black stuffed animal. No dolls! No games! With all the many nice things that people remembered to give them, they all had forgotten a child's world. If you look at this well-rounded family objectively you would feel that they had come through it remarkably well. Hardest hit physically was August Kahl. The one that will have the toughest time recovering is little Lynn. Her five years haven't given her enough time to know how lucky they really all were. Her toys are gone, her hidden nooks and crannies known only to a child have vanished. She is in a strange house, with strange furniture. She has a difficult time keeping the tears away. The sole thing the Air Force has done thus far for this family is they are providing transportation to the elementary school, thus enabling the two youngest children to remain in their own school, giving them a thin line of their old life to cling to. Everything was insured. However, the family has suffered a huge loss. They didn't hear from the Red Cross or the Salvation Army, but the family is not destitute. Hospital bills are coming in. Each member of the family is being billed under his own separate name. With all the stories being in the newspapers you would think the family would have received mail from strangers but they did not hear a "peep" out of anyone. From the West St. Paul Booster October 17, 1958 Have you seen the Over the Years entitled "Navy V5" from August 2000? OVER THE YEARS PAGE 28 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 LAKEVILLE IN 18 5 8 The town of Lakeville is situated in sections 19 and 20 in township 114 south of range 20 west. On the north and east is a beautiful sheet of water, from which the place is named; it supplies the various kinds of fish for which Minnesota is so justly renowned. Along its margin are some beautiful groves of timber, including an abundance of those delicious plums that are found so common all over the State; there are two kinds, the yellow being much the largest and best, and are a source of profit to the farmer; two little girls gathered and sold sixty dollars worth in St. Paul last season, and double that amount the year before. Besides these a supply of excellent grapes and cranberries may be had to any extent for gathering, and nothing from the East can surpass these fruits for preserves. Here we have fine cool water teeming with fish, plenty of wood, excellent fruits, and a pure and invigorating atmosphere that seems in its clearness to multiply the number and size of the stars at night, and its lightness to make one feel as though it were easy and pleasant to soar aloft. These are nature's provisions; but they are not all. Stretching away to the rising sun lies the valley of the Vermillion rich in the choicest land of the country, and the wide prairie ranges thence beyond the line of vision, and our town is at the head of this. From the soil we draw its riches in lavish abundance, and we might revel in milk and honey literally if we put forth our hands to do it. Cattle in unlimited number might be pastured on these rich plains for naught in the summer, and in winter by the mere expense of housing the rich and abundant fields of grass. Along the line of the valley to Nininger, some 20 miles, an intelligent and thrifty population are already turning the richness of the country to good account, and will reap a rich reward before they are too old to enjoy it; a few years more will surround us with every want for moral, social and intellectual beings, while the physical comforts will be still further increased. At this season the traveler will see farmers plowing, sowing and planting, and some gathering in the corn of the last year's crop, which was too great for the laborer, to secure in time. I have thus presented the picture, and although faintly drawn, the imagination must fill it out in its grandness and beauty for no pen can.... As an interior town, we are centrally placed: stages pass through here between Faribault and St. Paul, and the road to Shakopee, on the Minnesota river is but 10 miles, and the same distance to Northfield on the Cannon river. A petition has been circulated lately to have a post route established from here to your town as the nearest and most convenient spot to the Mississippi, and whence we may best enjoy its trade. It is but two years since this town was laid out, yet under many adverse circumstances it has grown to be a place of considerable importance — and it is destined to participate largely in whatever prosperity befalls the State. Already, besides the many dwellings, have we stores, public houses, and various mechanical callings. Churches are not numerous yet, and we do not hear the bells ring often, but they are seldom required to toll for the dead. Mills are needed, and our past disappointments are shortly to end, and we shall be able before long to ship our flour as well as grain up or down the river from your place. I have not referred to the pleasure of the sportsman, as I seldom engage in it; but here is his ground; the prairie chicken of the field, the duck and goose sporting on our lake, and the deer in the woods that give us excellent meat, together with other quarry, are common hereabouts. Last winter over a hundred deer were killed in this vicinity. I have seen fifty-five winters, and have traveled more or less in 17 States and in the Upper and Lower Canada, and in all my observations, nothing in soil and its ease of culture, and the abundance of production from no little labor, have I ever seen that surpassed this. An Eastern man who tugs so hard to clear off a small spot of common land, would feel that he was in the Garden of Eden, if he were suddenly permitted to take a peep at the riches and beauty that are spread out here for him; and with the same labor applied to them he has always given at home, his stores would allow him to enjoy his winters at perfect ease. Hay is selling at the present for two dollars a ton, potatoes at 25 cents a bushel, and corn from 25 to 40 cents, in any amount. David Partlow From the Emigrant Aid Journal March 31, 1858 MARCH 2010 A CITY RANCH The West, it is popularly supposed, begins somewhere around the Missouri river. That mythical spot, "Out where the West begins," with its connotation of romance, cowboys, plains, mountains and cattle, has never been definitely allocated, because local opinions which sometimes approach the belligerent, vary, and for a hundred and one other reasons. For most Minneapolitans, the romantic west has a habit of beginning somewhere in the western part of North Dakota or South Dakota. For many easterners, anything on the far side of Buffalo is `west.' But if a ranch where beef cattle roam the hills, herded by genuine cowboys, and wild horses which shy at the sight of man, race through brush and across ranges, is an criterion of 'the West' with all its romantic meaning, then the west really begins just about 10 miles south of Minneapolis. There, nestling among hills covered with scrub oak and hazel bushes, one corner abutting on the extension of Cedar avenue, is a genuine western ranch devoted to the raising of beef and horses. There, daily, bronchos are cut from herds and broken, strings of saddle horses are run to keep them from stiffening, calves are roped and branded, the herd of cattle rounded up and good beef cut out for market, and with whoops and yells, fanning spurs and waiving hats, cowboys ride bolts of lightning in the shape of horses in a corral or leisurely ride the range keeping an eye on their cattle charges. The Horseshoe Bar and Snake ranch is not a big one, as western ranches go, but within its fences 680 acres of range roll out of sight under the green cover of leaf and bush. Wild-eyed cattle, direct from ranges on Montana and South Dakota prairies roam about. Only two cowboys, with the help of their boss, run the place, but they're real cowboys — one who has ridden in rodeos in many parts of the country and roped his way into prize money time after time, and the other a modest young fellow who has yet to meet the wild mustang he fears. And daily, within a few minutes drive of the city, the everyday events which occur on cattle ranches of the west, embracing thousands of acres and greater thousands of cattle, take place here. The story of the Horseshoe Bar ranch with its cowboys is a fascinating one for city people, for a real rancher who is both a thorough rancher and a city -bred man is its owner and operator, but the story of this man himself, is equally compelling. "Starting Down the Trail at Eaton's," run as a promotional image in 1939. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. PAGE 30 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 And behind the establishment on the outskirts of the city of this bit of the west is a story of business foresight and intelligence typified by the unique character of the place, marking its owner as an unusual man among men. Perhaps one of the things which will appear strongest to city folk about the Horseshoe Bar — which by the way, is the brand -mark of the ranch, together with the Snake brand — is the fact that its owner is a lawyer. In the old days of cattle kings, when vast herds of thousands upon thousands of rangy beef cattle hit trails from Texas to Montana and back again, the combination of a cattleman and lawyer was not unusual. And in this case also, Arthur J. Eaton, the owner of the ranch, knows his cattle as well as his law. And that fact, together with a liking for the city and a farsighted business acumen, caused Mr. Eaton to pick out Minneapolis for the site of his ranch, thereby making him an outstanding geographer of the day; one who, by his mere fiat moved the spot "where the west begins" in the United States at least 200 miles east of where it might have been. Although Mr. Eaton would enjoy running a ranch for the pleasure of ranching and his love for horses, cattle and out-of-doors, the location and establishment of the Horseshoe Bar in Minneapolis was determined by business reasons. For it applies a new idea to the business of marketing beef cattle, Arthur Eaton also served as a radio commentator on station WPBC, owned by the Eaton Corporation. and is probably unique in the entire country for this reason. Interested in eight ranches in North Dakota and South Dakota and Montana which embrace some 5,400 acres, Mr. Eaton decided that to bring his cattle to the market in prime condition and to be able to bring them when market prices were at their best, he should have some sort of a depot near a market, to which he could ship livestock at any time, fatten them, and move them quickly when prices were good. In addition to this factor, he felt the need of some central location from which he could make trips to his land holdings in South Dakota and Iowa. Minneapolis being centrally located for both places and adjacent to the market at South St. Paul, the situation appeared ideal. The only thing remaining was to find the land best suited to his purpose. And this was found in the rolling, hilly country between Minneapolis and Rosemount. Purchasing 520 acres in 1928 and closing a deal to rent an additional 160 acres of unused pasture land, Mr. Eaton had the site for his ranch. Now, after three years of gradual expansion and planning, a genuine western ranch, with corrals, ranges, yards, a "squeeze pen" and chute for saddling unbroken horses, a bunkhouse and home is operating. Cattle graze on the hills and fatten with the luxurious forage unknown to parched western ranges, or herded into corrals, fill the air with bellows and lowing. Swift -moving horses gallop about, or warily come in to water. Embryonic writers of western stories or even veterans of the game, who live in Minneapolis, could learn a great deal about the life of the cattle ranches at the Horseshoe Bar. While it is an everyday affair for Slim Brown, who hails from Miles City, Mont., and Jerry Agard, a master of the lariat from Mackintosh, South Dakota, to cut out a likely looking bronc from the herd and run it into the breaking corral, for the city man it is an exciting and colorful event. It is on visitor's day at the ranch that the real fun occurs. As you drive along the Cedar Avenue extension you probably would not notice the stucco house set up on a hill above the road, and you would not see anything unusual about the side yard. But when you turn in the drive and walk up beside the house and look at the other side of the hill, you begin to see something more than just a little different. For one thing, you will see a large pen and a series of smaller ones. All constructed from young trees in the fashion of a bar or rail fence. The yards run slanting down behind the house, with a shed for stock at one side, and the breaking corral and the squeeze pen at the lower end. And stretching around in all directions are the rolling green -bedecked hills. Depending on the time, the yards may be filled with lowing cattle and herd -running horses, or they may be empty. If there is breaking to be done, most likely you'll see two roughly dressed young fellows riding a pair of horses as though they were part of their mounts, edging a bunch of wild-eyed nervous horses closer and closer to the corral corner of the fence, until, seeing the open gate of the corral and a possible escape to freedom, they rush in and find themselves penned as the riders swing the gate closed. The horse they want is singled out and the rest put in a separate pen. Then the fireworks start. Leisurely, Slim and Jerry walk to the center of the corral after throwing a saddle over one of the corral rails. A horse, transformed into a nervous bunch of dynamite, circles the ring, sniffing at the bottom board of the inclosing pen, swinging first one way and then another. Gradually, Jerry works a large loop into his lariat. Slim waves his arms and give a hoot, and the horse starts around the corral on a run. The rope snakes out and settles about its forelegs — a pull, and it is fast. The resulting tug-of-war is brief. Panting and gasping from its exertions, lashed to a nervous frenzy in its excitement, the animal goes down, its eyes starting in its head from the fear of what it cannot comprehend. And it stays down. Calmly, as though he were taking a seat in the bunkhouse, Slim seats himself on its head. A flip of the rope and a rear leg is caught and drawn up with the forefeet. Leisurely, Slim stands astride the helpless horse, his feet in the stirrups. A signal, and Jerry gingerly removes the ropes — the horse is free. A moment's pause as the animal realizes his freedom, a rising lurch, and for the first time it feels a human upon its back. And then it goes into action. Head down, feet up, fighting mad, a thunderbolt crashes around the corral with a yelling, hat swinging, heel fanning cowboy astride the precarious perch. Squealing, lunging, grunting, drumming the earth with its hoofs, a once -free animal with an ingrained love of the open plain and a fear of humans fights for mastery — and loses. Gradually, the sky -reaching lunges lose their altitude, the sideways plunges become less vicious, the rearing, roaring devilment of the wild animal vanishes, and he stands trembling and sweating and lathered, with a grinning master on his back. Slim pauses a moment, holds his hand over his mount's eye to prevent startling it, and swings off. Another horse is added to the broken string. The chute procedure is a little different, but the results are the same. Instead of roping a wild one, it is driven into a chute which narrows at one end. Prevented from backing out by a movable bar, the horse is saddled, the rider mounts, the end gate is removed -and the story is repeated, with a bellowing animal learning that the human on his back is there to stay, and the better the horse behaves, the better it is treated. A few of the horses have been sold to shows and wild west outfits, and a few sold or lent to neighboring farmers. Recently, Mr. Eaton added a bunch of 92 head direct from the South Dakota prairie, to the herd. Together with herds of cattle running from 150 to 300 they create a sizeable bunch of livestock for the city ranch. Operation of the Minneapolis ranch has netted Mr. Eaton a considerable saving, he estimates. "Whereas before we used to figure two or three days for the roundup, a day for loading, and two or three days in transit," he said, "with the cattle arriving at market when the prices might be good, bad or indifferent, we can now eliminate all the time and guesswork. Further, the shrinkage in the cattle themselves, through the time, handling and shipment, was a heavy factor. Now we ship the cattle here whenever we want, turn them loose to graze and fatten, and take them to market when the prices are at the top." Beef cattle, Mr. Eaton has found, can put on from 300 to 400 pounds in six months grazing on Minnesota forage. Mr. Eaton is not the only rancher in his family. Besides having a unique ranch, he has what is probably one of the youngest cowboys in the country assisting him. Two years old, his son Arthur is perfectly accustomed to horseback, and when other youngsters his age are delving in mudpies or throwing blocks about a nursery, the youthful vaquero delights in mounting one of the cowhorses and riding herd. Mr. Eaton finds a city ranch an excellent place to raise a family. His daughter, Maxine, a thorough horse -woman, attends Washburn high school. Mrs. Eaton, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, where she studied music and was a member of Phi Epsilon, honorary music sorority, finds time between her household duties to take horseback rides through the country. Altogether, according to Mr. Eaton's enthusiastic opinion, it is a great life, PAGE 32 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 with the joys of the open combined with the convenience of the city only a few minutes drive away. The love of ranching inculcated in him when he was a youth visiting at his uncle's sheep ranch in Washington has never left this genial westerner. Raised in Iowa, he attended the University of Iowa where he studied pre -legal work, and then went to the University of South Dakota at Vermillion, where he completed his legal work and passed the bar examination in 1912. He is a member of Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Phi fraternities. Since leaving college, he has practiced law and ranched, though strangely enough, the Horseshoe Bar is the first ranch he ever solely owned and operated. Almost any evening, as the sun goes down stenciling with its light the penciled fingers of the tall buildings in the loop, 18 miles south, silhouetted on a bush covered hill against the sky, the wild leader of a band of wild horses might be seen. Head up, and turned toward the setting sun, its ears cocked forward and his magnificent tail sweeping almost to the ground, a noble animal whose heart has yet to be conquered, surveys his domain. Memories of a different country, where rolling plains sweep in grandeur toward a riot of sunset, stir within his mind. Softly he nickers. And that is where the west now begins. The personnel of Eaton's Ranch, 1939. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. A wagon advertising Eaton's and the going out of business sign, winter 1982. Photos by Jack Kennelly. MARCH 2010_ PAGE 33 WHERE THE GRAPES CAN SUFFER by Gareth Hiebert Oliver Towne columnist David Bailly, jaunty in a French vineyard laborer's hat, raised a glass of his chilled white Millot Chablis and nodded approvingly at the silvery -sided building, rising out of acres of grape vines. It is Minnesota's first commercial winery. Into it next September will come several thousand pounds of red and white grapes from those vineyards. Out of it in the spring of 1978 will come the state's first commercial table wines, with the label: "From the Hiawatha Valley, Minnesota Table Wine, Alexis Bailly Vineyard." Alexis Bailly was David Bailly's great -great - great -grandfather, one of the founders of Hastings. t._ t„ 1977 Alexis Bailly^ Vineyard MINNESOTA Leon Millot A RED TABLE WINE MADE FROM 100% MINNESOTA LEON MILLOT GRAPES. DAVID A. BALLY. S&O PROPRIETORS PRODUCED & BOTTLED BY ALEXIS BAILLY VINEYARD, INC. HASTINGS, MN. ALCOHOL 12% BY VOLUME LEON MILLOT Pronounced "Mee a;' the name comes from a Senator of the Alsatian District of France during World War I. Developed by Eugene Kuhlmann at Colmar, Fr., the vine is sister seeding of the Foch. It is a cross between two French vines (Muscat and Keisling) and two grapes native to America (Rupestris and Riparia). Though it is closely related to the Foch, the two wines are as different as the wines of Bordeaux are from those of Beaujolais. While the Foch is light and soft, the Millot is a big wine, high in tannin, and rich in flavor. The wine will improve with age as the heavy fruit flavor mellows and the tannin softens. When well made, from a good year and properly aged, the wine is conclusive proof that truly fine table wines can be made in Minnesota. The front and back labels from the first vintage of Leon Millot by Alexis Bailly Vineyards. Still covered by its coat of insulation, the winery gleams like a monument to the perseverance of this Minneapolis lawyer with voyageur's blood, who is turning Minnesota horticulture down a new uncleared path. The rows of vines, now buried deep to prevent winter freezing and marked by rows of posts, next spring will rise green, lush and hopefully brimming with bunches of grapes. A year from today, this winery will be fermenting enough grapes to produce perhaps 3,000 gallons of Marechal Foch (white) from the Leon Millot grape. His federal commercial license permits 5,000 gallons. The remaining authorized 2,000 gallons will be Minnesota apple juice from several orchards turned into a Chablis -like, dry white Pomme (apple) Alexis Bailly Vineyard and a white fermented from honey, known historically as mead. "Translate that into 25,000 bottles of wine, 15,000 Pomme Alexis Bailly (apple wine), 7,500 red and 2,500 white ... in there somewhere, too, the honey wine ... my white, by the way, from the Millot grape will produce something similar to a German Mosel or Alsatian Riesling," said vintner Bailly, who seems far removed from his Minneapolis law office which "so far is supporting this venture." That afternoon, fresh from a week's trip to a winery -vineyard in the Loire Valley of France to sharpen his knowledge and help a friend, M. Francis Caillean, harvest his grapes, Dave was filled with buoyancy. Dave used my visit to take a break from work and we sat cozily in his homemade house trailer, eating steaming French pea soup and chatting with Macalester College psychology professor Dr. Ray Johnson and his wife, Judy. They are Dave's "staff' so far. "The winery is made completely of Minnesota materials," he said. "The foundation and aging cellar are sandstone from an old ruins nearby. All the lumber is Minnesota wood; the exterior will be a little rustic and decidedly attractive. We want the public to come here and see how wine is made and to buy our wines and taste it in that outdoor arbor over alongside the winery. DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 The main floor will be the receiving room for the grapes as they are wheeled up the ramp from the vineyards in September. Here will be the presses, gushing out the flood of juice into redwood vats for fermenting. Then, after fermentation, the maturing wine will be aged in 50- gallon oak barrels in the cellar until late winter of 1977-78 when it will be bottled. "We will lay the bottles to rest awhile and then ... about May or June of 1978, we will uncork our first Minnesota Table Wine from the Hiawatha Valley," said Dave. "I think that will be the big day ... bigger then when we uncork the first bottle ... the biggest day since you found me out here three years ago in the fall ... looking sort of crazy, hunched over tiny grape vines in powdery soil." Dave had hoped then to be in commercial operation by this year for the Bicentennial. But it didn't work out. It took one year longer to strengthen the vines. Hopefully, 1977 will be as good a year for grapes and apples as this past season. The dry, sunny weather produced grapes with just the right acid and sugar content for what Dave considers "a banner wine." The Marechal Foch — a variety of French red named in honor of the famed field marshal of World War I, is giving Dave a young, Beaujolais -type wine and he has experimented with that grape longer than any other. "But I'm equally pleased with my white grape — the flavor is slightly fruity, with a little sweetness, but zesty," he adds. Not only the wine -drinking fraternity of Minnesota is waiting hopefully for Alexis Bailly Vineyard to begin selling its wares. An increasing number of other wine grape growers are readying their grapes to ship to Dave's winery to augment his own yield. The varieties are similar and have the same "winter survivorship" quality. In fact, a co-op of growers is possible later. One grower, Gerald Eifert of near Red Wing, is ready to expand his two acres under cultivation into over 12. Elmer Swenson, retired farmer living near Star Prairie, Wis., has been supplying Dave with all of the Swenson vineyard harvest. It was Swenson whose many years of experimentation with grape varietals finally produced the hardy variety that "suffers through Minnesota -western Wisconsin winters." Adding apple wine to the product line seems to Dave a perfect marriage between the surge of apple growing in Minnesota and his winery. "People around here have never tasted real apple wine ... they think of cider or pop wines ... but substitute apples for grapes and with the right formula, you get a delicate, white that is delicious," he explains. "I'm providing the apple growers with a new outlet ... and, at the same time, giving myself a cushion against some disaster here in the vineyards." So far he has negotiated with Aamodt's orchards near Stillwater and Pepin Heights orchards near Lake City. Honey wine (mead) is making use of the apiary business buzzing in the state. Dave is going to sell 80 percent of each year's bottling and set aside 20 percent for aging, selling some of that each year "until I've got some real vintages." He also expects to sell about 80 percent at the winery and the rest in restaurants and supper clubs along the Hiawatha -St. Croix Valley. "It's all been spoken for and more," he said. Prices will depend upon the variables of inflation and the world wine industry, "but let's say about three dollars a bottle for the red and maybe $2.50 for the white." Sometimes, as he prunes his vineyards, or hauls building materials for the winery, Dave shivers with momentary pause at what he has wrought. "I drive home and say, 'why couldn't you just keep making wine in the basement like you did for 15 years and forget all this?' "Then I look at that label and I say, 'hey, that's me ... I'm the first.' And it's almost here and now." But no plaques, please. Not yet. Just toasts. From the St. Paul Pioneer Press October 24, 1976 VISIT .ALEXIS BAILLY VINEYARD! 18200 Kirby Avenue Hastings MN 55033 651-437-1413 May through Thanksgiving Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April and Thanksgiving through Christmas Fridays & Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. MARCH 2O10 PAGE 35 MENDOTA BANK ROBBERY For the second time in less than ten years the Mendota Sate bank was held up today, a lone bandit entering the institution at 11:30 a.m. and escaping with $1,500 after forcing three employees into the vault. The bandit covered part of his face with a gray muffler which was his only attempt to disguise his identity. He displayed a revolver and kept the employees at a distance while he herded them into the vault and calmly scooped up the money in the cash drawer. There were no customers in the bank. The bandit did not attempt to lock the employees in the vault, merely warning them to stay in if they knew what was good for them. Without appearing to hurry he walked out of the bank, entered a coupe at the curb and drove to the Mendota bridge and across it into the Fort Snelling reservation where trace of him was lost. It is thought the car was driven to Minneapolis. A license number with a B serial and the first three digits reading 407 was reported to the police of the Twin Cities. The remaining numbers were confused so police are looking up a number of combinations. The alarm was given as soon as the bank employees heard the outer door close after the bandit. The Dakota county sheriff and Twin Cities police were notified and a description of the bandit was given. He was described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weight about 145 pounds, light complexion, sandy mustache, gray cap, army overcoat and gray muffler. The car was a 1931 Chevrolet coupe. Twin Cities police radio squad cars sought to block all roads leading from Mendota into the cities. From the South St. Paul Reporter February 3, 1932 FORT SNELLING SOLDIER ADMITS ROBBING BANK Homer L. Oliver, 31, soldier at Fort Snelling since his enlistment in 1925, was arrested Thursday afternoon and confessed to being the lone bandit who held up the Mendota State bank at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Loot in the amount of $1355 was recovered from a hiding place in the basement of his barracks and Oliver was taken to the county jail in Hastings and steps were to be taken to bind him over to the May term of district court. F.J. Tschann, a director of the Mendota bank; H.M. Hammer, cashier, and Robert Schultz, bookkeeper, were the three persons in the bank at the time of the holdup. They ran to the window when Oliver left the bank and got the number of his automobile, but two of the numerals were invisible from the angle and the state bureau of apprehension was forced to trace a number of combinations. Operatives traced the car to Sergeant R.W. Wills of the finance department at the fort. He reported lending the car to Oliver and after being picked up and identified by bank employes, Oliver admitted the holdup. He was turned over to J.J. Dunn, sheriff of Dakota county and taken to Hastings to be arraigned today in justice court on a robbery charge. Those who worked on the case under Melvin C. Passolt, chief of the bureau, were, Herman Vall, William Conley, Arthur Erickson, John Burns and Fred Witters. Oliver's only explanation of his act was to say he needed the money to hire a civilian physician to give him treatments. From the South St. Paul Reporter February 5, 1932 The final chapter in the recent Mendota bank robbery was inscribed on the district court records in Hastings Thursday when a sentence of up to 10 years in the state prison at Stillwater was imposed on the soldier -robber, Homer L. Oliver, 31, who confessed to looting the bank single handed. Oliver had driven back to Fort Snelling in a borrowed car and hid the money in a basement of the barracks he occupied. All the money was found and returned to the bank, nearly $1,000. Two members of the bank staff were in the building when Oliver entered and forced them into the vault while he scooped up the loose currency. State crime bureau operatives and county officials traced the robber and brought about the arrest the following day. From the South St. Paul Reporter March 4, 1932 Three men, known as possible claimants for part of the $1,000 reward offered by the state bankers' association, probably will be at a meeting of the Dakota County Bankers association March 28 at 3 PAGE 36 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 H.M. Hammer and F.J. Taschann stood outside the Mendota State Bank vault which was robbed in 1932. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. p.m. in the city hall, when the bankers are to determine the division of the reward. This was announced today by H.G. Swanson of the Drovers State bank, secretary of the Dakota county group. Herman Vall, former captain of detectives in St. Paul, now an investigator on the state crime commission, claims to have made the arrest of Homer Oliver, 31 year old Fort Snelling soldier, who confessed the Mendota bank holdup and was sentenced to Stillwater prison for a term of 1 to 10 years. E.L. Dupuis, resident of Mendota, a garage man, was instrumental in getting the car number of the machine used by the bandit in his flight from the bank. C.T. Newhouse, also of Mendota, picked up a pair of glasses used by the bandit and which were of use in tracing and identifying Oliver. There may be others who had a part in the pursuit and capture and if so these are entitled to consideration and should be at the meeting Monday afternoon, Mr. Swanson said. The reward is posted by the Minnesota Bankers association and is paid to the county group to be distributed. From the South St. Paul Reporter March 22, 1932 MENDOTA BANDIT PRIZE AWARD TO BE MADE TODAY DAKOTA COUNTY BANKERS IN SESSION AT CITY HALL TO SPLIT REWARD Members of the Dakota County Bankers' association were in session at the city hall late today considering the proper division of the $1,000 reward to be paid for the capture and conviction of Homer Oliver for the looting of the Mendota State bank in February. The capture was effected by Herman Vall and a deputy from the state bureau of crime prevention and two residents of Mendota, E.L. Dupuis, garage man, took the number of the bandit's car and C.T. Newhouse picked up a pair of dark glasses used as a part of the disguise, both assisting materially in tracing Oliver to Fort Snelling where he was a soldier. The loot was all recovered. Oliver pleaded guilty on March 4 and was sentenced to 1 to 10 years in Stillwater prison. The meeting today was called by P.C. Records, president of the Dakota County Bankers' association and notice of the meeting was sent out to H.G. Swanson, Drovers State bank, secretary. Fred Schlichting, of the Exchange State bank and W.A. Sawtell of the Stockyards National bank, Harry Schoen of Hastings and F.A. Ruhr of Rosemount were the members of the association having the decision in the reward matter. Persons having any claim to make of the bankers' association for the reward were notified to be present. The state bankers' association puts up the reward for the apprehension of bank bandits and the county group decides how it shall be paid and to whom. From the South St. Paul Reporter March 28, 1932 [Editor's Note: There was no follow-up on the distribution of the reward money.] WHAT WILL YOUR LEGACY BE? To learn more about Legacy Gifts at DCHS, contact Chad Roberts, Executive Director at (651)552-7548 MARCH 2010 PAGE 37 RANELIUS TURKEY FARM The turkey farm of S. J. Ranelius, well known place about five miles west of Hastings on Highway 55, was given a large feature story in the St. Paul Dispatch of last Monday, Nov. 22. "Thanksgiving Day means turkeys — and turkeys mean work and a livelihood to hundreds of Minnesotans. Typical of large-scale turkey growers is S J. Ranelius, who raises the birds on his farm near Hastings. More than 1,000 prospective Thanksgiving day dinners were shipped out Thursday by Ranelius. Thirteen hundred birds left will be checked by University Farm specialists who will weed out imperfect ones. Those approved will comprise the brood stock for next year. "Floodlighted football fields resemble the corral in which the birds stay. About one-fourth block wide and one-half block long, it is bordered by floodlights. These may be turned on at night to quiet birds made restless by unsettled weather or intruders. "As the birds near maturity, Ranelius and his wife abandon their home a block away. They stay in a small building next to the corral to protect the birds and prevent frightening incidents that might cause the turkeys to fly away. "In the winter the brood birds are moved to an enclosure near the Ranelius house." "Capturing the turkeys involves driving them into a wire pen in one corner of the enclosure. Long wires are used to drag them out again, by the leg, one at a time, for quick inspection as to weight, sex and health. Those who pass the test are ready for shipping, six to a crate." From the Hastings Gazette November 20, 1943 UNHATCHED TURKEYS GO VIA AIR TO SWEDEN The foot -square wooden box, labeled "48 Mammoth Bronze turkeys," which S. J. Ranelius of the Ranelius Turkey Hatchery of Hastings sent to Skattegarden, Travad, Sweden, is being loaded into Northwest airlines plane at Wold Chamberlain field, Minneapolis, bound for LaGuardia field, New York. At New York, the cargo was transferred to Scandinavian Airlines for the overseas hop. Actually the 48 mammoth turkeys were hatching r /4 g - - -- I.s✓ —f-f ' i-,f NI INBE ,r'"'"r t--• ewq ram, g..� IJH/, SPRING' LAME Loren A Ser9 1 3` 1 ' i,;1fTO lb i 1 ". % ...bo .i2.o.ter 22 �'i '1774 lww 4'` ~ e..** A.A. S04122 . __IV.: .... d,_ s 1 . r 1 % 'r + F 1.✓ fir. Fund H. FI'li}e Robert L. �_ 99.Se 4 49.10 Sohn F a..m I'le.1 p i1.4e L 1 1_. po F Sa{— Marl 4h r w el1� 0-2 w.��Z .kwA A 7 1' s , O O t :' c", ,4, t er9., , S°e"9 f,,, tP Sar N � Imo .I.vp 07..I. P. g 1 1-p '- ....�.w,.,r Aky.d,,.. 1.v., Hwx 55 —�= oo,.f (,41,0 o ye.z. Awn.. as. ,_. 9 iCr ..ems,... / d.yi�...,...rewv co is OsAire, As 1. ` > 00 ' a fia"'"� ^ I�crN `�. � I p..9 ✓ems/ � .11 FaLl N, / zot.42.',"'V, Frank P4.--: Ai.' 0 /N .LAb+W 6 AmerP ee p_4 4� v a Endres 2344o �(A.YebL V1 I z- 0 O I9_4 / ., I.f...4.1 The 1956 plat map shows the Ranelius farm on Highway 55 and County Road 85. eggs destined for Sweden to improve the breed. An attendant at the Minneapolis field told Mr. Ranelius, handing the box of eggs to the airline cargo man, that this was the first time he had handled such a shipment. When asked how he became interested in sending turkeys to Sweden, Mr. Ranelius told this story: "During my visit in the Scandinavian countries last summer I saw several turkey and poultry establishments. What I noticed most was the small size bronze turkeys. I was asked what could be done to get some of our broadbreasted stock over to those countries for breeding purposes on a small scale. "I have a cousin who is superintendent in one of the university farm schools there and I promised him I would send two turkey toms or eggs over. In checking over the matter, the airlines would not take the responsibility of live birds and the express would run over $2.00 a pound. They would express the eggs, so we procured a case of our very best eggs in the broadbreast variety and shipped them April 7, due for arrival in Stockholm, April 10. "The eggs had to be packed in fillers, put in a box made from tin, each egg wrapped in paper and hulls (we used bran) and packed tight so there would PAGE 38 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 — 2008 be no motion. This tin box then had to be put inside another specially made wooden box with the cover screwed on with wood screws. After that addresses and several labels and declarations had to be attached. The express charge over the ocean was $1.38 per pound from New York." Mr. Ranelius said he sent the box of hatching eggs to his cousin, W. Anderson, who is superintendent of one of the branch farm schools in Sweden. He was one of three cousins Mr. Ranelius visited in his trip to Denmark to attend the National Poultry Congress last summer. After the eggs are hatched, Mr. Ranelius expects to receive information about the success of the hatch. He understands the eggs will be hatched by incubators. "I felt it an honor" Mr. Ranelius related "when I visited the Scandinavian countries last summer, to be called upon to furnish turkey eggs for this experiment and I hope it will be a benefit to these countries." From the Hastings Gazette April 22, 1949 Like Poultry? Check out the Over the Years entitled "Here, Chick, Chick!" from August 2006. OVER THE YEARS H... cxrcr, Caro.: Te.Arr OP Potr mr Amaxa GUM 3r111.040) rx DwroTA COUNTY Top left: Sven Ranelius admired one of his fowls. Above: The Ranelius farm as seen from the air, c. 1955. From the book, Nininger: More than Just a Dream. MARCH 2010 PAGE 39 RAND O LPH TORNADO Swirling and dancing fantastically out of a sweltering purplish sky, a funnel -shaped demon descended on the tranquil village of Randolph, in southwestern Dakota county, late Friday afternoon, and in less than sixty seconds, converted that thriving little community into a pitiful scene of wreckage, chaos and demoralization. Twisting out of the southwest shortly after five o'clock, the tornado struck the little hamlet with such suddenness and fury that only a few of the inhabitants had time to seek the protection of their cellars. A section crew, at work on the Great Western railroad, saw the twister approaching and heard the weird, crescendo howl that welled into a terrifying roar as the funnel -shaped spectre rushed across the countryside. Throwing themselves behind the railroad embankment, most of the section workers escaped the fury of the storm but a loaded boxcar, torn from the tracks and hurled down the embankment, landed on the prostrate form of the section foreman, William Drappe, crushing him to death instantly. Carl Hutzman, another section worker, suffered a severed artery in his arm, and a third member of the crew, Ernest Shoeposter, was also critically injured by flying debris. Hutzman, in a serious condition from loss of blood, was rushed to the Community Hospital in Northfield and Shoeposter was taken to a St. Paul hospital on board a train which reached Randolph shortly after the tornado. WRECKS MAIN THOROUGHFARE In the course of its mad dance down the main business street of the village, the twister demolished the L.R. Miller store, which also houses the post office, leveled the G.R. McClintock garage to the ground, damaged the Jake Lampert lumber yard, wrecked the Ohs Bros. store and razed or partially destroyed the homes of about forty families. In some miraculous manner, the occupants of these dwellings escaped death or serious injury, although nearly a score of residents suffered minor injuries. Physicians from Hastings, Northfield and Farmington were called to the stricken village immediately after the cyclone, but the more seriously injured storm victims had been rushed to St. Paul and Northfield hospitals within a half hour after the catastrophe. Word of the disaster was communicated to neighboring cities in a telephone call from J.A. Anderson, cashier of the Randolph State bank, which was one of the few establishments on the main street of the village that escaped total destruction. VISITORS JAM ALL HIGHWAYS All highways leading into the village were jammed Friday evening as thousands of motorists from neighboring towns sought entrance to the scene of the chaos. National Guardsmen from Hastings and Northfield were on duty at an early hour, however, and visitors were compelled to abandon their cars on the outskirts of the village and walk to the devastated district for a glimpse of the wreckage. The stream of visitors continued to pour into the village Saturday and Sunday, the motor caravan reaching its most impressive figure Sunday when several thousand visitors contributed $1,800 to a tornado relief fund for the privilege of viewing he scene of the disaster. Red Cross workers from Hastings, Northfield, Cannon Falls and Farmington, served food to the storm refugees at the new community school building, which fortunately escaped the fury of the tornado, and National Guardsmen from both Hastings and Northfield assisted other workers in clearing away the worst of the wreckage in the main section of the village. Red Cross workers from this city, who assisted in the distribution of food and supplies to the homeless residents of the village, were Mrs. Axel Johnson, county Red Cross chairman, Mrs. Irving Todd, secretary of the county chapter, Mrs. LeRoy Lorentz, Mrs. L.M. Truax, Mrs. P.C. Holzemer, Mrs. A.B. Heinen, Mrs. Kate Nesbitt, Mrs. C. Densmore, Miss Pauline Kramer, Mrs. Ida Berge, Irving Todd, Dr. and Mrs. F.L. Stoudt and Karl Hanson, treasurer of the Dakota County Red Cross. STORM RAVAGES COUNTRYSIDE Although the swirling storm cloud that leaped over a somber skyline late Friday afternoon concentrated its greatest fury on the village of Randolph, it did not confine its malignant operations to that community. At the Hunter farm between Northfield and Randolph it razed all of the PAGE 40 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 CCNNANIK tit VAIN Ca Howard Rafferty, who worked for the railroa buildings except the silo and on the Math Linsenfelser place, near Randolph, the twister vented its wrath by tearing the farmhouse to fragments and damaging other farm buildings. Mrs. Linsenfelser saw the storm coming and sought refuge in the basement of the farmhouse. She was knocked unconscious by flying debris and when found was lying in the basement of the barn. Whether she was hurled there by the cyclone, or wandered to the barn in a daze after the storm had passed is not known. She was taken to the Northfield hospital seriously injured. After hitting Randolph with all of its pent-up fury, the twister apparently divided, part of the storm veering northeast to demolish the Noltimier, McNerny and Stotesbury homes at St. Paul Park while the other section swept the countryside west of Randolph before jumping into Wisconsin to continue its devastating course through a number of farming communities in that state. Virtually every building on the Tom Dunn farm, northeast of Randolph, was flattened. Mr. Dunn was standing in his garage when he saw the funnel - shaped cloud whirling toward his farm. A large tree, torn from its moorings, was hurled toward the garage and he flattened himself on the ground. When the storm passed on, the garage had been lifted from its foundation and thrown some distance away, but Mr. Dunn was uninjured except for a bruised foot where a mowing machine had grazed him. The Anthony Wagner farm was next in the path of the tornado, and here the barn was torn off the foundation and badly wrecked. The corn crib was turned over twice, the hen house was moved from its foundation and shingles were torn from the roof of the machine shed. On the Math Stein place the windmill was torn down, and several small d, took these snapshots shortly after the tornado. buildings and trees were splintered. The John Feidt barn was razed, as well as a granary, windmill and chicken house, some of the farm machinery was damaged and two horses were injured. At the N.J. Molitor farm the barn, machine shed, windmill and hen house were destroyed and the house slightly damaged. Mr. Molitor had finished shingling the house only a half hour before the storm. Mrs. William Noltimier, a sister of Byron Keene of Hastings, undoubtedly escaped death by a narrow margin. Taking her three children, as she heard the storm roaring down on the village, she ran across the street to the home of a neighbor, from whence she witnessed the complete destruction of her own residence. Silas Cooley, Park resident, was bruised slightly in trying to hold the door of his one story dwelling shut while the storm raged. The residence was completely flattened by the storm, but Cooley and a young daughter were rescued from under the debris by neighbors. Adolph Biers, 91 sustained bruises and possible internal injuries when fragments of the roof of his barn struck him as he watched the storm from his barnyard. E.W. Stotesbury, a brother- in-law of Mrs. Isabel O'Brien of this city, escaped serious injury when the door of a garage he was trying to close protected him from flying wreckage as the garage was whirled away from its foundation. Mrs. Adolph Biers, 68, of St. Paul Park, suffered a knee injury when two sides of her brick home were blown away and Mrs. GM. McNerney, 75, sustained cuts, bruises and a severe shock when her home collapsed as she was endeavoring to escape through the door. She was rescued by a neighbor, Edward Fourt, who was forced to chop away several large timbers to release the aged woman. Hastings Gazette June 20, 1930 MARCH 2010 RAVE N NA In March 1852, while what is now Ravenna belonged to the Sioux, the area was visited by two brothers, Hugh and Owen Sherry and a friend M. McDermot. All three were natives of Ireland but had been living in Wisconsin for about three years. The men were searching for land for permanent homes. Pleased with the appearance of the land in what is now Ravenna township; they made claims in sections 6, 31, and 36. Here in section 31, Owen Sherry built his home, a log cabin. The first house in the town. His original claim is still owned by some of his descendents. Another early settler, Joseph Moshier came into the town early in 1853. He made a claim of 160 acres in the southwest quarter of section 5 but stayed only a few years, moving to Dakota Territory where he died. Little is known of him other than he had been in the county as early as 1821 and was a friend of the early traders. A small lake some ten or twelve acres in size is called Moshier Lake as his claim was on adjoining land. Following the ratification in 1853 of the Indian treaty, other settlers came into the town. Among these were H. C. Lovejoy; Thomas Ellis and P. W. Elliot, who made claims in 1853. The Lovejoy family still owns this land in section 8. In building their homes the pioneers overcome many obstacles by sheer determination. An example of this is Thomas Ellis' method of getting lumber for his home. Going over to Prescott, he purchased sufficient lumber for the building. He made it into a raft, floating it down the river as near as possible to the spot he had chosen for his home. He carried it by hand from the river and built a house 16 by 18 in dimension. The first birth in the town was that of Felix Sherry, March 4, 1854, He was the son of Hugh and Mary Sherry. The first marriage secured the third day of June 1854. On that day Owen Sherry and Ellen McKenna were married by Rev. Father McMahon. The ceremony was performed at the home of Hugh Sherry in section 31. The first death in the town was that of George Hazleton, who died in the fall of 1852. Ravenna was originally a part of Hastings. Before the towns were formed it was included in the Ellis precinct and the first election within the limits of the town was held at the house of T. Ellis, in November 1857, to vote on the adoption of the state constitution. Since it was thought best to separate the government of the rural area from that of the city of Hastings, Ravenna was formed, June 5, 1869. It contained sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, in township 114, range 16 west, and sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, in township 114, range 17 west, all of township 115 range 16 west, in the county and sections 25 and 36 in township 115, range 17 west. February 29, 1876, the state legislature, by special act, took from Ravenna and gave to Marshan the sections 1, 2, 3,10,11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, now included in the limits of the latter town; in return, taking out of the territory of Marshan, the southern sections included at present in the limits of Ravenna. For many years, Ravenna was considered one of the model townships of the county in the management of its affairs. There was always money in the treasury and during the Civil War raised $1,800 for the soldiers bonus or bounties. At the organization of the town in 1860, the following officers were elected: Thomas Ellis, chairman of the town board; William A. Gray and Patrick Murray, associates; H.C. Lovejoy, town clerk. In 1856, the citizens of Ravenna began to turn their attention to schools. The first step toward the forming of a school district was the hiring of Maggie G. Ellis, to teach a three months school, paying her three dollars a week. They rented for this purpose what was then known as the Henry house, on section 8, which was used until 1862. At a school meeting held in 1857, a vote was taken to raise the sum of $500. for the purpose of building a schoolhouse to be located on the southwest corner of section 8, on land owned by Thomas Ellis, who was to give two acres of land for the school ground if the district would pay the expense of recording the deed. The latter failed to their part of the agreement. At a meeting held 42s' DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 February 11, 1860, it was voted to raise $150 to build a log school house to be located on the site before designated. Votes did not produce the money so the old Henry house continued to be used as before. Still, not discouraged, at the next annual meeting a vote was taken to levy a tax of $300 for the purpose of building a schoolhouse. This vote shared he same fate as the others. Two public spirited citizens H. C. Lovejoy and O. M. Blake, tired of this fruitless voting, built a schoolhouse, at the cost of $300. The district took the building later, paying them for it. Other first teachers of Ravenna were Eliza Quintin, Timothy Mitchell and Augusta Lyons. The first religions services held in the town was in July, 1853, at the home of Thomas Ellis, conducted by Edward Cressy, a Baptist minister from Prescott, Wisconsin. The first cemetery was on what is called Elliot's Hill, section 16. The first burial was made on August 18, 1855. On that day Mary and Martha, the infant daughters of Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Elliot were buried. In 1856, the road known as the Ellis and Hastings road was surveyed through the town. It was laid out under the supervision of Thomas Ellis, which accounts for its name. Long before the Ellis and Hastings road was surveyed through this town there was a road called the military road, extending from La Crosse to St. Paul. Over this road, as early as 1852-53, there was a stage line in operation, every winter after navigation closed until the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway commenced operations in 1871. Etter station is located in Ravenna township. It was built in 1871, and named for A.W. Etter, who owned the land on which it was located. One of Ravenna's pioneer brides gave the name to the new township. Mrs. Harriet Norton Smith came to Ravenna as a bride in the spring of 1859. At that time, the part of the town which later became Ravenna was being set off from Hastings. Her husband, Albert T. Norton, who came to the area in 1856 was very active in bringing the separation about. So to him was given the privilege of naming the new township. Asking his bride's advice she chose the name of Ravenna because of her fondness for a town of the same name in Ohio where she had taught school before her marriage. By Mrs. Joseph O'Keefe From the Dakota County Tribune July 29, 1949 J lie Snell la.51:25 win Smith 1 Joh n 1657 1856 36 SCHOOL LAND Lyman B. 30 Atkins 1855 Joseph $ White 1855 Hugh Sherry 1855 Ow. ShenylEdward 1855 Kiernan 1 1855 Patrick John McGuire I Heselwood 1855 - 1855 'ames Hyatt 1855 John 3 Calvin H.pe i 1 31 -- n 91 Hlpley less 32 Edward -' ^ 1855 Kiernan 1855 Wm Thompson 1855 3 Wm F. Cron 1855 Howard Harvey 1855 Wm Freeborn 1855 Simon Akers 1855 Philander Sanford 1856 185h 1855 Dam el 5 Norton al Lovell Jefferson 1855 Goober J 5 Brown 19 ass Jeane.e Cooper 1856 Ebm H 30 Philander Sanford 1656 Irish 1 lass' Samuel Mather 1855 Antoine Moro 1e56 Joseph!. Moiao 1855 George M Blake 1855 Jacob Mker Rel 1 18m55 John R Rial Freeman Irish 1855 1855 George Blake 1856--- 4 George W Glass 1856 Henry C. Lovejoy 1855 Ennis 8 Plant 1855 Andrew J Henry 1855 John A 1 Thomas Saga, Sagan 1 Ellis la55 less Freeborn 18 1 1855 Wm Boner 1855 PleasantW Elliott 1855 Corb— on Speaks 1855 Samuel Weaver 1856 yo win W. Reed S C = ^ 1855 6g �— ' 18555 2po --kel---- 5. D..-p88 P. 1 II D. Mce ekos a .aanioro L. .1656 $1 1657 Eli Cransnrd 1856 9 Thomas Taylor 1856 Rial Irish 1855 Daniel W. Griffin 1855 Glen 8 Neawe 1856 16 SCHOOL LAND Simon W Arnold 1855 James Lawther 1655 W P Hillery & R Washington -----31 1856 James C Dow 1855 -29 Thomas Howes Jr. 1855 W P Hillery 8 R Washington 1856 5u8an Baker 1656 Jeremiah S. Brown 1855 George Egbert 1855 4 fCo Op N-, Ebenezer Sherman u. 1856 Zen = o n4� 'S8� The Dakota County Genealogical Society compiled this map showing the earliest settlers in Ravenna Township. MARCH 2010 THE HISTORICAL IDENTITY OF ROSEMOUNT by Gerald Mattson The community of Rosemount has always taken pride and pleasure in its Irish heritage. Rosemount High School's "Irish" teams, the City's shamrock logo, and the community's annual "Leprechaun Days" celebration are just a few of the more prominent examples. Despite the fact that the City so enjoys touting its Irish roots, it has been somewhat frustrating for local historians to directly link the name Rosemount with the "Emerald Isle." Most people familiar with early Dakota County history are aware that a man named Andrew Keegan was responsible for naming the town after one of the same name in Ireland. Some historians claim no town named Rosemount existed in Ireland in Andrew Keegan's time and have proposed all sorts of theories about the name's origin. A few have found a Rose Mount in County Westmeath, Ireland in Philips Atlas of Counties of Ireland, revised and published by P. W. Joyce in 1890. However, none of them have found much about the place or if it had any connection with Andrew Keegan. The answers to these questions evolved, quite by accident, during a family vacation in Ireland. My wife and I were driving toward Dublin on highway N6, when she noticed a road sign with the word "Rosemount" and an arrow pointing north. Our immediate reaction was, "Could this be Andrew Keegan's Rosemount?" We had other plans for the day, but the opportunity was too tempting to pass up. We turned around to follow the arrow to "Rosemount" and learn what we could about the place. What we learned that afternoon, in subsequent correspondence, and in research into the life of Andrew Keegan, is presented here. While no records have come to light placing Andrew Keegan specifically in Rosemount, Ireland there is a large body of evidence pointing, beyond a reasonable doubt, this was indeed Andrew's Rosemount. MEET ANDREW KEEGAN Andrew Keegan was born in Ireland on December 15th, 1814. In Ireland he learned and practiced the trade of surveying. He left Ireland in 1846 at the age of 31, sailing to America with his father and six brothers. They landed at New Andrew Keegan. From a legislative portrait. Brunswick, Canada on August 18, 1846. The family soon entered the United States. On October 31, 1848 he lived in New York City where he filed his Declaration of Intention to become a U. S. citizen. By 1852 he resided in Stuyvesant, New York and on August 9th of that year, in the city of Hudson, New York, he took his oath as a United States citizen. To THE TERRITORY OF MINNESOTA Andrew remained in New York state until 1854, at which time he came to Minnesota Territory. In May of that year he took up a claim of 160 acres in what would eventually become Rosemount Township. He was among the very earliest of settlers. His claim in the northwest corner of section 21 bordered on the east shore of the lake which still bears his name, Keegan's Lake. Six months later, in November of 1854, Andrew's younger brother Daniel took up an adjoining claim in the southwest quarter of section 21 with wife Catherine and 2 young children. Two months later, in January of 1855 the Daniel's youngest child, Elizabeth, died, PAGE 44 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 2008 becoming the first death in the township. It appears Andrew did only a minimal amount of farming and that his main employment was working as a surveyor. It was noted that he was often away from his claim which certainly would be the case if he was off doing surveying jobs. A POST OFFICE NAMED ROSEMOUNT In 1855 Andrew Keegan was appointed the first postmaster in the township. He chose the name Rosemount for the post office. The post office was officially located in his claim shanty. Unofficially, as everyone in the area came to know, he ran the post office from his hat and pants pockets. Since he was out and about doing survey jobs and other business he often delivered the mail to people living in the direction he headed. People learned to watch for him and he saved them many trips to the post office. Although he held the postmaster office for only two years, people remembered his unique service for decades afterwards. His service preceded rural free delivery by decades. An article in the Farmington Press on February 5, 1879 under the heading "Historical Notes and Reminiscences" (No. 8) recalled, "In 1855 a post office was established in Andrew's breeches pocket, and it is said that when he was in a happy mood he would involuntarily [sic] distribute the mail all along the road. When he was away and the mail was received, the bag was emptied on the floor, a general scramble ensued, and each one picked out what they wanted. Sometimes they measured out their share in a half peck." Numerous other accounts state he carried the mail, not in his "breeches", but stuffed into his hat. Andrew's postal operation was apparently quite informal. Sign at the southend of Rosemount, Ireland.Photo courtesy of Gerald Mattson. KEEGAN - ROSEMOUNT — IRELAND CONNECTION ACKNOWLEDGED Whether he ran his post office from his "breeches" or his hat is not important. What is important is that he selected the name Rosemount. And it was the name of a village that he was familiar with in Ireland. The earliest reference to this fact is also found in the 1879 Farmington Press article. Referring to Andrew Keegan it states, "He gave the name to the town; saying that it looked so much like Rosemount in Ireland." More important, the biographical sketch of Andrew Keegan in the History of Dakota County, published in 1881, stated, "He ... gave the village its name, in honor of one in his own native country." And finally, Andrew Keegan's obituary, which appeared in the Northwestern Chronicle on February 5, 1892 stated he gave Rosemount its name "in honor of a favorite town in his native land." There are other references stating the same thing, but these three different sources should suffice to show that Rosemount was named for a village in Ireland known to Andrew Keegan. PROMINENT IN POLITICS With the establishment and naming of the area's first post office in 1855, Andrew Keegan was a man whose prominence in the history of Rosemount was only just beginning. In 1856, the year after his appointment as postmaster, he was also appointed a justice of the peace. He took the oath of office on January 8, 1856, at Mendota which was then the county seat. He retained this office for the rest of his life. In 1857 Andrew's brother Daniel sold his farm in Rosemount after remaining there about two years. He moved to Rice County near Nortkifield. It is believed another Keegan brother had settled there. Daniel remained in Rice Co. until 1859 when he returned to this area and purchased a farm in section 4 of Lakeville. He resided on this farm for the rest of his life. Nothing more is known about the rest of Andrew's family, neither his parents nor his other five brothers. It is assumed his mother died in Ireland prior to Andrew's coming to America. On December 31, 1857 Andrew Keegan gave up his job as postmaster. Post office records show Andrew was paid a total of $4.92 for the period of July 1, 1857 to December 31, 1857. The total net proceeds of the Rosemount post office for the period was $5.59, derived from stamp and envelope sales. Andrew gave up the job because he was away from home so much. With his resignation, the location of MARCH 2010 the post office changed to residences of the new postmasters, D. L. Turpin and shortly thereafter, James Duffy. However, the name Rosemount was retained. In 1857 Andrew was elected county surveyor, a post he held for 3 terms through the end of 1862. The same year he was elected as a member of the constitutional convention which organized the State of Minnesota, he served in the Democratic 6th District. COUNTY BOARD SELECTS ROSEMOUNT As part of organizing the state, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners met on April 6, 1858 to establish the county's townships. In accordance with the act passed by the first state legislature, they designated congressional township 115 north, of range 19 west, of the fifth principal meridian, by the name Rosemount. The selection of the name Rosemount was almost certainly due to the fact that the post office in the township was designated by that name. A second post office, registered as Rich Valley, was not established until 4 months later on August 12, 1858. It can also be assumed Andrew Keegan had some influence in selecting the Rosemount name. ROSEMOUNT WINS OVER SARATOGA The following month the organizational meeting was held by citizens of the new township. The meeting took place at the house of Thomas Dowd on May 11, 1858. Andrew Keegan was among those present. Of all the items on the agenda that day, none elicited more lively debate than the name of the town. They could keep the name assigned by the county commissioners, Rosemount, or change it. Apparently some of the non -Irish citizens present did not care to have the town named after a village in Ireland. After considerable discussion the choice came down to Rosemount or Saratoga. Andrew Keegan and Hugh Derham proposed keeping the name Rosemount. William Strathern proposed Saratoga. His proposal probably carried considerable weight as he and his brother Walter were among the very first township settlers having arrived in 1853. Finally, a vote was taken and the name Rosemount was retained. At the meeting the first township officers were elected. Andrew Keegan was elected Justice of the Peace, thus keeping the office he had been appointed to in 1856. SETTLING DOWN WITH FAMILY Andrew remained on his homestead after leaving office as County Surveyor in 1863 and continued working as an independent surveyor and as Justice of the Peace. On November 24, 1864, just one month shy of his 50th birthday, he married Bridget Kearney of Burnsville. Bridget was about 30 years old and recently widowed. She had 2 young daughters; Mary, aged 3 and Rose about 1 year old. Bridget was also a native of Ireland, her maiden name being Dignan. After their marriage Andrew sold his property in Rosemount and moved to Bridget's farm in Burnsville. The family remained in Burnsville about a year and a half after which time Andrew decided to give up farming completely. In 1866 he sold the farm in Burnsville and purchased a lot in the just platted village of Rosemount. Andrew built his family a house, the first home erected within the new village. Two daughters were born to Andrew and Bridget; Alice in 1865 and Margaret in 1868. VILLAGE, TOWNSHIP, COUNTY, AND STATE Andrew, busy with raising a young family and earning a livelihood, lead a private life for several years. Then in 1875 he returned to politics and public office in a big way. The Village of Rosemount incorporated that year. Andrew was elected its first justice of the peace. At the township level he was elected town clerk. At the county level he was again elected county surveyor, a position he had left in 1863. He retained these offices into the 1880s, he was now in his 60s. Besides winning village, township, and county elections, Andrew was also elected to the state legislature where he served one term. Andrew was well known locally as a genuine character, noted for his outgoing personality and gift of the "Blarney." While in office his actions and words were the cause of much "sport" for the people of Rosemount and state legislators. Andrew ran for a second state term but lost. Upon hearing of Andrew's loss a fellow legislator lamented that he did not see what Dakota County was about, thus, to spoil their fun. In the 1880s Andrew retired as county surveyor but continued to hold various local offices. He was approaching 70 years of age. By the late 1880s Andrew's health was failing. Early in 1891 he either rented or purchased a house in St. Paul while maintaining his Rosemount home. The St. Paul house was probably used by his daughters who were starting careers. He may have planned to move there PAGE 46 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 also. In January 1892 Andrew and Bridget were in the St. Paul house when he became ill and was confined to bed. He grew worse and died on Monday February 1, 1892. His death certificate lists the cause of death as pneumonia and his age as 84, actually he was 77. ANDREW KEEGAN REMEMBERED That Andrew Keegan was well known and regarded is attested to by the complimentary obituaries appearing in the St. Paul Daily Globe, Dakota County Tribune, Hastings Gazette, and Northwestern Chronicle. Ignatius Donnelly of Nininger wrote a flowery letter A Tribute to an Old Friend for the February 11, 1892 edition of the Dakota County Tribune. It must be assumed that Andrew Keegan is buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Rosemount. His obituary in the St. Paul Daily Globe, February 2, 1892, states: "Funeral from family residence No. 33 East Ninth St., Wed Feb. 3 at 8:30 AM. Remains will be taken to Rosemount on 9:15 train for internment. Services at Rosemount Catholic Church at 10:30 AM." The Dakota County Tribune, Thursday, February 4, stated in part: "His remains were brought to Rosemount on the train for burial yesterday." Unfortunately, the cemetery burial records were poorly kept in these early years and his burial was never recorded. But the cemetery records do indicate that Andrew Keegan had purchased a five grave lot the previous year. When his brother Daniel died in August of 1891, Andrew bought a lot adjacent to one purchased by Daniel's family. Andrew's grave was never marked with a headstone. The only recorded burial in the lot owned by Andrew is that of his nephew Michael (a son of Daniel) who died around 1917 at the age of 65. After Andrew's death the family returned to St. Paul permanently. The following spring a couple of Andrew's nephews occupied the Rosemount house, but eventually it was sold. Andrew's oldest stepdaughter, Mary Kearney, married Perry Glenn and had a family. The other 3 girls never married. Bridget lived with one or another of her daughters, mostly with Margaret. Rose Kearney was a school teacher and remained in St. Paul. Both Alice and Margaret moved to Seattle around 1901. In 1903 Bridget also went to Seattle to live with them. LINKING ANDREW WITH A ROSEMOUNT, IRELAND Having concluded the biography of Andrew Keegan, the question remains, "Where in Ireland is, or was, Andrew Keegan's Rosemount?" The most important clue would be knowing where Andrew Keegan lived in Ireland. There is only one known reference to Andrew's place of origin. In his obituary appearing in the Northwestern Chronicle on February 5, 1892, it stated he was a native of County Westmeath, Ireland. Further and even more credible evidence comes to light through Andrew's younger brother Daniel. Like Andrew, only one source is known to exist which refers to Daniel's place of origin. It is the Keegan family monument in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Under Daniel's name the inscription reads: "Native of Co. Westmeath." It is also interesting to note that Hugh Derham, Andrew's friend and ally when the vote was taken to retain the name Rosemount, is also buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery. His monument reads: "Native of Kilkeelan, Co. Westmeath." As stated in the introduction, there is indeed a Rosemount located in Co. Westmeath, Ireland. However, did it exist in Andrew Keegan's time and could he have been familiar with it? These questions were answered during my visit that afternoon in Ireland and during subsequent correspondence. BAII.E AN BHRIC OIG (ROSEMOUNT) County Westmeath is located almost in the center of Ireland. Rosemount lies among small rolling and partially wooded hills near the southern border of the county just north of Co. Offaly. The main regional occupation is farming. The terrain is very similar to northwest Rosemount in Dakota County where Andrew made his original claim. The village is located a short distance north of Highway N6, the main route between Galway and Dublin. The road from N6 is paved but very narrow. Upon entering the town the only thing one sees is a sign with ROSEMOUNT in large black letters below Baile an Bhric Oig, the old Gaelic name, in small letters. You must pass the sign and some trees before you can see the town. A large stone church, St. Thomas the Apostle, appears on the right side of the road. The church is surrounded by a cemetery. The only other buildings visible in this end of the town are a couple of houses, a combination grocery store, and a gas station. One house is the parish rectory, located just north of the church across a small river. Crossing a small bridge, and past the rectory, the next 200 yards returned to stone fences and rolling pastureland. The road divides into a Y. Taking the left branch and rounding a curve brings Rosemount House, built in 1773. Photo courtesy of Gerald Mattson. you within view of "Rosemount House." The house is to the left at some distance across a stone fenced pasture. Continuing on the road a short distance you come to the northern end of Rosemount and 4 or 5 houses, all on the right side of the road. The front portion of one house is the Rosemount Post office. Beyond this another ROSEMOUNT sign appears marking the town's northern boundary although several farmsteads and houses extend along the road for at least a mile. While the town is very small it is very friendly. People we spoke with were very helpful. What impressed us even more was that every one of the people we passed along the road or working in their fields gave us a friendly wave as we went by. Rosemount is so small it does not appear on most maps. By contrast, Moate, located just west of Rosemount appears on most maps. It is the largest town in the area, an ancient place and important market town for the whole area. AT HORSELEAP A CLUE TO KEEGAN Of more interest for our purposes is the town of Horseleap, just east of Rosemount. Here we find an early reference to Andrew Keegan's ancestors. The town of Horseleap got its name from a tradition that states a Norman warlord known by the title of Baron De Lacy was being chased by a party of native Gaels of the Clan McGeoghegan. To reach safety he jumped his horse over the drawbridge of the castle. There are Norman ruins in the town dating from the 12th century and a well preserved l6th century tower house built by the original ruling Gaelic family, the McGeoghegan's. Their landholdings remained fairly intact up to the time of Cromwell in the 1640's. When the Normans ruled Ireland they desired to do away with the Gaelic language and traditions, and passed a law requiring everyone to adopt an Anglican sounding name. Several adaptations of the original McGeoghegan name came into being, Keegan was one adaptation and it was very common in the area. A few miles west of Horseleap, in the civil Parish of Kilcrumreragh, another branch of the Clan McGeoghegan still held a large estate. The owner's name was Owen Geoghan and his estate, inherited from his father in 1763, still contained at least 300 acres. This estate and its old manor house had been known for centuries as Ballybrittoque, or in the old Gaelic Baile an Bhric Oig. By some favor of the ruling Normans the family had been able to hang on to the property. In 1773 Owen built a new manor house which still exists to this day. Owen Geoghan had three daughters. Since he did not have a male heir, the estate went to his brother Bryan Geoghan. IRELAND'S ROSEMOUNT ACQUIRES ITS NAME At some point one of the two brothers decided to rename the estate Rosemount and the manor house Rosemount Court. Eventually Rosemount Court became Rosemount House as it is known today. When Bryan Geoghan wrote his will in 1804 he called the estate by the name Rosemount and this seems to be the earliest official use of the name. Bryan left no heirs, so upon his death the Rosemount estate reverted to Mary Bridget, one of Owen's daughters. She was married to Sir Richard Nagle. Their son inherited the estate and is credited with naming the village Rosemount. Sometime about 1838 the British relaxed laws banning the practice of the Catholic faith. Over the next decade many new Catholic churches were built throughout Ireland. At that time the population living in the vicinity of the Rosemount Estate landholdings was many times greater than today. Because of the large population the need was felt for a Catholic church. It was at this point that Owen's grandson offered to donate the land for the church with the condition that the church's location be referred to as Rosemount. Not everyone was pleased with the terms. Many preferred the original name Ballybrittoque, or even to just refer to the more general Parish of Kilcrumreragh. Eventually the offer and terms were accepted and everyone abided by the agreement referring to the place as Rosemount. I have been told the name Rosemount is not yet greatly loved by all inhabitants. Work began PAGE 48 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 Kill Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Gerald Mattson. on the church and in 1843 St. Thomas the Apostle Church was dedicated. The contractor who built the church was a local stonemason named Thomas Keegan. He was a skilled craftsman and had built at least one other church in the area. Because of the potato famine and its attendant misery the population declined drastically. For some reason, possibly because of more pressing needs and the dwindling population, the area was never officially recognized as Rosemount. Officially it remained under the more general name of the parish of Kilcrumreragh. Even so, the local population always referred to the place as Rosemount. On two or three occasions over the years local citizens petitioned to have the name Rosemount recognized. They were eventually successful and some years ago new standard highway signs were finally installed. Rosemount Estate was held by Owen Geoghan's descendants until some time around 1890 when the family line died out. After that the estate was sold and broken up. As of 1993 the remaining lands and Rosemount House are owned by German investors and looked after by a caretaker. No one currently lives in the House. RETURNING TO ANDREW KEEGAN Much more research would be required to locate actual records of Andrew Keegan in Co. Westmeath. My short time there precluded that. I did get a chance to see some church and census records in Rosemount, but many were not locally available. Even so, enough is known of the general history to realize that Rosemount did exist in Andrew Keegan's time. He would have been 29 years old when St. Thomas the Apostle church was built and this was three years before he left Ireland for America. It is not even beyond the realm of possibility that Andrew could have been involved in the building of the church. Professional trades in Ireland at that time were learned through an apprentice system, generally passed down through relatives. At a time when the vast majority of people in rural Ireland were poorly educated farmers Thomas Keegan was a skilled contractor and stonemason. From this it can be assumed other relatives were probably involved in the building trades as well. Andrew learned the trade of surveying in Ireland and his type of skill would have been needed to lay out a building as large as the church and its cemetery. That Andrew Keegan was the surveyor on this job is purely speculation, but it is a known that Andrew surveyed and laid out the two oldest sections of St. Joseph's Cemetery in Dakota County's Rosemount. The topography of both Rosemounts are similar as stated by Andrew and the area is the ancestral home of the Clan McGeoghegan of which Andrew was descended. Although it can not be absolutely documented, there can be little doubt that Rosemount of Dakota County, Minnesota, is named for Rosemount of County Westmeath, Ireland. I would like to thank my friends in Rosemount, Ireland, who were so kind and helpful in sharing their town's history during my short visit and subsequent correspondence: Rev. Malachy Lynam, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Mr. Patrick Ward, Postmaster of Rosemount, Mr. Patrick Daley and especially Mrs. Mary Savage. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. P. W. Joyce, Philips Atlas of Counties of Ireland, (published 1890.) 2. History ofDakota County, Minnesota (Minneapolis: North Star Publishing 1881) pp. 225, 455-467. 3. Catherina Day, Cadogan Guide to Ireland,(London, Cadogan Books LTD, 1991) pp. 430-431. 4. Farmington Press, February 5, 1879. 5. Dakota County Tribune, February 4, 1892. 6. Ibid., February 11, 1982. 7. Hastings Gazette, February 6, 1892. 8. Northwestern Chronicle, February 5, 1892. 9. St. Paul Daily Globe, February 2, 1892. 10. Record of death - Bureau of Health, St. Paul, MN. Filed for Andrew Keegan, Feb. 11, 1892. 11. Cemetery records, St. Joseph's Cemetery, Rosemount. 12. New York State Naturalization Records, Columbia County, August 9, 1852. MN Historical Society (MHS). 13. Census Records, 1857-1885, Dakota Co., MHS. 14. St Paul City Directories, 1890-1910, MHS 15. United States Official Register, Washington. A.O.P. Nicholson, Public Printer. 1857 Edition. Minnesota Post Offices, MHS. MARCH 2010 PAGE 49 SOME SCIOTA TOWNSHIP STORIES by Allen Freeberg Sciota township is one of the smallest of the townships in Dakota county. It is divided fairly evenly east and west by the cannon River, along which river many afterwards prominent Minnesota and American citizens took their first lessons in fishing, swimming and boating. On the north side of the Cannon river, Sciota township extends about as far west as the outskirts of Waterford village. The north one-half of the township was more prairie -like and more flat in land contour than the south one-half on the south side of the river. In this north half of this famous little township such prominent old pioneer families as the Butlers, the Bowes, the Leglers, the Millers, the Harknesses, the Erringtons, the Wallaces, the Spillmans, and the Kleebergers lived or owned and operated farms and several others I do not remember. The Wallace family owned the farm where James Harkness now lives which was owned by his father, Frank Harkness, Sr., before him, whom I very well remember as being a kindly and wise elder leader in local township politics in his time. There was also a famous little old milk delivery station located on the then Frank Harkness farm, but it was called the Wallace station after the Wallace family that owned this farm before the Harknesses. This farm was located on what we now call the North River Road that runs along the Cannon river from Waterford to Randolph, approximately. This farm was located about one-half mile down from or east from what we now call the Errington bridge across the river, near the Wm. S. Errington, Sr., farm. To this old milk station at Wallace the local farmers hauled their milk whole and daily for several years for shipment or pick up there -from by the local short line railroad line, for a Minneapolis milk company. We hauled our milk to this Wallace station from about 1908 to 1918. We moved by horse and wagon to Sciota township in Dakota County shortly after Oct. 1, 1908, and during that month I can still remember the day very well. It was one of those October Indian The Freeberg family of Sciota in 1915. Back row: Ruth, Sidney, Allen, Seated: Swan and Jennie. Helen in front and Glenn next to Jennie. summer days, warm and sunny. I was six years old at the time. We moved onto the old Grant farm in Sciota township that fall, which farm I learned later had been owned by the Grant family for 48 years straight prior to the fall of 1908, when my father bought it. It had been one of my father's ambitions since a boy in Cannon Falls to own a large, well built-up farm like the Grant farm had been. He also had threshed several times on this farm, when he and his brother, August Freeberg, had operated one of the first steam powered grain threshing machines around Northfield during the years from 1884 to 1895. In 1884, when they bought their first Case threshing machine from Mr. Lathrop in Northfield, they pulled it, or ran it out, to Sciota township, where they did their first grain threshing job for the late John Hunter, the uncle of the late Jesse Hunter, just north of Jesse's farm and maybe one-fourth mile east of the present Lewiston schoolhouse. Here they started their own grain threshing careers that lasted 11 years and kept them busy as far west of Northfield as Hazelwood and east as far as around Stanton. Some day I could perhaps write a book entitled "The Two Threshermen," dealing with the threshing experiences of my father, Swan Freeberg, and his brother, August Freeberg, who threshed on about every farm around Northfield for several miles during the years from 1884 to 1895, inclusive, with one of the first successful steam rigs in that locality. But getting back to Sciota township stories, which stories were told to me largely by my father in his later years, after his farming and threshing experiences were over. If I remember correctly, he said that the south part of Sciota township was settled in the 1850s by such prominent old farm families, still remembered out there, as the Laws, Hunters, Ramages, Grants, Lorimers, Jacks, etc., which families mostly came from Canada and Scotland originally. My Sciota township stories deal mainly with the south part of that township on the south side of the Cannon River. One could write a good long story about that little old "Wallace milk station" alone. I can still remember such prominent farmers locally as Sam Wert, James Hunter, Sr., Wm. Errington, Sr., Elbert Bowe, John Pennington, Ed Taylor, and Wm. Kleeberger, and several others who hauled their whole milk there daily for several years, mostly by horse and buggy or wagon. But about 1920 or when the farmers started to truck or get their milk delivered by motor truck to the Stanton, Northfield and Farmington milk plants — then the little old Wallace milk station was discontinued and was torn down. Even the little short line railroad that served it between Northfield and Randolph has been discontinued, too. However, the old Frank Harkness farmstead, where this milk station was located, is still there. Kind and wise old Frank Harkness, the local township political leader, has also passed on and now his son, James Harkness, lives there. James Harkness also known as "Engineer Jim," operated a steam grain threshing machine and corn shredder in and around Sciota township for several years, from 1910 to 1925, I would guess. I know he threshed for us and our neighbors in 1915 with his Huber steam engine and his yellow Avery grain separator. He threshed and shredded corn for us several years and I think his cousin, George Gibson, was his grain separator man, most of the time. One could write a long separate story also about the different grain threshing rigs or outfits and their operators that have threshed in Sciota township since threshing by horsepower passed out of style in the 1880s. You can get a lot of this information about the early grain threshing operations from such local authorities still living hereabouts as James Hunter, the last one of the well known Hunter brothers, who now lives on the former Jesse Hunter farm, near the Lewiston schoolhouse, in Sciota township, Dakota county. From the Hastings Gazette September 27, 1956 WHAT WILL YOUR LEGACY BE? We all leave our own unique mark on this world in our families, work and the organizations we believe in and support. We celebrate these legacies at DOHS - after all, they are at the heart of the history we preserve every day. A legacy gift, also known as a planned or estate gift, can help ensure DCHS has the resources to preserve and present the history of Dakota County for many years to come. To learn more about Legacy Gifts at DCHS, contact Chad Roberts, Executive Director at (651)552-7548 MARCH 2010 PAGE 51 VERMILLION JET CRASH The U.S. Air Force late Thursday of last week released the name of the F-80 jet airplane pilot, whose burned body was found in the main part of the wreckage, on the Peter Stoffel and Al Wagner farms, near Vermillion. He was Second Lieutenant David J. Breault, 23, of Somerset, Wisconsin, a reservist who was on two weeks active training duty. Lt. Breault was the manager of the Terrace night club in Somerset. Single, he was a graduate of St. Thomas academy and the University of Minnesota. Last June he completed two years active duty as a pilot. The Air Force F-80 Shooting Star plummeted from 20,000 feet and crashed Thursday noon on the Vermillion township farms of Al Wagner and Peter Stoffel. The wreckage was scattered for two miles. Lt. Breault was on a routine training mission with First Lt. James Sutton, an instructor pilot at the Air Force reserve training center at Wold- Chamberlain. An air force officer said Lt. Breault's plane might have disintegrated when it passed through the sound barrier. Hastings fireman William Karnick surveys the wreckage of the jet fighter. Witnesses to the accident were Elmer Johnson, of Hastings, and J.J. Reuter. Johnson was at the Gay Schultz Implement place, a new establishment, east of Vermillion about a mile. They heard a roar, and two explosions. Pieces began to fall and the plane began to roll. It crashed and burst into flames. Mrs. Elizabeth Gergen said the second explosion blew open her back door. The plane had crashed three blocks to the west of the Gergen home. The tail section was found more than half a mile to the south. Air Force helicopters picked up pieces of the wreckage. The crash took place about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, and by 3:00 p.m. the cleanup was well under way. Mrs. Gergen estimated there were 1,500 autos which drove into the field to view the wreck Thursday. They came all day and in the evening too, she said. Funeral was held Monday at Stillwater, and burial was at Somerset. Incidentally, Mrs. O.J. Lubke, as a hospital nurse, cared for Breault when he was a newborn baby at St. Mary's hospital, Minneapolis. Those who knew him from this area described him as a really nice person. He had an excellent record and was well known at St. Thomas College. Neighborhood women who served coffee and sandwiches to the Air Force crew cleaning up the wreckage included Mrs. Al Wagner and daughter Betty; Mrs. Ray Rother, and Mrs. Jerry Regenscheid. From the Dakota County Tribune November 11, 1955 PAGE 52 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 WATERFORD PROPHETS SCHOOL PROPHECY I am a gipsy. I am going to tell this school where each one will be and what they will be doing in twenty years from now. First I will tell the teacher's fortune. She will not be teaching but she will be wise, though, because she will have her wisdom teeth. Lizzie Doub will be an old maid living in a homely little log hut. Chrissie Chamberlin will be an old maid living with Lizzie Doub. They will both be making dresses to earn money. Lucy Bowe will be teaching school in the same school she goes to school in now. Minnie Anderson will be a woman and when she goes to town instead of taking a horse she will hitch her dog up. Poor dog, I will feel sorry for him. Jess Bill will be an old bach running a threshing machine. When George Tripp gets to be about thirty years old his voice will be so gruff people will think there is a bear around somewhere and will run and hide when he is talking with anybody. Pearl Doub will be a young woman and will be so rich she will have servants and wear silk dresses every day. Russel Bill will be an artist and earning lots of money. Harriet Bill will have a large house and barn with three cows and some chickens and ten dollars. Laurence Bowe, Erma Tripp, and Freddie McAndrew will run and hide for three or four days every time they see a skunk. Laura Chamberlin From OUR SUNSHINE Vol. 1, No. 1, October 19, 1897 LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE Through my new improved automatic field glass, I can quite distinctly see as far as 15 years hence. I can see the honorable President of the Waterford Farmers Club as being none other than John Gibson, so business -like and so composed that all are glad that he is living in their midst. His sister, Barbara, seems to be in the Northfield High School teaching "Elocution". In Sacramento, Cal., I can see Mildred Johnson s leader of the Boys and Girls club work. They have the use of an immense Holstein herd for study. Think of the future of those children with such a herd and a leader to inspire them as Mildred will surely be. I see Sarah Howland way down in San Diego, Calif., with her husband, a noted tenor singer. Her sister, Issabel, seems to be visiting there and she is playing the large open pipe organ. Now I am back in Salt Lake City. The first person I meet is William Frame. He asks me into his office and there is his partner Sylvester Cauffinan. They are managers of the K.D.Y.L. radio broadcasting station there. Sylvester seems to have charge of the musical end of it. And William, as you can well imagine, keeps the Doctors busy mending the split sides of his radio listeners from the effects of too much laughter. I am quite surprised to see Harold Van Slyke managing an alligator farm in Florida. And by the looks of things he must be close to a multi- millionaire, if he should sell all his property. Grace Hegland seems to be a Lawyeress making out his will. He seems to be donating the Waterford Farmers Club money enough to build a Farmers Club Hall and enough more to keep it in operation for 50 years. I find Stanley Wales in Chicago as a Veterinary Doctor. And now I am back in Waterford. I can see immense pumpkin fields down at the Johnson and PAGE 53 Quinnell Brothers farms. They seem to be drying the pumpkins and making them into powdered flour for pies. Their sisters seem to be assisting them and Floris Legler is their Secretary. Ah! Now I see something that has been needed for many years. An Old Ladies Home. It seems to be located at the edge of the Kelsey woods facing the pavement. Beth and Helen Muckey seem to be the Matrons and their brother, Harold, and his devoted wife are running a truck garden on the farm to supply the needs of this home. There seem to be at least 30 elderly ladies happily located. The town of Waterford seems much larger and more prosperous. Hans Borke served his time faithfully and now in his place are two very capable proprietors, the former Ruth Parker and her husband. Next door Edroy Hegland has a combined restaurant and ice cream parlor. The college students seem to be giving him plenty to do. Edwin Gibson has taken the place of Charles Borke and now has a large garage and black smith shop combined. In the place of the Waterford school house is a modern church and Lloyd Davis is the pastor. On the former Jamieson land are many dwelling houses and near the Jefferson Highway is a large Ladies and Mens Ready-to-wear Department Store. I can't seem to see the proprietor but there are several familiar faces. Verna Hegland seems to be the head of the silk department; Flora Slocum the coat department; and Joe Eischen is manager of the men's department. Miss Laura Gibson is their artistic decorator. Now something very interesting catches my eye; a school bus run by electricity, invented and owned by Leo Eischen and Russell Howland. No driver is required to manipulate it for any child can handle it. Heat, cold and snow banks do not effect it. But this is not all, here is a beet pulp farm at Howland Brothers. They are proving that beet pulp is the greatest milk producing food known. Their cattle under this diet are producing the most milk of any herd in the northwest. In connection with this seems to be a large Sanitorium owned and operated by Miss Phebe Howland, with the aid of her efficient nurses, Esther Quinnell, Hazen Engen and Alma Gudim. This institution is more mal- nutritious children and Lucy Cowell, its traveling manager, is ever on the alert to find children who need this milk treatment to build them up. I see Burton Knapp managing a radio store. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gibson seem to be managing the Carleton College farm. Now here is a letter from the former Miss Marie Gibson from Boston. It reads that she has been teaching in Boston for several years and is now married to a Professor of Science in the University of Boston. Her sisters, Alice and Mabel, are both in business in the same city being joint managers in the large Y.W.C.A. building there. They are very busy but are enjoying their work very much. She states that both are still single but have bright prospects for the future. Joe Cronin now has his beautiful home completed on his farm and is running a large poultry farm as he so often hoped to do. I cannot see who his neat little house -wife is but they seem to be very happy. I see Arthur Ackerson in China as a medical missionary and he is doing some wonderful work. Ah! And here is Esther Cauffman running for the Senator's office. I see Stella Hegland in her Sophomore year at St. Olaf College. She is head of her class and is very popular among her friends. And over at Carleton College I see Meade Harmer also in his Sophomore year, a very bright and popular student. I see Johnie Hill as Coach of a High School football team. And last but not least I see Phyllis Grisim graduating from Northfield High School in the class of 1938 as Valedictorian. Now dear friends this prophecy no doubt seem to you like building castles in the air. But, all things are possible, and if none of these come true, it is the wish of the writer that as great or greater things may come to pass among our young people of today. Do you realize that the great things of this world have not been done by men of means? And that one of the greatest boons that can ever come to a human being is be born on a farm and reared in the country? Self-reliance and grit are most often country -bred. The country boy is constantly thrown upon his own resources, forced to think for himself, and this calls out his ingenuity and inventiveness. His muscles are harder, his flesh firmer, and his brain fiber partakes of the same superior quality. Therefore you who are all country -bred have a very prosperous outlook for future success. Climb high! Reach the mountain tops and strive to do even more than this prophecy suggests! Waterford Metropolitan News of December 14, 1923, printed in the Golden Years of the Waterford Farmer's Club. PAGE 54 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 SIGNAL HILLS RUBBER -NECKING AT THE NEW SHOPPING CENTER Last Thursday we had the opportunity to take a "cook's tour" of the Signal Hills Shopping Center which is rapidly nearing completion on the 34-acre tract at So. Robert and Moreland. Like our proverbial country cousin who comes to the big city once a year, we were rubber-neckers. Unlike him, however, we did not gawk at towering sky -scrapers but were rather amazed at the horizontal perspective and the fabulous amount of floor space that the two buildings in the center contain. Our "cook", Jad Asfeld, president of the Signal Hills company explained that the floor space is equivalent to a seven story building or 100,000 square feet. You could take our crowded, cluttered office an lose it in any one of the 21 units in the new shopping center. Mr. Asfeld announce that the grand opening of the new center has been set for Oct. 26-29. In order to insure that, he has increased the work staff from The area which became Signal Hills is seen just below Robert Street in this 1950 aerial. 160 to more than 200 this week. The first unit, that nearest So. Robert and Moreland, contains six of the stores and these are the most nearly complete. As the viewer walks northwesterly along the second unit of 15 stores the amount of work done on the stores decreases. FIRST UNIT The corner store of the first unit is that of the Snyder Bros. Drug Store. Workmen inside were busily installing acoustical ceiling tile. This store is most nearly completed and has its windows in. Since it is enclosed it was necessary at night during the hot spell to turn on temporary heaters in order to control condensation. Excessive moisture in the building would have warped the ceiling tile. Most prominent feature of this building is the 45' tower for the National Foods Store, next door. MUSIC SOOTHES As we walked along from store to store, Jad pointed out that the sidewalk in front of the store is 17 feet wide and has a 12 foot canopy to protect customers from inclement weather as they go from store to store. One large store area in this first unit has actually been used as a little factory where the air conditioning company crews have been busy the past 45 days fabricating the sheets of galvanized metal into ducts, etc. Speaking of air conditioning, it will require the equivalent of a 350 ton unit to service all the stores in the center. THE SECOND BUILDING Work on the second building of the center, the larger of the two, is not quite as advanced as the smaller first, but rapid progress is now evident with the additional crews. The most outstanding features of this unit are the two story portion on the south end which will house the J.C. Penney store and the 45 foot tower on the north went which will carry the familiar sign of the Red Owl Food Store. The second story area of the Penney store will MARCH 2010 house the offices and air conditioning equipment. The retail store will be on the main floor with future expansion into the basement. Penney's, unlike most stores in the center, is using wet plaster walls and ceilings instead of tile. It will also have carpeting on 40% of its floor space. When the basement is utilized in the future, provision has been made for the installation of an elevator. It surely looks like Penney's plans to make themselves at home in West St. Paul for a good many years to come. ATTRACTIVE STORE FRONTS When the center is completed one of the many things to catch the customers' eyes will be the variety of attractive store fronts. Each one of the 21 stores is virtually different from any other. Accent is, of course, on glass and more glass with colorful brick work blending in. The Penney store will have one of the most unique fronts in the whole center. It's all glass running from floor to ceiling, and it curves outward from one wall to the other giving an expansive view of the whole area. In this second unit is also the `clinic' and professional offices, which Mr. Asfeld said will house a dentist, doctor, optometrist and lawyers. Woolworth's store, the only other store to have a basement, is also in this unit as is the Warner Hardware store, which will have both retail and builders' supplies sections. The cleaners is also located in this building and this has a fire wall on each side of it as an extra safety feature. The last store in this building, nestled in by the Red Owl store, is the barber shop. PARKING LOT As the buildings themselves are impressive, so also is the massive parking lot which looks big enough to land a small airplane on. This will handle 1,300 cars with traffic controlled ease, our host informed us. There will be no parking directly against the sidewalls in front of the buildings. This will be reserved for a 28-foot street to help customers pick up their wares and wives. A sidewalk will run from Penney's store diagonally across the lot to Orme and Livingston. Mr. Asfeld said the lot, which is graded now, will be blacktopped in the next few weeks. SOME STATISTICS ABOUT THE CENTER The parking lot will contain 50,000 yards of blacktop; it will have a four inch base and a two inch mat. There are fire walls in the buildings every 100 feet. It is taking more than three car loads of acoustical tile to cover the ceilings of the 21 stores. Every store will have its own independent heating, power and air conditioning units. Between 300 and 500 people will be employed by the stores on a full time and part time basis. FUTURE EXPANSION On this topic, the Signal Hills president is non- committal. He does say that there is room for and preliminary plans for another 100,000 square feet of floor space in another building. This, of course, will depend upon the demand and the market. From the West St. Paul Booster August 18, 1955 FACTS ABOUT SIGNAL HILLS When it opened in October 1955, Signal Hills boasted 20 stores in the "mammoth center." By comparison, Southdale opened the following year with 72 spaces for tenants and the Mall of America currently has 520. Among the first stores in Signal Hills were Bonne's Shoes, Cooks, Eastons, Fanny Farmer, Goodman's Jewelers, J.C. Penney's, Kaufman's Small Fry Shop, Mary Adams Apparel Shop, National Foods, Red Owl, Signal Hills Men's Store, Snyder Brothers Drugs, Warner Hardware, and Woolworth's. An estimated 20,000 people attended the four - day grand opening. National Foods gave away 3,000 jars of jam, 3,000 bottles of root beer, 3,000 packages of brown and serve rolls, and 3,000 loaves of sandwich bread. PAGE 56 A PHOTOGRAPH IS WORTH 150 YEARS Brandon Stengel photograph of the Inver Grove Toll Bridge won first place. Minnesota turned 150 years old in 2008 and across the state hundreds of celebrations of history were held. In addition to other programs, the Dakota County Historical Society launched a competition to capture a "snapshot" of Dakota County as it appears today. History is being made daily and there is no telling what the future holds for many sites in Dakota County. The Society started this competition to be proactive, to ensure that the identity of the County today is preserved. Photographers were asked to take as many photographs of elements of the Dakota County we all know today as they could, some of the results are displayed here. Each artist selected specific images to display in the exhibition and to be judged. More than 200 photographs were donated by the artists for the DCHS archives. The following are a sample of the submissions. DCHS would like to thank the following for their participation, especially Society member Jack Kennelly, who suggested the idea! Harold Christenson Shirley Dalaska Debora Drower Kim Hazel Jack Kennelly Mary Melnick Katherine Scott Julie Skogstad Brandon Stengel Peder Thompson The historic Hastings Courthouse photographed at night won Julie Skogstad second place. MARCH 2010, a°° Shirley Dalaskas interesting perspective on Pine Bend Cemetery garnered third place. Cemeteries have always been picturesque and serene venues. Harold Christenson documented "Indian John" Hoffman marker in St. Luke's Cemetery in Hastings. Hoffman was Dakota Indian who was well known in the Hastings area. Brandon Stengel photographed an iron cross in St. Marys Cemetery in New Trier. PAGE 58 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 The concept of photographing Dakota County at night intrigued more than one of our photographers. Debra Drower photographed Reissners Meats in Hastings while Peder Thompson shot the now -closed Betty's Cafe in South St. Paul. MARCH 2010 PAGE 59 It was also a chance to take The contest afforded participants an opportunity to document neighborhood landmarks such as Tappers, by Mary Melnick. _ another look at well-known, often photographed buildings such as the Stockyards Exchange Building in South St. Paul, by Katherine Scott. PAGE 60 DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 The artful lines of industry and the graceful lines of nature were another theme. Peder Thompson photographed construction of the new Wakota Bridge in South St. Paul, while Brandon Stengel captured the history of the former Gopher Ordnance Works of Rosemount. Harold Christenson took his camera to sylvan Trout Brook near Miesville (see story on page 12) and Peder Thompson traveled to Chimney Rock in Marshan Township. MARCH 2010 PAGE 61 •• TOMATOES .t POT STRAWBERRIES 'WATERMELONS RASPBERRIES • v Member Jack Kennelly has been photographing the County for years and these are just a few of his recent additions to the history of Dakota County. Above: Jack captured the powerful imagery of the Ames Sculpture in Burnsville's Heart of the City as well as the widely recognized sign for Keys Korner in Inver Grove Heights. Below: After Jack photographed the Orchard Gardens depot in September 2008, it was repainted by an Eagle Scout candidate and volunteers. Jack photographed it again in December 2008. DAKOTA COUNTY 1858 - 2008 William and Mary LeDuc were one of Minnesota's prominent pioneer families. Steve Werle has written An American Gothic to tell their engaging story along with the history of their Gothic Revival house in Hastings that reflects the architectural and landscape ideals of Andrew Jackson Downing. The book sells for $11.95 and is available at the Lawshe Memorial Museum in South St. Paul, the LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings or online at www.dakotahistory.org. PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE - PRODUCED BY DAKOTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Back Issues of Over the Years $5.00 (10% discount for members) • Railroads in Dakota County • Lebanon to Apple Valley: Transformation of a Dakota County Community • Made in Dakota County: Industry in Dakota County • Immigrant Stories • Good Earth: 140 Years of Agriculture in Dakota County • A Tale of Two Buildings: Exchange Bank Building and Livestock Exchange Building • Historical Reminiscences of Farmington and the Vicinity, Part I • Historical Reminiscences of Farmington and the Vicinity, Part II • Crimes and Misdemeanors • Navy V5 Cadets in and over Dakota County • Play Ball: 19'h Century Baseball in Dakota County • Gopher Ordnance Works • Preservation of Pilot Knob • Lucille Birchen, World War I Red Cross Nurse • Lowland Mounds of Dakota and Rice Counties • Free Air: Dakota County's First Brush with the Silver Screen • From Hand to Hand: The Legacy of a Post Office • Here Chick, Chick: The Art of Poultry Raising (and Stealing) in Dakota County • The Battle for Black Dog • Tales of an Historic Rivertown: 150 Years of Progress and Pride (Hastings Sesquicentennial) $10.00 • The Painting the Rainbow's Varying Hues: Castle Rock's Rainbow Gardens • Dakota County's Harold Stassen • South St. Paul Stockyards • Ghost Town of Lewiston • History That Never Happened • Romanian Women Immigrants }Yakota C ounty to the Twentieth 536.95 retail. $21.95 for members. TALES OP AN H,sroaic RrcarrowN.: 150 Veeas or PYOOR0o. AND Pon¢ Picturing the Past: Events that Shaped Dakota County in the Twentieth Century chronicles Dakota County's significant accomplishments and the events that made them possible. The 400-page hard cover book is beautifully designed and contains more than 300 photographs, many from private collections which have never been seen by the public. A great book for educators, students, or anyone interested in Dakota County History with space on their coffee table! Call (651) 552-7548 or go online at www.dakotahistory.org to order your copy today. MARCH 2010 THANK You! PARTNERS Dakota County Government 1st Minnesota Volunteer Regiment 2nd Minnesota Light Artillery 3rd Minnesota Volunteer Regiment Association of Midwest Museums Battery I Burnsville Performing Arts Center Burnsville Visual Artists Society Dakota County Libraries Dakota County Star Quilters Dakota City Heritage Village Dakota County Public Art Citizen Advisory Committee Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Ginnie Adams Watercolor Group City of Hastings Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce Hastings Art Guild Hastings Community Education Hastings Pioneer Room Independent School District 197 Minnesota Association of Museums Minnesota Historical Society Northfield Historical Society Rosemount Area Historical Society Saint Paul Volunteer Soldiers Aid Society South St. Paul Chapter of DCHS CORPORATE SPONSORS American Association of Museums/ Development and Membership Committee Bremer Bank Bruce Darsow Wallcovering Central Livestock Association City of Apple Valley City of Farmington City of Hastings City of Mendota Heights City of West St. Paul CHS Dakota County Star Quilters Dakota Electric Association Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Graphic Design Inc. Lakeville Area Historical Society Thomas & Marjorie Mairs Fund/St. Paul Foundation Minnesota Historical Society Minnesota State Legislature Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church SMEAD Manufacturing South St. Paul Medallions Car Club South St. Paul Chapter of DCHS State Farm Insurance, Steve Stremski Agency Target Westfield Group 2009 LAWSHE FUND DONORS Anonymous Sharon & Terry Avent Claire Barry William Bathke Harrison R. Benjamin William Beyer Jeanette Birnstengel Margaret E. Boike Michael & Maureen Bouchard Jane M. Brenna Arthur A. Broderson Sharon Bruestle Cirrie A. Byrnes Charlie Bzoskie Dorothy Cashman Mary J. Cavanagh Kevin Chamberlain David L. Christopherson Richard M. Clark Loretta E. Connelly Rollin H. Crawford Joy A. Curtin Richard & Janie Darsow David Dietz Mary Dombrock Ann Esta Doty Bruce Douglas Len Evanoff Sam H. Fudenberg Thomas A. Giguere Kathleen & Henry Goers David Grabitske Darlene & Vance Grannis Richard & Leslie Guelcher Robert & Susan Brask Hansen Patricia Harp Viorica Bretoi Hawley Ann Johnson Joseph Kaliszewski Mary & Tom Kaliszewski Joan C. Keetley Joan L. Kendall Peggy Korsmo Kennon Richard L. Klaus Bernard Klein Jackie T. Koza Don Kramlinger Tom Kranz Lou P. Kruchowski Gary G. Kuhn Heidi Langenfeld Steve & Marg Larson Leona Lauck Geraldine I. Leonard Betty Lindell Virginia G. Linderman Thomas G. Mairs Bob Malcolm Richard Matczynski Susan May Mark A. McAfee Mary A. McAlpin Michael G. McGinn Edward B. McMenomy Barbara McMorrow Peter H. Mecklenburg Daniel & Alice Mikel Joanne L. Miller J. Henry & Nancy Monroe Kathleen Neutz Richard N. Nightengale Nancy Olsen James J. Olson Thomas & Joann Pugh Mark & Ann Reidell John Remkus Anthony Rericha Patrick M. Rother Marion Ryan Vernon K. Schaaf Mary Kranz Schmit Glenda Schnirring Glen R. Shirley Rev. Martin Siebenaler Brian & Katherine Sovik-Siemen Michael Smeby Cindy Thury Smith Richard M. Sperle RoxAnn Splittstozer Lu Ann Stoffel Steve Stremski Mike Supina Josephine B. Teare Patricia Tiller David & Barbara Toombs Paul Verret Donald & Janet Voight John Vujovich Charles M. Wagenknecht Karen Wakefield Lee E. Walton Ethel J. Warweg Dorene S. Wellck Paul & Rita Welshons Joan M. Williams Osmund A. Wisness Elizabeth Witt William & Tish Wolston Vernon Yetzer PAGE 64 PARTNERS, SPONSORS & DONORS EVENTS - MARCH through OCTOBER MARCH 18 Midwest Genealogy Libraries Lawshe Memorial Museum; 7 p.m. - FREE Darlene Joyce will discuss a wonderful array of genealogy resources in Minnesota and nearby states. APRIL 13 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE Bill Wittenbreer presents 19th century Minnesota artists with a special focus on Alice LeDuc. 18 Authors' Day - The American Indian in Minnesota LeDuc Historic Estate; 2 p.m. - FREE Authors Curtis Dahlin (The Dakota Uprising: A Pictorial History) and Bruce White (We are at Home). !MICA AC rn .„„. „l. 1111t1/M !t 11111111111111111111111111 CLATIS t3AHLl\ whh Phteewnwkaw ow Caw hww4w.4. MAY 11 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE Marion Hvistendahl presents on 19th century medicine and the portrayal of Lydia Pinkham. 26 Season Opens at LeDuc! LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. Tours at 10, 11:30, 1, 2:30 & 4. Through October 31. JUNE 5 Vermillion Falls Walking Tour LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. - $3-$6 8 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE Speaker TBA; Introduction of Modern Interpretations of Historic Designs II. 21-25 Life With the LeDuc's - Summer Youth Camp LeDuc Historic Estate; 8 a.m. - Noon - Fee TBA See Hastings Community Education for more info. JULY 3 Vermillion Falls Walking Tour LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. - $3-$6 JULY (continued) 8-9 Dig LeDuc! - Archaeology Camp LeDuc Historic Estate; 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; $99 See Hastings Community Education for more info. 13 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE AUGUST 1, 8, 15 Free Sunday Night Concert 22 LeDuc Historic Estate; Time TBA - FREE Sponsored by Hastings Concert Association 7 Vermillion Falls Walking Tour LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. - $3-$6 10 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE Ken Roen presents President Abraham Lincoln. 21 Farm, Food & Fun Fair LeDuc Historic Estate - Details TBA SEPTEMBER 4 Vermillion Falls Walking Tour LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. - $3-$6 7 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 pm. - FREE Heidi Langenfeld presents recent research with an emphasis on Ignatius Donnelly. 11-12 Civil War Weekend - Prelude to War LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - $3-$6 150 years ago the nation was in crisis, and in 2010 we are exploring not just the war but the year leading up to our nation's bloodiest conflict. You'll meet the farmers, politicians, and families that were about to have their lives turned upside down. OCTOBER 2 Vermillion Falls Walking Tour LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. - $3-$6 12 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE Speaker and program TBA 23 Harvest Haunting LeDuc Historic Estate; Time TBA - $5 Family -friendly with spooky readings, tours, & more. Lawshe Memorial Museum 130 Third Avenue North South St. Paul, MN 55075 Keep your calendar open for these events! APRIL 13 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE Bill Wittenbreer presents 19th century Minnesota artists wit special focus on Alice LeDuc. April 18 Authors' Day - The American Indian in Minnesota LeDuc Historic Estate; 2 p.m. - FREE Authors Curtis Dahlin (The Dakota Uprising: A Pictorial History) and Bruce White (We are at Home). MAY 11 Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings Meeting LeDuc Historic Estate; 7 p.m. - FREE Marion Hvistendahl presents on 19th century medicine and portrayal of Lydia Pinkham. May 26 Season Opens at LeDuc! through LeDuc Historic Estate; 10 a.m. - $3-$6, FREE for members Oct. 31 Wednesday -Saturday, tours at 10, 11:30, 1, 2:30 & 4. Sunday, tours at 1, 2:30 & 4. u tAadS irNctuim, 11,4 Non -Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid South St. Paul, MN Permit #45 ,h a the the Years A Publication of the Dakota County Historical Society Volume 40 Number 2 December 2000 PLAY BALL! HE BEGINNING OF AMATEUR BASEBALL IN DAKOTA COUNTY, 1865 - 18qo Dakota County Historical Society 13o Third Ave. North South St. Paul MN 55075 (651) 451-626o fax (651) 552-7265 e-mail dchs@mtn.org Staff Mark L. Reidell, Executive Director Rebecca J. Snyder, Associate Director/Librarian Eleanor Clubb, Administrative Assistant Helen Waldoch, Receptionist Jim Abicht, Research Associate Officers Steven Larson, President Richard Guyer, Vice President Bill Wolston, Secretary Lois Puckett, Treasurer Mary Kaliszewski, Past President Trustees Sue Doty Dick Darsow Arlyn Lamb Richard Voorhees Maureen Geraghty Bouchard, Rosemount Chapter Sharon Bruestle, Mendota/West St. Paul Chapter Lu Stoffel, Hastings Chapter Honorary Consultant David Nystuen Advisory Council Duncan Baird Margaret 5. Hubbs Thomas G. Mairs LaDonna Boyd Roger B. Shepard County Commissioners Patrice Bataglia Willis E. Branning Joseph A. Harris Paul J. Krause Donald J. Maher Nancy Schouweiler Michael E. Turner Special Thanks to our corporate organizations Cenex/Harvest States Bremer Bank Wakota Credit Union Max Steininger, Inc. Dakota Electric ist State Bank of Rosemount Southview Bank City of Apple Valley Richfield Bank & Trust City of Mendota Heights Dakota County Government Membership support of the Dakota County Historical Society is one of the most important sources of funding for the organization. Members receive: Over the Years -- Published twice a year, this fea- ture publication focuses in depth on a particular historical topic. "Dakota County History" -- The newsletter which keeps members up to date on museum activities. © Dakota County Historical Society, 2000 Over the Years A Publication of the Dakota County Historical Society Volume 4o Number 2 December 2000 The Dakota County Historical Society would like to express its appreciation to Michael J. Cramer for providing the manuscript for this issue of Over the Years. It is extracted from his Master's thesis, the entirety of which is on file at the Society's research library. A gradu- ate of Minnesota State University, Michael currently teaches history at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. Table of Contents Building Tradition Amidst Change Pagel Decade of Challenges Page 5 Establishing Traditions Page 12 Appendix, Dakota County Teams Page 23 Endnotes Page 24 Front cover: The Hiniker Shoe Company baseball team, c. 1903. Photographs of local baseball teams in the -9th century, are rare. Once community baseball teams established themselves, it was not uncommon for local companies to start their own "nines". The manufacturer of this team's uniforms, unfortunately, misspelled the company's name. PLAY [TALL! THE BEGINNING OF AMATEUR BASEBALL IN DAKOTA COUNTY, 1865 - 1890 by Michael J. Cramer CHAPTER I BUILDING TRADITION AMIDST CHANGE: THE ORIGINS OF AMATEUR BASEBALL IN DAKOTA COUNTY Dakota County was one of the original nine counties created by the Minnesota Territorial Legislature in March of 1849. At the time, the county extended fifty miles north of present day Hastings and west to the Missouri River. on October 27, 1849, Dakota County was estab- lished. The county was organized on March 5, 1853, at which time the present boundaries were formed. Kaposia was named the first county seat before it was changed to Mendota in 1854. In 1857, the county seat was moved to Hastings where it has been ever since.2 The first baseball club organized in Dakota County was the Vermillion Baseball Club of Hastings. The Hastings Conserver announced on June 27, 1865, that the dub had elected S. Mills, Jr., president; Walter C. Cowles, vice- president; Irving Todd, secretary; and Denis Follett, treasurer.3 The elected officers of the Vermillion Club were men of prominence in the city. For exam- ple, W. C. Cowles owned a lumber mill and Denis Follett a bank. Follett, born in 184o, moved to Hastings in 1861. Within four years he owned the First National Bank. Irving Todd was editor of the Hastings Conserver. As was witnessed by the election of Henry H. Sibley, prominent men often served as elected officials in baseball clubs and associations. Though not always the case, they were responsible for the organization of baseball, and other athletic clubs, throughout igth cen- tury Dakota County. Many theories exist to explain this phenome- non in the urban setting, but the rural setting has yet to be explored in detail. In his influen- tial article, historian Benjamin Rader makes a convincing argument, albeit based on an urban milieu, that "a quest for subcommunities in the nineteenth century furnished an important key to understanding the rise of American sport."5 Rader's explanation was based on two types of subcommunities: ethnic and status. The crite- ria by which he measured the impact of sport on a community was: The adoption of exclusionary membership policies, the promotion of other activities besides sport, the development of appropri- ate symbols which facilitated communica- tion between members, and the belief, either implicit or explicit, that sport partici- pation was useful in socializing youth.6 BASE BALL CLUB. —Vermillion Base Ball Club organized at the office of THE CONSERVER on Saturday evening, by the election of the following officers: President,—S. MJLLs, jr. Vice President,—W. C. COWLES. Secretary,—IRvINo TODD. Treasurer•,—DENNI3 FOLLETT) A challenge for a match game has been received from North Star Club, St. Paul, which is accepted, to come off some time next month. Hastings Conserver 27 June 1865 December 2000 Over the Years Page 1 Throughout Dakota County in the 19th centu- ry, amateur baseball teams actively promoted other activities besides baseball. The quest for community, not subcommunities, was the motivation behind prominent men of Dakota County organizing amateur baseball teams .' This explanation is further substantiated by sociologist Geoffrey Alan Ingham. Ingham based his argument on the concepts of imita- tion and emulation. According to Ingham, "as new towns emerged, a status hierarchy formed, at the top of which was a cadre of actual or self-proclaimed gentlemen of means."8 The common man, or imitator, fol- lowed where the "elite" had led. In short, "the elite led the lower orders into sport."9 Although the aptness of both Rader and Ingham's conclusions will be seen many times throughout the 19th century, that does not mean it will always be the case. In the case of the Vermillion Club, however, it was. The newly organized dub issued a challenge to the North Star Club of St. Paul, which accepted. Their first game of the year, played in Hastings, resulted in a 55-21 win by the North Star. After the game, the Vermillion Club hosted its St. Paul guests for dinner at the Herndon House.1° The importance of the whole affair was summed up by the paper as, "an important era in the history of the game in the state."" A week after its first game the Vermillion Club announced in the paper its practice schedule and encouraged anyone to come and watch. Keeping with their prior arrangements, the North Star and Vermillion Clubs played their return match.12 Played in St. Paul on Wednesday, September 20, the North Star Club won again with ease, 49-16. Although the Vermillion Club lost again, this time sporting their new blue and white uniforms, the spirit of competition was evident. The Conserver reported that, "no matter who proves winner, our boys may be sure of a hospitable recep- tion."13 After the game, the North Star Club provided dinner at the International, and the season concluded with a cordial relationship between the two clubs. NON.?H STAR. 0. R. VERMILLION. O. R. Olin, p, I 8 Finch, s s, 4 1 Wilson, c,.......... 2 8 S tone, c 3 3 Spencer, lot b . 2 6 Marshall, 3d b,.... 5 0 Daily, s s,3 5 De Bromley, c f, ... 4 6 Gardner, f, 4 2 Webb r t, 3 8 Greiner, lot b,.... 1 5 Lark, I f, 3 5 Norton, p, 2 2 Lampher, 3d b,..... 4 6 Barnum, 2d b,2 3 Tostevin, 2d b, 5 5 Kinsey, a f,. 3 2 RUNS MADE IRf RACK INNING. ist. 2d. ad. 4th. 5th. 6th. 7th. 8th. 9th. North Star, 4 4 8 7 6 1 18 6 1-55 Vermillion, 2 2 0 0 1 2 7 0 7-21 Umpire--W. C. Cowles, of the Vermillion Club. Scorers --Messrs. Swartz and Potts. Hastings Conserver 4 July 1865 After showing much enthusiasm in 1865, the Vermillion Club was inactive in 1866. The club was mentioned only once in the Conserver the entire summer. On May 8, by order of the dub vice-president, W. C. Cowles, there was a meet- ing for members of the club at the office of the Conserver.14 What was discussed at the meet- ing was never released, but the topic was prob- ably the lack of organization. After a promising first year, the Vermillion Club, for reasons unknown, did not play a game in 1866. In late June of 1867, the Hastings Gazette reported that the Vermillion Club was reorga- nizing for the season.15 Moreover, a week later, on the front page of the paper was a fea- tured article about the conditions of baseball in Minnesota. It was reported that this "excellent and truly American game is becoming quite fashionable in this state."16 Undoubtedly the most "fashionable" dub in Dakota County, and perhaps the state, was the Vermillion Club. Upon reorganization, the Vermillion Club elect- ed new officers and a board of directors. The officers were: president, Dr. Jeremiah E. Finch; vice-president and umpire, W. C. Cowles; trea- surer, George Newman; and secretary, J. H. Etheridge.' The board of directors included George Newman, Dr. J. E. Finch, George H. Marshall, John F. Norrish and J. H. Etheridge.'' The dub, which consisted of two nines, prac- ticed every Tuesday and Friday at 4:0o p.m. at the old grounds on 8th Street. Business meet- ings were scheduled for the first Monday of Page 2 Over the Years December 2000 each month at Good Templar's Hal1.1$ Responding to a challenge forwarded by the Vermillion Club, the Minneapolis Club traveled to Hastings via the steamboat War Eagle to play. In its first game of the season, and third in its three year history, the Vermillion Club lost 64-51.19 Played on the Market Square grounds, a large assembly of people witnessed the game.2° After the game the winning team was awarded a bouquet of flowers before enjoy- ing dinner at the Tremont and finally departing on the evening boat for Red Wing. In Rosemount, meanwhile, it was reported that there was a game played by the newly formed Rosemount Base Ball Club. The club apparent- ly consisted of thirty members. The elected officers were: president, John Gilman; vice- president, John Farquhar; secretary, Van Hoosenburg; and treasurer, C. R. Clough.21 Eager to play a match game with the Vermillions, as well as begin a rivalry, the Rosemount Club warned the Vermillion Club to "look out for your laurels."22 The warning went unheeded, the two teams did not play one another that summer. Despite the lack of a game recap, this was the first time baseball was reported to have been played in Rosemount, where, it was suggested, baseball was becoming quite the rage with both young and old. Playing the return match with the Minneapolis Club, the Vermillion Club lost its fourth straight game 72-46.23 Even though the Vermillion Club lost two straight to the Minneapolis Club, its players nonetheless believed they could beat the Minneapolitans. Meanwhile, there was a game between two other Hastings teams that was well received in town. With most unusual names, the First Nine that Never Played a Game and the Second Nine that Never Wanted to Play did indeed play. With the Hastings band providing music the two teams tied, 66-66.2¢ Although the paper recom- mended that the game be resumed because of the tie, it never was. During the state tournament in St. Paul, when wins perhaps counted most, the Vermillion Club finally found its winning ways. On September 24, playing in the first class division, the Vermillion Club's first game was against the St. Cloud Arctics. Scoring more runs than in its previous two games combined, the Vermillion Club handily defeated the Arctics loo-44.�5 By winning that game, the Vermillion Club secured a spot in the first -ever championship game of baseball played in Minnesota. In a closely contested game, St. Paul's North Star Club came out ahead, 43-35.26 For a team that did not win its first game until the state tournament, the Vermillion Club, as the paper indicated, "should feel proud of their part in the contest."27 In just two years the Vermillion Club had established itself as the premier club in Dakota County as well as one of the elite amateur clubs in the state. The club's success meant, of course, rivals. Closing the season as the second best team in the state indeed inspired others to organize and attempt to defeat the best. Barney Cole and Pat Borden from Inver Grove, c. 189o. December 2000 Over the Years Page 3 In early April 1868 the Gazette reported that the fine weather was inspiring the local base- ballists. In Hastings, there was optimism that the Vermillion Club would regain its skill of the previous year. For the third straight year, the Vermillion Club elected officers and a board of directors. The officers consisted of: president, W. C. Cowles; vice president, Dr. Jeremiah E. Finch; treasurer, George C. King; and secretary, Frank Newton. The board of directors were George Newman, George C. King and Dr. Finch. The club also elected an honorary member, L.A. Taylor of Prescott.28 Baseball was played in Hastings on the Fourth of July for the first time in 1868. It was not, however, the only recreation. Horse - trotting, sack running, greased pig chases and oily pole climbing were also featured. Playing in its first game of the season on the Fourth of July, the Vermillion Club hosted the Minnehaha Club from Northfield. In the game, about which, as the paper reported, "the Vermillion club was brought out with great reluctance," the Minnehaha Club won easily by the score of 54-19. The paper also reported that as the Northfield Club left, so too did the ambition of the Vermillion Club.29 As the Vermillion Club was showing signs of disorganization, the challenges nevertheless kept coming. For example, a local team called the O.T.B. Club challenged them. Also, the Union Club of Lake City issued numerous chal- lenges beginning in August, which were not responded to until late September. Meanwhile, the state championship opened in Rochester. The only Dakota County connec- tion to it was W. C. Cowles, who served as umpire for the Minnehaha Club of Northfield. In Farmington, the Telegraph reported in early August that a meeting would be held at J. C. McCarty's store for the purpose of organizing a baseball club.3° The club that was organized, the Lightfoot Base Ball Club, announced a mandatory practice for Saturday, September 18, at 2:00 p.M.31 The Lightfoots were was practicing for a match with the Vermillion Club, which had finally played and defeated the Lake City Unions, and won, 35-34.32 The antic- ipated match between the Lightfoot and Vermillion Clubs did not take place, owing in part to the time of the year. On Sunday, September 26, the Vermillion Club traveled to Lake City on the War Eagle to play the return match with the Unions. In what would be their last game, the Vermillion Club won 34-32.33 When the club left on the steam- boat Key City in the evening to return to Hastings, pleased with their win, their legacy had been already been established. Although baseball was played in Dakota County for years to come, the Vermillion Club was the first to introduce competition and local pride. Single- handedly, the Vermillion Club was responsible for the introduction of baseball to Dakota County. In Farmington, the 1869 season began with the reorganization of the Lightfoot Base Ball Club. The following offi- cers were elected: president, John E. Kelley; vice-president, Alfred O. Hendryx; secretary, John E. Ward; and treasurer, George H. Kelley. The board of directors included John E. Ward, J. W. Humphrey, John E. Ives and team cap- tain, Arthur Hall.34 Shortly after organization the club issued a challenge to the Union Base Ball Club of Lakeville. The Unions accepted the challenge, but found themselves playing the Farmington Stars. The Lightfoot Club changed its name at the last moment. The Telegraph reported, "Considerable surprise was manifested by the spectators at the dexterity of the 'Stars', for a majority were almost totally without practice. With requisite practice they could become one of the best in this section of the State." The Page 4 Over the Years December 2000 same officers were elected as the Lightfoot Club, with the exception of J. E. Ives who was elected treasurer. Also, the club elected D. D. Case as captain of the first nine and Alfred Hendryx and Thomas L. Norris as chairmen.35 The next game of the 1869 season featured the newly formed X.L. Club of Hastings and the aforementioned Stars. Played in Hastings, the X.L.s won the game 66-4o. The Gazette reported that the game was witnessed by an estimated eight to ten thousand people. Oddly enough, the population of Hastings was less than half of the estimated total.36 Moreover, the same article reported that, "we are pleased to say that but few casualties occurred, none of a serious nature."37 This form of boosterism notwithstanding, everyone present was evi- dently satisfied with the celebration. In the return game, played in Farmington, the X.L. Club was again victorious, 54-13.38 Meanwhile, another Farmington club was formed. The Lone Star Club was organized in early September with the following elected officers: president, F. C. Mosbaugh; vice-presi- dent, William E. Hull; secretary, John A. Clark; and treasurer, Leroy P. Fluke. The board of directors included Thomas Harbert, J. E. Kelley and J. E. Ward.39 Any games the Lone Star Club may have played were not reported in Farmington. This is because the Farmington Telegraph published its last paper on August 26, just 21 days after the club was organized. As a result, Farmington was without a local paper until the first issue of the Farmington Press was pub- lished on August 4, 187o. Amateur baseball in the summer of 1869 did not have quite the same vitality as that of pre- vious years. Although measures were taken to organize clubs, only two played. The Hastings X.L. Club and the Farmington Stars closed out the decade as the lone representatives of Dakota County baseball. As the most influen- tial and formative decade of amateur baseball passed, there was fertile ground indeed for new traditions to be born. CHAPTER II DECADE OF CHALLENGES: THE 187os The first game of baseball played in 1870 was between the Eureka and Rosemount Clubs. Played in Eureka, the visiting team won the game rather convincingly, 55-11.1 This was the first recorded baseball team from Eureka. There was talk in Rosemount soon after the game about using the grounds near the Vermillion Hotel in Hastings for games on the Fourth of July. Unfortunately, the plans were never carried through. As a result, the afore- mentioned game was the only one in which both the Eureka and Rosemount Clubs played all summer. In Hastings, meanwhile, there was a game scheduled for the Fourth of July. The game featured the X.L. Club and the old Vermillion Club. On a day opened by an oration and a reading of the Declaration of Independence, the old Vermillion Club came up short, losing 57-49•2 The importance and support given this day, as well its activities, was underscored by the railroads and steam -ferries charging only half-price fares to and from Hastings. In Farmington, foot and horse racing were the rages that summer. There was, however, one rather unique game of baseball played. The recently published Farmington Press reported in early November a female game of baseball. The paper suggested that one of the girls made a home run. This was only because she saw her father, whom the paper labeled a "cruel parient [sic]," coming at her with a switch.3 Owing to the nature of the article, it is likely this was a loosely organized group of female ball players. Nonetheless, insofar as is known, it marked the first such undertaking by Dakota County female baseballists in the 19th century. • • • • At a female game of base -ball, in this vicinity, recently, one of the girls made a " home run." She saw her father coming with a switch. Cruel parient. Farmington Press 3 November 1870 December 2000 Over the Years Page 5 HORSE -TROT ! Saturday, June 14, AT THE FAIR GROUNDS IN FARMINGTON. MILE HEATS —Best two in three. HORSES ENTERED: LONG JOIHNNwned by Dr. Berlin; Woodruff's BLACK MARE ; Horse BAY BILLY' I Bh ffie d; For s Puree. ¢'Trotting at 2;4 o'clock, p. m. The regu- lar rules for racing will he applied. Admission through the gates, 26 cts. Come One and Alt F" Money to be expended in fencing the Fair Grounds. Farmington Press 12 June 1873 Considering only three games of baseball were reported in 187o, and rather scarcely at best, it is not surprising that 1871 and 1872 ended up as they did. In both years, there were no report- ed games of baseball played. In fact, baseball was not even mentioned. As a result, other forms of recreation were widely practiced. These new "rages" quickly captured the atten- tion of the citizens and more often than not these new rages died out nearly as fast as they emerged. Two such examples, billiards and croquet, in consecutive years, were widely practiced. Trotting, running, pacing, foot racing, chicken and pigeon shooting were the most popular of the activities.4 It was estimated that three to five thousand people attended the Fourth of July events in Hastings.5 The summer of 1873 was not altogether unlike that of the previous two. There was, however, one game of baseball played. Playing in their first game ever, a club from Castle Rock chal- lenged the old Vermillion Club to a match game on the Fourth of July. Competing with horse and foot racing on the Fourth, the game nonetheless drew a respectable crowd. Showing they still could play ball, the old Vermillion Club won by the score of 63-28.6 Although there was but one game of baseball played in 1873, its place in Dakota County was indeed pale in comparison to the new wave of options available. Passenger pigeon shooting was the rage in Hastings in the summer of 1874. In fact, the members of the pigeon shooting club included former members of the Vermillion Club. For example, J.C. Meloy, L.S. Follett, William Gillit, J.E. Finch, Denis Follett, J.F. Norrish and George H. Marshall were all active members. In Farmington, meanwhile, the only reference to baseball was the hosting of a game between the Northfield Silver Star and St. Paul Metropolitan Clubs, which the former won 29- 9.7 While the game drew modest crowds, the biggest event of the season was a grand foot race at the end of October. After withstanding challenges from other forms of recreation, baseball in Dakota County made a resurgence in the summer of 1875. Even though spelling bees were the newest fad in April 1875, baseball would again be included as a featured event during the Fourth of July festivities in Hastings. Unfortunately, because of disorganization, the Gazette reported that as early as 8:0o a.m. the morning of Independence Day, no baseball teams had been ready to play. In Farmington, the season opened with an announcement that the Lightfoots, were going to Castle Rock to play a nine from that village, the Clippers.8 Playing what the Press reported was "an old experienced club," the Lightfoot Club was severely outmatched, los- ing 43-16.9 Although the two clubs agreed to play a return match, it did not occur. Page 6 Over the Years December zoo° The Lightfoots played their second and last game of the season against the Hastings Base Ball Club. Playing in its first game of the sea- son, the Hastings Club won the game, in Farmington, 44-39. The Press reported that the Lightfoot Club played well, but the umpire was too much for them to win.1° Typically umpires took the blame for a club's defeat. It is perhaps understandable in lopsided games, but owing to the closeness of this affair, it appears the umpire served as the scapegoat for another Farmington loss. This kind of criticism was characteristic of both Farmington and Lakeville. In this "decade of rages," another appeared in the summer of 1875. Boat racing was the newest fad and clubs were formed with much frequency. However, the Gazette reported that, "boat clubs [are] just now the sensation and they will have to run their course before a new disease can be contracted."" Amidst the latest rage, the Gazette reported that a new baseball dub had been organized in Hastings. Holding a meeting at the law office of Van Slyke & Chamberlain officers were elected. Because of the number of members, two teams were organized, the Hastings Crescents and Modocs. They played each other for practice. The elected officers were: president, J.C. Norton; vice-president, Daniel T. Chamberlain; secretary, E. Herbert Freeman; and treasurer, John A. Duffy. The board of directors included H. Vincent Meloy, Talmon Stultz and George Allen.12 For the upcoming Dakota County Fair, the Dakota County Agricultural Society (DCAS) offered for the champion baseball club of the county, a regulation size silver ball. The restric- tions were that the game had to be played at the fairgrounds on the last day of the fair. Also, teams were to choose their own umpire ten days prior to the contest. All teams were also required to play by the rules of 1875.'3 The Crescents opened their season by issuing a challenge to the newly organized Farmington Club, which was not accepted because of the illness of some of its players. Meanwhile, the Crescents' enthusiasm and popularity inspired new rival teams. They also proved that base- ball could endure in spite of so many chal- lenges. On September 18, the Gazette reported that "baseball is engaged in nearly every after- noon in this city."14 In its first game of the season, by an invitation from the St. Paul Red Caps, the Crescent Club traveled to St. Paul to play in the State Fair Tournament. Although they were not expect- ing to play a club with a state reputation, the Crescents played a close match with the Minneapolis Unions. The game was closely contested until the seventh inning when sever- al reportedly unjust decisions by the umpire discouraged the players and led to their defeat. The paper reported that, in their first game of the season, "our boys have every reason to feel proud of their defeat."15 The new rival, the Active Base Ball Club of Hastings, formerly the Modocs, was organized with the following officers: president, B.C. Howes; vice-president, Larry J. Casserly; secre- tary, Charles Rathbone; and, treasurer, George Hetherington. Willie C. King, Eddie W. Kraus and George W. Williams served as the board of directors.16 With first-class players, the Hastings Union reported, the Actives were pre- pared to give the Crescents all they could han- dle and make it lively for neighboring clubs.'' The highly anticipated game at the county fair for the silver ball was played between the Crescents and the Farmington Excelsior Club. After six innings the score stood 14-12 in favor of the Crescents. During the next two innings though, the Excelsiors became demoralized and ended up losing what was considered a very pleasant affair, 45-18.18 An unusual activity was indulged in after the game, a throwing and batting contest. Frank Torrance of the Crescents threw the ball the furthest to win and Excelsiors' William Slocum won the batting contest. Each was awarded $5.00 for their accomplishments. Withstanding numerous challenges by the mid-187os baseball December 2000 Over the Years Page 7 had demonstrated that it was not just another fad, but an enduring part of summer that car- ried more enthusiasm than any other activity. The Crescents carried their enthusiasm into the summer of 1876. In mid -May the Gazette reported that the club had formally organized for the season. The elected officers for the sea- son included: president, D.T. Chamberlain; vice president, H. V. Meloy; secretary and treasurer, T. D. Stultz. The directors included T. D. Stultz, B. F. Torrance and G. M. Allen.19 On May 26, the Union reported that the DCAS had met to organize a program for a gala day on June 14. They decided to host a game of base- ball for the silver ball in which teams from all over the state would be invited to compete. The Crescents had not yet practiced, even though the Farmington boys, as the paper reported, "are practicing daily for the contest."2° What was missing at the DCAS meeting was an agreement by the Crescents to defend the silver ball. As it was, the "gala day did not include the game that the DCAS assumed would be played. Meanwhile, the first game of the season took place at the Farmington fairgrounds between the Castle Rock Club and the St. Paul Red Caps. The Red Caps had to catch their train after the fifth inning, which was a blessing for the Castle Rock Club, which trailed by the score of 37-1.21 The Crescents opened their season in Northfield with a match with the Silver Stars. Playing for a purse of 5o.0o the Crescents lost badly to the Silver Stars, 37-2. Trying to find some excuse for this season's opening debacle, the Crescents, like all defeated clubs, "seem to think they fell into the hands of professionals."22 This was not true. The rather unamicable arti- cle also noted that until the Crescents learned that the game required skill and practice, under rigid discipline, "they have no business compet- ing with clubs which have reduced the game to a science."23 That the Castle Rock Club had reduced the game to a science was unlikely. As a result, the Crescents were able to win their first game of the year against Castle Rock, 37-22.24 Responding perhaps to the criticism manifest- ed by the Gazette, the Crescent Club announced that it was building new playing grounds. The location was to be at or near the race track. The enclosure planned was Soo by 35o feet with a seven -foot fence around it.25 The Crescents anticipated attracting the lead- ing clubs of the state to their new grounds. For example, they hoped to schedule matches with the Northfield Silver Stars, St. Croix Club of Stillwater, Minneapolis Blue Stockings, Winona Clippers and St. Paul Red Caps. Voicing its approval, the Gazette noted that "we com- mend the enterprise of the Crescents."26 A week after the Crescents announced their new grounds were underway, they organized for the -877 season.27 This measure had yet to be undertaken by any Dakota County club. This was perhaps the only time in the 19th cen- tury a club organized during one season for the following. The Crescents obviously felt a sense of shame with the aforementioned article. Hastings had been instrumental in shaping Dakota County baseball and the Crescents did not want to disgrace that tradition. Inspired, perhaps, by the fact that the Crescents did not include any local clubs in their desired list to visit their new grounds, another Hastings club was established. The Athletics were organized and elected the fol- lowing officers: president, John F. Newton; vice-president, J.W. Whitman; secretary, John A. Duffy; and captain, Daniel Clark.28 At the time of organization the club consist- ed of fifteen members. Nearly a month after the Crescents' embarrass- ing defeat at the hands of the Northfield Club, which fueled their new park and reorganization, the two teams met again. Played in Hastings at their new park, in a game considered to be "in some respects the best ever played by the Crescents," the Silver Stars nonetheless held on to win by the score of 13-7.29 Page 8 Over the Years December zoo° Appearing for the first time in the summer of 1876, two other Hastings teams met on the Crescent grounds. In their first of many meet- ings to come, the Fats defeated the Leans by the score of 21-19. The Gazette did not trivial- ize the affair as the team names might warrant, but rather treated the match as it did Crescents' games. Whether or not the members of the respective teams enjoyed their clubs' names is, however, a matter of conjecture.3° Traveling to St. Paul to play the Red Caps, the Crescents lost another game, 19-4. It was a modest affair considering the Crescents were, according to the paper, "only amateurs, they did not expect to score with professionals."31 Next, the Crescents traveled to Winona to play the Clippers in the first of a home -and -home series. In the first game, playing with some new mem- bers, the Crescents lost by the score of 10-1.32 In the return game, for which a 25 cent admis- sion was charged at the new park, the Crescents lost again by the same score.33 This was the first time an admission fee was charged for an amateur baseball game in Dakota County. It was likely done to help cover the costs of the new ball field the Crescents had recently built. Demonstrating that relations were cordial between the Crescents and Gazette, the paper blamed the home loss on the inexperience of some of the Crescent players who had appar- ently never played before. However, the box scores from both Winona Clipper games show the exact same nine playing in both contests. Once highly critical of the Crescents, the Gazette was defending their otherwise poor showings by making excuses for their losses.34 For the second time that sea- son, the Fats and Leans met. In the game, in which "no bones were broken by the Leans" the Fats won again 22-21. Based on newspaper accounts, some of the Fats weighed around 200- 240 pounds. Even so, those in "Snow ball wil I be the next in order." attendance were delighted, and the game itself was commented on by those who took an interest in the national game.35 The Crescents, meanwhile, were still trying to find their winning ways. Playing against the Silver Stars of Northfield, considered the lead- ing club in the state, the Crescents fell short, losing 16-15. In the recap, the Gazette reported that neither club employed professionals, as did the St. Paul Red Caps. Instead, they relied on the "muscle and skill of the respective neighborhoods, such as acquired by recreation, the true object of such amusements."36 Even after losing game after game, the Crescents refused to quit for the season. Traveling to St. Paul to play the Red Caps, the Crescents lost again, this time 17-2.37 It appeared the only thing that would end the Crescent season was snow, and it did. Along with the beginning of the Fat vs. Lean rivalry in the summer of 1876, the resiliency of the Crescent Base Ball Club of Hastings was evident. After the criticism warranted against them in the Gazette, the Crescents built a new park, reorganized and challenged some of the top teams in the state. In doing so, they were clearly outmatched and lost by wide margins. They did not, however, quit. Finally, after a roller -coaster season, the paper reported on October 4 that, "base ball is emphatically dead. Snow ball will be the next in order."38 The summer of 1877 got under way with, to no surprise, the organization of the Crescent Club. This was announced by the Gazette on April 7. In June, with no games reported to have been played, the question was suc- cinctly asked, "What has become of our base ball club?"39 Considering fishing was the newest rage, they per- haps had gone fishing. One member of the previous year's Crescent Club, president H. V. Meloy, was serving as the new president of the recently formed Vermillion Yacht Club. December 2000 Over the Years Page 9 In early June it was reported that the St. Croix Club of Stillwater was coming to Hastings to play a match game with the Crescents. The game which took place Saturday, June 13, was won by the visiting club 9-8.4° The excitement of the preceding year had apparently given way to fishing parties, there was but little interest in the game of baseball. With so much enthusiasm about baseball and the new ball grounds just months prior, it was announced that, "base ball is about played out in this city." Moreover, "it is high time the lum- ber which encloses the grounds of the Crescents was made up into chicken coops."41 The Gazette again showed its caustic side when it announced that, "the Crescent club has about petered; it requires energy and skill to play, traits the Crescents had apparently lacked."42 By early August the baseball grounds had been dismantled and the lumber sold. Soon after, a gymnastic society had been organized. Former president of the Hastings Athletics, John F. Newton, served as an officer as did Frank Torrance, the former star of the Crescents.43 This new sport became so popular that by August 25, it was reported that there were already 46 members.44 Gymnastics was not however, just a fad. Gymnastics, like baseball, had staying power. Gymnastics was in Dakota County, as it was elsewhere in America, "devel- oping the muscles of our citizens."45 What is important in this example is the rapidity in which one form of recreation negated almost all others. What differentiated baseball and gymnastics however, was that they endured. They did not, like billiards for example, become the rage and just as quickly get replaced. Instead, they withstood the challenges brought on by other fads. For that reason baseball in the summer of 1876 was able to dominate all other forms of recreation. Citizens generally knew what to expect from baseball; for exam- ple, rules, players, location of games and equip- ment, which helped the development of local traditions. This explains why the Gazette acted as it did towards the Crescents and why the Crescents likewise played as they did, against undoubtedly superior teams. Owing perhaps to a lack of baseball in Farmington in 1877, it was noted in early May, 1878 that "some of our folks manifest symp- toms of the baseball mania."46 What these symptoms were is not known. Experiencing similar withdrawal in Hastings, it was reported that, "we think it's about time for our base bal- lists to re-organize."47 These requests went unobserved until mid -August when a mysteri- ous baseball article appeared. There was a match scheduled on the old Crescent grounds between two local busi- nesses. The Knights of the Yard Stick, or dry goods clerks, against the court house Ink Slingers.48 H.W. Babbidge was elected cap- tain of the Knights of the Yard Stick and J. W. Whitman secretary. In the first baseball game between local busi- nesses in Dakota County, played Tuesday, August 20, at 3:0o p.m., the Knights of the Yard Stick won 14-1o.49 The following week, in the "Farmington Items" section of the paper, it was reported that some "ex -base ballists" think that they can "knock the stuffing out of the Inkslingers or the yard sticks in-the- mud."5° This potentially exuberant contest unfortunately never took place. The 1879 season began where the past season left off, at least in the newspaper. In April, the Gazette reported that pitchers were at a pre- mium at the court house. Although matches occurred in the summer of 1879, criticism of the game was at an all-time high. By mid -April baseball playing seemed to be los- ing its grip on the citizens of Dakota County. According to the paper, "if it were swept out of existence a great many sprained ankles, peeled noses, and broken thumbs would be avoid- ed."51 Also, the issue of Sunday baseball was regarded as a good subject for local ministers to rail against. Page 10 Over the Years December 2000 The first game of the season was nonetheless played in late April. It was however, a rather melancholy affair. The game was played by Hastings "youngsters" and apparently was too insignificant to even publish the score. Instead, it was asked if, "the Crescents will re- organize for this season?"52 The answer was unfortunately, no. In keeping with the already apparent theme of the 187os, 1879 was likewise rife with new crazes. Archery, equestrianism, and football were the new activities of the summer. Croquet, billiards, fishing, pigeon shooting, trotting and walking matches were also popu- lar diversions. The old Crescent grounds had given way to only those that, according to the paper, "like to see plenty of hay grow."S3 Not in favor of watching the hay grow, but playing baseball, two local baseball teams arranged a game to be played on the old Crescent grounds. In what was the only reported baseball game of the season, the Counter Jumpers challenged the Ink Slingers. And for the second straight year, the Ink Slingers went down in defeat, los- ing badly, 42-11.54 The game represented the last one played in the 187os. Although chal- lenges threatened the game of baseball throughout the 187os, it nevertheless pre- vailed. By the close of the decade, even local businesses were becoming actively involved in the game of baseball. The Ground. — For the purpose of this game it is necessary, if really fine play be contemplated, to have a sheet of turf smooth as a cricket -field. There is, of course, no necessity for the ultra - smoothness of the "between -wickets," but the out -fielding ought to be at least as good in one as in the other. For men the field should be about two hundred yards long by a hundred and fifty yards broad; but for boys a field of considerably less dimensions will serve all reasonable requirements. In laying out the ground, which had better be done permanently, it is well to start with the home base, which should be marked out about twenty yards from one end of the field; measure from this along the field one hundred and twenty-seven feet four inches for your second base. Now for the first and third attach a cord sixty yards long, with a knot in the middle, to the rings of the home and second base, stretch this as far as it will go to the right for the first base, which will be marked by the knot, and to the left for the third. Mark also a point fifteen yards from the home in the direction of the second base for the pitcher's post. The bases should be marked by letting a short stout post into the ground, just leaving the top flush with the surface and a stout iron ring must be screwed into each as a point of attachment for the canvas cushions described in Rule 3. The striker is left to follow his own fancy as to the make of his bat, and, so long as it is of wood, is not tied down by any regulation. Ash is, perhaps, the most generally serviceable, but willow will be, perhaps, preferred by those who like a light bat. There is no rule as to the manner of handling a bat, this also being left to the individual fancy of the player. Collier's Cyclopedia of Commercial and Social Information, 1882 December 2000 Over the Years Page T1 A rendition of a baseball game CHAPTER III ESTABLISHING TRADITIONS: THE 188os The season of 1880 commenced in Hastings when the Gazette reported that there were ball players in abundance and they should meet at Scott's Gallery to organize. Although the details of the meeting are unknown, a week later a game was played in Hastings. The game featured the newly organized Farmington Quicksteps and a nine from Hastings. In the game, played Monday, May 31, the Quicksteps won 8-3.1 The Quicksteps officers consisted of the following elected members: chairman, William Fletcher; captain, Frederick W. Sheffield; secretary and treasurer, L.C. Clemons.2 It was also noted that secretary Clemons was to circulate a petition in the vil- lage with the intention of repealing a village ordinance which prohibited throwing and catching balls on the streets.3 The chairman of the Quicksteps appointed a two -person committee, F.W. Sheffield and Oscar T. Kittridge, to solicit subscriptions to aid the club. Each member of the club was also required to pay a 5o cent entrance fee for membership. Also, the secretary was required to publish in the Farmington Press the pro- ceedings of the club's meetings.4 published in Harper's Weekly. Shortly after the nine from Hastings lost to the Quicksteps, a new club was formally organized under the auspices of the Hastings Base Ball Association. The club was called the Dakotas and had the following officers: president, Albert Schaller; vice-president, J.S. Mills; and secretary and treasurer, Alex Scott.5 Playing in its first game in Hastings on Thursday, June 1o, the Dakotas tied the Asteroids of Glencoe 7-7.6 In Farmington, the Quicksteps, playing in their second game of the season and donning their new white pants and red shirts, hosted the Glencoe Asteroids. Doing what the Dakotas could not, the Quicksteps won the game 17-16.7 The two teams made arrangements to play a return game in Glencoe on July 3. Demonstrating the cordial relations of the two towns, the Glencoe Register reported that when hosting the Quicksteps "our boys will have an opportunity to reciprocate the very gentlemanly treatment received at Farmington."8 In the game, the Quicksteps won again, 18-10.9 After a very promising start both on and off the field, the Press reported on August 4 that the Quicksteps had disbanded. The reasons for disbanding were never official- ly revealed. The speculation was, however, that it was due to the action of Edward McSherry.1° McSherry was the ace of the Page 12 Over the Years December 2000 p Quicksteps and one of the main reasons they were winning games. McSherry had what no other Dakota County pitcher was said to have: a curve ball. Quickly after the disbanding, and perhaps owing to it, McSherry joined the Hastings Dakotas. The news of McSherry was, not surprisingly, taken with much disdain in Farmington. According to the paper, the Dakotas were "now so confident they can beat everybody and want teams to put up $ioo.00 against them."11 Without McSherry hurling that nasty curve ball it was unlikely the Dakotas would have been so confident all of a sudden. Nonetheless, they had the star pitcher, and yes, they were confident. There was no doubt McSherry would add enthusiasm to baseball in Hastings in the sum- mer of 1880, but, contrary to what the Press reported, baseball was popular in the city before his arrival. For example, a fund of $4o.00 was raised in town to build a fence around the old Crescent grounds for a game on Fourth of July. In the game, the St. Paul Crescents visited and defeated the Dakotas, 22-6.12 Despite losing games, the Dakotas inspired the old timers in town to test their skill. The old Vermillion Club challenged the Dakotas. Twelve years out of practice, the paper reported, "rather demoralized the Vermillions - figuratively speak- ing."13 As it was, the score stood 22-2 in favor of the Dakotas. The summer of 1880 was not with- out other forms of recreation. Boating, fishing, strolling, swimming and shooting were highly popular. The press coverage they received was, however, insignificant com- pared to baseball. For example, results of shooting contests were published, but only with minor details. Baseball scores on the other hand were highly detailed. Nearly every game consisted of an inning -by -inning analysis and box score. A list of the players, game scores, the umpire and the ...it was announced that gate receipts would be expected at all games. time of the contest were included in the article. During summers when baseball was not played, the analysis of other forms of recre- ation were but half as extensive as baseball. The newspapers obviously understood the complexities of the game. Proving they had a quality team before the arrival of McSherry, the Dakotas played one of the better teams in the state in late July. Appearing in full uniform for the first time, including caps and belts, the Dakotas traveled downriver to Red Wing. The Dakotas won the game easily by the score of 24-2.14 A week later, with McSherry scheduled to pitch, the Dakotas hosted the Stillwater Chiefs. With a large number of spectators present, including a large congregation from Stillwater, the Dakotas won, 8-6.15 By the end of July, the drama surrounding the Dakota Club revolved around when their cedar posts would arrive so they could enclose their grounds. When the posts were finally installed, it was announced that gate receipts would be expect- ed at all games. This is the first record of gate money being both an expected and regular part of amateur baseball in Dakota County.16 Although there were instances when gate money was procured, it was not done on a consistent basis. Gate fees were likely collected to offset construction costs. Even though the fence was com- plete on August 14, the Dakotas nevertheless traveled to Stillwater aboard the Annie Barnes to play the return match with the Chiefs. Avenging their earlier loss, the Chiefs won the game, 21-18.17 In their first game on their newly constructed grounds, the Dakotas hosted the Minneapolis Brown Stockings, which the latter won 18-11.18 The return match, in Minneapolis, resulted in a Dakota Toss and was, according to the paper, "not a very credible affair." After disputes over December 2000 Over the Years Page 13 The game at Minneapolis on Thurs- day between the Brown Stockings, of that city, and the Dakotas, of Hast- ings, was not a very creditable affair, breaking up in a row during the sixth inning. The umpire, Mr. W. H. Adams, decided a man not out upon the second base, whereupon he was assailed by a torrent of filth and abuse, and our boys naturally picked up their bats and left the grounds. It may be safely said that the series of games between the two clubs is ended, our nine preferring to play with gen tlemen during the remainder of the season. Hastings Gazette 11 September -88o rules, the Hastings Club left the grounds and said they preferred to play with only gentle- men the remainder of the season.19 As it was, those gentlemen would be their rivals from Stillwater, the Chiefs. In their third meeting of the year with the Chiefs, in Stillwater, the latter were victorious 21-13. In the return match played in Hastings the Dakotas won by the score of 12- 7, tying the series at two games apiece.2° Despite the rivalry between the Dakotas and Chiefs, the Dakota County Fair was the stage for the pin- nacle baseball games in the summer of -880. The Gazette publicized the games expected to take place during the fair. The schedule con- sisted of the following games: Thursday, Minnesota Chiefs, of Stillwater, and the Dakotas; Friday, Silver Stars, of St. Paul, and the Dakotas; Wednesday and Saturday will be filled in with the Brown Stockings, of Minneapolis, and a Fat and Lean game. 21 The Dakota Club won Thursday's game 4-3, lost Friday's 7-6 and lost a close game with the Brown Stockings on Wednesday 14-13.22 In a game that likewise drew heavy interest, a Farmington nine, not the Quicksteps, played the Dakotas at the fairgrounds. With a large crowd in attendance the Dakotas won the game 16-7, with the pitching of, to no one's sur- prise, Edward McSherry. In what could have been a spirited affair, it was, according to the Press, a fine showing" by the Hastings Club.23 Although their record was not outstanding, the Hastings Dakotas helped bring back enthusiasm for baseball in Dakota County. Although they had acquired Edward McSherry from the Farmington Quicksteps in a rather suspicious manner, perhaps owing to their disbanding, they nevertheless helped prove baseball's endur- ing quality and importance in Dakota County. In mid -October, just days before the first snow fell, the Gazette announced that the ball sea- son was over and "the Dakotas have no cause to be ashamed of their record for 1880.24 As for McSherry, the same article also noted that he was done for the season and heading home, not to Farmington, but Rosemount. The baseball season of 1881 got underway in an unlikely fashion, with verbal slurs. The Dakotas over the winter learned that the Stillwater Chiefs brought in players from the Minnehaha Club of Northfield to win the final game of the season. The Gazette reported that the Dakotas should organize just long enough to avenge this "cowardly manner" displayed by the Chiefs.25 What began as very amicable relations with the Stillwater Chiefs had, unfortunately, become hostile. The Dakotas did not, however, respond to this article and challenge the Chiefs. They, as well as other Dakota County teams, did not organize for the -188-1 season. Instead, the paper reported on the likes of two former players. For example, Albert Schaller, of the Dakota nine, was getting married. Edward McSherry was employed in the county treasurer's office and was indeed willing to throw only if necessary. It was not.26 Page 14 Over the Years December 2000 Played in earnest the previous year, there were no reported baseball games played in the sum- mer of 1881. Instead, pigeon shooting, croquet, foot and horse racing, balloon shows, and comedians were the leading diversions. In mid - June the paper reported that the old baseball grounds looked deserted and if enthusiasm could not be garnered the association should take down the fence.27 Enthusiasm was not garnered. The final blow came a month later when it was announced that the fence around the grounds was for sale, owing to the disbanding of the Dakota CIub.28 Perhaps emblematic of the summer, the annu- al Dakota County Fair was almost passed up. Instead it went on but was a shell of what it had been just the year before. Baseball was played in the summer of 1882, albeit on a small scale, and it lagged behind gymnastics, the newest rage. The gymnasium was fast becoming the leading attraction and was like, according to the Farmington Press, "a circus."29 The baseball that was played in 1882 was not at Hastings, Farmington, Lakeville or Rosemount, but rather at Point Douglas.3° In the section of the Gazette titled "Douglas Items," it was reported that the Cottage Grove and Langdon nine played the Denmark nine, resulting in a win by the latter, 16-15. This was the first recorded ball game in Point Douglas to appear in print .31 The two aforementioned teams played twice more, each winning one. The games were played at Langdon.32 For the second consecu- tive year there were no baseball games played during the Dakota County Fair. Instead, the newest craze, bicycle racing, was the big event. In Point Douglas, with the only active team in the area, it was reported in mid -September that baseball had "collapsed" for the season.33 The summer of 1883 was not unlike the previ- ous ones. The baseball team from Point Douglas was not actively involved with base- ball as it had been in 1882. Croquet was played in earnest while football, trotting, pacing, pigeon shooting and trout fishing were the leading amusements. The only reference to baseball in 1883 was that the juveniles of Hastings had taken up the noble game. They apparently inspired very little interest; they were not mentioned again all summer. And in late July the paper reported that the Hastings "baseballists" issued a challenge to the Hudson Club to play a match. The challenge went unnoticed and no games were played.34 In Farmington, the opening of a roller rink in the spring represented a new form of amuse- ment heading into the summer of 1884. In their first game of the year, the Point Douglas nine lost to the Prescott Club, at Prescott, 18-14.35 Meanwhile, after a year off, the Point Douglas and Langdon rivalry was rekindled. The most anticipated game of the season was between the Langdon Club and the Point Douglas Red Stockings. Although little interest was gener- ated in Hastings for the Point Douglas nine, the game was played nonetheless. In an unusually scant recap of the game it was noted that Langdon won.36 Baseball in the summer of 1884 drew little interest for one particular rea- son, the largest of the crazes, roller skating, swept into Dakota County. In keeping with the typical pattern of most fads, roller skating was no different. Although it was a prominent form of recreation in the summer of 1884, by the early summer of 1885 the Gazette reported that the roller skating craze was beginning to die out.37 After a cou- ple of relatively slow years, amateur baseball again showed its enduring quality in 1885. The first baseball game of the season featured two new clubs with unusual names, the Credit River "Never Get Lefts" and the Lakeville "Do 'Em Ups." In the game, played Sunday, July 22, at Credit River with nearly two hundred in attendance, Lakeville won, 33-19.38 As a result of genial relations between the two clubs they decided to play the return match after harvest. December 2000 Over the Years Page 15 In Hastings, meanwhile, after inactivity for nearly three years, a baseball club was active again. In its first game of the season it hosted a club from River Falls, Wisconsin. Claiming unfair ruling by the umpire the Hastings Club lost 9-7.39 Meanwhile, in the return match between Credit River and Lakeville played on Sunday, August 28, the former won 15-11.4° After the game, the "Do 'Em Ups" entertained their guests at the Northwestern Hotel. A most unusual baseball game was announced in the Gazette in late August. A ladies baseball nine was advertised to visit Hastings on Tuesday, September 1, and play a local picked nine of, not men, but ladies. In what was considered a rather "tame" affair, the local team won 7-6.41 In only their second game of the season the Hastings Club beat the previously undefeated Stillwater Club, in Hastings, 12-10 to close out their season.42 Meanwhile, the most antici- pated game of the season was scheduled at the Dakota County Fair. It was announced that at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, October 2, the Lakeville and Empire Clubs would play for the county championship. The game was won by Lakeville, but not with- out some controversy. It was reported that the Lakeville Club had procured the services of a former Lakeville boy, who had moved to St. Paul and established himself as an expert pitch- er. As a result, the Empire Club nearly refused to play, arguing unfair advantages by Lakeville. Without a formal written agreement the Empire Club was left to play the game. Nonetheless, Lakeville won the game easily by the score of 27-9.43 After their debacle at the hands of the Lakeville Club, the Empire Club traveled to Rosemount to play a local nine. Playing better in Rosemount, the Empire Club defeated Rosemount 20-19 to win its first game and what proved to be the last of the season in Dakota County. The game was not without its drama though, but of a much lighter kind. After playing five innings, both clubs had bro- ken all of their bats and had to call it a game.44 Showing their commitment to the community beyond the ball field, on December 3, the Lakeville Baseball Club hosted a well -attended dance at McClintock's Hall. After five inactive years, Farmington got the baseball season of 1886 underway with the organization of the Farmington Base Ball Club. Dr. H.C. Johnson was elected captain and W.S. Northrop secretary and treasurer. Also, it was reported that prominent local businessmen had enrolled as honorary members of the club.45 The Farmington Club opened the season with a match against its southern neighbor, Castle Rock. Played in Castle Rock, Farmington lost the game 16-14.46 Meanwhile, in Hastings, it was announced that the Hastings Base Ball Club was organizing for the season. Unlike the previous year, the club elected offi- cers for the 1886 season. The elected officers consisted of: captain, F.C. Babcock; secretary, G. W. Washbish; and treasurer, William H. Gillitt.47 For the second straight year the Hastings Club opened their season with a match against River Falls, which the latter won 26-2.48 By mid -May there were three Dakota County amateur baseball teams active and the citizens of Lakeville did not want to be left out. "Brace up," the Lakeville citizens complained, "call a meeting at once. All we lack now is a base ball club and a Y.M.C.A. to make our city complete."49 The folks from Lakeville unfortunately did not get their wish. Drawing from the precedent set in 1879 by the Hastings Ink Stingers and Court House Clerks, the Hastings bank boys issued a challenge to the court house ring to meet in a "deadly conflict upon the diamond."5° With a large enthusiastic crowd on hand the court house officials won the game 25-2o.51 After losing its first game of the season, the Farmington Club responded with two wins in one week. In the first game Farmington defeated Empire 19-18. The second game was a 21-5 win over Castle Rock. Trying to account for the sudden success of the club, word on the street was that the club Page 16 Over the Years December 2000 had been feeding on raw beef, onions and but- termilk ever since their first loss.52 The diet was not the answer, the Farmington Club lost their next game to Castle Rock by the score of 36-23. In Hastings, meanwhile, the baseball club trav- eled to Cannon Falls where it defeated the local nine 21-9. Despite the loss, the spirit of sportsmanship was aptly summed up by the Cannon Falls Beacon: "Our boys take the defeat philosophically as they were fairly beat- en by gentlemen."53 Starting the season later than usual, two Dakota County teams nonetheless played each other in their first game of the season. In Rosemount, the Clippers of that place hosted the Inver Grove Club. This was the first recorded amateur baseball club from Inver Grove. The Rosemount cornet band accompanied the team and led a 600 person procession to William Flannegan's pasture to witness the game. In a close- ly contested match the visit- ing club won 22-19.54 The Clippers' next game was with the Credit River Rustics. The Rustics were, according to the Dakota County Tribune, the champions of Scott County.55 The Rustics won the game 14-9 which was considered by the Jordan Independentan accomplishment to be proud of against "the champions of Dakota County."56 In Eagan Township, meanwhile, baseball play- ing was the rage of the summer. Two teams, the Never Sweats and Butter Fingers played each other with a crowd of nearly one hun- dred watching, with the former winning 28-11. This is the first recorded baseball game played in Eagan Township.57 The second game between the two teams was again won by the Never Sweats 2o-16. Noticing their neighbors' success, the Burnsville Club challenged the undefeated Never Sweats to a game. Perhaps feeling a bit overconfident, the Never Sweats were beaten badly by the score of 3o-3.58 This was the first recorded baseball club from Burnsville. Avenging their earlier Toss, the Hastings bankers played the return match with the court house officials, winning 32-24. Also, the county officers challenged the bankers to play at the Dakota County Fair. In what was the last game of a very busy, vibrant and enthusi- astic summer of amateur baseball the county officers won the game 17-4.59 Baseball in the summer of 1887 picked up where it ended in 1886, yet with even more enthusiasm. The season began with a game Monday, April 25, between Randolph and Cannon Falls. Played at Randolph Station, the Randolph Club lost. This was the first record- ed baseball club from Randolph.6° Rosemount and Inver Grove opened the season in mid -May by hosting a grand ball to which everybody was cordial- ly invited. As for the game itself, Rosemount began the season hosting Empire, which the latter won 27-15.61 In its second game the Rosemount Club won its first game by defeating the Vermillion Willow Wielders. This was the first recorded baseball club from Vermillion. Playing in just their first year, there was much excitement surrounding the new club from Randolph. Before their game with Castle Rock, which they eventually lost 74-39, the Randolph Club had uniforms furnished for them compliments of Boor's of Hastings. Despite the enthusiasm, the Gazette was not impressed. It was reported that, "the club had better learn to play before they try to play another club."62 The first game of the season by a Hastings club, the newly formed Maroons, was against the Chicago Stars of St. Paul. Before the game, photographer Alexander A. Scott took a pic- December 2000 Over the Years Page 17 ture of the Maroons and displayed it at Jonas B. Lambert's store. Playing on June 4 with entertainment provided by the AXA band, the Maroons were victorious 15-7.63 Although interest in baseball was rampant throughout Dakota County, it was not with- out its critics. The most common complaint was playing on Sunday. "If the Sabbath is a day of rest why should its quiet and peace be marred or broken by this or like boisterous forms of amusements?"64 This type of ques- tion and many like it were indeed heard, but not acted upon. Facing its biggest opposition and most ardent antagonists, the playing of baseball still continued unabated. During the summer of 1887 amateur baseball was started in West St. Paul. Although ama- teur teams were not active until late June, the West St. Paul Times demonstrated its interest in baseball by publishing scores of the St. Paul Club of the Northwestern League. On June 25, an amateur game was played in West St. Paul between two local teams, the Red Stockings and White Stockings. The Red Stockings, who were captained by Ed Heimbach, known as the "fair dealing shoe man of 102 Dakota Avenue," were victorious 17-7.65 Although the recap in the paper seemed nor- mal, with the typical analysis and box score, the names of the players were highly unusual. In the boxscore names such as "Lo Price," "Gud Quality," "Moore Ku rtesy," "Will Treatumgood" and "Klose Kutter" appeared.66 Although the article does not specify, it was likely Heimbach was doing some of his "fair dealings" in an odd and unique way. Although Heimbach was not selling baseball equipment, save shoes perhaps, his ads in the paper fea- tured the words, "Safe at Home," "Tally one for Heimbach," and simply "Base Ball." Heimbach's ads were the first that featured baseball, despite the uncertainty of what he was trying to se11.67 In Hastings, meanwhile, playing in their first game since their June 4 win, the Maroons BASE BALL. 0 Tally One for Heimbach. West St. Paul Times 27 August 1887 were beaten by the Cannon Falls Club 16-11.68 In the game, an unusual triple, or threebagger, was accomplished by S.A. Riches of the Maroons who was awarded a prize for the feat, a shaving cup and brush." Shortly after their defeat the Maroons announced they were renting a room at Nels Olson's Saloon to serve as their headquarters for the remainder of the season. On August 3, it was acknowledged that the Maroons traveled to Lake City to play a game with the Lake City Club. The club was accom- panied by the AXA band. The Maroons won 32-11. After a pleasant excursion home which included some dancing, the excursionists arrived home at 1:oo a.m.7° One of the best games in some time, according to the Gazette, was played on Monday, September 5, at 3:3o p.m., between the Maroons and St. Paul Reserves. The Reserves, believed to be one of the best amateur clubs in the state, issued a challenge to any club in the state, which the Maroons obligingly accepted. With a large crowd of spectators present, the Reserves, perhaps to no surprise, won the game 18-3.71 Appearing late in the season at the Dakota County Fair, but playing nonetheless, the Farmington Club hosted the Faribault Club. In Page 18 Over the Years December 2000 its unusually late season opener the home club lost 22-18.72 In the return match between the two teams, Farmington won 33-18.73 Apparently feeling confident about their one - and -one record, the Farmington Club issued a challenge to the Hastings Maroons. Testimony to the zeal of baseball in 1887 is evi- denced by the baseball tournament held in Hastings on October 4 and 5. This was the first tournament played in Dakota County after the annual county fair. Accepting the Farmington Club's challenge, the Maroons and Farmington Club played the first game. The game was won by the Maroons 33-7.74 In the second game of the tournament the Maroons played the St. Paul Reserves. Because of darkness, the game was called after the sixth inning with the Reserves trailing 7-4.75 By the end of the season, challenges were being issued throughout Dakota County stressing that teams only play with local players. Responding to a challenge issued by the Farmington Club that the Maroons play with only Hastings players, the Maroons insisted that the Farmington players be from there, not Rosemount. T.S. Carlton, manager of the Maroons, proposed that each club issue a list of players four days prior to their scheduled game. Further, each club was to put in $1oo.00 to play for a total of $200.00. As it was, all the arguing was for naught, the two clubs did not meet.76 Although the season ended with arguments over rules, it nonetheless demonstrates the place baseball had in the social life of Dakota County. Towns were beginning to take the game more seriously by showing more pride in their local teams. New teams in towns, vil- lages and townships throughout the county were beginning to share in the excitement. For the second consecutive year, the Rosemount Baseball Club opened the season by sponsoring a dance. It was scheduled to take place at the Music Hall on Monday, May 7, with a $1.00 charge per person. The pro- ceeds were to be used to purchase uniforms.77 In Hastings, meanwhile, the baseball season of 1888 got underway when the Hastings Base Ball Association announced its reorganization. The 1888 officers of the Maroons consisted of: captain, F.E. Riches; manager and secretary, John Riplinger; and vice-president, T.S. Carlton. Rules were adopted and new uni- forms were ordered. The shirts and caps were to be white and blue with white breeches and blue stockings.78 By late May it was announced that the new uniforms, made by D.W. Stern of the New York Store, were done and indeed looked quite "nobby."79 The Maroons, donning new uni- forms, opened their season against the Minneapolis Quicksteps, despite verbal attacks between the clubs. One day before the scheduled match, for exam- ple, the Minneapolis Tribune confidently reported that the Quicksteps were going to Hastings to defeat the "misguided young men who think they know something about ball."8° Nonetheless, the game was played and much to the dismay of the Minneapolis paper, the appar- ently "misguided young men" from Hastings won their season opener 12-11.81 Oddly enough, despite the unwarranted comments before the game, afterwards both clubs extolled the gen- tlemanly qualities of one another. On June 8, it was announced that another Hastings Club was organized, the Hastings Amateurs. Captained by A.J. Clure, the club issued a challenge to yet another Hastings Club, the Dakota Stars, who accepted. In their first game, the Amateurs lost 11-5.82 After their win over the Amateurs, the Dakota Stars played the Maroons, the latter winning 30-10.83 The most highly publicized game of the young season was between the Maroons and St. Paul Silver Stars, who, it was said, were playing with three ex-leaguers.84 The importance of the game was indicated by the prominence given it in the Hastings Daily Gazette. For example, it was the lead article on the front December 2000 Over the Years Page 19 page of the paper. Baseball games were typi- cally reserved for the local section. The Hastings Maroons won the game 12-11. The win over the Silver Stars who were, according to the paper, one of the best amateur clubs in the state, earned the Maroons an enthusiastic congratulations from the paper.85 Although Hastings baseball teams were highly active in 1888, they were not alone. In Marshan, it was reported that there were a couple amateur clubs playing each other. The names of the clubs and their longevity remain a mystery. What is known is that John Driscoll, of Marshan, acted as the umpire for the games.86 This was the first record of base- ball played in Marshan. Because the newspaper was published daily in Hastings, articles relating to baseball in 1888 were numerous and of all sorts. For example, it was reported that S.N. Greiner, a member of the old Vermillion Club of 1867, had his medal, which was awarded him for best catcher at the 1867 state championship, on display.87 Moreover, baseball related injuries by players and fans alike made the news, as did, of course, most games. It was not unusual for the papers to report on previously unpublicized teams and ones that perhaps only played a couple matches. For example, teams with such names as White Rose, Bunker Hill, Spring Lake, Sand Colley Boys, Moonshiners and Pine Bend had, at best, a rather fleeting existence. Their brief appear- ances and press coverage, however, demon- strate the manner in which baseball, unlike other forms of recreation, reached throughout Dakota County at one time or another. In West St. Paul, meanwhile, for the second consecutive year there was another rather unusual baseball game scheduled. The game featured the so-called "bloated cormorants of windy origin," or the Fats, against the Leans. The game was to be played at Athletic Park with a 25 cent admission charge. The admis- sion was to be donated to the charitable insti- tution known as the Little Sisters of the Poor. It is doubtless whether the score of the game mattered. Instead, it was intended to be "full of fun, frolic and burlesque."88 Unfortunately, for reasons unspecified, the game that was predicted to draw thousands and benefit the charitable organization did not occur as was anticipated. This was the first example of a game of baseball devoted to charity. In Hastings, the baseball club also entertained. For example, on Thursday, July 25, the club sponsored an excursion to Hudson, Wisconsin, aboard the May Libbey rife with music and dancing. It was specified that no liquors would be sold on board, demonstrating the class of the club and the clientele that joined them.89 Sixty excursionists joined the club, which won the game 13-1.9° Earlier in July, the Hastings Maroons met their biggest challenge of the summer. The Maroons hosted the Minneapolis High School nine, which claimed to be one of the best ama- teur clubs in the state. In a closely contested contest, the home team won 4-2.91 Still maintaining a perfect record for the sea- son, it was reported that the patrons should expect the best game of the season when the St. Paul Reserves visited Hastings on Tuesday, August 14. In another close match, the Reserves handed the Maroons their first loss of the season 6-3.92 Showing signs of distress or perhaps poor sportsmanship, the paper reported that, "the Reserves had [a] picked nine from other nines, and their victory is nothing to be proud of."93 The return game with the Hudson Checkerboard nine, played in Hastings, was won by the Maroons 20-18.94 Meanwhile, after a month of inactivity the Hastings Dakota Stars were playing again. Their first game was played at Vermillion Station with a nine from there. With each club putting up 20.00, the Dakota Stars won the game 9-8.95 Page 20 Over the Years December 2000 The Dakota Stars next traveled to Rosemount to play the Clippers. Despite the late date, this was only the Clippers' first game of the season played in Dakota County, which they won 11- 7.96 In their season opener, also played late in the summer, the Farmington Club traveled to Northfield to play a club from that place and won by the score of 8-6.97 Success on the ball field did no go unnoticed by local businesses in Hastings. The local bar- bers challenged the city and county officers to a game. The so-called "Knights of the Razor and Scissor" prevailed 20-12.g8 The city print- ers likewise wanted to participate. They issued a challenge to the victorious barbers, which was accepted. The printers won the last game of a very busy year of amateur baseball in Hastings by the score of 10-9.99 In a season begun in early April with many active teams, the last game ironically featured the two that were perhaps the least active in 1888. After recently winning their season openers, the Farmington and Rosemount clubs played each other at the Dakota County Fair. Each carrying a one game winning streak into the game, Rosemount closed out the sea- son with a 17-14 win.10° The season of 1889 got underway, despite the wrestling craze, in West St. Paul. The game featured the West Side Colts against Thiebaud's picked nine. The result of the game was, however, never published. The West St. Paul Times had a tendency to highly advertise games, but not follow them up with recaps. The first baseball game of the year reported in a Dakota County paper was between the Hastings Maroons and St. Paul Picketts. Traveling to St. Paul to play for $5O.00 a side, the Hastings Club lost their season opener 12-9.1°1 After the club had played a game, an organizational meeting was called on May 10 at Isaac Lytle's saloon for those interested in baseball. Following two seasons that were opened with a sponsored dance, the Rosemount Club began the 1889 season with a game. The newly orga- nized Rosemount Fire Company nine issued a challenge to the "foreman and fine ladies of the Lakeville fire company."1O2 Despite their enthusiasm and challenge, the game was never played and there is no record of the Rosemount Fire Company playing even one game all season. The Castle Rock Club opened the season with a game played in Eli Thompson's pasture. The Sunday game drew heavy criticism from some- one in Castle Rock, who admonished: my young friends would it not be better to take one day of the six God has given you and leave the sacred day for God, the right- ful owner of its hours.'°3 The criticism was no doubt heeded. The Castle Rock Club did not play another game in the summer of 1889. In a very active May, a club from Hampton was organized and arranged a game with the Randolph nine. This was the first baseball team from Hampton to appear in a Dakota County newspaper.°4 After nearly a 32 year absence from baseball, a club from Nininger was reported to be active. In its first game of the year, the nine from Nininger defeated a nine from the fourth ward of Hastings at Nininger by a score of 2o-12.1°5 The meeting the Maroons called at Isaac Lytle's saloon did not help get the club going for the year. Instead, members of the 1888 Maroons were busy attending games in Northfield. Moreover, F.E. Riches, the ace pitcher for the 1888 Maroon club and A.C. Nesbitt, the second baseman, were playing for the Northfield Club.106 In the meantime, other baseball clubs in the county were active. A game was reported in Miesville between a nine from that place and a club from New Trier. The Miesville Club won the game hand- ily 45-16.1°7 These were the first recorded baseball teams in both places. Moreover, this was the first recorded game to have been played in Miesville. December 2000 Over the Years Page 21 Another new dub was organized in 1889, the Rich Valley Club. In its first game, the club trav- eled to Hastings to play the Dakota Stars. In a valiant effort, Rich Valley lost 15-8.10$ Next, the Dakota Stars traveled to Rosemount for their season opener, the former winning 2o-18.109 Feeling optimistic about their one -and -one record, the Maroons issued a challenge to any amateur club in the state, barring profession- als, to play a game on the Fourth of July for 5o.00 a side.11° Moreover, the club was to host a dance on the same evening at Opera Hall. The challenge was accepted by one of the best amateur clubs in the state, the St. Paul Crescents. As it was the previous summer, interest in amateur baseball was again running rampant in Dakota County. For example, the Hampton and Vermillion Clubs were both victorious over their previously unheard of opponents, the Slough Club and Bellwood nine respective- ly. New Trier, playing in its second game, cel- ebrated the Fourth of July by hosting the Castle Rock and Hampton Clubs, each putting in 25.00 for the winner. Also, the Rosemount Club defeated a team from West St. Paul, in Rosemount, 13-8.111 The Fourth of July in Hastings was, according to the Gazette, "one of the largest and most successful ever held, and one of the best in the history of Minnesota."112 With an estimated eight to ten thousand people on hand, which was perhaps a bit hyperbolic, the Maroons beat their guests from St. Paul 13-7. 113 The Farmington Club, meanwhile, played its season opener on the Fourth of July against the Northfield Club, which the latter won 9- 8.114 in their second game of the season, the club from Nininger, playing at home, defeated the Rich Valley nine 6-1. And fielding a club for the first time in 1889, a team from Ravenna visited a Hastings nine, the latter winning 15-14. This was the first recorded game played by a club from Ravenna.115 Local businesses in Hastings again got involved in the local baseball scene. A chal- lenge was issued from the "Ginslingers," or saloon keepers, to the "Beefskinners" to play for a half a beef against a couple of cases of beer.116 The Ginslingers won the game 27-24 and were, accordingly, awarded a half a beef.117 In Burnsville meanwhile, the Hamilton Club was active. In its first and what would be last game of the season the Hamilton Club hosted the Credit River Rustics, with the latter club winning. Although the team's name, oppo- nent or scores were not published, baseball was twice reported to have been played in Mendota. For example, it was stated that, in Mendota, "Sunday was fairly quiet, with the usual game of ball."i8 In their second and last game of the season, Miesville defeated the Cannon River nine by the score of 37-7.119 The Hastings Maroons, meanwhile, after arguing with the Winona Club for the better part of a month, played their last game of the season, in Ellsworth, Wisconsin, against the club from that place, which the latter won 11-8.120 The enthusiasm showed towards the Maroons by the Gazette was, by season's end, bleak. When the Maroons returned from a game a year or two before they had been met by a large and spirited group of citizens, usually including a band. This year, however, the Gazette reported, "the procession was headed by a hearse."121 Despite the condition of ama- teur baseball in Hastings, many places through- out Dakota County had a baseball dub for the first time in the summer of 1889. The 188os concluded with many new teams established and traditions started that would carry into the next decade. As influential as Hastings had been for nearly three decades, baseball was heading into the 189os as an established pas- time throughout Dakota County. Page 22 Over the Years December 2000 APPENDIX DAKOTA COUNTY TEAMS Active Base Ball Club of Hastings Burnsville Club Castle Rock Clippers Castle Rock Club Castle Rock Rattlers County Line Club of Douglas Court House Ink Stingers of Hastings Eureka Club Dakota Stars of Hastings Dakota Stars of South St. Paul Eagan Butter Fingers Eagan Never Sweats East Castle Rock Club Empire Club Farmington Club Farmington Dirty Necks Farmington Excelsior Club Farmington Lightfoot Club Farmington Lone Star Club Farmington Military Band Club Farmington Stars Farmington Quicksteps First Nine That Never Played of Hastings Hamilton Club of Burnsville Hampton Club Hastings Amateurs Hastings Athletics Hastings Bankers Hastings Base Ball Club Hastings Beefskinners Hastings Crescents Hastings Dakotas Hastings Fats Hastings Ginslingers Hastings Leans Hastings Maroons Hastings Modocs Hastings Park Leagues Hastings Printers Highland Clippers of Rosemount Inver Grove Club Knights of the Yard Stick (dry goods clerks) of Hastings Knights of the Razor and Scissor (barbers) of Hastings Lakeville Do 'Em Ups Lakeville Fats Lakeville Rattlers Lakeville Scorers Marshan Club Mendota Club Miesville Club Miesville River Club Michaud Grocery Clerks and Drivers Club of Inver Grove Minneapolis Packing & Provision Company Packers of South St. Paul New Trier Club Nininger Club Randolph Club Ravenna Club Rich Valley Club Rosemount Base Ball Club Rosemount Clippers Rosemount Cornet Band Club Rosemount Fats Second Nine That Never Wanted to Play of Hastings Sieben & Austin (S & A) Club of Hastings South St. Paul Club South St. Paul Cyclones South St. Paul Standards Staples & King Club of South St. Paul Stickney School Nine of South St. Paul Swift Company Packers of South St. Paul Union Base Ball Club of Lakeville Vermillion Babcocks Vermillion Base Ball Club Vermillion Willow Wielders Waterford Club West Side Colts of West St. Paul West Side Stars of West St. Paul West St. Paul Lengthies West St. Paul Red Stockings West St. Paul Spauldings West St. Paul Unions West St. Paul White Stockings X.L. Club of Hastings Yerxa Clerks of South St. Paul December 200o Over the Years Page 23 Chapter 1 endnotes Rhoda R. Gilman, "How Minnesota Became the 32nd State," Minnesota History 56 (Winter 1999) 202-213. 2 Eagan Thisweek, 7 February 1999. See article for a special feature titled "Dakota County celebrates 150 years of history." See also the following sources for the most comprehensive histories published on Dakota County: Franklyn Curtiss -Wedge, ed., History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, Minnesota (Chicago: H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., 191o). W.H. Mitchell, Dakota County: Its Past and Present (Minneapolis: Tribune Printing Company, 1868). Edward D. Neill, ed., History of Dakota County and the City of Hastings (Minneapolis: North Star Publishing Company, 1881). 3 Hastings Conserver, 27 June 1865. 4 Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 268. The book is the most detailed for bio- graphical information on citizens of Dakota County. It is, however, biased towards Hastings and citizens from that place. 188o and woo censuses were also consulted for information regarding birthdates. 5 Benjamin Rader, "The Quest for Subcommunities and the Rise of American Sport," American Quarterly 4 (Fall 1977) 355-369. 6 Ibid., 357. Because Dakota County was not nearly as ethnically diverse as urban centers, Rader's expla- nation is not being considered here. In urban centers though, Rader wrote that the ethnic community usu- ally arose from contradictory forces of acceptance and rejection of the immigrant by the majority soci- ety., 7 Rader's article is based on the decline of agricul- tural villages or small geographic areas. As a result, the article addresses the manner in which Americans developed new forms of community in the city through sport. In Dakota County, however, where the migration to the city was not as pronounced as elsewhere, baseball nonetheless served as a type of voluntary association, not altogether unlike that of the city. 8 Alan Geoffrey Ingham, "American Sport in Transition: The Maturation of Industrial Capitalism and Its Impact on Sport" (Ph.D. dins., University of Massachusetts, 1978) , 110. 9 Ibid., 111. 10 Lucille Hammargren Doffing, Hastings on the Mississippi (Hastings: Hastings Gazette, 1976) , 135- 136. The Herndon House was built in 1856-57. It had 35 bedrooms and a large main floor which consisted of a dining room, sitting room, kitchen and storage. It was here where the St. Paul team was entertained. 11 Hastings Conserver, 4 July 1865 12 The majority of teams played two games, one of which was played at home and the other, referred to as the "return match," was played at the other's field. 13 Hastings Gazette, 19 September 1865. 14 Ibid., 8 May 1866. 15 Ibid., 22 June 1867. 16 Ibid., 20 July 1867. 17 Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 52o. John F. Norrish was the owner of Thorne & Norrish, a clothing and dry goods store. He was also responsible for introducing scientific meth- ods of agriculture to the area. His store sold the implements. As a result, he was successful financial- ly. George Newman was a dry goods merchant. For biographical information on Dr. Jeremiah E. Finch see Neill, History of Dakota County, 307. Dr. Finch owned and operated a drug store in Hastings which he opened in 186o. He later served as the president of the Minnesota State Medical Society. i8 Hastings Gazette, 29 June 1867. 19 By today's standards 64-51 seems an astronomical total for a baseball game. In the 186os high scores were typical. Fences were not used, gloves had yet to be introduced and the pitcher used an underhand delivery. With the introduction of the glove in 1875 scores decreased dramatically. Also, as clubs played more they naturally refined their skills, games became shorter and scores declined. 2O Hastings Gazette, 3 August 1867. 21 Ibid., 20 July 1867. Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 379. C.R. Clough was an officer of Lebanon Township. John Farquhar also served as an officer in Lebanon Township. John Gilman was town clerk of Lebanon Township as well as the chairman of the city board. 22 Hastings Gazette, 10 July 1867. �3 Ibid., 17 August 1867. 24 Ibid., 24 August 1867. The two teams were known as the Athletes and Unconquerables. Which team was which is uncertain. The teams were never heard from again. �5 Cecil Monroe, "Rise of Baseball in Minnesota," Minnesota HistorY38 (June 1938), 173. 26 Ibid. 27 Hastings Gazette, 5 October 1867. 28 Ibid., 13 June 1868. �9 Ibid., 11 July 1868. 3° Farmington Telegraph, 6 August 1868. Page 24 Over the Years December 2000 31 Ibid.,lo September 1868. 32 Hastings Gazette, 19 September 1868. 33 Ibid., 3 October 1868. 34 Farmington Telegraph, 8 May 1869. See also 1880 Federal Census of Dakota County, Minnesota. Compiled and published by the Dakota County Historical Society, South St. Paul, MN, 1993. Pp. um - log. The socioeconomic status of the Lightfoot Club was different from the Vermillion Club. For example, John E. Kelley was a 2o-year-old carpenter when he assumed duties as club president. John E. Ives was a 19-year-old drayman when he assumed his duties. 35 Ibid., 27 May 1869. 36 U.S. Bureau of the Census,1870,1880,1890,1900. Dakota County census information was prepared by the Dakota County Historical Society, South St. Paul, MN. The population of Hastings in 187o was 3,458. The total population of Dakota County in 187o was 16,312. Farmington village was not counted until the 188o census. In comparison, the 1860 population was 8,556. The 188o population was 17,391; 1890 was 20,240; 1900, 21,733. Throughout the 19th century Hastings maintained the largest population in the county with its largest population being 3,911 citizens in 1900. The only other cities in Dakota County in the 19th century to have over one thousand citizens were Inver Grove, South St. Paul and West St. Paul. 37 Hastings Gazette, 10 July 1869. What was meant by casualties was most likely public drunkenness. 38 Ibid., 17 July 1869. 39 Farmington Telegraph, 5 August 1869. See also Neill, History of Dakota County, William E. Hull was the proprietor of Reed's Hotel. For biographical information on John A. Clark see 190o Federal Census of Dakota County. Computer transcript, compiled by the Dakota County Historical Society, South St. Paul, MN. Clark was a 19-year-old engineer at the time of his appointment. For biographical information on Leroy P. Fluke see 188o Federal Census of Dakota County, 99. Fluke was a 3o-year-old merchant at the time of his appointment who eventually became a druggist. Chapter 2 endnotes Hastings Gazette, 4 June 1870. 2 Hastings Union, 9 July 1870. 3 Farmington Press, 3 November 1870. 4 John Rickards Betts, America's Sporting Heritage: 1850-195o (Reading MA: Addison-Wesley, 1974). See source for a general look at the origins of these and other forms of 19th century sport and recreation. See also Foster Rhea Dulles, A History of Recreation: America Learns to Play, (New York: Appleton - Century -Crofts, 1965). 5 Hastings Gazette, 11 July 1871. 6 Ibid., 26 July 1873. 7 Farmington Press, 23 July 1874. This game was reported to be for the championship of the state this summer. 8 Ibid., 24 June 1875. 9 Ibid., 1 July 1875. 10 Ibid., 29 July 1875. 11 Hastings Gazette, 21 August 1875. 12 Ibid., 4 September 1875. Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 260, 261, 308, 623. J. C. Norton in 1875 was the alderman of the City of Hastings. From 1876-79 he served as a city clerk. Daniel T. Chamberlain served in the 21st state legisla- ture from the loth district. In 1880 he was elected to the Dakota County bar as a lawyer. John A. Duffy, age 26 at the time of his service with the Crescents, was the editor of the Hastings Union. H. Vincent Meloy was a clerk and George Allen a municipal offi- cer and alderman. For information on E.H. Freeman see Neill, History of Dakota County, 308. Freeman helped incorporate the First Federal Savings Loan Association. He was also owner of the Daily News. 13 Hastings Gazette, 11 September 1875. What is meant by the rules of 1875 is unclear. There were no new rules incorporated this year. What was new however, was the introduction of the curve ball. 14 Ibid., 18 September 1875. 15 Hastings Union, 22 September 1875. i6 Ibid. See also Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 180, 258, 259. B. C. Howes, along with E. H. Freeman, helped incorporate the First Federal Savings and Loan Association. Larry J. Casserly served as an alderman in 1859 and later as a municipal officer. See also Doffing, Hastings on the Mississippi, 72. George Hetherington was proprietor of the Hetherington Food Market. 17 Hastings Union, 22 September 1875. 18 Hastings Gazette, 3o October 1875. 19 Ibid., 13 May 1876. 20 Hastings Union, 26 May 1876. 21 Ibid., 21 June 1876. 22 Hastings Gazette, 8 July 1876. 23 Ibid. 24 Ibid. �5 Ibid., 22 July 1876. December 2000 Over the Years Page 25 26 Ibid. 27 The officers and board of directors chosen were the same of those who served in 1876. 28 Ibid., 29 July 1876. See also Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 171. At the time of his appointment, John W. Newton was a 26 year -old county sheriff. See also Neill, History of Dakota County, 3o5. John A. Duffy, 27 at the time, was still the editor of the Hastings Union. �9 Hastings Gazette , 5 August 1876. 30 Ibid. 31 Ibid., 19 August 1876. j2 Ibid., September 21876. 33 Ibid. 34 For box scores on the two games see the Hastings Gazette, 12 August and 2 September 1876. 35 Ibid., 9 September 1876. 36 Ibid., 23 September 1876. 37 Ibid. 38 Hastings Union, 4 October 1876. 39 Hastings Gazette, 2 June 1877. 40 Ibid., 23 June. 41 Ibid., 3o June 1877. 42 Ibid., 21 July 1877. 43 Ibid., 18 August 1877. 44 Ibid., 25 August 1877. 45 Ibid., September 1877. 46 Ibid., 4 May 1878. This appeared in the section of the paper titled, "Farmington Items". 47 Hastings Union, 1 May 1878. 48 Hastings Gazette, 17 August 1878. 49 Ibid., 24 August 1878. See the box score for the names of the players involved with this game. 50 Ibid. 51 Ibid., 12 April 1879. 52 Ibid., 26 April 1879. 53 Ibid., 24 May 1879. 54 Ibid., 23 April 1879. Chapter 3 endnotes Hastings Gazette, 29 May 1880. See article for a list of players from both clubs. Neill, History of Dakota County, 39o. William W. Fletcher was a 21-year-old dry goods merchant. See also 788o Federal Census of Dakota County, MN, 1o5. Frederick W. Sheffield was a 23-year-old machinery agent. 3 Farmington Press, 19 May 1880. 4 Hastings Gazette, 29 May 1880. 5 Ibid., 5 June 1880. See also Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 169, 171, 220, 604, 605, 63o. Albert Schaller was one of the most promi- nent citizens in Hastings. After spending time as a clerk, he was admitted to the Dakota County bar in 1880. Schaller was also a member of the state legis- lature. Also, he served as an orator at the Guardian Angels Church in Hastings. Alexander Scott was a self-employed photographer. 6 Hastings Gazette, 12 July 1880. 7 Farmington Press, 16 June 1880. 8 Glencoe Register, 8 July 1880. Glencoe Township was west of Dakota County in McLeod County. The city of Glencoe was, and still is, the county seat of McLeod County. 9 Ibid. 10 1880 Federal Census of Dakota County, MN, 283. Edward McSherry, like most players, lived and worked on the family farm during his baseball days. He was born in 1860 and resided in Lakeville. 11 Farmington Press, 4 August 1880. 12 Hastings Gazette, 10 July 1880. See box score for a list of players. 13 Ibid., 3 July 1880. 14 Ibid., 24 July 1880. 15 Ibid. 16 Ibid., 31 July 1880. 17 Ibid., 21 August 1880. i8 Hastings Gazette, 28 August 1880. See also Joe McDermott, "Forty -Five Years of Baseball in Minnesota: From the Unions of 1867 to the Millers of 1912," David Anderson, Baseball in Minnesota When the Grass Was Real (Minneapolis: Nodin Press, 1993) 28. According to McDermott, the Minneapolis Brown Stockings, a semi-professional team, went out of existence in the fall of 1878 and resumed play in 1883. This was due in part to little interest on behalf of the fans of Minneapolis. That this is the same club is highly likely. McDermott, like editor David Anderson, has overlooked the high activity of ama- teur teams while professional or semi-professional teams started playing in the State of Minnesota. 19 Ibid., September 1880. After the umpire made a bad call he was apparently assailed by filth and abuse at which time the Hastings Club left the grounds. 20 Ibid., 25 September 1880. See the Gazette on Page 26 Over the Years December 2000 September 4 of the same year for a list of the players from both clubs. 2' Ibid. 22 Ibid., 2 October 1880. 23 Farmington Press, 29 September 1880. 24 Hastings Gazette, 16 October 1880. �5 Ibid., 3o April 1881. 26 Ibid., 7, 28 May 1880. Curtiss -Wedge, History of Dakota and Goodhue Counties, 623. Albert Schaller was to marry Miss Kate E. Meloy. Kate E. Meloy was the daughter of John C. Meloy. John C. Meloy was an influential figure in Hastings and Dakota County. He was vice-president of the First National Bank of Hastings, engaged in the selling of agricultural imple- ments and served as a Dakota County auditor. �7 Ibid., 18 June 1881. 28 Ibid., 16 July 1881. 29 Farmington Press, 17 Tune 1882. 3o Warren Upham, Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1920), 570. Point Douglas, Washington County, MN, was named after Stephen A. Douglas. It was a village at the west side of the mouth of Lake St. Croix, just across the Mississippi River from Hastings. 31 Hastings Gazette, 15 July 1882. 32 Upham, Minnesota Geographic Names, 568-69. Langdon was at the time a railway village in Cottage Grove in Washington County. Denmark Township was the most southern part of Washington county. 33 Hastings Gazette, 16 September 1882. 34 Ibid., 21 July 1883. The article never gave any indi- cations as to who the Hastings baseballists were. It is possible they were the same juveniles mentioned ear- lier in the summer. 35 Ibid., 7 June 1884. 36 Ibid., 12 July 1884. The article did not indicate the score of the game, owing perhaps to little interest in the contest. 37 Ibid., 2 May 1885. 38 Dakota County Tribune, 3o July 1885. See article for a list of players on both teams. See Upham, Minnesota Geographic Names, 508. Credit River was in Scott County, just west of Lakeville on the edge of Dakota County. 39Hastings Gazette, 25 July 1885. 4o Dakota County Tribune, 3 September 1885. See box score for a list of players on both teams. 41 Hastings Gazette, 5 September 1885. 42 Ibid., 26 September 1885. 43 Dakota County Tribune, 8 October 1885. The championship of the county was more of an adver- tising strategy than anything. Considering this was the first game played by Empire, it was likely the word championship was used to advertise an impor- tant game. 44 Ibid., 22 October 1885. See box score for a list of players on both teams. 45 Ibid., 8 April 1886. The article did not mention who the prominent business men were or what their roles were. 46 Ibid., 20 May 1886. See box score for a list of play- ers on both teams. 47 Hastings Gazette, zz May 1886. 48 Ibid., 5 June 1886. 49 Dakota County Tribune, 20 May 1886. 5o Hastings Gazette, 12 June 1886. 5' Ibid. See box score for a list of players on both teams. 52 Dakota County Tribune, 3 June 1886. See box score for a list of players from both games. 53 Cannon Falls Beacon, 3 July 1886. 54 Dakota County Tribune, 22 July 1886. See box score for list of players. 55 Ibid., 12 August 1886. The label "champions of Scott County" was probably not unlike the label given to Lakeville in 1885 for winning the champi- onship at the Dakota County Fair. It was likely a label used to generate interest in the game. 56 Jordan Independent, 18 August 1886. The Clippers had never been referred to as the champions of Dakota County until this article which supports the aforementioned conclusion. S7 Dakota County Tribune, 23 September 1886. 58 Ibid., 7 October 1886. 59 Hastings Gazette, 25 September 1886. 6o Dakota County Tribune, 28 April 1887. See also Richard Rock, "Railroads of Dakota County," Over the Years (August 1988) 9. Randolph Station was built in 1885 as part of the Minnesota & North Western Railroad Company. The M & NW stretched between St. Paul and the Iowa border. 61 Dakota County Tribune, 9 June 1887. 62 Hastings Gazette, 28 May 1887. 63 Ibid., 4 June 1887. See box score for a list of play- ers. The game was the feature of the Decoration Day December 2000 Over the Years Page 27 festivities. 64 Dakota County Tribune, 3o June 1887. 65 West St. Paul Times, 25 June 1887. 66 Ibid. 67 Ibid., 27 August 1887. 68 Hastings Gazette, 16 July 1887. See box score for a list of players on both teams. 69 Ibid. 7° Ibid., 6 August 1887. 71 Ibid.,lo September 1877. See box score for a list of Hastings players. 72 Dakota County Tribune, 22 September 1887. 73 Ibid., 6 October 1887. See box score for a list of players on both teams. 74 Hastings Gazette, 8 October 1887. See box score for a list of players on both teams. 75 Ibid. 76 Ibid., 29 October 1887. 77 Dakota County Tribune, 26 April 1888. 78 Hastings Daily Gazette, 3 May 1888. 79 Ibid., 23 May 1888. so Minneapolis Tribune, 3o May 1888. $1 Hastings Daily Gazette, 31 May 1888. See box score for a list of players. 82 Ibid., 14 June 1888. 83 Ibid., 16 June 1888. 84 Ex -leaguers would have been former members of the Northwestern League. The names of these play- ers were not indicated. There was no formal rule against this action. It seemed to be more of an unwritten agreement between amateur teams. 85 Hastings Daily Gazette, 29 June 1888. See article for a recap of the game. 86 Upham, Minnesota Geographic Names, 166. Marshan, previously known as Bellwood, was orga- nized May, 11, 1858. 87 Hastings Daily Gazette,lo July 1888 88 West St. Paul Times, 14 July 1888. 89 Hastings Daily Gazette, 25 July 1888. 90 Ibid., 27 July 1888. 91 Ibid., 10 July 1888. See box score for a list of play- ers. 92 Ibid., 15 August 1888. 93 Ibid. 94 Ibid., 18 August 1888. See article for a list of new players on the Maroons. 95 Ibid., 21 August 1888. q6 Ibid., 28 August 1888. In 1888 the club from Rosemount went by the name Highland Clippers. 97 Dakota County Tribune, 9 August 1888. q8 Hastings Gazette, 29 August 1888. See article for a brief recap including the battery for the winning club. 99 Ibid., 11 September 1888. 100 Dakota County Tribune, 4 October 1888. 101 Hastings Gazette, 7 May 1889. 102 Dakota County Tribune, 9 May 1889. 103 Ibid. 104 Hastings Gazette, 11 May 1889. The article appeared in the "Hampton News" section of the paper. 105 Ibid., 16 May 1889. The fourth ward represented a team from that voting district in Hastings. 106 Ibid., 28 May 1889. See article for a list of the other former Maroons attending games in Northfield. 107 Ibid., 29 May 1889. 108 Ibid., 6 June 1889. 109 Ibid., 11 June 1889. 110 Ibid., 12 June 1889. 111 Ibid., 27 June 1889. The article does not mention the name of the West St. Paul Club. Whether or not they were the same club that opened the season in late April is unknown. 112 Ibid., 6 July 1889. 113 Ibid. 114 Dakota County Tribune, 11 July 1889. 115 Hastings Gazette, 9 July 1889. See article for the Nininger-Rich Valley game as well as the Ravenna - Hastings game. 1i6 Ibid. 117 Ibid./12 July 1889. It was reported that one of the players, Coon Elliot, had a finger broken in the game. 118 Dakota County Tribune, 1 August 1889. 119 Hastings Gazette, 28 September 1889. 120 Ibid., 31 September 1889. Ellsworth was east of Hastings in Pierce County, Wisconsin. 121 Ibid., 4 October 1889. Page 28 Over the Years December 2000 Dakota County Historical Society I ANNUAL MEETING Saturday, January 27, 2001 1 - 3:15 p.m. Dakota County History Museum -13o Third Avenue North, South St. Paul PROG RAM I. Business meeting 1-1:25 p.m. a. Approval of minutes and reports b. Introduction of new director, Mark Reidell c. Election of officers II. History Presentation 1:30 - 2:05 p.m. Wayne Gannaway, Minnesota Historical Society, will give a slide presentation on the architecture and history of the LeDuc Mansion in Hastings that was built in the 186os by General William Gates LeDuc. Wayne will also discuss opportunities for historic interpretation at the site. III. Musical Performance 2:10 - 2:40 p.m. The 8o-member Dakota Valley Symphony and Chorus will perform "Dakotah," a stirring musical piece by Randall Stokes that celebrates the days when settlers came to Dakota County. IV. Refreshments 2:45 - 3:15 p.m. Beverages, tasty bakery fare, and conversation will cap off an enjoyable afternoon at the History Museum. Preserving, Promoting and Sharing the History of Dakota County Since 1939 West Saint Paul ( 52' South St. Paul SOUTHVIEW Inver Grove Heights Dakota County Historical Society 130 3rd Avenue North South St. Paul MN 55075 Address Service Requested BGLK3 65 T551233 u_8 3101 Lb C 1/ 2e /C-: BOLKE' A:,YCE T 4839 TRITON CT E APT 10 CAPE CORAL FL 33x04-9444 I1 IInkili11InIIn11InII1In1lu111(11%In1n1Illi,niIIIIi Alyce Bolke 1365 Deerwood Drive Eagan, MN 55123 Non -Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID South St. Paul, MN Permit #45 1TYEARS MEN AND WOMEN ARE URGENTLY NEEDED TODAY! A History of the Gopher Ordance Works Dawning of a War -Boom Community by Gerald Mattson, Maureen Geraghty Bouchard and Russ Withrow Volume 41 Number 1 July 2001 Dakota County Historical Society 130 Third Ave. N. South St. Paul, MN 55075 (651) 451-6260 fax (651) 552-7265 e-mail dchs@mtn.org www.dakotahistory.org Officers Steve Larson, President Maureen Geraghty Bouchard, VP & Rosemount Chapter Bill Wolston, Secretary Lois Puckett, Treasurer Mary Kaliszewski, Past President Trustees Dick Darsow Jackie Koza Arlyn Lamb Dick Guyer Sharon Bruestle, Mendota/West St. Paul Chapter Lu Stoffel, Hastings Chapter Richard Thill, Genealogical Society Advisory Council Duncan Baird Thomas G. Mairs Margaret S. Hubbs LaDonna Boyd Roger B. Shepard County Commissioners Patrice Bataglia Joseph A. Harris Donald J. Maher Michael E. Turner Willis E. Branning Paul J. Krause Nancy Schouweiler Staff Mark L. Reidell, Executive Director Rebecca J. Snyder, Associate Director/Librarian Amy Miller, Curator of Collections Steve Werle, Education Coordinator Eleanor Clubb, Administrative Assistant Helen Waldoch, Receptionist Jim Abict, Research Associate Special Thanks to our corporate organizations Cenex/Harvest States Bremer Bank Wakota Credit Union Dakota Electric City of Mendota Heights Southview Bank City of Apple Valley Richfield Bank & Trust 1st State Bank of Rosemount Dakota County Government Membership support of the Dakota County Historical Society is one of the most important sources of funding for the organization. Members receive: Over the Years — Published twice a year, this feature publi- cation focuses in depth on a particular historical topic. "Dakota County History" —The newsletter keeps members up to date on museum activities. © Dakota County Historical Society, 2001 OVER THE YEARS VOLUME 41 NUMBER 1 JULY 2001 HISTORY OF THE GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS DAWNING OF A WAR -BOOM COMMUNITY The Gopher Ordnance Works in Rosemount and Empire has long been a subject of fascination and controversy ever since the United States Government forced farmers to vacate their land on short notice in April 1942. This issue of Over the Years chronicles the impact of the plant on individuals as well as on the community and documents the process by which the plant produced ammunition for the war effort. Front cover: This ad is one of several aimed at different segments of the population urging them to seek work at Gopher Ordnance. Dakota County Tribune April 13, 1945. Inside back cover: The effects of Gopher were felt far and wide in Dakota County. George Warweg s trailer camp was nearly 10 miles away. Dakota County Tribune July 31, 1942. Back cover: The sprawling Gopher Ordnance Plant is best seen in this aerial. ANTLERS PARK ON LAKE MARION NOW OPEN FOR TRAILER CAMP SHADE TREES GALORE It's always cool here inside and outside • RUNNING WATER, TOILETS • LARGE CLUB AND RECREATION ROOM • HOT AND COLD SHOWERS • EXTRA GOOD WINTER ACCOMMODATIONS • GOOD FISHING, BATHING BEACH, BOATS FOR RENT, BAIT • REFRESHMENTS AND ICE CREAM LOCATED ONLY 10 MILES TO ROSEMOUNT ON GOOD HIGHWAY. ALSO --Good winter home on Orchard Lake for sale or rent, 6 room house, barn, chicken coop, garage, with foal- acres of land. George H. Warweg OWNER AND MANAGER. 130 Third Avenue North South St. Paul, MN 55075 Non -Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID South St. Paul, MN Permit #45 Alyce Bolke 1365 Deerwood Drive Eagan, MN 55123 BOLK365 T551233069 3701 19 08/07/01 BOLKE'ALYCE T 1396 WALSH RD ELY MN 55731-8034 Address Service Requested IIIIIIIIiI,Il,II1IIIlIIuIIIIuIIII'ui''IIs'Iu'II'IiIIIII'I,Is'I The Herbert and Minnie Volkert home before the family farm was acquired by the U.S. Government for the Gopher Ordnance Works in 1942. Photo courtesy of Clarence Volkert. A. HISTORY OF THE GOPHER ORDNANCE WOES DAWNING OF A WAR -BOOM COMMUNITY GERALD MATrsON MAUREEN GERAGHTY BOUCHARD Russ Wimiow In March 1942 rumors began circulating in the Rosemount area that the Government would be taking some land. Everyone wondered how much and whose land would be taken. Rosemount and the surrounding area were witnessing the dawning of a war -boom community. With it would come rapid physical, eco- nomic and social change; bestowing prosperity to some, but hardship to others.1 The changes to the community were so profound that a half century later the legacy of the Gopher Ordnance Works continues through the University of Minnesota Agricultural Research Center and the ghostly remains of the old production facilities. The rumors turned to harsh reality at a public meeting held in Farmington on March 31, 1942.2 At that meeting government officials announced to the affected landowners that an 11,500-acre tract (almost 18 square miles) was to be taken in Rosemount and Empire Townships for a huge ordnance facility. The affected families were further stunned to learn that they had to vacate their property by mid May -- just six weeks away. It also helped to explain to the landowners the mysterious cars that had been seen cruising up and down the county roads near their farms for the past several months. Another part of the puzzle were the strangers in the cars who would be JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 1 ARMS PLANT COMING seen drilling, digging and testing the subsoil in the fields.3 The mystery was cleared up when it was later revealed that a War Department engineer and his crew had been quietly investigating the area for nearly a year to determine the feasibility of locating a war plant there. The planning for World War II defense production was laid out in the mid 1930s, but not implemented until 1939. One of the critical problems was the lack of munitions plants. Almost all of these facilities had been torn down after World War I.4 In 1940 the government began a program to con- struct huge Government -Owned Contractor -Operated plants which came to be known as GOCO plants. These facilities were financed and owned by the gov- ernment, but constructed and operated by private con- tractors on a cost -plus -fixed -fee basis. When the defense contracts began to be awarded, many govern- ment, business and labor leaders in the midwest felt that the region was not getting its fair share of the new jobs and economic prosperity. Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen became a leading spokesman for the group. During August 1940, Stassen traveled to Kansas City to speak to the lead- ers from nine states about getting their fair share of defense spending. He told the group that the midwest should not be reduced to "a position of agricultural slavery... This is not a cry for pork. It is the voice of the Middle West asking for justice." Due in part to their lobbying efforts defense spending in Minnesota rose from $500,000 to $40 million by March 1941. State officials further were gratified in August 1941 when construction began on Minnesota's first GOCO plant, Twin Cities Ordnance, an ammunition plant located in New Brighton.5 The following year would also see construction began on the Gopher Ordnance Works in Rosemount. A total of 77 GOCO munitions facilities were built in 26 states, two of them in Minnesota. They consisted of nine basic kinds of facilities:6 • 25 load, assemble and pack (LAP) plants • 23 propellant and explosive (P&E) works • 11 chemical works • 13 small arms ammunitions plants • 2 gun tube plants • 1 case cup plant • 1 incendiary works • 1 tank plant • 1 metal components for artillery ammunition Depending on their function, these 77 facilities were designated into 42 "plants" and 35 "works". Approximately one-half of these facilities, about 37, performed more than one function. Works made pow- der, explosives, chemicals and incendiaries. Plants fabricated and assembled small arms, tanks etc. The Gopher Ordnance Works [GOW] was a single -pur- pose P&E facility for making powder and explosives to be shipped to assembly plants, therefore designated a "works". The Twin Cities Ordnance Plant, because it was restricted to fabrication and assembly of small arms ammunition, was a "plant". There were two types of smokeless powder, single -base (nitrocellu- lose) and double base (nitrocellulose and nitroglycer- ine). Gopher Ordnance was designed to produce the single -base powder. In 1941 officials in the War Department began looking at the area around Rosemount as a possible site for a second Minnesota GOCO facility, a gun- powder production works. This location was chosen because the land was level, or slightly rolling, which required only minor grading for building construction. Also, there were no improved highways running through the area, and there were three railroads — the Milwaukee Road, the Rock Island and the Chicago Great Western — to serve the facility. There were high voltage electric lines and a natural gas pipeline in the area. It was close to the Mississippi River where the huge quantities of water needed for production could PACE 2 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 .5Ia t 7 1¢tsJ� es{Kd :\k‘,/,,/ ii\:::\No"\-11 sr/Or R.L. f C.L. Smith - F ' //%...,./ircc,k7\ , Patr/tic if. / ?nche 1 ti 7 ' T • 3 6. • Mc Corfhy 80 A IT /1fiX Concrete 1J?t? I ,,r rI John P. Corrigan • 80 A. \ , \ ti •`. ` r \ � ,/` Car} ry - Efnrrn '` Y, Dcrh `�• /43.3/A �� f' 1 �\ k Ma pret.f. Corr ig Sarah eurniec'e - .. _.._... ________ `1COA. \� l k • `'itor-ge 1fliat't. ,` /6 0 A. .Matt' e • •. / ,a. / Tillie We1ter'lun i2OA. Cloro 'Verve, et al 80A. ,f / j \ 'e s,e'el> �. EMPIRE �!a'gav�e1 Kona 8O48A. Margaret,' Ir 4027A. TwR ! r ¢ „lohrr 1'►ur'i,+r, s ot,/ A `�\ "-. u a ak Nynes . o known 1. ; �,s , '/G i , � : i , .., ,/_;...\\ I s 6�l A • - Roymc►nd Willman; Kane 1 8011 A.. 1, l c 1 Matthew //artney Jr. 4 \ Jas A Pete CiP' b Q A\``� !60 i1 i & r- 1 i ,s, Edd Fts�tr•ick //voles warPatrick .J N es 16.0 A; 1 i /6OA. This plan of the Gopher Ordnance Works shows the plants future design laid over the geography of pre-existing farms. DULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 3 be drawn. Adding to the appeal was that one-third of the states population lived within a 30-mile radius of the site to supply the needed workers. The E.I. duPont de Nemours Company of Wilmington, Delaware was among a number of com- panies already operating GOCO facilities for the U. S. Ordnance Department. In 1941 the Government requested duPont to consider building and operating two additional military explosive works, one on a site near Columbus, Nebraska, and the other near St. Paul. They were to be known respectively as the Platte Ordnance Works and the Gopher Ordnance Works. Both were to produce smokeless powder on 3 produc- tion lines, also TNT and oleum (sulfuric acid). Gopher was to have, in addition, 12 tetryl production lines. More efficient production of TNT at existing works caused changes to be made in these plans. By April of 1942 it had been decided to drop the plans for TNT production at both Platte and Gopher. The elimination of TNT production at these plants made it possible to cancel the Nebraska plant entirely by adding its proposed 3 powder lines to Gopher. The following month it was further proposed to drop the 12 tetryl lines proposed at Gopher. This plan was adopted in June of 1942. With this decision Gopher Ordnance Works would be the largest of the powder works with 6 production lines. Before World War II, with the exception of a few urbanized areas such as South St. Paul, Hastings and West St. Paul, Dakota County was mostly an agrarian region. The central part of the county quickly lost all semblance of quietude in 1942 when thou- sands of people descended -upon it to begin construction work on the Gopher Ordnance Works. Because of its close proximity, Rosemount was arguably the most effected town in the coun- ty. With the population in the village numbering 364 inhabi- tants before 1941, it witnessed an average of 155 automobiles an hour passing through town during the plant's four year lifespan.7 County Road 42 (now known as 145th Street) had to be turned into a one way street during the morning and evening rush hours to keep traffic moving. Traffic going east in the morning and west in the afternoon. Immediately following the public announcement of the new works on March 31, 1942, local officials in both Rosemount and Farmington began to take steps to deal with problems that would arise with the inflow of some 16,000 construction workers and their families. For housing and other purposes an applica- tion was made to have Rosemount and the surround- ing area designated a defense area. The Rosemount Commercial Club pitched in by appointing a commit- tee of seven businessmen to work with the Rosemount council to address the expected problems of housing, water supply, sanitation, traffic and readjustment. Ham Clay, Sr., editor of the Dakota County Tribune, was in a group that toured the areas around the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant in New Brighton and the Badger Ordnance Works in Baraboo, Wisconsin (see Appendix 4). They hoped to learn from mistakes made there and gain insight into the problems that those communities faced. Clay warned his readers that in those areas there remained a myriad of prob- lems including housing shortages, rising rent and con- sumer prices, sewer and water concerns, crowded schools and "hell -raisers." He encouraged city offi- The feelings the Kane family were summed up in the inscription on this photograph of the Kane farm: "Broke from Prairie Sod by Grandfather Kane and my Father. Stole from us by U.S. Government in 1941 for Gopher Ordinance Powder Plant [sic]." PAGE 4 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 cials to enact ordinances to regulate trailer parks, pro- vide recreational facilities for the workers and put on extra police officers. He also noted that land prices and rents would increase overnight. Consequently, ordinances were passed in Rosemount that would regulate trailer camps, hire more police, limit building permits and rise license fees for liquor. In the matter of increased health and sanitation risks, the council and the County Board of Commissioners turned to the state health department and the county nurse for advice.8 Even before construction had started, the earliest arrivals snatched up any space available for rent, not only in Rosemount, but in Lebanon (Apple Valley), Eureka, Lakeville and as far away as Inver Grove. Many workers brought house trailers in which to live, parking them anyplace that was available to rent, usu- ally on nearby farms. Almost every backyard and alley was crowded with trailers. The Moeller farm, on the south edge of Rosemount, had as many as 60 trailers on it. In Farmington, the village council bought seven acres of Amelia Sprute's pasture on the south edge of town to use as a trailer part. When the camp opened for business in early July in 1942 a newly erected 20 x 50 foot building for showers, laundry and lavatories was at its center and the Gustayson -Bruner D-X station was used as its head- quarters. To prevent unsanitary conditions, this was the only trailer parking allowed in Farmington. Another trailer camp, located at Antlers Park on Lake Marion, featured running water, showers, toilets and a recreation room. For their relaxation, this camp's ten- ants were offered good fishing, boats for rent, a bathing beach and refreshments. All over the area scores of sheds, garages and even chicken coops were converted into rental units. Virtually every home and farm had boarders living with the family. A few small farm buildings were moved to vacant lots on 146th Street in Rosemount and converted into small homes. Local merchants struggled to serve record numbers of customers while having to deal with war shortages and rationing of Ben Moeller on Gopher "Well, I remember there was an awful lot of confusion, and awful large influx of people. People, we here in Rosemount, couldn't handle it very well. I was operating school buses for the school district at the time. My wife and I set up a trailer court at the south edge of town, on some land that my dad owned. We had 60 trailer homes in there at one time. They kept coming and going but at one time we had a capacity of 60. Sixty families living in there, and there were more trailer homes around the area. I forget just how many the plant did employ at its peak... you can imagine the confusion that was here in Rosemount itself. I was on the City Council at the time. We had a lot of problems. We had to hire extra police, many people in the city took in roomers so there was available places to stay and work. The impact on the town was pretty great; it created hardships for some, and created some terrific business for other people. The restaurants and the liquor stores and so on made out pretty great. There was meat rationing at the time, sugar, it put a strain on the grocer to try to supply people living here with meat, when it was rationed." "Do you remember the names of any people that lved in the trailer court?" "Very few. Lunds from Benson, Minnesota, a couple from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ben Broche was his name. A lot of them." "How did the plant affect your life?" "It didn't really make any big impact on my life except I was very busy running the trailer camp. It had an impact on the school system. It really strained the school system. They had to bring in other buildings to house the children up at the school. We only had one building at that time. There wasn't time to build anything else, so they bought some country school buildings, moved them in and housed the children that way and educated them. We hauled them in. Sometimes we were making two trips with the buses." Interview with Theresa Seliga and Kim Foster, June 28, 1976 JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 5 Farms for Sale! See.... A.T. Roszak 109 Grand Ave., So. St. Paul WE HAVE SCATTERED FARMS THROUGHOUT DAKOTA COUNTY Only days had passed before ads such as this one offering farms to displaced farmers began appearing in area newspapers. Dakota County Tribune April 10, 1942 goods, such as meat and sugar. They had a difficult time obtaining candles, cigarettes, and gum to supply their customers. "They were from all parts of the country...(and) wanted merchandise that we didn't have and it was during the war and merchandise was hard to get."9 On payday at the plant the line to cash paychecks was Y2 block long outside the First State Bank of Rosemount. For three or four years, Rosemount was transformed from a sleepy, little farming village into a bustling town by the volume of people attracted by the high wages at the Gopher plant. Deprived of a liv- ing wage for so long by the recent Great Depression, people were now spending their new-found wealth almost as quickly as the earned it. To keep order in the community extra constables were hired and liquor licenses were limited. Those bars that existed did a land office business. The railroad depot in Rosemount was enlarged and the depot in Coates, closed for 20 years, was reopened. Commuter train service was never estab- lished, because the railroad under consideration demanded a guarantee for every trip, which the Government refused to grant. Gas was rationed to three gallons per week for personal cars and rubber tires were in short supply because of the war. Carpooling was encouraged and several bus routes were set up to bring commuting workers from as far away as White Bear Lake and Red Wing. The bus fare from the Twin Cities and suburbs cost 25 cents each way. The Jefferson Bus Company also had routes running in all directions to points south of Rosemount. One bus made a daily commute of 67 miles to bring 39 workers from Le Center to their jobs.10 One man who lived in Red Wing spent two hours and twenty minutes to make the drive during a snowstorm to be on time for his 4 p.m. shift.11 Several patrolmen were detailed to direct traffic at shift changes. An average of 3,062 cars daily caused traffic jams that lasted over an hour, even the school buses were unable to run on time. The school hours had to be changed to alleviate the problem. The bus scheduling was only one of the problems that the Rosemount School District had to deal with. School enrollment peaked at 346 pupils in a school equipped for about 280. At one point 54 students were jammed in to one classroom. Adding to the teacher's woes was the constant churn of students moving to and from the area throughout the year. Mirroring the prob- lem in the schools, the community also had to deal with the large fluctuations in the number of workers employed at the plant at various times during its exis- tence. But the group most affected by the Gopher Ordnance Works were over 80 families displaced by the plant. A Federal District Court, in early April, granted the government the right of immediate pos- session of the land. Appraisals of the farms began in mid April and the first group of families on the north end of the site were told they had to be off their land by May 6, 1942, just two weeks later. The last group of families had to vacate their farms by June Pt. As one farmer noted, "This isn't as easy as the average person might think because we didn't have any truck of our own....we moved the cattle over to the new farm on hoof, we drove'em, just like they did in the old times. We had to time that drive so that we didn't wind up driving the cattle across the Milwaukee rail - PAGE 6 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 road tracks when the 10:10 came through Rosemount. We know that was right on schedule, that was a steam passenger train. We moved the herd of cattle, there was a couple of us on horseback, and one following with the car, others on foot, but we moved them. Everything else we moved, a lot of stuff with the hayrack, pulled it with the tractor."12 The Rosemount area was deluged with hordes of real-estate agents scurrying about trying to make deals. One farmer claimed 23 agents contacted him in one day alone. The area didn't have enough farms on the market to accommodate all the displaced farmers. The asking price of farms that were available increased to reflect the sudden demand, land prices climbing to $50 an acre almost overnight. The biggest problem facing the displaced owners was that they didn't know what the final price of their property would be. Furthermore they were given no moving expenses by the government. Many of the farms lost had been in the same families for genera- tions. In most cases adjoining or nearby farms were owned by relatives sharing labor and farm equipment. All the neighbors had formed close knit groups, avail- able to help each other, especially at planting and har- vest times. The structures of families and friendships were changed forever as they relocated, scattered all over the area. The Jonas J. Christensen family was one of the unluckiest of all. After losing a farm to the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant in New Brighton, the family purchased a 240- acre farm in Empire in the fall of 1941. The family had just moved onto their new farm only to be notified two weeks later that they were being evicted again, this time for the Gopher Ordnance Works. Shortly after the announcement of the need for the land at the plant site, it was learned land would also be taken along the Mississippi River at Spring Lake for the water intake facilities. Also a 400-foot wide right-of-way from the river to the plant site would be needed. After the appraisals were finished most of the owners were upset at the low valuations assigned to their property. At a meeting on May 3, 1941 they formed an alliance to protest what they felt were unjust prices for their farms. To lead this association they elected Julius Walkow and Ralph McMenomy as co-chairmen, and William Carroll as secretary. On May 9, 1941, Congressman Joseph P. O'Hara of Minnesota's Second District, met with the farmers and pledged to help them. O'Hara met with Colonel John J. O'Brien, chief of the Ordnance Department's real-estate branch, who admitted that the dollar gap between the two sides was greater at Rosemount than at any of the other 75 land acquisition projects he had worked on. O'Brien came to Rosemount to inspect the farms and meet with the landowners. He told them there was nothing he could do and that their only alternative was to go Auction Sale The government plant, we farm, 6 the DeCoster has taken over our farm must sell at public auction on the old miles northeast of Farmington, 1 1 farm, on— April SALE STARTS AT 1 O'CLOCK SHARP' for a defense Joe Peters miles east of 16 Thurs., 21 HEAD OF LIVESTOCK 4 Guernsey milch cows, 4 beef calves, 1 veal calf 3 HORSES 2 Geldin'a, 7 and 8 years old 1 Saddle Mare, 6 years old FARM MACHINERY, ETC. 1 New Ideal manure spreader. 1 feed mill, 1 McCormick - Deering mower, 1 new hay rack, several spools of neve barb wire, some new chicken wire. HOUSEHOLD GOODS Kitchen stove, circulating heater, kitchen springs, dressers, tables, day bedli, table and articles too numerous to mention. chairs, beds. floor lamps and many other Some corn And 600 pounds of Irish cobbler potatoes. certified. TMMS amount the clerk. must make ders will moat make property OF SATs. —dimes of 610.00 and under, 6 to 1d..asonthstime wlfl.be siren an notes interest 7 Parties maw; over that acceptable to desiring credit ot.herwtae bid- a dtatancr bank. A:1 from premises bearing at percent._ arrangements with clerk before sate. be considered cash burers. Anyone from arrangements for credit with their home must be settled for . before removal J. J. Christensen, Frank games, Auctioneer Soak Mo/emenat. owner clerk The First State of Jonas J. Christensen had moved to Rosemount from New Brighton after being displaced by the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant. Dakota County Tribune April 10, 1942. JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 7 Mary and Fred Moynihan lived in three Gopher staff houses. In 1949 they moved into the Smith brothers house, which had been moved off the Smith farm into the Gopher project area. Later the Moynihans moved into a one-story staff house and in 1956 into this two story house. They lived here until 1962 when they built a new home in Lebanon. Photo courtesy of Mary Moynihan. to court. A few of the landowners accepted the gov- ernment's settlement, but 70 refused and the govern- ment began condemnation proceedings against them.13 The farmers retained three attorneys, one of whom was Harold LeVander of South St. Paul, who would later become governor of Minnesota. Three years later the first group of cases went to trial on April 11, 1944. By January 1945 all but one of the 70 cases was settled. In the end both sides claimed victo- ry, the farmers because they were awarded about $300,000.00 more than the government offered and the government because the award was far less then the farmers hoped for. But it was a hollow victory for the farmers, many of whom remained embittered over the way the government acted.14 Some of the farm buildings and houses locat- ed within the plant survived by being moved off the site, but a rare few are still in their original location. The Herman Wachter farmstead has survived almost intact: the house is currently used as a residence by an employee of the University of Minnesota. The other farmhouse still in its original loca- tion is the Otto Boche house: it also is used as a resi- dence. The only other farm building that remains standing is a structure from the William Volkert farmstead. A brick one -room schoolhouse also sur- vived on the site for several decades, but was eventually torn down. The Smith brothers' residence was first used as a temporary first aid station and later moved to lot 11 in the staff house row and remodeled, joining 24 newly con- structed staff homes. It survives today as a private residence. At least 89 buildings, including nine houses and 11 barns, were auctioned off by the government and moved off the property. The Lambert Englert home was bought and moved to a site on Chippendale Avenue in Rosemount. Martin Volkert home was also moved to a site on Cameo Ave. but both homes have been torn down in recent years. The two-story, brick home of the Herbert Volkert family was left standing for use as a temporary office during the initial plant construction period and then simply bulldozed, a fate shared by many of the buildings. CONSTRUCTION & OPERATION OF THE GOW On May 13, 1942, even before all of the families had left the site, construction began on the facility and on May 27, with the erection of telegraph, tele- phone and teletype lines in the area, all roads within the plant property were closed to the public.15 On June 4, 1942, the E.I. duPont de Nemours Co. of Wilmington, Delaware was formally awarded the con- tract to build and operate Gopher Ordnance Works. Construction was not to be of the permanent type, and facilities were to be ready for use within approximate- ly 16 months or by November 12, 1943. Within weeks, 33 strategically placed guard tow- ers were erected around the site's perimeter to protect it from sabotage and trespassers. A security force of 500 was hired to patrol 10 miles of roads in cars PAGE 8 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 equipped with radios so they could communicate with nearby Fort Snelling. By the middle of June, con- struction was well underway, with 3,000 construction employees working in two eight -hour shifts per day. They had by this time completed the huge two-story administration building to house the offices of duPont's administrative employees. This 250-foot long building was constructed in three units connect- ed by breezeways: between units were concrete fire - walls that could be closed off in case of fire. Other work included upgrading of existing roads and the construction of new one. A total 60 miles of road- ways were within the GOW site. Seventy-five miles of railroad track was laid including a large rail yard in the center of the site. At the Mississippi site four deep Ranney Wells, one capable of pumping 8,000 gallons per minute, were being constructed. 16 Besides the actual plant's construction, consider- able ancillary work was hurriedly being performed outside its boundaries. To facilitate the expected crush of vehicles coming to and from the plant, $62,000 was spent by the federal government to upgrade and pave county roads connecting the plant to Highways 218 (Highway 3), 55, and Cedar Avenue. To the south, two new bridges for county roads were built over the Vermillion River. And the span carrying Highway 52 over the Vermillion was reconstructed.17 This upgrading included the state of Minnesota seeing its first cloverleaf intersection constructed, long before freeways were conceived, when the Highway 3 bridge over the 55/52 intersection was built in July 1942.18 The Gopher Ordnance Works contained 858 build- ings of which the large majority were completed. Besides the administrative, production and storage build- ing, other structures included laboratories, a ballistic range, and power plants. Maintenance facility included shops for auto and train repair, carpentry, blacksmith, sheet metal work, pipe fitting, welding, millwright and electrical work.19 The works was to contain six production lines, desig- nated A through F, to manufacture smokeless gun- powder and facilities to produce oleum and nitric acid. The Rosemount facility was to be the largest of all the powder plants. Each of its three rifle powder production lines stretched out over two miles in length. The three cannon powder lines, which required less processing, were to stretch over a mile each. Over 100 powder shipping houses at the south- ern end of the plant also covered a huge area. Many of the buildings had to be spaced far apart so a fire or explosion in one would not touch off the others. The plant was initially scheduled to begin produc- tion by January 1943, only seven months away. Record rains during the summer of 1942 caused many problems including impassable dirt roads, and many drainage and erosion problems in the construction area. But this was not the leading cause for construc- tion delays. The worst problem was the diversion of essential equipment to another powder works under construction in Australia. This pushed back the pro- jected start of production until October 1943. Further delays postponed start-up until January 1, 1944. Construction employment peaked with 19,428 work- ers on the job during September of 1942 while trying to make up for lost time. Construction work totaling $21,589,376.00 was sub -contracted to 50 different Continued on page 11 A view of the street running through the staff housing section of the Gopher plant. JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 9 Celebrate Christmas in a Trailer Here Mr. and Mrs. W.W. McKinney and daughter Norma Jean of Florida (where 30 above is a cold wave) are typical of the 53 families at the city trailer camp, who will observe Christmas in cozy, snow -embanked trailers. In order to save space in their comparatively small trailer home, the young couple and their four- year -old daughter, have set up a miniature tree with all the trimmings. The McKinneys, like many other southern folks in the camp, in the past have celebrated Christmas in much the same fashion as Minnesota people, with one exception. Mrs. McKinney has never seen snow before. Daughter Norma Jean has quite a time getting used to wearing long stockings while out in snap- py December weather. However, neither the heat in summer or the icy chill of Minnesota weather seems to really bother these friendly southern people. The trailers are well insulated, keeping the heat out in summer, and keep- ing it warm in winter. They are usually heated by fuel oil. Mrs. McKinney says the trailers are cooler than a house in the summer time. The family came here from the southern United States where Mr. McKinney has been employed in ordnance plants similar to the Rosemount project, where he is now working as a rigger. They were the third trailer family to moved into the city camp, and have been here six months. The trailer, which is 20 feet long and about six feet wide, has compact, handy household appliances. The beds are convertible into seats. The trailer homes have radios, refrigerators, folding chairs and tables, and a tiny kitchenette. Another feature of the trailer is the fact that it can be moved quickly and easily. When journeying from place to place, they simply stop at some nice cool spot when they tired of riding. However, riding inside a moving trailer would be like "being on a ship in a storm", according to Mr. McKinney, who was once in the navy. The best thing about living up north for the McKinneys is the fact that northern people are friendly. And speaking of hospitality, the McKinneys wouldn't let the photographer leave without eat- ing a delicious ham dinner that rivals Ma's home cooking. Dakota County Tribune December 25, 1942 PAGE 10 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 concerns. By November construction of the plant was approximately 50 per cent complete. By March 1, 1942 construction for project was about 90 per cent complete. Being the last of the powder plants authorized during the war, its usefulness was con- stantly being reevaluated by the military as the pace of the war fluctuated. In early 1943 it was deter- mined that other ordnance facilities could keep pace with the needs of the war, so on April 22, the War Department canceled construction on powder lines D, E, F and the diphenylamine unit. These lines were to be dismantled and the equipment sent to other facilities as needed. Construction of A, B and C lines continued until October 18, 1943 when all major construction was halted. On January 24, 1944, duPont was instructed to cease all work at Gopher, including plant protection and maintenance. The government assumed responsi- bility for all material and equipment at the project. Fegies Construction Company of Minneapolis was awarded a contract by the government to dismantle and salvage material from 250 partially completed buildings. They shipped out 175 railcar loads of mate- rial. On June 6 the "D" Day invasion was launched and 10 days later all dismantling of the plant was halted. On July 7 duPont agreed to undertake the work of reactivating the Gopher Works. On August 11 orders came to reactivate lines A, B and C and convert them to cannon powder production. Also needed urgently were the facilities for reworking damaged smokeless powder, which was being returned to this country for reconditioning. By the middle of September it was clear projected start up dates could not be met because of a very serious labor shortage, both in the unskilled and craft categories. On October 27 the Acid Facility finally began pro- duction of oleum and nitric acid. A majority of this production was shipped to other facilities. On December 30 further orders were received to rebuild lines D, E and F, with powder production to begin on these lines by September 1945. By April both duPont and its subcontractors employment fig- ures for reconstruction of the D, E and F lines totaled 5,164. This was more than 3,000 less than the esti- mated required number of 8,185. On April 25, 1945 Italy surrendered and Berlin was now completely sur- rounded. On April 28 after repeated statements by Ordnance officials that Gopher construction would not be curtailed as a result of rapidly decreasing smokeless powder requirements, orders were issued to TRA1LER NEWS This column is open to anyone who lives in this community and lives in a trailer. Bring your news to the Tribune or leave in the news box at the city trailer office. Trailers here are being win- terized; little vestibules are being built and heavy paper is being put around the bottom of many trailers. Miss Georgia Franz of Inde- pendence, Iowa, is visiting her sister, Mrs. Robert Fobes at the city court, this week. The new recreation building at the city court is nearing comple- tion and the residents there are anxious for the use of it. They plan to have it for a day nursery, leaving their children there while they shop or sew for the Red Cross. New families at the Kuchera park are those of Thomas Eustice and David Sherburn. New families at the city court are those of H. E. Ackerman, Pryor, Okla.; Ralph V. Anderson, Rosemount; Chas. Delpach, St. Paul. The A. L. Becker family moved from the court this week. The Dakota County Tribune devoted a column to residents of the numerous trailer camps such as this one published on October 9, 1942. JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 11 Harold Wachter on Gopher The Harold Wachter family, including his parents, Otto and Anna, were given 30 days notice in March 1942 to vacate their farms to make room for the Gopher plant. Harold's farm was 120 acres, Otto's, 80 acres. Harold was offered 79 dollars an acre. His farm consisted of a brand new windmill, well and cistern, two new silos, a freshly painted house with new shingles and a new screened porch. Although it was difficult to leave the farm, Harold said they were told the government owned every- thing. "Then all of our wells had signs on them, `Poisonous Water — Do Not Drink'." According to Harold, since he did not argue about the price and departed without a fight he was allowed to return to the farm after the 30 day limit so that he could dismantle his brand new silos, remove gates and the well tank to take them to his new farm, the Gilman farm two miles to the west. To the best of his knowledge, everything on his old farm except the silos, which he took with him, was razed. Interview with Maureen Geraghty Bouchard, June 30, 2001 stop work on lines D, E and F. Less than 10 per cent of the rebuilding of these lines had been completed. The reworking of salvaged powder started on January 2, 1945. On February 9 production of new powder began on "C" line. "B" powder line began operating on March 2 and by the end of the month a peak figure of 3,102 production employees was reached. Both lines were operating at only one third capacity due to manpower shortages. Pressure was placed on the GOW to increase its production when flooding of the Ohio River caused production to be cut severely at three other ordnance works along its banks. Due to the serious labor shortage an advertising campaign was started with the help of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Dakota County newspapers. Several articles and full -page ads appeared urging workers to apply for employment at Gopher Ordnance Works. This campaign was necessary because, right from the start of construction on the reactivation proj- ect, there had been a definite reluctance on the part of many craftsmen and laborers to be employed on a project already associated with one sudden termina- The Harold Wachter farm, above, and house, lower left. Photos courtesy of Harold Wachter. tion. Potential workers feared there might be another cancellation. As a result, duPont had difficulty com- peting with nearby industries that were hiring workers with assurances of long-term employment. It was hoped many of the laid off construction workers would take positions on the critically short- handed production lines. But the higher paid con- struction workers spurned the lower pay of a produc- tion worker and simply moved on to other projects. Even with the ad campaign the facility never came close to filling the 3,000 positions needed to operate all 3 lines. Ironically, area merchants and farmers who couldn't compete with the wages offered at the plant, and therefor couldn't keep any help, com- plained so loudly that the plant finally stopped hiring local farm workers. Production employment topped out in May 1945 with 650 office and technical staff, 152 guards and firemen and 2,364 skilled, semi- skilled and unskilled production line workers. Of the totaled 3,166 employees, almost one third were women [931] and slightly over 1 per cent were black [16 men and 17 women] . PAGE 12 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 May 7, 1945 "VE" Day brought the war in Europe to a close. Though the fighting in Europe had almost ended, the war in the Pacific was still on and the Gopher facility was far behind its production quota. That same month production at the plant reached its highest total with 6,266,040 pounds of powder produced. This powder was produced on lines B and C. The A line was functional but idle, for lack of workers. Production averaging 208,870 pounds per day was achieved working 24 hours per day, three shifts, and seven days per week. This was slightly above the design capacity of 100,000 pounds per day per line. When Japan surrendered, August 14, 1945, the facility was officially ordered to cease production. The last of the powder from the production line was packed and made ready for shipment during October. This was about nine months after production had begun. When the plant was shut down about 4,000,000 pounds of spoiled gunpowder remained to be reworked. Lt. Col. R. E. Russell, Commanding Officer, Gopher Ordnance Works, explained that "The relotting operation now being performed at the plant consists of removing powder from shells reclaimed from battlefronts or even sunken ships, testing its explosive qualities and reclaiming that which is satisfactory. Lots of 50,000 to 100,000 pounds are handled in this manner to insure uniform results." Once the war ended, it was determined that it was not worth the high cost of salvage and the remaining stockpile was ordered destroyed.20 For two weeks, in the month of June 1946, long narrow rows of the powder were spread out on the ground and touched off. As the bright flashes raced along the ground they sent up huge clouds of smoke. The glow and smoke could be seen for miles.21 Even though "A" line was never in regular production, it ran for a short time for acceptance testing. All the wood in the processing section of lines A, B and C had to be torn out and burned because it was contaminated with gunpowder dust and a spark or any friction would ignite it. Area residents grumbled about all the good powder and lumber the government was burn- ing, not realizing the truth of why it was being done. The plant was declared surplus and whatever equipment could be used at other government instal- lations were shipped out. Most of the wood used in buildings on D, E and F lines had been torn out previ- ously and the lumber shipped out by rail. About 3,500 acres in the southwestern corner of the site, which had never been developed, was offered for sale. Original owners had first rights to buy back their land. Jonas J. Christensen who had lost his second farm to the GOW was one of a few who repurchased their property. Some sense of nor- malcy returned to Rosemount when the plant closed in 1945, and the transients disappeared almost as fast as they had come. The stacks of the powerhouse are the most recognizable remnants of the Gopher Ordnance Works. JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 13 15'eytht Cor Dryer Acker. [usher' 131..0G. NO. 10.1 BLDG. NO 104 iNCOMittG PURirtW COTTON COTTON DRY PURIF?CD COTTON ST0REHQU3E NOUSE Rifle LOG. Ko 2z9 SNiPP4sG HOUSE BLDG. NO 246 BLENDfNG TOwtR & Pack NO HOUSE Process for Producing the Smokeless warp Not. AC/O 4 The sfepc fr Mr process ha^ pyr'o ore 5.rrxlr to lhase ehom r44r ti j-9rcde ',rep` n pul ykv No N?9 where py n jtcts two ,.brtkn myyinea v4shari o! three as 4 fey -rode- 7hucsf lirr¢t o-. reycsrtd 7 Nitreetry Haase Ais tai ro sanding 71,4 er 4citd% -Aix t�7. AC . ACID 1LDG 106 )1 SPENT AC10 rtit_Tozs Pn a nat,4r ) CYVTYE%�]"-M 4Y13 .58 71. u .Jordran Cn9inu BLDG. NO. )O5 f LOG- NO 108 NiTRATiN4. HOUSE 8O11..UNO TUB MOUSE SLOG. NO 239 SHAKER StEYC HOUSE N cei. NO 238 GLAZE BARREL NL.oc. NG, i09 PtA.P11,1G HOWL r2 SLOG. NO. 237 TRAY °RYER • PAGE 14 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 owder at the Gopher Ordnance Works BLDG. N0 Ill NlTROCCLLtJLOSE SLURRY TANK BLDG. N0. 235 POWDER DRY HOUSE TYPO NO. STROVG ALCOHOL ri f711 J., ,.. Wrieviry BLDG. t40, 112 BLDG. N0. tt3 BLDG. NO. 201 POACHER TUE5 BLtNU1N6 TUB & NiTROCrLLULOSF. HOUSE EtNAL. WRFNGER. L.AQ ST0i2£HOIJSC $LOG. NO. 236 BLOC, NO.265 ESL.OG. N0. 234 SWI.L.TIC BARREL. WAT..A DRY SOLVENT HOUSE HOUSE RECOVERY HOUSE TYlE N0. 2 L _—WWc4 Akch rl Mixer IWceater E3LOG, NO.202 OEHYDRATtNO PRESS H0USC % CO. N0. 208 FJnck ny tAtXCR HOUSE LLc74. NO. 234 VERTICAL PRESS MOUSE JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 15 SAFETY AT THE GOW Safety was a prime consideration during construc- tion and production process. In September 1942, five months into construction more than 3,000,000 man- hours were completed without a lost -time accident. Smoking was not allowed anywhere on the property. Security guards confiscated all matches and lighters at the gate, and anyone caught smoking or even carry- ing matches, would be penalized a day's pay. Workers were required to wear flameproof coveralls, long rub- ber gloves and shatterproof spectacles on the job. Stringent precautions were enacted on the volatile production lines where even a minor accident could turn into a devastating catastrophe. A 24-hour-a-day safety department was set up to give lectures and show films on safety, post signs around the plant and conduct inspections to ensure that all regulations were strictly followed. Each new employee, as part of his/her extensive training before being allowed on the line, were given handbook - which he/she must have in possession continuously which prescribed a set procedure for even mundane things as moving a ladder or lifting a package. The floors were constantly swept and washed of any com- bustible particles, machinery was kept as spotless as cooking utensils, and each tool had a definite place. The plants first medical facility was located in the Smith brothers farm house. Within a short time two identical medical service buildings were built. Each had an operating room and small wards for both men and women patients. GUN POWDER PRODUCTION PROCESS AT THE GOW The flow chart from the Gopher Ordnance Works shows the steps involved in the production of smoke- less powder. The 100 series buildings were used in the nitrating process. They were followed by the 200 series buildings, which made up the powder processing sec- tion of the gunpowder production line. The first buildings in the line were the Purified Cotton Storehouses [building 101]. Boxcars contain- ing rolls of cotton or wood pulp were unloaded and the material stored here until needed. The three store- houses from A, B and C lines were the only buildings from the production lines that were not dismantled when the plant closed. The Cotton and Wood Dry Houses [building 104] contained large ovens, which dried the cotton or wood fiber until it contained less than 1 per cent moisture. The Army required its gunpowder to be made from wood cellulose while the Navy insisted on cotton cellulose. Each branch claimed their prod- uct to be superior. The Nitrating Houses [building 105] were four- story brick buildings where the dried cellulose was mixed with a blend of acids. Next a large amount of water was added to the nitrocellulose as the material was very unstable and explosive in a dry state, but relatively safe if wet. All that remains of these struc- tures are their foundations. Each line had its own nitrocellulose tank farm [structures 102] which contained and processed acids used in the Nitrating Houses. The concrete tank sup- ports are the most visible parts that remain today. The nitrocellulose slurry was piped to the Boiling Tub Houses [building 108] to remove impurities that would make the powder unstable. Several acid boils interspersed with fresh water rinses were required. Processing took 60 to 90 hours depending on the type of material being treated. Each Tub House contained 58 large wooden boiling tubs and used huge amounts of boiling water. The ceramic and concrete pipes from the boiling tubs are some of the most unusual ruins. Interestingly, surviving ceramic pipes from these boil- ing houses are stamped with "Red Wing" from Red Wing Pottery Company. The next step took place in the Pulping House [building 109] where the slurry was passed through Jordan Shredders of the same type used in paper mills. This process cut the material to the desired fineness for processing in the powder line. The slurry was then passed to the Poacher Tub House [building 112] where it was again given a series of alkaline and neutral boils and rinses to remove more free acids. This step helped purify the nitrocellulose to insure a long shelf life for the powder. A screening step also removed oversize fibers. PAGE 16 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 The ether mix house at Gopher had emergency slides for workers to escape by in the event of disaster. In the Blend and Final Wring House [building 113] different batches of nitrocellulose were blended together in large tubs to get specific nitrogen and solubility characteristics and then spun in centrifugal wringers to remove most of the water. Each Blend House had four tubs, 24 feet in diameter and 19 feet high, with a 13-foot agitator in each tank. After being spun in the wringer the nitrocellulose con- tained 25 - 33 per cent moisture. At this point the nitrating part of the process was finished and the powder process would begin. The first step in the powder process is to remove the remaining water moisture by dehydrat- ing it with a rinse of strong alcohol and then press- ing it into a block to remove the alcohol. This was done in the Dehydrating Press House [building 202]. Framing for this building and in many others in the production line were done on the outside. This was done to prevent powder dust from accu- mulating in the many corners and ledges which would exist with inside framing construction and increase the fire and explosion danger. Escape slides were installed on all hazardous pro- duction buildings more than one-story tall for quick escape in case of fire. The doors at the top of the slides had no doorknobs and were held shut with springs so you could exit on the run. In the Mixer House [building 208] the block of nitrocellulose was mixed with solvents and the gelatin like mixture was again pressed into a cylindrical block. The Mixer House in line B is one of the largest ruins still standing. The cylindrical blocks were moved to the Vertical Press Houses [building 234] where they were taken by elevator to the second floor. Here they were placed in a large vertical press and extruded through dies that formed the blocks into long strands of powder that went through holes in the floor and into waiting tubs on the first floor. Rifle powder had one hole through the center the strand while cannon powder had seven small holes. The JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 17 The Gopher blending tower as it appeared in 1943. output from this operation looked like long strands of spaghetti. The strands were then moved to cutting machines where it was cut into specified uniform grain lengths. The A - B - C lines were originally designed to produce rifle powder but were converted to cannon powder production in 1944. All the powder produced at the GOW was cannon powder. In the Solvent Recovery Houses [building 214] hot inert gases were passed through the powder to drive off residual gasses. The ruins from these building are more commonly referred to today as the "T" walls, because of their shape. Ninety of these ruins exist. Forty-nine of them served A, B and C lines. Standing in three long rows, they make an impressive sight. At the Water Dry Houses [building 269] the pow- der was Hydro -Jetted in a water dry tank to harden the powder and remove moisture. If rifle powder was being produced it was then moved by rail to the Sweetie Barrel House [building 236] where it was mixed with D.N.T. in a mixer. The amount of D.N.T used affected the burn rate of the powder which par- tially dictates the caliber of the ammunition. These mixers were the same type used by candy manufac- tures, hence the name Sweetie Barrel. This step was not needed in cannon powder production. There were two Sweetie Barrels in each of the nine Sweetie Barrel Houses. These barrels were mounted on con- crete pedestals that are easily recognizable in the ruins. The powder was next sent to the Powder Dry House [building 235] and the Tray Dryer [building 237] where the last of the moisture was removed using hot air. At the Glaze Barrel House [building 238] graphite was added to the powder to reduce stat- ic charge and improve its settling properties so it would pack tighter. The Shaker and Sieve House [building 239] removed excess graphite and any odd sized powder particles. The powder was then tem- porarily stored while samples of each batch were ana- lyzed by the ballistics laboratory. After samples were analyzed, various amounts of powder from different batches were mixed for consis- tent chemical and physical properties in the Blending Towers [building 240]. It was then moved to the packing facilities via a long covered wheeling walk to the Packing House [also building 240] and put into airtight containers. The escape chutes for these huge buildings were stacked one above the other. There were nine of these structures in the works. The powder was then stored in one of 96 com- pleted Shipping Houses [building 229]. The powder was then shipped by rail or trucked to the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant, popularly called the New Brighton Arms Plant, or to other plants to be packed into shell casings. To supply the millions of gallons of hot water needed for production and to heat the buildings, two huge powerhouses were built. Only one was ever completely finished and operational. The larger pow- erhouse contained five stacks and boilers. The uncompleted powerhouse was smaller, designed with only four stacks and boilers. The stacks from these structures still dominate the skyline around the area. With a close look you can still see the rusted re -bar sticking up from the single unfinished stack. The power plants were coal fired and had large conveyor systems for moving the coal. Most of the structure of the operational powerhouse was torn down in the PAGE 18 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 1970s. Water for the powerhouse, plant production lines and fire protection, came from two identical reservoirs and pump houses. Each reservoir was divided into two sections, one for raw river water and the other for well water. Each section held over 3,000,000 gallons of water. The second reservoir was never completed. Steam from the powerhouse was pumped to the various buildings using above ground pipes. The first winter, plumbers were busy dealing with frozen pipes at the Gopher Plant, because the design was copied from plans used for earlier Ordnance Works built in the south. Water to fill the reservoirs came from two sources. Raw water was taken directly from the Mississippi River at Spring Lake via a Pump House and filled one half of the reservoir. Additionally, four large Ranney Wells built along the shore of the Mississippi drew filtered water from the water table beneath the river bed. The water was pumped through a pair of 42-inch pipelines over two miles to the pow- erhouse reservoirs. So much water was pumped by the Ranney Wells that residential wells nearby went dry and the government had to truck in water to area families for a time. Two Acid Neutralization plants treated waste water from the plant's production lines before it was discharged into the Vermillion River. The river was straightened and dredged all the way from Empire to Hastings to handle the increased flow. The river was also fenced to keep livestock from drinking the water in case contaminated water got out of the plant. A silo is all that remains from the Acid Neutralization Plants, which used lime to treat the wastewater. CHEMICAL PRODUCTION AT THE GOW Besides producing the chemicals needed for pow- der production within GOW oleum [sulfuric acid] and nitric acid were also produced at the facility and shipped to other facilities. Production of these chemi- cals began in November of 1944 and continued until the facility was shut down in August of 1945. This production area was in the northeast corner of the facility in the 300 series buildings. Currently this area is used for heavy equipment operator training. REMAINING GOW BUILDINGS While the production buildings lay in ruins and scores of other buildings have disappeared over the past half -century, many original buildings remain in use yet today. Among them is the Maintenance Supervisor's Office Building, now used as the University of Minnesota's main administration build- ing and three Field Canteens, which sold coffee and food to plant workers. Several of these buildings were located throughout the plant. Other surviving buildings include a pair of Anna Wachter on Gopher "Is your house still standing today?" "When my brother-in-law was looking for a place, he had a place but the house was so poor and he wanted a house. He could get our old house. My brother-in-law wanted a house and he asked my hus- band if he couldn't buy ours.... So we sold it and we had to tell Mr. LeVander, he was our lawyer, good lawyer, what we done with it.... Otto told him he sold it for exactly $500. He says why you could have gotten a whole lot more for it than that. Then Otto says it is better to give than to receive. You should have seen him look." Otto and Anna Wachter moved to a farm on the west end of Rosemount where the Rosemount Baptist Church and School are now located. Interview with Nancy Pilgrim and Helen Davis, June 23, 1976 tlrrrrrr c Otto Wachter, JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 19 Change Houses that contained lockers, showers and bathroom facilities for plant workers. There were originally 23 Change Houses in the plant. Each pro- duction line employee was required to take a shower before leaving the plant to remove any powder dust or chemicals on their bodies that could easily be ignited. The plant's Locomotive House, where two full sized and 18 smaller industrial switch engines were maintained, is used by a trucking company for truck repair. A cabinetmaker shop now occupies the former Laundry Building where thousands of plant uniforms were washed daily. Plant rules required a clean uni- form to be worn each day. One of the University's current housing units has been converted from a fire- house. It is the only remaining firehouse from the original three built around the plant. The University still has one of the original fire trucks that were used at the plant: its Gopher Ordnance Works markings are faded but still legible. The plant's large old LP tank, the famous "8" ball, is still used despite losing its col- orful paint job. Many other original buildings also exist and have likewise found new uses. To ease the housing shortage the plant provided 25 staff houses known as "Gopher Village" for use by key plant managers. Ten two-story houses and 15 bungalows, each complete with a garage, were built in the extreme northwest corner of the property. All were new construction except for one bungalow, which was moved to the site from the Smith property and remodeled. All 25 are now private residences. Meanwhile, the Federal Housing Administration, upon recommendation form the War Production Board, approved 350 new homes to be constructed in the St. Paul -Minneapolis area for war workers. Privately financed and limited to a sale price of $6,000 or $50 a month rent. They were scattered about the metro area for various war plants, but the majority was earmarked for the workers at GOW. Under this program, 56 new homes were built in West St. Paul just east of Robert Street on land homestead- ed by the Hurley family in the 1850s.22 The total land taken for the Gopher Ordnance Works was 12,120.37 acres. This includes the water intake facilities at the Mississippi River. Altogether 858 buildings were completed or par- tially finished before the plant closed. The total cost to build and operate the facility came to a lit- tle less the $124 million dollars. On August 1, 1947 the Gopher Ordnance Works was transferred to the University of Minnesota for use as a research facility in conjunction with its St. Paul campus, and another portion has been rented out to local farmers. Federal law stated war surplus property could be transferred to public educational institutions for research or educational purposes. They received 8,000 acres and 162 usable buildings. Appendix 1 Production in Pounds by Months at Gopher Ordnance Works Smokeless Nitric Acid Oleum Powder 1944 Nov. 1,240,781 8,691,243 Dec. 1,457,570 12,905,747 Total 2,698,351 21,596,990 1945 Jan. 2,599,650 12,768,373 Feb. 773,584 3,338,559 8,578,697 Mar. 3,944,240 8,394,763 8,396,629 Apr. 5,449,942 8,716,104 8,841,194 May 6,977,569 10,307,404 7,835,825 June 6,098,370 7,040,790 10,039,310 July 4,304,396 4,538,182 2,656,236 Aug. 1,655,070 3,382,608 Total 29,203,171 48,318,060 59,116,264 Grand Total 29,203,171 51,016,411 80,713,254 Note: An unknown amount of reclaimed powder was also produced beginning in January 1945. PAGE 20 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 Appendix 2 Important Dates in the history of Gopher Ordnance Works 1942 March 7 Negotiations begun for two works - Gopher and Platte May 4 Construction started on Gopher May 22 Tetryl facilities eliminated June 4 Formal contract issued June 22 Proposed Platte plant withdrawn from consideration Nov 6 Stop work order - aniline facilities 1943 March 22 Operations start-up postponed April 10 Stop work order - D - E - F lines April 12 Aniline facilities canceled April 22 Notice of elimination of D - E - F lines and DPA facility May 11 Oct. 18 Dec. 21 Dec. 27 Jan. 24 June 20 July 7 A - B - C lines to be constructed to standby condition only Closeout meeting at Plant site. All work stopped Notice that Gopher had been declared excess Elimination and salvage of D - E - F 1 ines and DPA facility begins: standby for A - B - C lines and oleum 1944 du Pont returns control of Gopher to U. S. Government Reactivation of A - B - C lines with conversion to cannon powder produc tion and Oleum requested. du Pont resumes control of Gopher August 11 Sept. 11 Oct. 27 Dec. 27 Dec. 30 Jan. 2 Feb. 9 March 2 April 2 April 27 May 11 June 16 Aug 14 Reactivation of A - B - C lines and oleum facility. Salvaged powder is to be accepted for reworking Construction resumes Oleum unit stated production Completion and operation of D - E - F lines requested. Reactivation of D - E - F lines ordered 1945 Reworking of salvaged powder begins First powder line "C" began produc tion Second powder line `B" began produc tion Third powder line "A" ready for pro duction but not enough workers to began operation Stop work order for construction of D - E - F lines Stop work order for "A" line Termination of work on D - E - F lines and "A" line to standby condition. Contract termination notice effective Aug 11 Appendix 3 Gopher Ordnance Landowners Tract Owner 1 Mary Hustin, et. al. 2 Charles H. Perdue 3 Charley & Josephine Johnson 4 Emil L. Boche 5 Thomas L. Corrigan 6 R.L. & C.L. Smith 7 Theodore H.A. Dehrer Acres Sect. Town 56 25 Rosemount 106 25 Rosemount 160 26 Rosemount 120 26 Rosemount 80 26 Rosemount 240 27 Rosemount 80 27 Rosemount JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 21 Tract Owner Acres 8 Patrick H. McCarthy 80 9 Mary McDonough 40 10 John McDonough 40 11 Blanchett Investment Co. 336.69 12 Emma V. Derham 143.31 13 George Elliott 160 14 Matthew Hagney 160 15 John J. Corrigan 40 16 John P. Corrigan 80 17 Margaret A. Corrigan 160 18 Tillie Wetterlund 120 19 Clara Nerge, et. al. 80 20 Sarah Bemiece 160 22 Harold, John & Anna Wachter 120 23 Herman Wachter 160 24 Herbert Volkert 239.75 25 William Volkert 120 26 Otto Boche 80 27 Otto Wachter 79.75 28 School Dist 88 .5 30 Lambert Englert 120 31 Maria Schaare, et.al. 18.5 32 John H. Klegin 1.5 33 Henry Franzmeier 46.5 34 Frank Callahan 5 37 Martin Volkert 111.39 38 Frank Callahan 39 Karl Volkert 40 Patrick J. Hynes 41 Max. Wachter 43 Emmett Carroll 44 Gustav & Bessie Franz 45 School Dist 61 46 William Carroll 48 John J. Corrigan 49 Margaret & Raymond Wm. Kane 50 Margaret Kane 51 Patrick Hynes 52 Joseph Peters 53 Matthew Hagney Jr. 80 120 160.64 240.77 161.08 319 282.01 40.27 Sect 27 28 28 28/33 33 33 33 33 34 34 34 34 34 35 35 35/36 35 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2/3 3 Town Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Rosemount Empire Empire Empire Empire Empire Empire Empire Empire Empire Empire 80.51 3 Empire 80.48 3 Empire 160.64 4 Empire 80 4 Empire 80 4 Empire Tract Owner 54 S. Amelia Sprute 55 Thomas J. Casey 56 Jonas J. Christensen 57 Julius F. Wolkow 58 Charles Mamer 59 Farmington Farms 60 Margaret Cahill 61 Thomas F. Underwood 62 Maurice J. Murphy 63 William L. Carroll 64 Henry J. Ohman 65 Theodore B. Volkert 66 Mary A. Murnane 67 Jonathan A. Elston 69 Catherine Pilcher 70 Joseph Pilcher 71 1st Nat. Bank of Hastings 72 Emily Schroeder 73 1st Nat. Bank of Hastings 74 J.M. Brochman 75 Henry C. Peine 76 William H. Stahnke 77 Karl Alich 78 Matthew M. Zechmeister 79 Ester Manes 80 Robert O. Quetto 81 Otto & Marie Jorgensen 82 Patrick J. Hynes 83 Matthew Hagney 84 Emil Komorausk 85 Farmington Farms 86 Thomas J. Feeley 88 Patrick H. Casey & Thomas J. Casey 89 Martin C. Campion 90 Ann McMenomy 92 Joseph Francis Hynes 93 John Arthur Hynes 94 Patrick J. Hynes 95 Edward Patrick Hynes Acres Sect Town 160 9 Empire 80 9 Empire 240 9 Empire 320 9/10 Empire 160 10 Empire 320 10 Empire 160 11 Empire 315 11/14 Empire 320 11/14 Empire 160 11 Empire 160 12 Empire 120 12 Empire 80 12 Empire 160 12 Empire 80 12 Empire 160 12/13 Empire 80 13 Empire 187 13 Empire 80 13 Empire 40 13 Empire 240 13/14 Empire 40 13 Empire 40 14 Empire 120 14 Empire 325 14 Empire 120 15 Empire 40 15 Empire 110 15 Empire 160 15 Empire 120 16 Empire 240 16 Empire 160 16 Empire 40 16 Empire 90 15/16 Empire 40 16 Empire 160 4 Empire 160.08 4 Empire 160 3 Empire 160 3 Empire Willis Burwell 68 17? Rosemount Spring Lake along the Mississippi for water intake area. PAGE 22 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 Appendix 4 How Baraboo is Meeting the War Emergency The Tribu ' editors spent the week -end at Baraboo, Wis., here a powder plant is being con- structed on 10,001 acres of land, said to be similar to the munitions plant s eaded for the Rosemount - Farmington commune . As the Wisconsin project is about two months aheae of this one we tried to find out what this county mu expect in the way of influx of officials and workers, . • what is being done there to meet the extraordinary em rgency. This newspaper could be e ed a dozen times with the many wild rumors flitting thri ughout that com- munity, particularly with regard to e powder plant, but very few outside the top-ranking • ficers know what they are talking about because no • icial infor- mation is released. Like a rolling snowba rumors grow daily until folks don't know what to b ieve. And government officials can't stop the rumo because, as they say, it's like trying to stop a nin headed dragon — you may chop off one head . d t nine other heads will spring up in its place. Dakota county could do well to heed t advice of one man who has been through three ilar gov- ernment projects: "You can't believe . ything you hear and only half of what you see." So with that motto in mind we ' ied to dig up a few facts, thanks to the courteou staff of the Baraboo Daily News -Republic and som eads of various gov- ernmental units and others. Like our experience in 1 akota county, the gigan- tic project was dropped s denly into the laps of the peace -loving tourist city • f Baraboo (population 6400) and of the nearby village of Merrimack (popu- lation 234) which wanted to remain "a place where at night the howl of a dog could be heard across town," instead of developing into the promised boom town. And, same as in Dakota county, the government selected the "garden spot of the state" with its rich level land, an old river bed bordered by bluffs. "If they wanted to take over some land why didn't they take the sparsely -settled waste land," was the oft - repeated question asked by farmers and we heard the same uttered here the past two weeks. But the government apparently has good reasons, which still is a military secret. Farmers on the Baraboo project sent protests to Washington, and the Sauk county board passed a res- olution protesting to the taking of the rich land. Then some farmers up in Adams county invited the govern- ment to locate t - e, and about the same time the Japs struck Pearl H 1, . r. The county board reversed their decision and farmers withdrew their fire. The project, aft= being reportedly removed or abandoned several ti ► es, finally remained near Baraboo. The ' - followed the usual arguments over land apprai.als; some farmers were satisfied with the offe ' and some were not, the latter taking their cases to ourt and they're still pending. (The figures on overnment appraisals were not made public.) Buildings on the project were sold by sealed bids to the highest bidders, some building selling at what is described as "ridiculously low prices," and others at high prices. We were told one fairly good farm house was sold for $300 and the moving cost was $276. Some cement stave silos brought as high as $250 each. One man wanted a house the worst way, he made certain of getting one by bidding on three nd he got the house the worst way because he was , e high bidder on all three houses. On the other hand o s e farmer bid on 30 buildings and got none. Some b ers bought buildings, tore them down and stored the mber for future use. Several houses were moved off i act. The government kept 70 or more building to be sed on the project until construction has been compl- ed; then they will be sold. When we dro - around the project Friday, the ter- ritory looked as tho , gh a tornado had made a clean sweep, leaving only s •re and cement foundations of buildings and tall concrete silos. The project is encir- cled by a seven -foot wire fence topped with three strands of barb wire. At intervals in little shacks are stationed guards who don't talk. At the front side of the project a substantial farm house remains as a first aid station, and nearby hun- DULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 23 dreds of men are engaged in erecting a wide, one- story wooden frame building. These workmen live in Baraboo, Merrimack, other nearby towns, and at Madison, the state capitol, 30 miles away. Two trains daily carry the men to and from Madison, where, it is thought the bulk of the men will live. Baraboo, headquarters for army and construction offices, has grown about 1800 since the project start- ed — and it's only the beginning. Many workmen live in trailers assembled in special parking lots where sewer, toilet, bathing and laundry facilities are provid- ed. Some project officials rent entire houses and in one instance the owner moved out leaving the furni- ture at a rental of $100 a month, an extreme case. In some cases landlords refuse to raise rent, claiming that the steady renters who helped build the city are entitled to a break because they will remain in the city long after the plant has ceased to exist. Renters who are forced to move generally double up with other families in another house or they buy property; in the latter case the situation is still unremedied. In many cases houses are remodeled into two or more apart- ments; others are building new homes. Taxpayers are hoping the town will not over -build, they desire to avoid becoming a ghost -town after the war. Besides enacting a strict trailer law, the city coun- cil members have studied the housing situation which probably will become acute next summer when the construction peak comes. Believing the housing problem is a "government baby", the city fathers have asked Uncle Sam for $120,000 to erect units but the government tells the city not to cross any bridges until they come, so now the city is marking time in that respect. The 1800 population growth has caused an increase of only 34 in the public schools, but the school heads foresee a serious problem next fall. Some sore of improvised barracks for classes, etc., probably will be worked out then, with the possible aid of the government. Place of business are enjoying a nice increase in business. While some of the merchants frown on the idea of the project workers crowding out their regular tourist trade next summer, they admit that if it wasn't for the present government project things would be pretty dull as they are now in certain citied which they cite. It was also pointed out that when towns raise the cost of living, taking advantage of the high wages offered at defense plants, there is a constant danger of losing the business of old and reliable customers who are apt to do their trading in other town, where there's plenty of parking space and lower prices. There need of more recreational centers for defense workers. Towns located near defense plants, they said, should do their best to see that men and women get clean and wholesome entertainment so necessary and vital in our winning of the war. "Keep calm and watch our for racketeers who'll be flocking to your community" is Baraboo's advice to other localities where defense plants are going up. Dakota County Tribune April 17, 1942 Appendix 5 Trailer ordinance for the village of Rosemount ORDINANCE NO. 26 AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF PUBLIC AUTOMOBILE AND TRAILER CAMPS WITHIN THE VILLAGE OF ROSEMOUNT, REQUIRING PERMITS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE THEREOF, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION OF SAID ORDINANCE. Be it ordained by the Village Council of Rosemount as follows: SECTION 1. For the purpose of this regulation the following terms shall be construed to have the meaning given: (a) "Camp car" or "trailer" shall mean any motor vehicle, trailer, or semi -trailer as defined by Chapter PAGE 24 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 464, Session Laws of 1937, which is designed , or can be used for living or sleeping purposes. This def- inition shall apply whether or not the running gear and or wheels of such camp car or trailer shall have been removed. (b) the term "Public automobile camp" or "Trailer camp" shall mean any area or plot of ground arranged for the accommodation of one or more camp cars or trailers which are used for living or sleeping purpos- es, whether or not a fee is charged for the privilege of parking therein. (c) "Unit" or "Trailer lot" shall mean the area or section of ground in a public automobile or trailer camp designated for used by a single camp car or trailer. (d) "Person shall include a person, persons, firm corporation or cooperative . SECTION II. No person shall establish a public automobile camp or trailer camp within the Village of Rosemount without first obtaining a permit from the Village Council. The application for a permit shall be made in writing to the Village Council and shall state the location and legal description of the proposed site and the number of trailer lots or unites to be provided; which application shall be accompanied by an annual license fee as follows: $5.00 for any public automo- bile camp or trailer camp containing an area sufficient to accommodate not more than ten units , with an additional fee of 50 cents for each unit over ten. Such application shall be acted upon within fifteen days by the Village Council, during which time a report shall be made thereon as to the suitability of the location, whether the site is well drained and free of swamp areas and whether it can ba supplied with city ware or can be connected with a sewer or whether the applicant will have to provide his own water supply and construct a treatment plant for the disposal of sewage. When such application shall have been approved as to the site by the Village Council the applicant shall thereupon file plans showing the proposed camp development, the buildings that are to be erected, plans for sewage disposal, location of well, if required, the location of any existing buildings and whether the camp is to be operated in connection with some existing buildings, filling station, etc. The plans shall show the streets and all utilities, such as catch basins, fire hydrants, electric light poles and the curb returns at the entrance way to the camp. Copies of these plans are to be submitted to the Village Council for the use of the Village of Rosemount and the Minnesota State Board of Health. When the plans have been approved by these departments the Village Council may thereupon grant his permit. A separate building permit will be required for each separate structure, the same as for all other structures in the Village. SECTION III. It shall be unlawful for any person to establish or maintain in the Village of Rosemoun an automobile camp or trailer camp on any location for use of transients by the day, week, month or sea- son unless a permit therefore has been granted by the Village Council. SECTION IV. The health and sanitary condi- tion shall conform with the requirements and the laws, rules and regulations of the Minnesota State Board of Health. SECTION V. Suitable electric lights shall be placed in and about the camp so as to effectively light all entrances, driveways and passages, outlets for making connections with trailers and autos shall be properly constructed so as to prevent the possibility of pedestri- ans and moving vehicles coming in contact therewith. SECTION VI. Nothing herein shall prohibit the parking on property on which a residence has been erected of any camp car or trailer as herein defined when same is owned by the owner or person in con- trol of said property; or where same is owned by a person visiting said owner or person in control of said property provided that said camp car or trailer is not otherwise parked or placed in violation of the regula- tions and laws of this Village and state and provided further that the occupants of said camp car or trailer shall, when the same is so parked, not avail them- selves of the toilet facilities therein. SECTION VII. The space allotted to each camp- ing unit shall not be less than twenty-five feet in width and shall contain not less than nine hundred JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 25 square feet. Driveways between rows of camping units shall be not less than twenty-five feet wide. SECTION VIII. Any person who shall violate any provisions of this ordinance shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00), or by imprisonment of not more than nine- ty days for such offenses. SECTION IX. This ordinance shall be in force from and after its passage. Passed by the council this 14th day of April 1942. Approved: E.J. MCDONALD, President of Council. Attest: JOHN J. MCLAFFERTY, Recorder. Dakota County Tribune April 17, 1942 Appendix 6 Rooms Available to War Workers Listed Victory Aid Chairman Mrs. R.G. Shirley Completes List of Farmington Rooms That May Be Rented The local Victory Aids, headed by Mrs. R.G. Shirley, have completed their survey of rooms that can be rented to war workers who wish to live in Farmington. Mrs. R.F. Nelson, who has charge of Dakota county, was busy getting things organized this week for a rural county canvass to help find living quarters for the project workers. We understand Rosemount and Lakeville are compiling a similar list which we will publish when available. The Farmington list: Mrs. T. McGuire — 1 room, 2 beds, 1 room 1 bed, both double, available about Juen 1; room for 4 immediately. Mrs. Klatt — 1 room, probably June 1st Mrs. C.A. Qvale — 4 rooms with double beds; men only wanted. Mrs. Carl Larson — 3 housekeeping rooms, not modern. Mrs. Vince Schroeder — 1 room, single bed. Mrs. Mike Deegan — 3 rooms, accommodate 6. Mrs. Peter Huberty, Lakeville, 2 rooms, double; 1 room, daybed; 1 room, 3/4 bed; modern. Mrs. Peter Goettle — Board and room for 2 men, 1 double bed. Will not consider less than two. No women. Mrs. Mandell — 1 room. Mrs. Joe Sauser — 3 rooms: 1 double bed, 1 single bed, 1 3/4-bed. Mrs. Grabenstein — 1 room, modern, after June 1st, 2 people. Dr. Dodge — 1 room. Fred Ayotte — 1 room. Elmer Martin — 1 room, after June 1st Mary Pilcher, above pool hall, prefer married couple or girls. Can be used for housekeeping. Shady Inn — 3 cabins and trailer space. Mrs. Clarence Weisbrich — 1 room 2 beds, 1 extra room, if needed. Mrs. A.J. Emond — 1 room, girl only. Mrs. Robinson — 2 rooms. Mrs. G.R. Day — 2 rooms. Mrs. Irving Cook — 1 room, girl only. Mrs. Frank Pflaum — 1 room, women only. Mrs. M. Boyd — 1 room, double bed. Mrs. Wallace Grant — 2 rooms, double beds. Mrs. Forest Birdsall —1 room. Laura Hoffman — 1 room, possibly. Mrs. Glen Grove — 1 room. Mrs. Chas. Betzold — 1 room. Ben Erickson — 1 room. Mrs. Ackerman — 2 rooms, double beds. Mrs. Kaisersatt — 1 room now, 2 other rooms later. Mrs. J. Quam — 1 room, double bed. Mrs. Gran — Filling station, 2 women, later. C.G. Chase — 2 rooms, not modern. Green Gable Auto Court — 10 persons. Hot showers available. Mrs. Russell Larson — Modern rooms, 4 persons. Hugh Molitor — 2 rooms, each double bed. Ray Nahlovsky — 1 room, 2 double beds. Jim Deegan — 1 room, 2 double beds; 1 room, 1 double bed. PAGE 26 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 The Green Gable Tourist Camp on Third Street in Ordnance workers in Abe Kraft — 2 rooms, each double bed. Milton Hoffman — 1 room, double bed. Roy Strand — 1 room, double bed, men only. Mrs. Etta Richardson — 1 room, double bed, men only. John McAndrew — 1 large room, 2 double beds, 4 men, men only. Hunter Wagner — 2 miles out. Will take 6 men. If anyone has a room or rooms not listed above, kindly notify Mrs. R.G. Shirley and they will be printed later. Mrs. Shirley also asks persons who have rented rooms on the above list to notify her, so that the infor- mation may be kept up-to-date. Rooms Available in Rural Areas (Incomplete) Two apartments over the grocery store in Empire. John Weigle, owner, Tel. Farmington 2F120. A vacant farm house of six rooms about 1 1/2 miles north of Hampton on Highway 52. Lewis Becker, owner, Hampton. Two rooms — will be willing to serve breakfast Farmington was one of many places open to Gopher need of rental homes. and pack a lunch. Located about 1 1/2 miles south of southern project border on Capitol Highway. Mrs. Earl A. Cook, Tel. Farmington 5F3, Empire. Two rooms — board if desired. Located about 2 1/2 miles south of the southern project border on Highway 52. Two miles north of Hampton. Mrs. A.D. Kauffman, Tel. Farmington 5F32. Two rooms but no board. Located about 2 miles south of southern end of project, on Highway 52. Mrs. John Niebur, Tel. Farmington 5F111. An apartment on the east edge of the Defense area about 1 1/2 miles south of East Rosemount, on Highway 52. Francis McKinley. Rooms for four in all -modern house, can get breakfasts and washing. Mrs. J.O. McClintock, Farmington. Tel. 256. Three rooms, five miles south, one mile east of Farmington. Electricity, running water, could have board, washing. Chas. Bellis, Rt. 1, Farmington, Castle Rock township. Mrs. Ed. Franzmeier, Rosemount township, north of East Rosemount station, 2 rooms, electricity, running water. JULY 2001 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS PAGE 27 Mrs. Adolph Schneider, Rt. 2, Farmington, 2 rooms, electricity, water. Four -room apartment, 2 '/2 miles south of project, separate entrance, electricity, not otherwise modern. Mrs. E.B. Deary, Rt. 1, Farmington. One double room, electric lights, not otherwise modern, 2 miles south of project. Mrs. Garfield Swanson, Rt. 1, Farmington. One room, all -modern house, 1 '/2 miles south of project. Mrs. John Hill, Rt. 1 Farmington. Two rooms, bath on third floor in all -modern home. Mrs. R.F. Nelson, Rt. 2, Farmington, phone 157. Double room, electricity, not otherwise modern, on highway mile west, %2 miles south of project. Washing can be arranged for. Mrs. Roy Holt. Mrs. A.E. Boyer, Lakeville, phone 10-F-111, 2 %2 miles north of Lakeville on Lyndale Avenue. Electricity, not otherwise modern, suitable for light housekeeping, and furnish meals or washing. Peter Morstad, Castle Rock, will take boarders, roomers or both. Rooms for six, 1 '/2 miles west of Rosemount, Mrs. C.G. Kohls, Rosemount phone. Upstairs rooms, Rosemount area, Mrs. John Geiger. Four rooms, 2 %2 miles north of project on Highway 52, Mrs. William Maltby. Mrs. Harold Godfrey, Farmington, trailer house. NININGER TOWNSHIP Mrs. John Carlson, four cottages (lake) partly fur- nished. Also 3 sleeping rooms. Mrs. M.A. Chamberlain, 2 bedrooms with double beds. Mrs. L. Kieffer, 3 rooms. Jack Brown, one cottage on lake. Mrs. Mike Knoll, 1 room for two. Mrs. W.L. Teare, 1 room. Mrs. Alfonse Rotty, 1 room. Dakota County Tribune May 29, 1942. Endnotes 1 Patricia L. Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works, Condemnation, Construction and Community Response," Minnesota History, Vol. 49, p. 215. 2 Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works", p. 215. 3 Hastings Gazette, April 3, 1942; Transcript of interview of Emmett Carroll, June 22, 1976 on file at Dakota County Historical Society, p. 1. 4 Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works", p. 216. 5 Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works", p. 217. 6 State Archaeologist Survey, p. 10. 7 "Over The Years", Vol. 28, No. 2. 8 Minneapolis Tribune, April 10, 1942, p. 6, & April 17, 1942 p. 6. 9 Interview, July 12, 1976 Hubert J. Geraghty, on tape at Dakota County Historical Society. 10 St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press, March 18, 1945. 11 Minneapolis Morning Tribune, April 5, 1945. 12 Carroll interview. 13 Minneapolis Tribune, May 15 and 22, 1942, both p. 1. 14 Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works", p. 224. 15 Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works", p. 224: State Archaeologist Survey, p. 11. 16 Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works", p. 225; Dakota County Tribune, June 19, 1942; Dakota County Tribune, May 18, 1976. 17 Dakota County Tribune, August 14, 1942. 18 Dakota County Historical Society, "Six Months Ago and 630 Months Ago", Society Happenings, December 1994, p. 4. 19 Dooley, "Gopher Ordnance Works", p. 224. 20 St. Paul Pioneer Press, January 10, 1945. 21 Dakota County Tribune, June 7, 1946. 22 St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 29, 1945. PAGE 28 GOPHER ORDNANCE WORKS JULY 2001 Museum to Close on Tuesdays We regret to announce that Museum will be closed on Tuesdays starting April 6, 2004 due to a 25% reduction in our annual allocation from Dakota County. Our new hours will be Wednesday 9-5, Thursday 9-8, Friday 9-5 and Saturday 10-3. We will be closed on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE - PRODUCED BYDAKOTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Back Issues of Over the Years $5.00 (10% discount for members) ► Railroads in Dakota County ► Nicols: The Life and Death of a Most Unusual Town ► Lebanon to Apple Valley: Transformation of a Dakota County Community ► Made in Dakota County: Industry in Dakota County ► Immigrant Stories ► Good Earth: 140 Years of Agriculture in Dakota County ► A Tale of Two Buildings: Exchange Bank Building and Livestock Exchange Building ► Dakota County in the Civil War ► Historical Reminiscences of Farmington and the Vicinity, Part I ► Historical Reminiscences of Farmington and the Vicinity, Part II ► Crimes and Misdemeanors ► Neighbors in Locality: Nininger and Hastings in the Territorial Period ► Navy V5 Cadets in and over Dakota County ► Play Ball: 19th Century Baseball in Dakota County I. Gopher Ordnance Works ► House of Ideals: The LeDuc Mansion ► The Brandtjen Stock Farm ► Brewing Beer vs. Temperance in Hastings ► Johnke Murder Trial/History Map of Inver Grove Heights ► WPA/Dodd Road ► William LeDuc and Immigration to Minnesota d ttie e` Count in the Twe $36.95 retail, $21.95 for members. rPicturing the Past: Events that Shaped Dakota County in the Twentieth Century chronicles Dakota County's significant accomplishments and the events that made them possible. The 400-page hard cover book is beautifully designed and contains more than 300 photographs, many from private collections which have never been seen by the public. A great book for educators, students, or anyone interested in Dakota County History with space on their coffee table! Call (651) 552-7548 or go online at www.dakotahistory.org to order your copy today. 3 LEDUC HISTORIC SITE MEMORATIVE QUILT AUCTION SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2004, 3 PM, HASTINGS CITY HALL 130 Third Avenue North South St. Paul, MN 55075 This spectacular 62" x 72" LeDuc commemorative pictorial applique quilt will be the feature item at a Sunday, August 1, 2004 auction to raise funds for the opening of the LeDuc Historic Site to the public in May 2005. It was created by the Hastings Spiral Piecemakers. The quilt and many other auction items will be available for viewing starting at 1 pm on the north entrance lawn of Hastings City Hall. A silent and live auction will begin at 3 pm. The quilt can also viewed during the July 2- 3 Grand Excursion event and during Rivertown Days on Saturday, July 17, 1-4 pm at Hastings City Hall. The four corner triangles of the quilt feature designs taken from the patterns of the Hastings Needlework Company, the embroidery business run by the daughters of William and Mary LeDuc in the early 20th century. Joanna Foote City of Eagan 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, MN 55122 Non -Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid South St. Paul, MN Permit #45 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED OVER THE YEARS Feature Article: Pilot Knob by Bruce White & Alan Woolworth Also in this issue Port Cargill by Bill Wolston American Porches by Dick Darsow Chasing Ghosts by Jim Resemius HISTORICAL SOCIETY' A PUBLICATION OF THE DAKOTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 45 No. 2 JUNE 2004 $5.00 Dakota County Historical Society & Museum 130 Third Avenue North, South St. Paul, MN 55075 651.552.7548 Fax 651.552.7265 e-mail: dchs@mtn.org www.dakotahistory.org Board of Directors: Bill Wolston, President Lu Stoffel, Vice-president Vicki Albu, Secretary Chad Roberts, Treasurer Steve Larson, Past President Michael Esch Dan Greil Jackie Koza Gary Kuhn Steve Werle Virginia Lanegran, South St. Paul Chapter Pam Thorsen, Hastings Chapter Sharon Bruestle, Mendota/W. St. Paul Chapter Gerald Mattson, Rosemount Chapter Staff: Mark Reidell, Executive Director Rebecca Snyder, Librarian/Associate Director Maureen Bouchard, Office Specialist Jim Abicht, Research Assistant We are a membership organization: Membership is open to all interested in history. The Society offers a research library; displays and exhibits of historical artifacts, documents and photographs; lectures and presentations; and educational programs for students. Society members receive: • OVER THE YEARS, published three times a year. • "Dakota County History", the newsletter. • Discounts in the museum's gift shop. • Invitations to special Historical Society events. • Opportunities to assist with research and programs. • A $15 discount on the purchase of Picturing The Past: Events that Shaped Dakota County in the Twentieth Century. This coffee table book, filled with memorable stories, rare photographs and newswothy events, retails for $36.95. Memberships: Individual $20 Family $35 Sustaining $50 Business/benefactor $250 OVER THE YEARS Volume 45 Number 2 June 2004 History is not only stories about the past, it is stories of the present. We are very fortunate to have articles written by members on four diverse topics in Dakota County's history. Due to a proposal to develop Pilot Knob, its history has been an ongoing drama during the last few years, recounted here by Bruce White and Alan Woolworth. The contributions of Dakota County during World War II are detailed in Bill Wolston's story of Cargill's ship -building operation on the Minnesota River. Jim Resemius lends a sense of personal interest in history with a story of seeking his roots in New Trier. Dick Darsow delves into the invention of the screen as it transformed the architectural works of people such as Andrew Jackson Downing. The Society is always looking for material for Over the Years. If you have a story idea or would like to submit a story for publication, please let us know! Cover Photograph: Seth Eastman captured the majesty of Pilot Knob, circa 1847. Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. Generous sponsor of this issue of Over the Years Pilot Knob Preservation Association Special thanks to our business donors and benefactors Dakota Electric Bremer Bank Wakota Credit Union CHS Cooperatives 1st State Bank of Rosemount City of Mendota Heights City of Apple Valley Dakota County Government Apple Valley American Legion Inver Grove Heights American Legion Post 424 South Robert Street Business Association South St. Paul Lions Club Vietnam Veterans of America, So. St. Paul Chapter Hearth & Home Technologies Anne LeDuc Graphic Design, Inc. Martin Siebenaler Thomas & Majorie Mairs Fund/St. Paul Foundation © Dakota County Historical Society, 2004 OHEYAWAHI / PILOT KNOB: A HILL OF STATE St. NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE IN DAKOTA COUNTY by Bruce White and Alan Woolworth "A HILL MUCH VISITED" Few places in the Twin Cities area have the rich history, sacredness, beauty, and cultural meaning of the place called Oheyawahi.' A prominent high hill on the east bank of the Minnesota River near its mouth, it is, as stated on the website of the City of Mendota Heights, "unusual in the broad scope of its historical sig- nificance." Located just southeast of the Mendota Bridge, the hill is known as a burial place for Dakota people and a sacred landmark where important ceremonies took place. For the first European Americans who came to the area to trade and to build nearby Fort Snelling, Pilot Hill, later called Pilot Knob, was a landmark for navigation on the river and a magnificent place to view the ever -changing panorama of what would became the Twin Cities. In 1851 the hill brought Dakota and whites together to sign on its slopes a major treaty ceding to the U.S. 35 million acres of land in southern Minnesota. Minnesota has a number of geographic features of cultural and historical significance, including islands, caves, waterfalls, rock formations, bluffs, and hills.' Many sites, such as Barn Bluff in Red Wing, Carver's Cave in St. Paul, and Oheyawahi itself, are found along river valleys used by Native Americans and white explor- ers, traders, and early settlers. Such sites are rich in lay- ered associations with events and people of the state's early history. They were often incorporated into oral tra- ditions, written about, and recorded in paintings and pho- tographs. However, Oheyawahi is unique in its direct connection to an area sacred to Dakota and other Native people, one that is at the same time the place where the first American military presence was manifested in Minnesota and where Minnesota's territorial and state history began. Oheyawahi ("a hill much visited"), or Pilot Knob, also known as Pilot Hill, Pilot Ridge, Pilot Bluff, Paha Oipa, and Saugeaukee, consists of a hill or bluff topped with the remnants of what was once a knob -shaped for- mation descending to varying degrees on all sides. The geographer and ethnographer Joseph Nicollet stated that in the late 1830s, he estimated the elevation of Pilot Knob Pilot Knob EL ai... ;.. T.al- C IsJ2 w ...w�....L�..4»tole .c f.. Y...i G- J 2-Mewl :der. ttE .I„k„if!" Lawrence Taliaferro's map of the area shows Pilot Knob at a curious angle. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society to be over 1,000 feet above sea level —a slight exaggera- tion —calculating the hill to be 262 feet above the "com- mon low water" of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. This was 156 feet above the level of nearby Fort Snelling.' The top of the hill was slightly flattened in the 1920s from its historic form. The current USGS map for this area indicates an elevation of over 940 feet for the summit of Oheyawahi/Pilot Knob in contrast to Fort Snelling's 800 feet, suggesting that sixteen feet or more may have been removed from the summit in the 1920s.4 On the north side, the hill descends in a series of rolling slopes and terraces, ending in a ravine adjacent to the historic village and former trading post of Mendota, an area now included in the Mendota Historic District.' On the west side, the drop is sharper, ending abruptly with a limestone cliff above the broad Minnesota River Valley and the Fort Snelling Historic District.' On the east side is a wide, gently sloping plain. At various points throughout the site, Oheyawahi presents impressive views of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, Historic Fort Snelling, and downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. In all, the hill, between its lowest contour on the east adjacent to Sibley Memorial Highway and the level areas on the west side of the summit, may consist of more than 170 acres. Of this, 112 acres were recently nominated to and deemed "eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in accordance with the National Historic Preserveration Act of 1966."' JUNE 2004 PAGE 1 Dakota people and their descendants have called Mendota home for generations. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Mdote Minisota, the Center of the Earth The Iowa are said to have occupied the lower St. Peters or Minnesota River in late precontact times. The Cheyenne may also have been in the region, but moved westward under pressures from the Santee or Eastern Dakota tribes, which migrated from the north to the mouth of this stream in the early 1500s. The Mdewakanton and related Mantonton bands of the Santee Dakota settled around the mouth of the river, an area that became known as Mdote Minisota, referring to the mouth of the Minnesota River. The place was later called Mendota.' Nineteenth-century sources state that Mdote Minisota, the mouth of the Minnesota River, was of cen- tral cultural importance to the Dakota people. The Dakota Friend, a newspaper written and published by the missionary Gideon Pond, stated that "one of the great natural facts which perhaps ought to be recognized and recorded to start is this, viz: That the mouth of the Minnesota River (Watpa Minisota,) lies immediately over the center of the earth and under the center of the heavens."9 By about 1775, the Mdewakanton Dakota lived in a great village of 400 or more lodges seven miles above the mouth of the Minnesota River. It was called Tetankantane, Titankatanni, or "great old village." Here, under pressure from the Ojibwe and other groups, great war leaders such as Wabasha, Little Crow, and Red Wing rose to defend their people. Soon they became rivals, and the great village lost its cohesion. These leaders took their followers and built villages down river from Mdote on the west bank of the Mississippi River.10 Because of its geographical location as a central place among scattered villages, Mdote Minisota became a strategic location, a gathering place for spring councils among the various Mdewakanton groups and a place for ceremonies and burials. A network of trails connected the location to other villages. European traders and diplo- mats used Mdote Minisota as a place to meet large num- bers of Mdewakanton. Among these were British explor- er Jonathan Carver, in 1776-67, British traders Peter Pond in 1775, and Charles Gautier de Verville in 1778, and diplomat Louis -Joseph Ainsse, in 1787." In 1810, a group of British traders established the first documented trading post at Mdote Minisota. Some 300 lodges of Dakota people came from their wintering places to camp at the post in the spring of 1811.12 The first U.S. government —sponsored expedition to the region was led by Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike, whose journey in 1805-06 was the northern counterpart to that of Lewis and Clark in the west. Pike came with a small military unit north from St. Louis and arrived at the island later named after him at the mouth of the Minnesota River in September 1805. While there, he negotiated with local Dakota leaders for a ten -square - mile tract of land at this location to be used for a military reservation where a fort would be constructed.13 No further government exploration of the region occurred until 1817, when Major Stephen H. Long con- ducted an investigation to locate sites for military posts on the Upper Mississippi River. At Mdote, he selected the site for the future fort at the high bluff west of the mouth of the Minnesota River. Two years later Lieutenant Colonel Henry Leavenworth led a detach- ment of the Fifth Infantry to the location. They estab- lished Cantonment St. Peters or New Hope on the east bank of the Minnesota River, just below Oheyawahi. Conditions at the location were difficult during the fol- lowing winter. Many soldiers died of scurvy. To improve the health of the soldiers, the command was shifted the following summer to a spring known as Coldwater, up the Mississippi River a short distance. That summer con- struction began on the fort known first as Fort St. Anthony, later Fort Snelling.14 PAGE 2 OHEYAWAHI /PILOT KNOB In the years following, Fort Snelling became an important location in the history of trade, intertribal diplomacy, and early settlement in the Minnesota region. Indian Agent Lawrence Taliaferro, who was stationed at the fort through 1839, did his best to define the region around the fort as a neutral territory in which various Native American communities and groups could come safely without fear of their enemies. Government offi- cials negotiated a variety of peace treaties between Ojibwe and Dakota at the fort during this period. The Ojibwe encamped at Coldwater during the Treaty of 1837, when they negotiated the sale of their lands east of the Mississippi River to the U.S.15 The earliest white settlement in the Minnesota region occurred on the Fort Snelling reservation from the 1820s through 1840s, at Coldwater, and at the trading post of American Fur Company trader Henry H. Sibley on the east bank of the Minnesota River opposite Pike Island. This became the village of Mendota, a community made up of fur traders, Dakota people, and early settlers.16 The treaties of 1851 removed most Dakota people from southeastern Minnesota. European settlement increased. Fort Snelling again rose in importance dur- ing the U.S.—Dakota Conflict of 1862, when some of the Eastern Dakota fought against the white settlers who had come into the region. During the winter of 1862-63, an internment camp below the fort on the west bank of the Minnesota River contained hundreds of Dakota peo- ple prior to their removal to Dakota Territory in the summer of 1863. It was a time of great suffering for Dakota people." The majority of Dakota people was removed from Minnesota in 1863. Those who remained included some who had served as scouts and soldiers for the white set- tlers or who had a connection to the community at Mendota.'R In the 1870s and 1880s, exiled Dakota began to return to former village sites in Minnesota. Because of the presence of Dakota and Dakota mixed bloods and the former fur trader and now respected state leader Henry H. Sibley, Mendota was hospitable to those who returned. Mendota's community of people of Dakota ancestry has continued to the present time.'9 Though close to St. Paul and Minneapolis, the village of Mendota and the surrounding township were rural areas well into the 20th century. This began to change in 1926 with the construction of the Mendota Bridge, which provided a connection across the Minnesota River to both major cities.20 Expanding highways since the 1920s have made Mendota Township, now Mendota Heights, a major suburb of the Twin Cities. Rural and open spaces in northern Dakota County have shrunk in recent years.21 EARLY EUROPEAN ACCOUNTS OF OHEYAWAHI "la Butte des Mons," the Hill of the Dead The Dakota and other Indians clearly knew of this high bluff at the mouth of the Minnesota River before the arrival of Europeans. The earliest printed references to it occur in the accounts of European -American visitors. A late 19th-century writer suggested that the early French may have referred to it as "la Butte des Morts" or the hill of the dead.22 The earliest known direct references to the bluff call it Pilot Hill. It must be supposed that the name referred to the hill's usefulness as a landmark for trav- elers and steamboat pilots, in common with similar names elsewhere in the United States. Two maps, one dated 1821, another dated 1823, labeled the bluff Pilot Hill, showing it to the southeast of Cantonment St. Peters (also known as Cantonment New Hope), the first encampment of U.S. Army troops that reached the mouth of the St. Peters (now Minnesota) River in 1819.23 It was only later that European -Americans focused on the knob -like top of the bluff, calling the whole hill Pilot Knob, the most common English name used today.24 But some sources later made a distinction between the hill and its top. One 1854 writer called the hill Pilot Ridge and the top Pilot Knob.25 James E. Colhoun, who accompanied Major Stephen H. Long on his exploration of the Minnesota region in 1823-24, A young Dakota girl posed at Mendota with her doll, c. 1890. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society JUNE 2004,- Lt. James Thompson's 1839 map shows Pilot Knob in relation to Pike Island. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society called the hill Pilot Bluff, also locating it in reference to the 1819 encampment. Colhoun noted: The mouth of St. Peter's was first occupied by troops under the command of Col. [Henry] Leavenworth in August 1819. They were can - toned that year at the base of the Pilot -bluff on the south side of St. Peter's R[iver] where they suffered much from sickness, especially from the scurvy.26 The exact location where the soldiers who died were buried has not been determined, although it is possible that they were buried out of the river's floodplain, on Pilot Knob. NATIVE NAMES FOR OHEYAWAHI "Hill -Near -Mouth of River" Various 19th-century sources recorded a Dakota name for the bluff. The names bear no relationship to the English names. Instead of emphasizing the knob -shaped top, the name refers to the cultural and social importance of the whole hill. Missionary Stephen Riggs gave two alternative names, oheyahe and ohe-yawahe, both mean- ing "a hill that is much visited, as Pilot -Knob near Fort Snelling."27 Andrew W. Williamson, in a glossary of Dakota names, gave the name as Okheyawabe, from okhe for hill, and yawabe, "referring to its being much visited; the Dakota name of Pilot Knob, back of Mendota."28 More recent Dakota sources prefer the spelling Oheyawahi for the hill.29 The Ojibwe also had a name for the bluff. Major Lawrence Taliaferro, the Indian agent at Fort Snelling in the 1830s and 1840s, drew a map in which he identified the bluff as "Mount Saugeaukee," which the author Paul Durand says is "from the Ojibwa SAGI (near the mouth of a river) plus AKI (land, earth, place), or "Hill -Near -Mouth of River." Father Frederic Baraga's dictionary of the Ojibwe language corroborates this.'° A SACRED PLACE Unktehi, Taku Wakan Unktehi, a central figure in eastern Dakota beliefs, is a giant, powerful being, taking male and female forms, and sometimes described as an immense ox. Gideon Pond wrote, "The earth is animated by the spirit of the female, while the dwelling place of the male is in the waters." Bubbling springs are said to have been one manifestation of Unktehi. Unktehi is said to have created the earth in its current form, after a great flood. Unktehi was sometimes known as Taku Wakan— supernatural, "hard to be killed," endowed with great powers of creation and destruction." One of the places in which Unktehi was said to dwell was an elevation located between Fort Snelling and Minnehaha Falls called Morgan's Mound, Morgan's Hill, or Taku Wakan Tipi, meaning "the dwelling place of Unktehi." From this elevation, a passageway was said to exist that led to the Minnesota River. It has been sug- gested that the spring of water at Camp Coldwater was another manifestation of Unktehi.32 In Dakota belief, there has been a strong association between Unktehi and Oheyawahi. Paul Durand quotes from Samuel Pond: An old Dakota tradition states that about 1800, a band of Sioux was camped just below what was later Fort Snelling on the flat between the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. Suddenly the waters began to rise very rapidly. Looking up the Mississippi, they saw an immense animal descending the river damming the water behind as he approached. As the waters filled the gorge, they quickly struck their tipis and fled to the top of the bluff. This animal, the UN-KTE- HI, traveled slowly at the time shaking him- self and spouting water. Turning up the Minnesota River, it finally disappeared into the opposite bluff causing the elevation now known as Pilot Knob to reach its present height." PAGE 4 0 EYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB The Eastern Dakota associate Unktehi with the Wakan Wacipi, the Medicine or Wakan Ceremony, a health -giving ritual shared with other Midwestern Native groups.'° Eastern Dakota attribute the teachings of the Medicine Ceremony to Unktehi, and many aspects of the ceremony refer to the being's powerful role in creating the world.35 Several sources refer to the importance of Oheyawahi as a center for the Medicine Ceremony. The geographer and ethnologist Joseph Nicollet attended a Medicine dance there on February 15, 1837. The occa- sion was "the initiation of the son of Big Soldier, a vil- lage chief on the Mississippi, nine miles below St. Peter." Nicollet wrote:36 The ceremony took place in an oak grove crown- ing a plateau halfway up the high hill of Pilot Knob .... A great congregation of people, a camp with eighty lodges, more than three hun- dred ... men and women, eighteen inches of snow, a temperature of 6° to 10° Fahrenheit below freezing, and a northwest wind multiply- ing the effects of this temperature transformed this day into a spectacle such as civilized soci- eties cannot imagine. Eight days were spent in making preparations. Dakota people came from all over, undoubtedly camp- ing out all over Pilot Knob. "Each of the delegations of the various villages had its camp quarters with its tents and families, and the members of the medicine body formed as many separate faculties as there were vil- lages." A messenger came on the day of the initiation to invite everyone to the ceremony and to threaten those that were late with being "condemned to offering a banquet." Throughout Nicollet's writings are detailed descriptions of the usual rituals and feasts designed to promote health and well-being. Samuel Pond also gave detailed descriptions of Medicine ceremonies like those given on Pilot Knob.37 A Medicine Ceremony was depicted by Seth Eastman in an 1847 watercolor titled "Medicine Dance of the Sioux Indians on the St. Peters River near Fort Snelling."39 Eastman, who was commandant of Fort Snelling in the 1840s, was noted for his accurate renditions of the countryside and the Dakota people. The location identification and the landforms shown suggest that this painting may have been of Oheyawahi.39 A similar account of ceremonies in the area of Pilot Knob was given in 1892 by Ellen Rice Hollinshead, a sister of early fur trader Henry M. Rice, who witnessed a Dakota Medicine dance in the summer of 1848 in an area just below the northern por- tion of Pilot Knob, possibly on the later St. Peter's Church site.' She described the construction of a canvas tent in which the ceremonies took place. Dakota men, women, and children gathered, wearing their best orna- ments. The ceremonies resembled those witnessed by Nicollet, involving healing rituals and feasts. Hollinshead reported that because her house was nearby, she "was an observer every day and a weary listener every night." When the ceremonies were over, "the Sioux from the plains returned to their homes." OHEYAWAHI AS A BURIAL PLACE Scarlet Dove: "her highest hope was to meet the beloved spirit of her Eagle Eye in the world of the spirits." Many accounts describe Dakota burial scaffolds on high areas along rivers throughout the region. According to Samuel Pond, the Dakota placed human remains on scaffolds or in the branches of trees for a period of time.' The bodies were wrapped in skins or placed in coffins obtained from whites. On poles next to scaffolds, stream- ers of cloth or American flags were hung, as pictured in the paintings of the Seth Eastman. Food or other offer- ings were sometimes placed on the scaffolds. After a period of days, or longer if the ground was frozen, human remains were buried in the ground, two to three feet deep. The graves were marked with fences and posts, partly as a protection against animals. A traditional Dakota account demonstrates the importance of Oheyawahi as a burial site, and describes an incident said to have occurred in the mid-18th centu- Medicine Ceremony in the area of Oheyawahi by Seth Eastman. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society DUNE 2004 PAGE 5 Burial Scaffolds probably on Oheyawahi by Seth Eastman. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society ry. Gideon Pond wrote of Scarlet Dove and Eagle Eye, a young couple who were on a hunting trip on Lake Pepin. Eagle Eye accidentally died after a friend's arrow struck him. In deep mourning, Scarlet Dove wrapped the body of her husband in ornamented skins and took it back with her more than a hundred miles to the Minnesota River, where she erected a scaffold "on that beautiful hill oppo- site the site of Fort Snelling, in the rear of the little town of Mendota, which is known by the name of Pilot Knob." Then using the straps by which she had carried her bur- den, the mourning Scarlet Dove hanged herself from the scaffold and died. "Her highest hope was to meet the beloved spirit of her Eagle -Eye in the world of spirits."42 Although Lieutenant Pike makes no reference to Oheyawahi by name, the narrative of his journey sug- gests that he may have seen it used as a burial place. On September 21, 1805, before landing on the island later named after him in the mouth of the Minnesota River, Pike noticed a white flag on shore. On investigation he discovered a burial scaffold holding four bodies. Two days later Pike wrote a letter stating that he had visited a "mausoleum" of the Dakota in the same area.43 One of the earliest European accounts to acknowl- edge directly the importance of Pilot Knob as a burial place was that of Charles Joseph Latrobe, who in 1835, wrote of the "notable summit called the Pilot Knob" and stated: From the summit of the Pilot Knob, surmounted by the tomb of an Indian Chief, the view is most extended and interesting; comprising both rivers before and after their junction, the Fort in all its details, and a wide level country to the north and west beyond the Great Falls [St. Anthony Fal1s].44 Most early visitors who mentioned Pilot Knob acknowledged the importance of the bluff to the Dakota. When he visited the region in 1849, E. S. Seymour noted: From the summit we were favored with a delightful view of the sur- rounding country; verdant plains interspersed with groves following the meandering course of the Mississippi, the St. Peter's, and their tributaries, greeted the sight as far as the eye could reach; the town of St. Paul, with its new buildings glisten- ing in the sun was distinctly visible from this eminence. There were indications that this mound had formerly been held sacred by the Indians, as the burial place of their dead.45 Seymour appears to suggest that the Dakota use of Pilot Knob as a burial place or sacred place was in the past. However, an 1854 newspaper account of a trip up the Minnesota notes that its importance continued. This account describes the rise called Pilot Ridge and notes that on the ridge was a a lump -like swell, which is termed "Pilot Knob" —a point that is noted for its "command- ing," in military phrase, the fort in front of it, but more famed for the magnificent view from its summit 1000 feet above the ocean, and nearly 300 above the water level of the rivers under- neath. Standing upon the Knob amidst its Indian graves, viewing like the Egypto-Jew Moses from Pisgah's top, "the landscape o'er," and a more beautiful spectacle can hardly be conceived of than is therefrom presented.46 The reference to the graves found on the "lump -like swell" that topped the hill is borne out by a number of Seth Eastman paintings, including his painting from around 1847 of Pilot Knob with a Dakota burial scaffold visible at the summit. In other works, Eastman did more detailed views of such scaffolds, several of which are likely intended to show the summit of Pilot Knob. In par- ticular, the painting titled "Indian Graves at the Mouth of PAGE 6 OHEYAWAHI / PILOT KNOB the St. Peters" also painted around 1847, suggests the summit of Pilot Knob." Another painting of a burial scaf- fold on the Minnesota River appears to show Fort Snelling in the background, but may depict a burial area on the bluff upstream from Pilot Knob, possibly above Black Dog's Village." Eastman's portrayal of burial scaf- folds on Pilot Knob in the 1840s is seconded by the writ- ten account by his wife, Mary Henderson Eastman, who wrote in her book of Dakota life and legends that Pilot Knob was used as a "burial -place by the Indians," and later, in one of her stories, stated: The sky was without a cloud when the sun rose on the Mississippi. The morning mists passed slowly away as if they loved to linger round the hills. Pilot Knob rose above them, proud to be the burial place of her warrior children.49 In the aftermath of the U.S.-Dakota Conflict of 1862, 1,600 innocent Dakota were interned in a camp near Fort Snelling. A newspaper article in early 1863 noted that "of course, filth and degradation are on every hand.... A number of papooses have died during the winter of infan- tile diseases, and were usually buried in an old Indian burial ground back of Mendota." The description can only refer to the Dakota burial ground of Pilot Knob.50 In the 1880s, exiled Dakota began to drift back into Minnesota, including Mendota, the place where some of their community had been allowed to remain in 1863.5' They were motivated in part by the desire to be near the graves of their ancestors. In 1936, Dakota anthropologist Ella Deloria wrote: When I visited a Santee community south of St. Paul, one of the women told me, "We were driv- en out of Minnesota wholesale, though the majority of our people were innocent. But we could not stay away so we managed to find our way back, because our makapahas were here." The term means earth -hills and is the Santee idiom for graves.52 On February 20, 1886, the Hastings Gazette stated: "The Pilot Knob is an ancient burial place of the Dakota's, and is yearly visited by many of the Indians of that nation." OEEYAWAHI AND ITS VIEWSHED "The picturesque beauty of the spot" Aside from statements about the importance of Pilot Knob to the Dakota, 19th-century visitors most frequent- ly mentioned the magnificent view from this bluff. Oheyawahi was located within the original boundaries of the Fort Snelling Reservation and was an important part of the landscape of the forts' For European Americans, Oheyawahi was the major location from which to view the surrounding country and contemplate the changes that occurred throughout the settlement period. The countryside changed as Minnesota grew from a territory to a state and as the Twin Cities became a major metrop- olis, and Pilot Knob continued to serve as a place to view the unfolding story. Mendota's most famous resident, Henry H. Sibley, an American Fur Company trader who became the state's first elected governor, wrote in a letter to a newspaper reporter in the 1880s: I arrived at Mendota Nov. 7, 1834, or fifty-three years ago. Was much impressed with the pictur- esque beauty of the spot and its surroundings, when seen from the high ground overlooking the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, and especially from Pilot Knob.54 Because of the magnificent view, Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas, in 1849, proposed that Mendota serve as the territory's capital. Although he lived in Mendota, Henry Sibley, as delegate from Minnesota in Congress at the time, followed popular consensus by arranging for St. Paul to become the capital." Even though Mendota missed out on becoming the territorial capital, Pilot Knob continued to be mentioned for the beauty of its view. In a St. Paul newspaper article and in an 1853 guidebook, Minnesota and Its Resources, J. Wesley Bond wrote: From the summit of Pilot Knob, which lies back of Mendota, a view may be obtained of the sur- rounding country as far as the eye can grasp, affording to the spectator a sight of one of the most charming natural pictures to be found in this territory, so justly celebrated for scenic beau- ty. The view describes a circle of eight or ten miles —a grand spectacle of rolling prairie, extended plain and groves, the valley of the Minnesota with its meandering stream, a bird's- eye view of Fort Snelling, Lake Harriet in the distance —the town of St. Anthony just visible through nooks of the intervening groves —and St. Paul, looking like a city set upon a hill, its buildings and spires distinctly visible." He concludes by repeating what a friend said to him while they stood "on the graves of the Indian dead, silent- ly enjoying the graphic spectacle." The friend said that "Civilization will destroy its wild beauty —dig it up — fence it —and crowd it with houses, and the plodding DUNE 2004 PAGE 7 discord of the white settlements." Today, much remains of what 19th- century Minnesotans valued in Pilot Knob. THE TREATY OF 1851 "Drums beating, Flags f lying. " Oheyawahi was also used for gen- eral ceremonial reasons. On May 27. 1839, Indian Agent Lawrence Taliaferro noted in his diary: At 10 this day, on Pilot Knob, alias Mt. Saugeaukee 250 of the Sisseeton band of Traverse des Sioux arrived . . . & came in Drums beating, Flags flying .. . Those mounted looked well. But the best -documented event to have occurred on Oheyawahi was the second of two Dakota treaties of 1851. The United States government designed these treaties to carry out the transfer of remaining Dakota lands in Minnesota Territory, includ- ing portions of South Dakota and Iowa, from the Dakota to the United States. In all, the treaties involved an esti- mated 35 million acres. Alexander Ramsey, governor of Minnesota Territory, called the area "the garden spot of the Mississippi Valley," forming "a territory equal in area to the state of Virginia [including present-day West Virginia] or the whole of New England." Together, the two treaties were "considered among the most important ever negotiated with our Indian tribes."57 The first of the two treaties, with upper Dakota bands, was negotiated at Traverse des Sioux in July 1851, at a site now on the National Register.58 The second treaty, with the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute, was signed August 5 on Oheyawahi. One of the earliest his- torians of Minnesota, Edward D. Neill, who was in Minnesota Territory at the time of the treaty, stated: "dur- ing the first week in August, a treaty was ... concluded beneath an oak bower, on Pilot Knob, Mendota."59 Historian Thomas Hughes reported, "On the 5th of August, the commissioners met the Medewakanton and Wahpekuta bands in council on Pilot Knob, Mendota, and a duplicate of the Traverse des Sioux treaty, with necessary modifications was signed by them."60 Such statements do not specify the exact location of the treaty negotiations or of related activities. Some have misunderstood these statements to mean that the treaty took place at the summit of Pilot Knob, which resulted in Frank Blackwell Mayer sketched this view of the St. Peter's River from Pilot Knob in 1851. Note the burial scaffold in the foreground. Courtesy Newberry Library. the 1932 placement of a historic marker at the location. Historical literature shows that the Treaty of 1851 at Mendota involved negotiations and treaty signing, atten- dant ceremonies, and Dakota encampments —all carried out at various locations in the area. According to Thomas Foster, secretary of the U.S. delegation, negotiations were to have taken place on July 29, 1851, in the American Fur Company warehouse in Mendota.61 At the end of the first meeting, the Dakota leader Wabasha announced that it was warm in the warehouse and asked that the next day's council be held "in the open air."62 The next day, according to Foster, "Under the direction of Alexis Bailly, Esq., a large arbor was this morning con- structed on the high plain near Pilot Knob, immediately above the landing, and commanding a fine view of Fort Snelling, and the beautiful surrounding country." A stand and tables were placed for the commissioners with a number of "seats in a circular form for the chiefs." Negotiations took place at 3:00 P.M. "The Council assembled as before in the bower upon the hill."63 A con- temporary newspaper account said that: "during the Treaty of Mendota, those high knobs in the rear of that place, were occupied by the Indian encampments."64 Frank B. Mayer, an artist who attended both the Traverse des Sioux and Mendota treaty negotiations, made two sketches of Dakota encampments on Pilot Knob during the treaty. Mayer ascended Pilot Knob at the time of the treaty and noted that "the view from Pilot Knob, once a favourite burial place of the Sioux, is very OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB extensive, commanding the valley of the St. Peters, the Mississippi, Fort Snelling, St. Paul and St. Anthony.' Along with the 1851 newspaper account, Mayer's sketch- es provide documentation for treaty encampments on Oheyawahi, but they do not pinpoint the exact location of the treaty signing.' Despite the popular belief that the actual treaty signing was located at the summit of Pilot Knob, various authors, over the years, have expressed different interpretations of the primary documents about where the treaty was signed. In 1901, the newspaperman and photographer Edward Bromley stated, in the Minneapolis Journal: Pilot Knob is celebrated, according to popular belief, as the place where the treaty of 1851 with the lower bands of Sioux Indians was made. Governor Alexander Ramsey, who was one of the commissioners, Luke Lea [the U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs] being the other, that treated with the Indians upon that occasion, is authority for the statement that there was no particular reason why the commissioners and Indians should go to the summit of the hill to make the treaty, as there were several other desir- able points between that height and the river. The treaty, which followed close upon the heels of the larger one made at Traverse des Sioux, was real- ly consummated on a spot only a short distance from the Sibley and Faribault houses, on the first level, in fact, above these now time -worn relics. The exact spot Governor Ramsey would be at a loss to locate at this late date.67 It is clear from this account that Ramsey, who died in 1903, did not remember the exact location of the treaty signing fifty years after the event. While he may have stat- ed to Bromley that there was no need to have the treaty signing on the top of the hill since several locations would do as well between the summit and the river, he did not give a more specific location. Based on this information Bromley drew his conclusion that the treaty occurred on the "first level" above the Sibley and Faribault Houses, revising his earlier conclusion about Pilot Knob, stated in 1899, that "it was on this hill that one of the most impor- tant treaties was made with the Sioux Indians."68 However, in his 1901 article Bromley made no specific reference to a particular location. Given the various rises of land in greater or lesser proximity to the Sibley and Faribault Houses, it is not clear which of them Bromley concluded was the treaty location. Bromley's account is an interpretation, not a primary source. In a 1990 historical study of treaty sites, Susan Granger and Scott Kelly concluded that the mostly likely location for the treaty negotiations was the plain part way up the hill, north and northeast of the summit." This would place the treaty signing in the general area depict- ed in Mayer's sketch of the view looking north from the summit. Granger and Kelly state that the supplies for the treaty would have been hauled to the treaty site along the adjacent early trails. They point out that treaty sites were sometimes selected based on their importance to Native Americans. Thus, the Dakota insistence on moving out- doors may have reflected the desire to hold such impor- tant negotiation on sacred ground. While Granger and Kelly argue for more detailed study, they are clear that they believe the most likely area for the treaty signing was within the area which has since then been found eli- gible for the National Register of Historic Places. Michelle Terrell, in a recent study occasioned by a development proposal for Pilot Knob, suggested that the treaty location was not on the area traditionally called Pilot Knob but at the site of St. Peter's Church, on a rise just above the location of the Henry H. Sibley House.'° Terrell's argument is based mainly on Bromley's 1901 account, although she notes the pres- ence of the 1848 Medicine Ceremony described by Ellen Rice Hollinshead on the site and suggests that the Medicine Ceremony described by Nicollet must have occurred there in 1837. She also suggests that Oheyawahi was entirely bare of the trees necessary for the construction of a treaty arbor, making it an unlike- ly location for the treaty. To determine the location of the treaty signing, the treaty account is the best source. It states that the treaty arbor was "constructed on the high plain near Pilot Knob, immediately above the landing, and commanding a fine view of Fort Snelling, and the beautiful surrounding country." Assuming that this account is correct, three fac- tors must be considered determinative in locating the treaty signing: First, to correspond to the description, the treaty site should be located "on a high plain near Pilot Knob." A variety of terraces throughout the area south of Mendota could fit the description of a high plain, although it would seem more reasonable to conclude that the upper levels would be more likely than the lower ones. More difficult to interpret is the phrase, "near Pilot Knob." If the entire hill is meant here, it might be concluded that the treaty was signed at a place below the Pilot Knob hill, but not actually on the hill, such as the St. Peter's Church site or some other rise above the river. If the summit alone is meant, then the likely location for the treaty negotiation would be a location like the "plateau halfway up the high hill of Pilot Knob," described by Joseph Nicollet in his JUNE 2004 1837 account of a Medicine Ceremony. The second meaning seems more likely in this context, given the fre- quent use of the name in this period and after to refer not to the entirety of Oheyawahi, but only to the summit of the hill." This suggests that the phrase would apply bet- ter to the location described by Nicollet than to the St. Peter's Church site. Second, the relationship of the treaty site to the land- ing depends entirely on identifying the location of the landing site (that is, "immediately above the landing"). A map of Mendota from around 1856 shows that much of the river front in the town of Mendota was sharply higher than the level of the river, providing a poor location for a river landing." The argument is made that the landing referred to is the narrow spot with the lowest river bank, located at the intersection of B and Water Streets, and identified as a "levee" on an 1856 map. This levee was on the river side of the rise where St. Peter's Church was located. However, strong evidence points in another direc- tion, to the location of the Fort Snelling ferry landing on the east side of the mouth of the Minnesota River. The river makes a broad bend just above its mouth and the landing located here was connected to Mendota in the 19th century by a road. However, the bend and the for- mer landing site was cut off from the east side of the river in the 1960s, when a new channel was cut just below the east end of the Mendota Bridge. The area is now part of Fort Snelling State Park and is known as Picnic Island. This location was marked on Lieutenant E.K. Smith's 1838 map of the Fort Snelling area as "the only good landing on the east bank of St. Peter's River." It was also the site of Cantonment St. Peters, where the first U.S. troops camped on their arrival in 1819. James E. Colhoun, who reached the site a few years later, noted that the troops were "cantoned that year at the base of the Pilot -bluff on the south side of St. Peter's R[iver]."73 From Colhoun's point of view, the entirety of Pilot Hill was seen as being above this landing site. Several of Seth Eastman's views of Pilot Knob make clear the relation- ship. His view of the hill from below Fort Snelling shows the landing site on the east side of the river in the fore- ground with Pike Island at left. Pilot Knob clearly looms above the site. Similarly, Eastman's view from the sum- mit of Pilot Knob looking toward the fort shows the land- ing site in the middle ground, making clear the possible visual link between the two sites. In terms of the treaty description, a variety of the most likely locations throughout the hill could be concluded to be "immedi- ately above the landing.' Third, the "fine view of Fort Snelling and surround- ing area" would certainly be possible from a variety of sites on the hill of Pilot Knob. In part this would depend on the amount of vegetation in the way and the elevation of the site. At the time of the first federal survey, Oheyawahi was "thinly wooded" with bur and black oaks and an undergrowth of oak, aspen, hazel, plum, and red osier dogwood.75 As indicated by these notes and by several Eastman paintings, it does not appear that this growth would have prevented a wide vista from various points on the hill.76 Evidence from one of Eastman's paintings suggests that at least a portion of the St. Peter's Church site was then entirely denuded of trees, which would have allowed a view in various directions." Given the scattered nature of trees throughout the Mendota area, the presence or absence of trees on any particular site is not in and of itself definitive in determining the treaty -signing location. The effect of elevation, however, is another matter. On this point, the St. Peter's Church site seems a less likely alternative. Today, when viewed from the occa- sional openings between the trees at the St. Peter's Church site, an undistinguished view of Fort Snelling and the area around and beyond it is revealed. Only the eastern walls of the fort are clearly visible. It is plain that even if the area were entirely denuded of trees, little beyond the fort to the northwest would have been seen. Almost any of the upper terraces on the Pilot Knob hill would have provided a much finer view. In particular, the area north and northeast of the summit of Pilot Knob pro- posed by Granger and Kelly is a more likely site. From much of the middle and upper portions of Pilot Knob, as described by Frank B. Mayer, it would have been possi- ble to see the fort, St. Anthony, St. Paul, and many other areas. This area also better fits Joseph Nicollet's descrip- tion of the 1837 Medicine Ceremony site. It is doubtful that the church site, located upriver from the Sibley House to the southwest would have been described as "behind" the location of Sibley's house, warehouse, or other buildings, while the entirety of Pilot Knob fits the description much better. The case for locating the treaty signing on the site of St. Peter's Church is unconvincing. Moreover, there is nothing in the historical record that specifically associ- ates St. Peter's Church with the 1851 Treaty, which is especially problematic considering the church was built less than two years after the treaty.79 Edward Bromley, who visited Mendota at the time he wrote his 1901 arti- cle and would have known of the existence of the church, made no mention of this location as a possibility for the treaty site. PAGE 10 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB The weight of the evidence, cou- pled with the long tradition, supports the conclusion that the treaty signing took place on the northern terraces of Pilot Knob. Further, Granger and Kelly argue that the exact site of the treaty signing should not be considered the only site of importance in relation to the 1851 Treaty.79 Rather the treaty -signing site is only one of several components of importance in relation to such treaties. The evidence demonstrates that there is a strong association of Oheyawahi with the Treaty of 1851, through the presence of treaty encamp- ments there and the symbolic value the site had for Dakota people who signed the treaty. These strong associations make the Treaty of 1851 a nationally significant aspect of the hill's history for Native Americans and European Americans alike. Harvey and Helen Fuller relax in the peaceful atmosphere of Pilot Knob, c. 1887, looking southwest. Across Pilot Knob Road is the old District 4 schoolhouse. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society DEVELOPMENT ON THE HILL "A charming suburb" Little development occurred on Pilot Knob in the 19th century. Photographs taken in 1870 and around 1880 show only one structure, a white house or barn just below the summit of the bluff.' In the 1880s, after several roads and railroads had been built around Pilot Knob, plans were made to develop the area.' Thomas Newson, a St. Paul journalist, was part of a syndicate that sought to turn the bluff into a residential neighborhood that would rival St. Paul's prosperous Summit Avenue, a "new suburban town," a "charming suburb" with "charming homes" overlooking the "peerless landscape." At the center of the eighty-two acres controlled by the investors would be a ten -acre park around the top of the knob, on which would be placed a forty- to fifty -foot -high statue of Henry Sibley.a' Newson and his partners had an agreement to purchase the land at the summit from its owners, Alexander and Ellen Perron, some of the numerous Perron family living on and around Pilot Knob. The agreement, signed in May 1887, was witnessed by Henry Sibley himself." In a newspaper article and a pamphlet written to pub- licize his development plan, Thomas Newson described the importance of the bluff to the Dakota, Sibley's view from the bluff in 1834, and many other aspects of its his- tory.' Newson also gave a description of the bluff as it was then. To ascend Oheyawahi, one passed over the track of the Iowa Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, which ran around the base of the bluff, and ascended a road that crossed a field. At the summit of Pilot Knob, one gazed out over a view of "unparalleled beauty." Newson wrote that Pilot Knob was considered the highest point of land between the Twin Cities. He described the view from there in spiritual terms, suggest- ing that the Dakota view of the sacredness of the place had become more widespread: From Pilot Knob can be witnessed one unending panorama of natural beauty from all points of the compass, which impresses the eye more as a pic- ture than the grand handiwork of a great, unseen Power. This high point of ground was at one time the burial place of many bodies of defunct Sioux Indians, lofty places, when accessible, being always chosen for that purpose. After Newson's development proposal fell through, the farm just below the summit of the hill was inhabited from the late 1880s until the early 1900s by Esdras Bernier, a storekeeper and one-time city postmaster, who rented a brick farmhouse and adjacent land from Alexander and Ellen Perron. The memoirs of his son, Louis Bernier, suggest that the family was well aware of the importance of the area: Pilot Knob is the spot where the Treaty of Mendota was signed with the Indians in 1851 T.M. Newson's 1887 brochure contained a map featuring the current and projected transportation amenities of Pilot Knob. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society. which opened land west of the Minnesota River to settlers. It was used as a burying ground for years by the Indians and we would find arrows and bones digging up on the hill when we were boys.85 The first available USGS map for the area, pub- lished in 1896, shows three roads that follow the routes of present day Sibley Memorial Highway, Highway 55, and Highway 110. This map, based on a topographic survey done in 1894, provides one of the first detailed depictions of the contours of the Pilot Knob hill. The three roads did little to interrupt the slopes of the bluff. At that date the northern portions of the bluff descended gradually to the area of the St. Peter's Catholic Church cemetery. The map shows a sharp drop on the west side of the bluff and a broader, gently sloping plateau directly north and east between the summit of the bluff and present-day Highway 55.86 Prior to the 1920s, no other plans to develop or pre- serve Pilot Knob were implemented. Beginning in 1909, the Daughters of the American Revolution started its suc- cessful effort to preserve the homes of fur traders Henry H. Sibley and Hypolite Dupuis. Both houses are now part of the National Register Old Mendota Historic District.87 In the 1920s, the Mendota Chapter of the DAR turned to Pilot Knob, hoping to commemorate the Treaty of 1851. In 1921, the group negotiated with Ellen Perron —whose husband Alexander had died in 1913—to buy a spot at the summit for a small park, but they failed to reach agreement about the purchase price. In 1922, the group put up a plaque commemorating the treaty at land surrounding the Sibley House. A contemporary newspaper article recounted the history and significance of the treaty and noted that "an arbor was erected on the high plain near the summit of Pilot Knob," where negotiations were said to have taken place.88 ACACIA CEMETERY "In digging (new] graves, older graves of Indians were dug into." In March 1925, a bill was introduced in the Minnesota Legislature "providing for a com- mission to investigate the feasibil- ity and possibility of acquiring a tract of land on Pilot Knob for memorial purposes."89 Instead, the summit of Pilot Knob was pur- chased by a Masonic group to create Acacia Cemetery. First reports were that the group would purchase 140 acres —which would have covered much of Oheyawahi—but negotiations may have fallen through. First recorded was the Masonic group's 1926 purchase of 35 acres.90 Over the next 25 years, a series of purchases from the Perrons expanded the cemetery's holdings to 79 acres. Fewer than 50 of these have been platted for burial plots.91 The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the land's final purchase reverts the historic landmark to one of its original uses. Prior to General Sibley's arrival at Pilot Knob in November 1834, the Knob was used as a burial ground for Sioux Indian tribes of the vicinity.92 When the cemetery was dedicated in 1928, its man- agers highlighted the rich history of Pilot Knob. An arbor was erected in the center of the cemetery to commemo- rate the one put up for the Treaty of 1851. At the same time, it was reported on October 1, 1928, in the St. Paul Pioneer Press that "valuing the historicity of the grounds the committee has pledged itself to erect memorials to the men, Indian and white, who have made Pilot Knob famous." In 1932, permission was given for the DAR to place its 1922 plaque on a rock at the summit of the hill, in the cemetery.93 Acacia Cemetery was designed like a park. Following Masonic practice, no upright markers were permitted. Landscape designer Harry Franklin Baker designed an arrangement of driveways to cover around PAGE 12 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB The Mendota Bridge was still under construction when this photo was taken from the future Acacia Cemetery in 1926. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society. 50 acres, marking off wide lawns lined with pines, spruces, cedars, and maples.94 As much as 20 feet of the knob's top of the knob, adjacent to Pilot Knob Road, was removed. This alteration in the landscape revealed the evidence of prior Native burials.95 Further reference to Native burials is found in articles printed at the time of the cemetery's dedication. On October 1, 1928, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that "during the landscaping of the grounds many graves of the Indians were found and the bones carefully transferred to other parts of the park and there reburied." On October 6, 1928, the South St. Paul Daily Reporter provided the same information. Native remains were also found during the digging of graves. In her 1995 account of Pilot Knob, Milly Smith reported that "Arthur Doree, son-in-law to the origi- nal caretaker, Levinus Baars, said that in digging [new] graves, older graves of Indians were dug into and the bodies removed to a vault on the property." Arthur Doree stated that while he and others were digging a grave near Babyland—the portion of the cemetery reserved for babies, at the bottom of the hill adjacent to the former railroad tracks and Old Highway 13—they encountered bones. Rather than remov- ing them, they gently moved them aside and placed the coffin in the grave.96 Native remains have been pre- served in a cemetery vault for many years. In 1962, a newspaper account stated that teenage van- dals broke into cemetery property and removed some of the remains of Native burials preserved there, although these were later recovered.97 Included were at least seven skulls and other bones, including some from infants. More recently, cemetery offi- cials found three boxes of bones in a small concrete vault and turned them over to the Office of the State Archaeologist for further study. In April 2003, a forensic anthro- pologist determined these remains to be Native American." Of these there were only three skulls. It appears that between 1962 and 2003, some of the human remains were lost. OHEYAWAHI TODAY The Same Commanding View Despite the construction of the Mendota Bridge in 1926, the area of Pilot Knob remained a close-knit rural community until after World War II, an area of truck farms and dairy farms. Many of the people on the hill were related to various branches of the Perron family, who had owned the land for many generations. Many The dedication of Acacia Cemetery on October 7, 1928 was attended by hun- dreds of people. Courtesy Amanda Baars, pictured at left in foreground with her parents, William and Elizabeth Perron, and siblings. PAGE 13 "THIS LOVELY SPOT" When T.M. Newson planned the "new suburban town" in 1887, he advertised its peaceful surround- ings in a way that became ironic with the establish- ment of Wold-Chamberlain field, now know as Minneapolis -St. Paul International airport: "Charming homes can be built away from the noise of the little village below, with no stock yards or factories as supernumeraries to mar the enjoyment of a well appointed resi- dence.... Who does not want a home in this pure atmosphere, this spring water region, this lovely spot, removed from the dusty and noisy cities... ?" "Pilot Knob", promotional brochure, 1887 children who lived in this area attended the District 4 schoolhouse along Highway 55, a block south of present- day Acacia Boulevard. Among those who attended the school were Amanda Perron, who lived with her family just south of the hill, and Marcus Baars, whose father Levinus was the first manager of Acacia Cemetery. The two were in the same grade in school and after high school they courted and married. On the north end of Pilot Knob Road in a house just above Highway 55 was the family of Albert Vailencour, who farmed the nearby fields and also worked for Acacia Cemetery. The parents of Albert's wife Ella, Denery and Melody Tousignant, lived in a small house on the same property. In the win- ter the Vailencour children, Lucille and Lorraine, used to go sliding down the hill north of the house, stopping just before the highway." After World War II a suburban housing development was built on the farmland at the south end of Pilot Knob, but the whole area still had many rural characteristics. A newspaper account from the early 1950s described Cub Scouts from Mendota and Pilot Knob going on a hayride, followed by a "wiener roast." The wife of Byron Lyons, the caretaker of Acacia Cemetery, was one of the den mothers.1" From the 1970s to the 1980s, the housing on the south end of the hill was redeveloped into commer- cial and industrial sites, through an effort by the Metropolitan Airports Commission to remove 52 hous- es in close proximity to the south airport runway approach.'°' No comparable redevelopment occurred on the central and northern part of the bluff in the area sur- rounding Acacia Cemetery, although several houses have been removed along Highway 55. Also removed were a gas station and motel that were located in the far northwestern corner of Pilot Knob adjacent to the Mendota Bridge.102 Acacia Cemetery acreage east of Pilot Knob Road has remained undeveloped over the years, aside from several buildings used for cemetery business. In 1968, the cemetery filed a plat of this land with the Dakota County Register of Deeds, stating that the land was "to be and constitute a cemetery and burial place," but no burials have taken place there since.103 Surrounding fields are edged by trees and remain mostly open, as they were in the 19th century. Other farm and suburban structures, formerly on the property now owned by Mendota Heights, south of Acacia Boulevard, have been removed, allowing land to revert to open space. Adjacent to highway 55 is a sliver of land con- taining with an old farmhouse, and a dog kennel and boarding stable. Two small private homes still stand on the east side of Pilot Knob Road south of Acacia Boulevard, opposite Acacia Cemetery. Oheyawahi is still an identifiable regional landmark. Changes have not irreversibly affected the site's historic and sacred character. The site largely remains undevel- oped, even in the midst of encroaching suburbs. The breathtaking view from the site is still largely unob- structed. North of the cemetery, a piece of privately owned land cleared of former structures and reclaimed by native red osier dogwood, provides an impressive panorama of Fort Snelling and Minneapolis —a view comparable to that described by early visitors. At other points on Oheyawahi, one sees downtown St. Paul. Despite the distraction of jet noise from nearby Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport, visitors can still experience some of the wonder felt by 19th-century predecessors. The words of the Golfer and Sportsman magazine from August 1942 still hold true today: "You'll find the same commanding view that so inspired our forefathers, the same valley under the clear, bright skies above. But where there once was prairie you can now see the tall buildings of two cities."'" THE STRUGGLE TO PRESERVE OHEYAWAHI "Closest to the heavens" Since the 1920s, Acacia Cemetery has highlighted Oheyawahi's history and sacred importance to Native Americans. A leaflet from the 1980s emphasizes the Native history of the area. Pilot Knob, "the site of Acacia" is "rich in historic traditions relating to Indians who first selected the location for their special cere- monies," a possible reference to the well-known PAGE 14 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB Medicine Dance associations of the site. To honor the site, the cemetery has sought to preserve the "beauty inherent in the area."105 More recently, Acacia Cemetery materials note that when Native Americans first saw "the plateau on which Acacia Cemetery sits," they called it "the site closest to the heavens." The "majestic aura" of the site continues to impress visitors "with the same peace that infused Native Americans 200 years ago."106 Acacia's current brochure says that its "75-acre park offers a pristine beauty and a strategic location that was recognized by our state's earliest settlers" and Indians. The brochure also says that "the Audubon Society recog- nized Acacia Park for its bird sanctuary which attracts thousands of birds each year."'" Over the years, other groups and government agen- cies have recognized the importance of Pilot Knob. In 1966,-the Fort Snelling State Park Association and the Minnesota Historical Society stated that "Pilot Knob, the site of the signing of the Treaty of Mendota, is now a cemetery and is not expected to be changed or industrial- ized." The report went on to suggest that this and other sites "are in good hands and their preservation now seems assured."108 A variety of state surveys have singled out Oheyawahi for notice. It was included in the 1975 Minnesota Inventory of Historic and Prehistoric Places.'° A 1989 study of geographic features of historical and cul- tural significance in Minnesota listed the site.10 A discus- sion of land -cession treaty sites in Minnesota stated that the site could be a candidate for the National Register."' Until 2003, no further effort was made to examine the eli- gibility of Oheyawahi as a whole."' Since the 1990s, a number of development proposals have been offered for the north end of Pilot Knob Road. Many have been resisted by Mendota Heights' city gov- ernment. Councilwoman Sandra Krebsbach was quoted in 2000 as saying that the property on the north end of Pilot Knob Road "is an incredible natural site."' The city's 2002 Comprehensive Plan affirmed that the hill is "considered sacred to the Dakota" and important in American history. The city's website states that "the Dakota Indians considered the hill sacred" and that "this prominent hill on the Minnesota Historic Inventory over- looks the confluence of the rivers. It is unusual in its broad scope of historical significance.""° The 2002 Comprehensive Plan identified the Acacia Cemetery property north of Acacia Boulevard as a potential site for additional park and open space in the city.15 Despite the oft -repeated statements about the history and beauty of Pilot Knob, a November 2002 proposal to put 157 units of high- and medium -density housing on 25 The architect's concept drawings indicate the visual impact of 157 townhomes on Pilot Knob as seen from Highway 55. acres of Oheyawahi—on land owned by Acacia Cemetery and private landowners —was presented to the Mendota Heights City Council. In December 2002, a petition with signatures from area citizens asking for an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) was filed by Thomas E. Casey, attorney for the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community.1' In January 2003, the City of Mendota Heights ordered the EAW. State law requires that the environmental review process be com- pleted before the city can make a decision on the land use application. Throughout winter, spring, and summer 2003 the city worked with representatives of the devel- oper to answer questions posed by the EAW relating to the potential environmental (including historical and cul- tural) effects of the proposed development. During this period, a cultural resources firm, The 106 Group, was hired by the landowners and developer to study the site. In June 2003, the group concluded that the hill was a place of cultural and historic significance, eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.'' In September 2003, the EAW was completed and filed with the city. During the ensuing public comment period, in October 2003, more than 200 letters and emails were sent to the city. Only one supported development.1' Dakota people have been among the most vocal sup- porters of preservation of Oheyawahi. While the graves of Dakota people may not be visible today on Oheyawahi, the site's sacred nature continues to be acknowledged by the Dakota. Michael Scott, current chairman of the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota stated in October 2003 that even if bones are removed from the ground, the hill continues to be a burial area for the Dakota. He points out that as bodies deteriorate they become part of the soil. "My ancestors are in the whole JUNE 2004 PAGE 15 hill, in the dirt, you cannot remove them. It's impossible to remove them."19 A map prepared in 2000 by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and The 106 Group identified Oheyawahi as sacred. In January 2003, Stanley Crooks of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community wrote of the importance of Oheyawahi to the Dakota. He said that the site "has never lost its signifi- cance among our people." Ann Larson of the Lower Sioux Community also wrote on the site's significance, emphasizing its extensive use by Dakota people.170 In an April 2003 interview, Chris Leith, a spiritual leader of the Prairie Island Dakota Community, also insisted on Oheyawahi's continuing spiritual importance. Leith said the site has been called Paha Oipa, "top of the hill," and was sometimes used as a lookout point.12' As is the case with many sites of sacred importance, Leith was reluctant to discuss the details of spiritual beliefs about Oheyawahi. He stated that the site is a "sacred land- mark," one that served as a meeting place and a burial place, but it would not have been the location of a vil- lage. He explained that burials would have been placed there because it was understood that the area was sacred and that the graves would not be disturbed. Leith stated that the origins of Oheyawahi's sacred character could not be explained by any person. "There are many ques- tions that no human being can answer." When Leith was pressed for details about the connection of the site to Unktehi, Leith stated: I just answered it.... You asked me something in a different way. . . .That's a European concept. If they don't get an answer, well then they'll ask another way. They can't accept what they've been told. They want to change it.... Our cere- monies come in dreams and visions. Our way of life is conducted under dreams and visions. We don't change it. We don't have that right. It is not of our making. Leith emphasized that sites such as Oheyawahi should be "left alone." He stated that people might build there, "but it might not ever last." When asked about the possibility of archaeological digs on the site, Leith said simply: "Leave it alone." Other Native people outside of Minnesota recognize Oheyawahi as sacred. Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, a widely respected spiritual leader, wrote in support of the preservation, stating that "it is important to become educated in the significance of preserving sites that are very sacred in our history as a People.'122 He noted the importance of Pilot Knob as the location of the Chief Arvol Looking Horse on horseback on Oheyawahi in 2000. Treaty of 1851 and as "a burial place for the ancestors that needs to [be] maintained and understood as a `Sacred Site.' To build and erase a rich historical importance would prove so much ignorance by those that perpetrate this type of dishonorable behavior." In 1999, on the way to Camp Coldwater to support preservation of that area, Looking Horse held a pipe ceremony on Pilot Knob. The late Robert A. Brown, chairman of the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community, saw preservation of Oheyawahi as important to Dakota identity. He and his wife Linda led the opposition to the 2002 housing pro- posal.123 Brown, who traced his ancestry through at least two centuries of local Dakota people and French settlers, said this in an April 2003 interview: It is part of the story of the Dakota people and if you let all these things go and you let ... the important places, that were part of your heritage go, if you forget about where your ancestors are lying in rest, you take all these things away from a Dakota person or anybody really, you take their heritage away from them, then they are no longer that people.124 PAGE 16 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB Brown died in August 2003 and was buried in Acacia Cemetery after a funeral in Mendota's old St. Peter's Catholic Church. Two days before the funeral, the com- munity held a pipe ceremony in his honor on a northern slope of Oheyawahi.'25 Opposing development on Pilot Knob include repre- sentatives of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Minnesota Archaeological Society, Beth Jacob Synagogue, the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the Minnesota Historical Society, and many other groups and individuals. The Minnesota Preservation Alliance placed the hill on its 2003 and 2004 lists of the 10 most endan- gered historic properties in Minnesota.126 Father Kevin Clinton of St. Peter's Catholic Church acknowledged the importance of Oheyawahi for Dakota people: "The Native Americans of this area regard the Pilot Knob site as a sacred area used by their ancestors long before things were written down. Their `registry of burials' is recorded in their oral tradition."127 During 2003, a new community group seeking to raise awareness of the hill and help preserve it for future generations, the Pilot Knob Preservation Association, was incorporated. The authors of this article, Bruce White and Alan Woolworth, are among its members.12" In June 2003, the two nominated Oheyawahi for the National Register of Historic Places: Oheyawahi is significant at statewide and nation- al levels as a traditional cultural property associ- ated with Dakota Indian people as a landmark, a gathering place, a burial place, and an important Medicine or Wakan Ceremony grounds. It is also associated with European -American history as a geographic feature included in the physical and cultural landscape of Fort Snelling, the earliest American military post built in the region.'29 After the nomination was approved by the Minnesota's State Historic Preservation Office and the State Review Board for the National Register, the nomi- nation was sent to the Keeper of the National Register, who determined in January 2004 that the site was eligible for the National Register. At the moment, the site cannot be placed on the National Register, due to objections by the property owners.130 In November 2003, based on the recommendations of consultants who evaluated the EAW submissions and the voluminous comments from citizens and legal briefs from their attorneys, the City of Mendota Heights ordered a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to be paid for by the developer, as dictated by state law. Although they had not appealed the city's decision to Robert A. Brown, whose Dakota ancestors included the Renville and the Felix families, served as chair of the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community and was instrumental in the struggle to preserve Oheyawahi. require an EIS, the developer and one group of landown- ers filed suit against the city in January 2004, attempting to go around the entire environmental review process and requesting approval for development. On May 19, 2004 a Dakota County District Court judge ruled in favor of the city of Mendota Heights."' At the end of March 2004, Chief Arvol Looking horse and Dakota spiritual leader Chris Leith led a pipe ceremony on an open, east of Pilot Knob Road, halfway up the hill. Looking Horse said, "a sacred place is a place of prayer, like a church." He went on to say: "We have a lot of relatives buried here. That's why, all these years, people have prayed. People asked me to come there —to pray for them." At this ceremony, Looking Horse and Leith gave a new name to the hill, Wotakuye Paha—"hill of all the relatives."12 The name refers to all people — Native and non -Native alike —buried on the hill. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OHEYAWAHI "Unusual in its broad scope of historical significance." Over the last 200 years, broad consensus has emerged: Oheyawahi is a place of importance to the Dakota people, as a meeting place, a burial place, and a place for important ceremonies. In addition, Oheyawahi has taken its place in European -American history, as the site of a crucially important treaty and as silent witness to the growth of Fort Snelling, local settlement, and the Twin Cities. Aside from places related to the U.S.—Dakota Conflict, few areas of importance to Dakota history and culture in Minnesota have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to the efforts of the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office, JUNE 2004 PAGE 17 When the St. Paul Courthouse was razed in 1932, Acacia Cemetery Association acquired some of the stone to build the office and chapel. In 1959 rows of stone were still stored in the northern end of the cemetery, center right in the photo. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society. Shakopee's Maka Yusota (Boiling Springs), a place of traditional cultural importance to the Dakota, is now included on the National Register." Other sites of impor- tance to Native Americans in or near the Fort Snelling Historic Landmark district have been damaged or destroyed. Taku Wakan Tipi or Morgan's Mound has been buried under a Veteran's Administration Hospital and portions of the Twin Cities airport. The location of the signing of the Ojibwe Treaty of 1837 at the Fort Snelling Indian Agency has been largely destroyed by highway construction. Work is currently underway by The 106 Group to study Carver's Cave in St. Paul, a site long obstructed by fill.' Although water still flows to Coldwater Spring, its status as traditional cultural prop- erty for Native American people has yet to be examined thoroughly. Oheyawahi remains one of the major places of sig- nificance to the Dakota, retaining sufficient integrity to communicate both its historical and cultural importance. For this reason and for the importance of the site to European American history, Oheyawahi provides a unique look into the past. As the city of Mendota Heights says, Oheyawahi is indeed "unusual in its broad scope of historical signif- icance." As historian Russell Fridley stated: "The city of Mendota Heights has a historical gem in its midst. It deserves no less than to be dedicated to a pub- lic purpose that will preserve its rich traditions."15 Pilot Knob deserves both placement on the National Register of Historic Places and protection from devel- opment in perpetuity. Notes ' This article is based on the National Register nomination pre- pared for Pilot Knob in 2003. The authors would like to thank all those who participated in furthering that nomination, particularly the able and under -appreciated staff of Minnesota's State Historic Preservation Office. They would also like to thank Bob and Linda Brown and other members of the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community, the members of the Pilot Knob Preservation Association and all the members of the commu- nities in Mendota Heights and elsewhere who have fought for the preservation of Pilot Knob. Special thanks go to Marcus and Amanda Baars, and Lucille Weigenant for shar- ing their knowledge and photographs of Pilot Knob. Additional thanks goes to Suzanne Bring for editorial help. 2 Carol Zellie, "Minnesota's Geographic Features of Historic Significance," (St. Paul: Landscape Research. Prepared or Minnesota Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office, May 1989), 2-4, 22-23. See also a leaflet published in the 1990s by the State Historic Preservation Office, entitled "Grand View and Imposing Vistas: 5 well-known geographic features in Minnesota." Joseph Nicollet, Report Intended to Illustrate A Map of the Hydrographical Basin of the Upper Mississippi River. (Washington: Blair and Rives, 1843), 237. U.S. Geological Survey, Minnesota. St. Paul West Quadrangle, 7.5 Minute Series, (USGS 1993 [1967]). Another recent estimate states that as much as twenty feet was removed; Richard F. Rock, "M'dota Historic Sites with descriptions concerning ownership, location, access, histor- ical significance, & present status" (Typescript in PAGE 18 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB Minnesota Historical Society), 92. National Register of Historic Places (NHRHP) 6/22/70; see file in State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul. NRHP 10/15/66; see file in State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul. ' Letter of Britta Bloomberg, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, to John J. Huber, Mayor of Mendota Heights, Feb. 24, 2004. 8 Thomas S. Williamson, "Who Were the First Men?" In, Minnesota Historical Collections, 1 (1902): 241-46; Paul Durand, Where the Waters Gather and the Rivers Meet: An Atlas of the Eastern Sioux, (Paul C. Durand, 1994), 56; Kinsmen of Another Kind: Dakota -White Relations in the Upper Mississippi Valley, 1650-1862, (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press), 23. 9 "Gatherings from the Traditionary History of the Mdewakanton Dakotas," Dakota Friend, May 1851; see also Edward D. Neill, History of the Minnesota Valley, (Minneapolis: North Star Publishing Co., 1882), 1. 10 Gary Anderson, Kinsmen of Another Kind, 84: 74, 79. " Roy Meyer, History of the Santee Sioux, (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1993), 15; John Parker, ed., The Journals of Jonathan Carver and Allied Documents, 1766-1770, (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1976), 90-100, 116; Charles M. Gates, ed., Five Fur Traders of the Northwest, (Reprint ed., St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1965), 45-57; Wisconsin Historical Collections, 11 (1888): 100-135; Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections, 11 (1908): 486-87. 'Thomas G. Anderson, "Narrative of Capt. Thomas G. Anderson." In, Wisconsin Historical Collections, 9 (1882): 178-79; Grace Lee Nute, "Posts in the Minnesota Fur - Trading Area, 1660-1855," Minnesota History, 11 (Dec.): 375-76. 13 Meyer, History of the Santee Sioux, 25; William Watts Folwell, A History of Minnesota, (Revised ed., St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society 1956 [1921]), 1: 92-94; Elliot M. Coues, ed., The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, (Reprint, Minneapolis: Ross & Haines, Inc., 1965), 76-85. " Lucille Kane, June Holmquist, and Carolyn Gilman, eds., The Northern Expeditions of Stephen H. Long: The Journals of 1817 and 1823 and Related Documents, (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society), 76, 152-53, 282; Folwell, History of Minnesota, 1: 134, 137-39. 15 Helen White and Bruce White, "Fort Snelling in 1838: An Ethnographic and Historical Study," (St. Paul: Turnstone Historical Research, prepared for the Minnesota Historical Society, Historic Sites Dept., 1998), 115-31; Lawrence Taliaferro, "Auto -biography," Minnesota Historical Collections, 6: 216; James McClurken, Fish in the Lakes, Wild Rice, and Game in Abundance, (East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2000), 27-35. 16 White and White, "Fort Snelling in 1838," 161-66; Pilot Knob is seen on this United States Geographic Survey map dated 1896. Folwell, History of Minnesota, 1: 215-26. " Folwell, History of Minnesota, 1: 433, 514; Meyer, History of the Santee Sioux, 136, 139, 145-46. 1e Meyer, History of the Santee Sioux, 258-72. 19 Mark Diedrich, Old Betsey: The Life and Times of a Famous Dakota Woman and Her Family, (Rochester: Coyote Books, 1995), 109; St. Paul Globe, April 20, 1902; Riverview Times, March 2001. 20 Minneapolis Journal, Nov. 9, 1926. 21 Charlene K. Roise, "Minneapolis -Saint Paul Airport Reconnaissance/Intensive-Level Survey" (Minneapolis: Hess, Roise and Company, 1995); City of Mendota Heights, Comprehensive Plan, 2002, 6; Brian Bonner, "Future of golf course in flux," St. Paul Pioneer Press, Oct. 18, 2003; Bill Wagner, "Tilsens till farm site to raise seven new homes in Mendota Heights," Highland Villager, Aug. 27, 2003; Heather Edwards, "A piece of history goes up in smoke," South West Review, Sept. 21, 2003. 22 Thomas Newson, Pilot Knob, (n.p., [1887]), 19. 23 "Part of the Michigan & Missouri Territories at the Confluence of Mississippi & St. Peters Rivers," 1821; "A Topographical View of the Site of Fort St. Anthony at the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Peters Rivers," 1823; copies of both maps in Minnesota Historical Society Library, Fort Snelling Map Collection. See also John A. Hotopp, "A DUNE 2004 PAGE 19 Lorraine and Lucille Vailencour are shown at the family residence at the north end of Pilot Knob Road, c. 1935. Courtesy Lucille Weigenant. Cultural Resource Assessment of the Proposed Reroute for Trunk Highway 55 54th St. to County Road 62, Hennepin County, Minnesota," (Marion, Iowa: The Cultural Resource Group, Louis Berger & Associates, Inc. 1999), 8, 9. 24 Hotopp, "Cultural Resource Assessment," 12, 13. zs St. Paul Daily Democrat, May 1, 1854 26 Kane, Holmquist, and Gilman, Northern Expeditions, 282. 27 Stephen R. Riggs, A Dakota -English Dictionary, (Reprint, St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, [1890] 1992), 354. 28 Andrew W. Williamson, "Minnesota Geographical Names Derived from the Dakota Language," Minnesota Archaeologist, [1884] December 1976, 20. 29 Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and The 106 Group, "Dakota Presence in the River Valley," 2000; Letter of Stanley Crooks to City of Mendota Heights, January 7, 2003. 30 Hotopp, "Cultural Resource Assessment," 9; Durand, Where the Waters Gather, 63-64; Frederic Baraga, A Dictionary of the Ojibway Language, (Reprint ed., Minneapolis: Ross & Haines, Inc., [1878] 1973), 2: 360. 31 Minnesota Democrat, March 3, March 31, April 7, 1852; Durand 1994: 96. 32 Minnesota Democrat, May 8, 1854; Mary Eastman 1995: 2; Durand 1994: 86; Hotopp 1999: 40-41. 33 Durand, Where the Waters Gather, 64. 34 The ceremony was known as the Midewiwin to the Ojibwe. See Frances Densmore, Chippewa Customs, (Reprint ed., St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1979), 86-97. 35 Alanson Skinner, "Medicine Ceremony of the Menomini, Iowa, and Wahpeton Dakota," in Indian Notes and Monographs, (New York: Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation), 262; Gideon Pond, "Dakota Superstitions," in, Minnesota Historical Society Collections, 2 (1889): 219-28. 36 Martha C. Bray, ed., The Journals of Joseph Nicollet: A Scientist on the Mississippi Headwaters With Notes on Indian Life, 1836-37, translated by Andre Fertey, (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1970), 199-211. 37 Samuel Pond, The Dakota or Sioux in Minnesota As They Were in 1834, (Reprint, St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1986 [1908]), 93-96. 38 Seth Eastman, "Medicine Dance of the Sioux or Dakota Indians on the St. Peters River near Fort Snelling," 1847, Minnesota Historical Society, AV1991.85.2. 39 Mary Henderson Eastman, Dahcotah, or Life and Legends of the Sioux, (Afton, MN: Afton Historical Society Press, [1849] 1995), 193. " Morgan, Henry Hollinshead, Four Pioneer Families of Minnesota and Their Puritan and Quaker Heritage, (New York: Heptagon Press, 1998), 80-81. 4' Samuel Pond, Dakota or Sioux, 162-69. 42 Minnesota Democrat, June 10, 1851; also Durand, Where the Waters Gather, 64. In another account Gideon Pond wrote that, according to tradition, the Iowa people who once lived along the south side of the Minnesota River fought their last battle with the Dakota on Pilot Knob. This may have resulted in some burials on the hill. See Gideon Pond, "Ancient Mounds and Monuments," Minnesota Historical Society Collections, 1: 146; also published in the Annals of the Minnesota Historical Society, 1852-53. 43 Coues, ed., Expeditions, 1: 79, 234. 44 Charles Joseph Latrobe, The Rambler in North America, (New York: Harper & Bros.), 214-15. 45 E. Sandford Seymour, Sketches of Minnesota, The New England of the West, (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1850), 113. 46 St. Paul Democrat, May 1, 1854. 47 Seth Eastman, "Pilots Knob & Mouth of the St. Peters River," 1846-48, Minnesota Historical Society, AV1991.85.23; "Indian Graves at the Mouth of the St. Peters," 1847, Minnesota Historical Society, AV 1989.44.281. 48 Seth Eastman, "Indian Burial Place Near Fort Snelling," 1846-48, Minnesota Historical Society, AV 1991.85.34; John Francis McDermott, Seth Eastman's Mississippi: A Lost Portfolio Recovered, (Urbana: PAGE 20 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB University of Illinois Press, 1973), 47-48, plates 9, 14-15; for other depictions of scaffolds see John Francis McDermott, Seth Eastman: Pictorial Historian of the Indian, (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1961), plate 31, 32, 112; Sarah E. Boehme, Christian E. Feest, and Patricia Condon Johnston, Seth Eastman: A Portfolio of North American Indians, (Afton, MN: Afton Historical Society Press, 1995), 28, 78; Mary Eastman, Dahcotah, 83, 112, 154; Hotopp, Cultural Resource Assessment, 43, 44. 49 Mary Eastman, Dahcotah, 2, 71. 50 St. Paul Pioneer Press, April 30, 1863. 5' Meyer, History of the Santee Sioux, 273. 52 Carolyn Anderson, "Dakota Identity in Minnesota, 1820-1995," PhD dissertation, Indiana University, 1997, 236. 53 U.S. General Land Office, Surveyor's Field Notebook, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, Minnesota Historical Society, 1853. 54 Newson, Pilot Knob; St. Paul Globe, Aug. 7, 1887. Similarly, in an unfinished autobiography, Sibley told of reaching the area of present-day Mendota overland, travel- ing along a trail that took him from the area of Wabasha across country. See Theodore C. Blegen, ed., "The Unfinished Autobiography of Henry Hastings Sibley," Minnesota History, 8: 353. 55 William B. Dean, "A History of the Capitol Buildings of Minnesota," Minnesota Historical Society Collections, 12: 2. 56 J. Wesley Bond, Minnesota and Its Resources, (New York: Redfield,1853), 160; also Minnesota Democrat, July 8, 1851 57 U.S. Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Annual Report, (Washington, D.C.: Gideon & Co., Printers, 1851), 18-19, 150. 58 NRHP 3/20/73; file in State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society. 59 Edward D. Neill, History of Minnesota from the French Explorations to the Present Time, (Minneapolis: Minnesota Historical Co.,1882), 560. 6° Thomas Hughes, "The Treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851," Minnesota Historical Society Collections, 10 pt. 1 (1905): 101-29. b1 Minnesota Pioneer, Aug. 7, 1851; also quoted in Rebecca Snyder, The 1851 Treaty of Mendota, (South St. Paul: Dakota County Historical Society, 2002), 5, 7. 62 Snyder, Treaty of Mendota, 12. 63 Snyder, Treaty of Mendota, 13. 64 Minnesota Pioneer, August 7, 1851; Snyder, Treaty of Mendota, 6. 65 Bertha L. Heilbron, With Pen and Pencil on the Frontier in 1851: The Diary and Sketches of Frank Blackwell Mayer, (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1986), 35, 241. 66 One of Mayer's sketches shows treaty encampments on the hill to the north of the summit, the other, an unpub- lished drawing shows encampments south of the summit. See Heilbron, Diary and Sketches, 1986: 35; microfilm of sketches in Frank B. Mayer Papers, Minnesota Historical Society. b7 Minneapolis Journal, July 21, 1901. 68 Minneapolis Times, Sept. 24, 1899. 69 Susan Granger and Scott Kelly, "Dakota and Ojibwe Land Cession Treaty Sites in Minnesota, Final Report," Submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society, 1990, 11-15, Section F, page 1. 7° Michelle Terrell, "A Historical, Cultural and Archaeological Evaluation and Determination of Eligibility of Pilot Knob for the Proposed 'The Bluffs of Mendota Heights' Development, Mendota Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota," Prepared for Gerald S. Duffy, Attorney at Law, Siegel, Brill, Grupner, Duffy, & Foster, Minneapolis, MN, (St. Paul: The 106 Group, 2003) 71, 73-79. 71 St. Paul Daily Democrat, May 1, 1854. 71 S.P. Folsom, "Mendota Minnesota," (New York: Brown & Quinlan, [18571, a printed map with handwritten additions dated 1857. "3 Hotopp, Cultural Resource Assessment, 12; Kane, Holmquist, and Gilman, Northern Expeditions, 282. 74 Eastman's view of Fort Snelling from Pilot Knob, with a goat in the foreground, is a watercolor or sketch for- merly part of the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska, but was later sold. Its current location is unknown. A black and white photograph of the image was obtained by the Minnesota Historical Society in the 1960s and although it is no longer part of MHS collections, the authors have obtained a copy of that photograph. 75 U.S. General Land Office, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, line between sections 27 and 28, 1853. 76 Seth Eastman, "Indian Burial Place Near Fort Snelling," 1846-48, AV1991.85.34; "Distant View of Fort Snelling," 1847-48, AV1991.85.30; Mary Eastman, Dahcotah, 83, 154. 77 Seth Eastman "Distant View of Fort Snelling." 78 Over the Years, April & July 1966; Minneapolis Times, Sept. 30, 1903; St. Paul Dispatch, Sept. 30, 1903; St. Paul Pioneer Press, Sept. 30, 1903. 79 Granger and Kelly, "Dakota and Ojibwe Land Cession Treaty Sites," 5. B0 View of the railroad bridge across the Minnesota River, photo by J. P. Doremus, MH5.9/F1.3/r107; View of the railroad tracks and depot below Fort Snelling, 1880, MH5.9/F1.3/p43; both in Minnesota Historical Society, Audio -Visual Collections. 81 Warner and Foote, Map of Dakota County Minnesota, (Minneapolis: Warner & Foote, 1879). A reprint of this map done by the Dakota County Historical Society is included in Mary Bakeman, et al., ed., "Every Name Indexes to the 1874 and 1879 wall maps, Dakota County, Minnesota," (St. Paul: Minnesota Genealogical Society, ca. 1991). Included is a reprint of the Warner and Foote's 1879 map of Dakota DUNE 2004 PAGE 21 County. See also Roise, "Minneapolis -Saint Paul Airport Reconnaissance," 21, 23. 82 Thomas Newson, "A Quiet, Shady Nook," St. Paul Globe, Aug. 28, 1887. 83 Purchase agreement between T. M. Newson and oth- ers with Alexander and Ellen Perron, May 28, 1887, in Book J, Miscellaneous Records, Dakota County Property Records. 83 Newson, "A Quiet, Shady Nook"; Newson, Pilot Knob. 85 Louis Bernier, "Bernier Family Recollections," May 1968, 2-3, typescript in Dakota County Historical Society. 86 USGS, Minnesota, St. Paul Quadrangle, [15 Minute Series],1896. 87 Landscape Research, "The Henry H. Sibley House, Mendota, Minnesota Historic Structure Report," prepared for Minnesota Historical Society,1997, 48-49; Ann Marcaccini, Ann and George Woytanowitz, "House Work: The DAR at the Sibley House," Minnesota History, 55 (Spring): 187. 88 St. Paul Pioneer Press, Nov. 5, 1922; Alex. Perron obituary in Hastings Gazette, Nov. 5, 1913; Mendota Chapter, DAR, record book, 1915-22, p. 31, 33, 35-38, 41- 45, 50, 51, in DAR Archives, currently at the Sibley Historic Site, Mendota. 89 Folwell, History of Minnesota, 3: 268. 9° Warranty Deed, Ellen Perron to States Realty Co. Book 126, no. 175, March 10, 1926; Warranty Deed, States Realty Co. to Minnesota Acacia Park Cemetery Association, Book 159: 283, March 31, 1926; Plat of Minnesota Acacia Park Cemetery, Plat H-81, April 19, 1926; all in Dakota County Property Records, Hastings. 91 Warranty Deed, Ellen Perron to Thomas S. Rishworth,. Book 159, no. 525, Sept. 10, 1927; Warranty Deed, Thomas S. Rishworth to States Realty Co., Book 185, no. 72, Sept. 10, 1927; Warranty Deed, States Realty Co. to Minnesota Acacia Park Cemetery Association, Book 159, no. 525, Sept. 10, 1927; Mortgage Record, Arthur Perron to James Scott, Book 149, no. 156, April 20, 1933; Deed, Arthur Perron to Clarence Newhouse, Book 198, no. 4, April 27, 1936; Deed, Clarence Newhouse to Ray S. Miller, Book 194, no. 344, April 27, 1936; Ray S. Miller to Minnesota Acacia Park Cemetery Association, Book 200, no. 102, April 30, 1936; Deed, Arthur Perron to Dave Hector, Book 203, no. 88, Nov. 17, 1938; Deed, Dave Hector to Minnesota Acacia Park Cemetery Association, Nov. 17, 1938; all in Dakota County Property Records, Hastings. 92 St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 1, 1926, p. 9, cols. 3 & 4; see also Folwell, History of Minnesota, 3: 268. 93 St. Paul Pioneer Press, June 26, 1932, rotogravure section. 94 Golfer and Sportsman, August 1942. 95 Rock, "M'dota Historic Sites," 92. This information was based on a 1981 phone interview with cemetery man- ager Byron Lyons. 96 Interview by Bruce White with Arthur Doree, April 8, 2003. 97 West St. Paul Riverview Booster News, July 13, 1962; Miscellaneous Report, Police Department, Mendota Heights, July 1, 1962, original with Mendota Heights Police Department. 98 Brian Bonner, "Pilot Knob project pits past against future," St. Paul Pioneer Press, Sept. 29, 2003; Letter of Thomas E. Casey to Acacia Park Cemetery Board, Dec. 28, 2002; Letter of Thomas E. Casey to Acacia Park Cemetery Board, Feb. 20, 2003; Memo of Mark Dudzik to Dale Bachmeier, March 20, 2003; Letter of Dale Bachmeier to Thomas E. Casey, March 27, 2003; Letter of Leslie E. Eisenberg to Mark Dudzik, April 23, 2003. A group of ten mounds to the north across Highway 55 just above the vil- lage of Mendota was identified in the 19th century (21DK18). Eight mounds were similarly located in Mendota (21DK17). In even closer proximity, north of Highway 55 opposite the north end of Oheyawahi, human remains possibly of Native American origin were discov- ered during grave digging at the St. Peter's Church ceme- tery (21DK66). These remains are in the process of exami- nation by the Office of State Archaeologist. 99 Interviews by Bruce White with Amanda and Marcus Baars, May 30, July 16, 2003, Lucille Vailencour Weigenant, May 4, 2004; Doris Kelleher, "Mendota Heights Family'd Rather Celebrate in Old -Fashioned Way," West St. Paul Booster, Nov. 23, 1966; "Mendota Heights History," on the City of Mendota Heights website at www.mendota-heights.com/pages/aboutus/history.htm; Elisabeth Kennealy, "Mrs. Kennedy's Parents Were Pioneers," Dakota County Tribune, Dec. 2, 1976. The Vailencour house just above Highway 55 was torn down in the 1930s. The family built a new house just across the road which is still standing today at the north end of Pilot Knob Road. 100 West St. Paul Booster and Dakota County Globe, Oct. 26, 1951. Dakota County Tribune, Aug. 30, Sept. 20, 1973, May 23, 1974. 102 Aerial view of the junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota River, St. Paul Dispatch -Pioneer Press, July 21, 1959, Minnesota Historical Society Audio -Visual Collection, MD2.1 B/p9. 103 Plats R-17, R-18, Dakota County Property Records; Charlene K. Roise, Minnesota Architecture -History Inventory Form, Acacia Cemetery, June 22, 1994, SHPO number DK-MHC-003. 1°4 "Pilot Knob," Golfer and Sportsman, Aug. 1942. '°5 "Acacia Park Cemetery," a leaflet from around the 1980s, preserved in the Dakota County Historical Society. 106 "Planning ahead for peace of mind," advertising PAGE 22 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB leaflet in Dakota County Historical Society. See also an ad in the South-West Review, Sept. 15, 1996. 107 "Acacia Park Cemetery, A Non -Profit Cemetery Association," a four -page leaflet sent in the mail in 2003, in the possession of the authors. 108 Fort Snelling State Park Association and Minnesota Historical Society, "Old Mendota: A Proposal for Addition of Land to Fort Snelling State Historical Park," Dec. 1966. 109 Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Field Services, Historic Sites and Archaeology, "Minnesota Inventory of Historic and Prehistoric Places" 1975, 18. "° Carol Zellie, "Minnesota's Geographic Features of Historic Significance," (St. Paul: Landscape Research, Prepared for Minnesota Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office, May 1989; 1989, Jan. Geographic Features of Cultural and Historic Significance Inventory Form, Pilot Knob, Jan. 1989. 1" Granger and Kelly, "Dakota and Ojibwe Land Cession Treaty Sites"; Letter of Susan Granger to Mayor and City Council, Mendota Heights, Dec. 30, 2002. 12 Roise, "Minneapolis -Saint Paul Airport"; Letter of Britta Bloomberg to Charlene Roise, Oct. 3, 1995, copy in Minnesota SHPO files. 13 Mendota Heights Sun -Current, Oct. 25, 2000. 14 City of Mendota Heights, Comprehensive Plan, 2002, 6; City of Mendota Heights Webpage at: www.men- dota-heights.com/aboutus/history.htm, 2002-04. 15 City of Mendota Heights, Comprehensive Plan, 2002, 76-77. 16 MinnStar Builders, "PUD Development Preliminary Plat, Street Vacation Variance," prepared by Dahlgren, Shardlow, and Uban, Inc. and Hedlund Engineering, January 2003, copy in possession of authors; William Wilcoxen, "Mendota Heights weighs the future of Pilot Knob," transcript of Minnesota Public Radio report, Dec. 20, 2002; Petition for an Environmental Assessment Worksheet, ca. Dec. 1, 2002, copy in possession of authors; Jon Larsen, Environmental Quality Board to Cari Lindberg, City of Mendota Heights, Dec. 3, 2002. 17 Terrel, "Historical, Cultural, and Archaeological Evaluation," 84-85. 18 Seth Loy, "MH to study Pilot Knob issue further," South West Review, Nov. 23, 2003. The various comments submitted by individuals and groups during the EAW process are available from the City of Mendota Heights. The authors counted the submissions to arrive at the number of those submitted. 19 Letter of Michael Scott to Mendota Heights City Council, Oct. 29, 2004. 120 Letter of Stanley Crooks to City of Mendota Heights, Jan. 7, 2003; Letter of Ann Larson to City of Mendota Heights, Jan. 6, 2003. 121 Interview of Chris Leith with Robert A. Brown and Bruce White, April 29, 2003, transcript in possession of the authors. '22 Arvol Looking Horse, White Buffalo Teachings, (Williamsburg, MA: Dreamkeepers Press, 2001); Letter to Whom it may concern, Dec. 13, 2002, sent to City of Mendota Heights. 1" Daune Stinson, "Battle for Pilot Knob," The Circle, July 2003. 14 Interview by Bruce White with Robert A. Brown, May 1, 2003, transcript in possession of the authors. 125 Debra O'Connor, "Bob Brown, Dakota community chairman," St. Paul Pioneer Press, Aug. 10, 2003; Seth Loy, "Dakota community leader, passes away Aug. 8," South West Review, Aug. 17, 2003; also based on recollec- tions of the authors. 126 Seth Loy, "Pilot Knob named one of 10 'most endan- gered,"' South West Review, May 18, 2003. The various groups listed submitted comments to the City of Mendota Heights during the EAW process. 127 Letter from Rev. Kevin I. Clinton, Pastor, St. Peter's Church, Mendota, to Mendota Heights City Council, Oct. 29, 2003. 128 Seth Loy, "Pilot Knob debate goes on," South West Review, Oct. 5, 2003. The vision statement of the Pilot Knob Preservation reads as follows: "Known to Dakota people as Oheyawahi, "a hill much visited," Pilot Knob is a place of distinctive historical, cultural, and environmental impor- tance, a sacred site, a landmark of Minnesota's beginnings. The Pilot Knob Preservation Association advocates for this distinctive hill, documents its long history, raises public awareness of its importance, and helps to preserve it for present and future generations." More information on the organization can be found on the group's website: www.pilotknobpreservation.org. '29 Nomination form in State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society; Seth Loy, "Pilot Knob proposed for National Register," South West Review, July 13, 2003; Blair Reynolds, "More work to be done on Pilot Knob issue," Sun Current, Mendota Heights & West St. Paul edition, Nov. 20, 2003. "° Letter of Britta Bloomberg to John J. Huber, Mayor of Mendota Heights, Feb. 24, 2004. '" Brian Bonner, "Report critical of town homes on his- toric hill," St. Pioneer Press, Nov. 15, 2003; Seth Loy, "MH to study Pilot Knob issue further," South West Review, Nov. 23, 2003; Brian Bonner, "Council vote requires study for town homes," St. Paul Pioneer Press, Nov. 19, 2003; Seth Loy, "Pilot Knob landowners, developer sue MH," South West Review, Feb. 15, 2004; Verified Petition for Writ of Mandamas, Jan. 29, 2004, in John N. Allen, and Joel T. Buttenhoff, MinnStar Builders, Inc. v. City of Mendota Heights, Case File No. C4-04-6289, Dakota County District Court, Hastings. 12 South West Review, April 4, 2004; also recollections of the authors. NRHP 1/16/03, see file in State Historic Preservation JUNE 2004 PAGE 23 A work in progress, artist James Boyd-Brent's surrealistic rendition of the generations of change as seen by from Pilot Knob, includes St. Peter's Church, Highway 55 and the international airport. Office, Minnesota Historical Society. 134 Christina Harrison, "Before the Fort: Native American Presence at the Confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers," Prepared for Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, 2002, 27. 133 Russell Fridley to Charles E. Mertensotto, City of Mendota Heights, Nov. 22, 2002. 1,1 Addresses at CONSECRATION SERVICES PILOT KNOB October 7th, 1928 Governor Christianson s Address begins page 13 Judge Horace D. Dickinson's Address begins page 4 Hon. Oscar Holism's Address to Masonic Women begins page 23 Frederick E. Jenkins, Worthy Grand Patron. O. E. S.. address begins page 9 M INNESOTA-ACACIA PARK CEMETERY Minneapolis 316 Masonic Temple Geneva 7811 St. Paul Hackney Building Ga. 3973 �' 7 /� l� /,lt/nlf/�l�/3`g/_1V./y\f / 1� \�l-\I /;` J• \�/f\f /t\f, .�� Governor Theodore Christianson referred to the signifi- cance of the acacia tree as a symbol of life to the Masons in his address on October 7, 1928. PAGE 24 OHEYAWAHI/PILOT KNOB Seeing this picture of a U.S. Navy ip passing under the Mendota bridge made e envy its moment of history bestowed on ne':hboring Scott County. Later I rationalized t at Dakota County had also played a part becse the ship passed through 44 miles of Dakota ounty waters on its way to the sea. Then rationalization turned to conviction upon loo ' g at a Burnsville map. I discovered an odd le: of the Minnesota River extending into Bus sville at the Scott County border. It looked an -made. It proved to be an outfitting slip. P. of the Cargill Company shipyards was located ' Burnsville. I knew Cargill built hips in Savage for the Navy but always assumethey were small craft. Seeing their true size su ► 'sed me for I had been on sev- eral U.S. Navy ips. Today Cargi uses Port Cargill as a distribution center with r,�ii1 and barge carriers. I appreciate the wonderful help of Bruce Bruemmer and Linda Brickey f Cargill and Savage officials in recalling this ment of local history sixty years ago. Bill Wolston PORT CARGILL INCLUDING 10 ACRES OF BURNSVILLE AND 44 MILES OF DAKOTA COUNTY WATERWAY by Bill Wolston Within 60 days of the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy requested a meeting with Cargill Corporation offi- cers in Washington. The Navy needed ocean-going nkers and was aware Cargill built ocean-going g : in carriers at its Albany, New York, shipyard. Co d Cargill build tankers? Cargill was eager to serve e war effort and knew they could build them. The N. y contract was ready for signing except the hourly : bor rates at Cargill's Albany shipyard exceeded tes called for in their contract. As a solu- tion, Cargi proposed building the ships in Minnesota. A TAN : SHIPYARD IN MINNESOTA? Odds against Minnesota shipyard seemed insurmountable; ove a thousand miles to the ocean, ice -bound rivers, lack ► ocean-going shipyard skills and facilities. Factors leading to a ► . sitive decision included meeting the contract's b ► dget requirements, an ample supply of skilled la or, and proximity to Cargill's home office. The latter substantially reduced management costs. JUNE 2004 PAGE 25 till/////i//////////////, \\\\\\w.\\\\\\\\\\\\\uv.\\\\\\\�%lon\\H��B\Mk\ t. \ %/ %//J /// \/\\i\\\\y /.��%////////f/I///fz� • . ////t////////////////f//////f//////// ////////// IA SPUA TO S►I19-1,51D o SnoxODEE L �1 tw'{►G r, l if GUAD- 0 &016INIS1RA11Q14 butt -DING PAtiEL SHOP Wulf HODS E Docn Stitt. tee Docl< S%19 LAUHCHIMG WA`[S OLD CAEDIT RIVER NEw CREDit CI vita FMQAA MOUSE Loweg QO&o CHICAGO ST PAW. MIHWtMIiS OMAHA Ali i11GHWA'1 10 1`0111 SNELLI The area within the fence is the Cargill shipyard. The six platforms for building ships are between the railroad spur tracks and the river. Note the Burma Road which leads to the "slip" located just over the Dakota County line. Note the dash line oval to the left of the shipyard, the "Ancient Trotting Track." This was the Dan Patch race track. The Savage site included ready access to rail lines and available river property. The Cargill com- pany actually made a sizeable corporate investment in the location for anticipated post war operations. Equipment was moved from Cargill's Albany, New York, shipyard, train tracks extended into the site from the Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern RR, and a nine foot channel dredged in the Minnesota River to the launching site from the Mississippi River. Of the approximate $180,000 river dredging cost Cargill paid $160,000. THE CONTRACT On February 9, 1942 the Navy proposed that Cargill build six gasoline tankers designated as AOG's. In a month Cargill was granted contract No. BS659 for AOG6 through 11. The U.S. Navy tankers were officially named for rivers, mostly Indian names, Agawam, Elkhorn, Genesee, Kiswaukee, Namasket, and Tombigbee. The first two ships were to be delivered in April 1943 and the other four by October 1943. Cargill evaluated Twin Cities area sites settling on 350 acres of farmland by the river in the north- east corner of Savage and a small area in Burnsville. PAGE 26 pox, (.AR6[1 THE CARGILL SHIPYARD The Port Cargill shipyard was modest in cost and efficient in layout. ❑ 1,200 employees, anticipating a peak of 2,400 ❑ Administrative building ❑ Warehouse ❑ Panel Shop ❑ Slip and Burma Road ❑ Double construction platform "ways" ❑ Launching "ways" ❑ Dock ❑ 2-1/2 miles of railroad track When facility construction commenced the Minnesota River was four feet above normal. This required building coffer -dams and pumping out the water for construction of 6 concrete ship building platforms. A total of 608 piles were driven for the Agawam and Elkhorn platforms. Eight concrete slabs (5'6" wide by 18" thick) were formed at each hull site. The slabs were 150 feet long. An addition- al 176 piles were driven between the slabs with jack- ing slabs between them. Railroad tracks next to the platforms were used to deliver components for ship construction. Anticipating future flooding, the blacksmith shop was constructed on stilts with earth fill underneath. The objective was to build a shipyard and ships at the same time. In addition to ships and buildings, construction included railroad track, sewer, water, and roadways. The panel shop fabricated components for the ships. Imagin a steel rib assembled, welded, and hanging from the ceiling crane ready for delivery to one of the assembly platforms using the rail track which passed through the building. THE MOLD LOFT, C.M.P., AND PANEL SHOP The second floor of the administration building housed the Mold Loft, a large open floor space. The floor was used to lay out and assemble templates for ribs and other structural ship components. In war time the federal government controls all strategic materials, thereby creating the need for a Controlled Materials Plan Office (C.M.P.). During World War II the Army and Navy submitted their supplier's needs to the government. As a contract supplier, Cargill had to determine and submit their request with accuracy and on time. The Panel Shop building is where steel was fab- ricated to the tolerances of the Mold Loft templates. This barn -like building, with an overhead crane run- ning the length of the building, fabricated compo- nents moved to the six ship construction sites by rail. LAYING KEEL, LAUNCHING, AND COMMISSIONING The early life of a ship has three milestones; "laying the keel" followed by construction, "launch- ing" the ship into the sea usually celebrated with speeches and breaking a bottle of champagne on the bow, and "commissioning," after special machinery and service equipment installation. After commis- sioning the captain is in command until relieved. Port Cargill ships witnessed the first two mile- stones. However, sideway launchings accomodated production line and river channel. Commissioning took place 1,200 miles south at New Orleans where masts, radar, and power installations took place. Keels for the Agawam and Elkhorn were layed on Labor Day, September 1942 on ways, assembly platforms, closest to the river. By month's end keels for the other four tankers were on their ways. AOG SHIP CHARACTERISTICS: ❑ Length over all ❑ Length at water line D Beam ❑ Trial Speed ❑ Displacement ❑ Draft ❑ Accomodations: 310' 9" 292' 0" 48'6" 14.0 kt 4,335 tons 15' 8" Officers 8 - 11 Enlisted 116 - 126 JUNE 2004 PAGE 27 After the cold and heavy snows of 1943 the Minnesota River flooded. Walkways were built and ship building carried on. IN THE SHIP BUSINESS In the fall of 1942 "Port Cargill" welcomed a Bureau of Ships naval officer who came to assess Cargill's desire and capacity to build additional ships. At the same time Cargill was being consid- ered by the Defense Plant Corporation to build a powerful towboat for the lower Mississippi. The DPC had employed George Sharp, a naval architect, who previously worked with Cargill, to design a new model. Cargill wanted another contract with more incentive and assurance to retain shipyard workers. Cargill won a contract for four 180-foot towboats at $750,000 each, named after areas in the Pacific Area of operations, Bataan, Coral Sea, Milne Bay, and Bou Arda. By late March 1943 the keels were laid for two of the towboats. The Army Corps of Engineers monitored the towboat contract. Cargill could see that Navy and Army competition extended beyond the football field. It was essential to launch the AOGs as soon as possible, but nature intervened. "NEITHER SLEET NOR SNOW ..." THE AGAWAM Construction continued through the winter of 1942-43, with temperatures ranging from 20-35 below zero followed by record -breaking spring flood. A 13 foot flood required building elevated walkways. Floods had barely subsided when on May 6, 1943, the Agawam slid sideways down the ways into the Minnesota River for Port Cargill's first launch. Nine days later the Elkhorn joined the Agawam in the slip for outfitting. On July 24, the Kishwaukee, the third AOG was launched. The Navy asked Cargill not to make major events out of the "launchings." Cargill complied but did carry out the launching ceremony with women including a mother of three Navy sons including one of whom was a Japanese prisoner of war. The fifth tanker was launched by Rebecca Hanson wife of Ed Hanson. Cargill purchased 86 acres of Port Cargill farmland from Rebecca's parents. The first towboat launched, the Bataan, went down the ways in September 1943. A three page story in the September 13, 1943, Time magazine touted the towboat story and how Cargill, well known by farmers, had built a shipyard 14 winding miles from the Mississippi on a river barely 3-1/2 feet deep. To NEW ORLEANS BY WAY OF ST. PAUL On November 4, 1943 the Agawam moved out of the slip to make its voyage to New Orleans pro- pelled by the towboat Demopolis. The towboat was so small the pilot could not see around the Agawam. Launching one of the AOG tankers port side first into the Minnesota River's four foot channel. PAGE 28 PORT CARGILL Thousands watched as the Agawam AOG passed by the bluffs of St. Paul in 1943. Since the Agawam did not have its own power, its pilots gave directions to the Demopolis by phone. At critical points along the shore men were ready to give navigation assistance. It took an hour to negoti- ate the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers to down- town St. Paul. When the Agawam arrived at St. Paul the Pioneer Press newspaper reported the event in good grace. The paper had previously prophesied the 310 foot tanker could not negotiate the tight bends and shallows of the Minnesota River. Crowds watched the descent through the Twin Cities. The Agawam's trip down the Mississippi River from St. Paul wasn't as smooth. The Agawam grounded twice with minor damage. The Navy was so satisfied a second contract was awarded for an additional 12 AOG's; the Chehalis, Chestatee, Chewaucan, Maquoketa, Mattabeset, Namakagon, Natchaug, Nespelen, Noxubee, Pecatonica, Pinnebog, and Wacissa. In following months, Cargill sent 17 more AOG's down the Mississippi River to New Orleans for final installations and on to sea duty with the U.S. Navy. FROM MISCELLANEOUS FACTS TO "E's" Tankers cost $1,600,000 each in 1945 dollars. Each tanker required 1,500 tons of steel, one half mile of pipe, hundreds of miles of electrical wire, 150 electric motors and 8 separate diesel engines. Launching one of the super towboats built for the DPC and the U.S. Army on the lower Mississippi. DUNE 2004 PAGE 29 Cargill AOG tankers in wartime camouflage. For Cargill building the ships was never prof- itable but considered it a contribution to the war. Cargill reported a $477,000 Port Cargill operations loss in 1942, a $140,000 profit in 1943, a $147,000 profit in 1944, and a $40,000 loss in 1945. Cargill was awarded an Army/Navy "E" for Production Excellence in January 1945 and a second "E" the following summer. How DID THE AOGs OPERATE AT SEA? Port Cargill workers were anxious to learn how their AOGs fared in sea trials. A special memoran- dum from the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding arrived at Port Cargill in early April 1944. It referred to both the Agawam and Elkhorn. One of the crew members of the Agawam reported, "Aside from being able to fry eggs on the deck, everything is jake." The Agawam engineer reported: "This ship is The 1940s launching area is seen on the Minnesota River bank to the right. Ships entered the water sideways. o.k. — it'll maneuver better than any I've ever seen." The crew of the Elkhorn reported: "The ship has all new paint and looks like a million. People like you in Minneapolis are the symbols of what we are really fighting for and, I must add, worth fight- ing for." At a 1969 Chehalis reunion one man reminisced about the trip down the Mississippi, "we'd hear the hull scrape against the bottom and at night we tied up to a trees on the bank." Its destination was the Pacific. Crew men recalled it "took to the water like a duck, a comparatively smooth -riding craft." Near war's end they survived kamikaze attacks. WHERE DID THEY SAIL? AOG 6 Agawam Served in the Pacific primarily in Philippines. decommissioned at San Diego in January 1957. AOG 48 Chehalis Refueling in Hawaiian Islands and Canton Island. In 1949 caught fire and sank off Tutnila, American Samoa killing six crewmen. AOG 49 Chestatee Served in Philippines. In January 1945 struck mine off Balabac Islands killing five crewmen. Returned to service before decommissioning in June 1946. Returned to Military Sea Transport Service in 1952 and operated by a civilian crew until 1954 return to reserve fleet and tour of service from April 1956 to September 1957 when she was loaned to Air Force. The lower end of the Port Cargill slip in Dakota County. The Minnesota River crosses in the distance. PORT CARGILL AOG 50 Chewaucan Served in Hawaiian Islands May 1945 to June 1946, then berthed at Seattle. Converted to oiler/tanker and assigned to 6th Fleet in Mediterranean. Transferred to Columbia, 1975. AOG 7 Elkhorn Served as station tanker in May 1944 and with Pacific Fleet to 1962. Transferred to Taiwan in 1972, renamed Hsin Lung AOG-517. AOG 8 Genesee Served in South Pacific until December 1945. Decommission but returned to Korean War and Vietnam service. Transferred to Chile. AOG 9 Kishwaukee Served in South Pacific, decommissioned in 1958. Served in Maritime Reserve and recommi- sioned in 1966 for service in Vietnam. AOG 51 Maquoketa Served in Pacific occupation forces until 1947 when transferred to Maritime Reserve. Reactivated in 1948 and deactivated in 1954. AOG 52 Mattabessett Limited Pacific duty before four years service on Atlantic coast. Then served with 6th Fleet in Mediterranean, decommissioned in 1968. AOG 53 Namakagon Served along Alaskan coast and decomniisioned in 1957. Reactivated and transferred to New Zealand for Antarctic operations. Returned to Navy and trans- ferred to Taiwan in 1971. AOG 54 Natchaug Operated in Pacific until February 1948 assign- ment to SERVON. Transferred to Greece in 1959. AOG 10 Nemasket Operated in Pacific until May 1947. In 1960 was decommissioned and scrapped in 1961. AOG 55 Nespelen Operated in Atlantic area and Mediterranean until 1955. Participated in Operation Deep Freeze supply- ing scientists in Antarctica. AOG 11 Tombigbee No details of World War II operations. The ship later participated in Operation Deep Freeze. The U.S.S. Tombigbee in the Antarctic during Operation Deep Freeze in 1963. EPILOGUE Today Port Cargill continues to serve the Cargill Company as a storage and distribution depot. The 1942 administrative building with second floor mold shop and the panel shop building remain. With a map one can locate and imagine the wartime operations. The launching area and slip still show signs of their functions 60 years ago. While Port Cargill is remembered in terms of ship building, the April 1943 issue of the "Cargill News" presents the story to remember. "This issue of the `News' is dedicated to the men and women working in the shipyard at Port Cargill. From Lieutenant Commander Stolz and Chris Jensen on down they are doing a job that makes Cargill, Incorporated proud; and Cargill wants them all, whether they work for the company or the Navy, to know that she is proud. It is for this reason that the entire issue of the `News' is dedicated and devoted to them. "To anyone who has even superficially watched the activities at the shipyard, one characteristic stands out like a shining beacon. Let's call it spirit. "When you see Navy workers and Cargill work- ers working together harmoniously and smoothly through long hours, dust, mud, floods, bitter cold, and oceans of red tape — conditions that would fray JUNE 2004 PAGE 31 MA6FE� RuN UP TO THE MOLD LOFT AND FETCH ME 50 FEET OF SHORE LIME. the tempers of saints — you begin to wonder. "When you see high -heeled girls walking half a mile on railroad ties, stopping from time to time to remove gravel from their shoes, just to get to an office that may be so cold that they have to wear their coats and yet treat it all like they were on a pic- nic, you ask "Why?" "When you see the men in the yard working day after day in weather in which no self-respecting Eskimo would ever be caught out of his igloo and stick to their jobs, you are amazed. The only answer is that these men and women are imbued with the true American spirit, the determination to win 'come hell and high water'." The issue included employee articles from each department describing operations, skills, and objectives, several with humor and cartoons. SOURCES: "Cargill News," April 1943. Wayne G. Broehl, Jr., Cargill: Trading the World's Grain, University Press of New England, Dartmouth, 1992. The Minneapolis Tribune photo section honored Port Cargill employees on November 14, 1943. THEY OUGHT TO LAUMCH THAT CHIPPER *torsi WITH THE SO AMO SO THAT LAID OUT THIS A►I,TO ! H I v ( OKAY NAVY IT'S ALL YOURS. 2/1 PAGE 32 PORT CARGILL CHASING GHOSTS: SEARCHING FOR MY LOST FAMILY FROM NEW TRIER by Jim Resemius This borderline obsession began last summer at a birthday party at my brother's house. He brought out the ancient snapshots my late grandmother had given him years ago. There they were; those old tattered black and white photos of our ancestors in settings that resembled the TV show "Little House on the Prairie." Except that these photos were from New Trier, Minnesota, not Walnut Grove. As we examined the photos, the sad thing was how little we knew about the people in them. Who were they? What were they like? My grandfather never passed down the stories of his New Trier roots to my dad's family, and my dad was far too young to have picked up much from other older relatives. So the chain was broken, and our family who had ended up in St. Paul had lost the connection to our ancestors from New Trier. That day I decided to find out a little something about the people in those photos and my ancestors from New Trier. Little did I know how addictive this mystery could become or how elusive these "ghosts" would prove to be. But before I begin my story, it is my pleasure to announce a new book project which needs your input. Next year St. Mary's Church in New Trier is releasing a book on the 150 year anniversary of the parish. Writing this article was a way for me to help get the word out about this project. They want to hear from you! Residents of New Trier and the surrounding community are urged to contribute their photographs of the town's past and their personal stories of the early families of New Trier, up through the New Trier of today. The book will be like a large formal fami- ly scrapbook. All proceeds from the sale of that book will go to St. Mary's Church. Details on how to contribute your story and/or photos to the New Trier book will be given at the end of this article. New Trier is a very small town among the farm fields of south-eastern Dakota County. I'm not going to use cliches like "quaint" and "sleepy" to describe the communities of New Trier and neighboring Miesville. In visiting these towns I have met delightful peo- ple both friendly and strong in faith. As a city boy, I instantly fell back in love with the community my great - great grandfather first came to about 140 years ago. NEW TRIER First, just a bit of history about New Trier. According to the History of Dakota County published in 1881, New Trier had a population of 120 at the time, and Father George Keller named the town after a small city in Germany. The first religious services were conducted by Father Keller and held at the home of Eugene Thien in the fall of 1855. The first marriage in town was that of John Kranz and Miss Abbie Stumpf, performed by Father Keller in November 1857. The first birth was that of L. Holden, born August 1855. The first building put up in town was a log church in 1856. In 1865 Peter Mies built the first hotel called the New Trier house, which also had a grocery. By 1881 the village had another hotel called Farmers Home, two general merchants Francis Gores and T.J. Wallerius, a hardware run by Joseph Breher, butcher Herman Goering, a harness -shop run by John Nather, two blacksmiths T. Mamer and Peter Thien, two shoemakers Peter Kuhn and Caspar Michaels, tailor Theodore Deutsch, wagon -maker John Delfelt, physician Dr. Mahowsky, and saloon owners John Simmer, William Schweitzer, Peter Redlinger, Peter Kuhn, and T.J. Wallerius. Downtown New Trier, c. 1905. All photos courtesy Jim Resemius, unless otherwise noted. JUNE 2004 PAGE 33 Cecilia Eckert Costello, Mary Eckert Ilia and Christine Eckert Resemius, c. 1880. In July 1867 a post office was established at New Trier with Nicholas Schwartz as post- master. Weekly mail came from Hastings and semi- weekly from Northfield. The vil- lage was incorporat- ed March 3, 1874. Another exten- sive history of the village is offered in a wonderful feature story from the Hastings Gazette from 1935. The Gazette reporter recorded the recollections of old residents, some of whom had lived in New Trier since its beginning: The first group of New Trier settlers was from Trier, a German province on the Rhine. Among these first fami- lies in the area were the Gores, Doffing, Tix, Fox, and Stumpf families. After they built their first log church in 1855, a large meeting was held to decide what to name their new community. A poll was taken and not surpris- ingly they decided on New Trier after the place so many of them came from. (Note: This account of the poll dif- fers from the History of Dakota County text above that says Father Keller named the town himself.) The next church was a stone church built in 1864, of which the cornerstone was honored by being used in the present day St. Mary's church built in 1909. The New Trier of the 1870s and 1880s was a booming and thriving com- munity center with many successful businesses and resi- dents. But a planned railroad expansion ended up to the west of the village rather than running through it, which slowed things down for a while. The Gazette article offers far too many details to list, but I must mention some of the memories of everyday life in early Dakota County. Many remembered that the use of oxen was more prevalent than horses. Katherine Siebenaler remembered that keeping warm in the stone church was a challenge! It was heated with two small woodstoves and frost would be inches thick on the win- dows. Parishioners took attendance seriously and would come from up to fifteen miles away for Sunday mass even on the most brutal winter days. The ox teams labored over the primitive and precarious roads and trails through drifts high enough to hide the fences. Large families lived in small log houses and stayed close to the fireplace. Salt pork was eaten almost every day. Weddings were great celebrations usually numbering 200 people, with raucous dancing until all hours and a breakfast served the next morning. The following Sunday would be an "after wed- ding" for those who missed the real thing, and another feast would be served with whole roasted turkeys and the butchering of several hogs and calves. Yet another glimpse of pioneer life in this area comes from E. L. Clark's personal recollections as published in the Cannon Falls Beacon paper in 1903, and more recently in the Cannon Falls As Remembered By One Of Our Pioneers. Mr. Clark was an early pioneer of Cannon Falls which is very close to New Trier. He arrived there in June 1855. He was quite proud of the integrity and character of the pioneers, noting that area newcomers "looked upon themselves as members of one large com- munity. In fact the interest and welfare of one was the interest and welfare of the other." I also liked this humorous recollection regarding honesty where he hints that the folks of 1900 were not quite as honest as the folks in 1850. An early storekeeper named Eli Ellsworth had to receive a large amount of merchandise that he did not have the space to store indoors, and thus had to keep it outside of his store which was right on the main road. There it sat for a long time without being stolen. He writes, "Surely these facts will prove interesting reading as they are highly credited on the honesty of the people of that period. It could be said with safety that a like amount of goods left out doors these days (circa 1903) would be hauled away the first night by some enterpris- ing citizen." I'm sure he must have smiled when he con- cluded, "we are not more dishonest these days, only more enterprising that's all." Mary (Felton) Beissel Resemius (far right). Next to her is her daughter and son-in-law Mary and Frank Strassburger, and their family, c.1917, St. Paul. Courtesy Marie Nerison. PAGE 34 CHASING GHOSTS Christine and Wilhelm Resemius and possibly John, born in 1899. COMING TO AMERICA My great great grandfather Wilhelm Resemius came to America from Brandenburg Germany in May 1868 through New York. He was 26 years old, and settled in the Douglas Township area to make a new life. Like so many others he began working at farming and day labor. At the same time, Johann Joseph and Mary (nee Felton) Beissel were also farming the land and raising their fam- ily in the area. Johan and Mary's children Elizabeth (Draeger), Frank, Ann Margaret (Delaney), Maria (Strassburger), Anna (Roarke), Godfrey, and Kate (Hoffman) are the ancestors of many families still living in and around the New Trier area. In fact, I've been told that New Trier and Hastings are known as Beisselville-1 and Beisselville-2. When Johan died prematurely, Mary Felton married Wilhelm Resemius in 1872 at St. Mary's Church. They had two more children together, Helena (Lena) Resemius, and Wilhelm Jr. Lena Resemius married John Klein in 1899 and they had a son John "Jack" Klein who later ended up in Los Angeles. Their marriage didn't last and Lena remarried Nicholas Haus around 1903, and their family moved to Cannon Falls. Lena and Nick had three children. I'm still searching feverishly for photographs of Wilhelm Resemius Sr and Lena Resemius but to date they still elude me. What did these people look like? Wilhelm Resemius Jr married Christine Eckert at St. Joseph's Church in Miesville in 1896. Christine's par- ents, John and Dorothy Eckert, were prominent farmers and residents of the area. I've also been working on the history of their other children's families as well: Valentine, Joe, Cecilia (Costello), Ignatius, Henry, and Mary (Ilia). It's amazing how all of these area families have so many connections to each other via marriage; you can really get dizzy trying to keep it all straight. Just a few of the families connected by marriage to the Beissels/Resemiuses/Eckerts include: Siebenaler, Biskupski, Rischette, Draeger, Strassburger, Roarke, Meier, Pasch, Ficker, Reinardy, Hoffman, Haus, Klein, Costello, Illa, Kieffer, and Raway. Wilhelm Jr. and Christine Resemius moved off the farm and purchased the General Store in town around 1900. Wilhelm became the Storekeeper and also the Town Clerk and Postmaster of New Trier. Their General Store stands to this day; it is the building now known as the "Trophy House" restau- rant. Wilhelm and Christine lived and worked there, and they also took in boarders. The 1900 census showed one Peter Miller living with the family. Wilhelm and Christine Resemius had five children. The first two died in infancy. Sons Joseph, Frank, and William followed. The Resemius family lived and raised their children in New Trier until the deaths of both Wilhelm and Wilhelm Jr. in 1914-1915. Christine stayed another year or so and then moved the family to St. Paul where she lived until 1938. If there is anyone out there who personally knew Christine, Joseph, Frank, or William Resemius, I would love to hear from you. Eckert children and spouses. Back row: Ignatius Eckert, Christine Resemius, Henry & Helen Eckert, Joseph Eckert, Mary Illa. Front row: Cecilia & Fred Costello, unknown. TROPHY HOUSE I have talked to several long time area resi- dents in an attempt to piece together the history of the "Trophy House" from the time my great grand- ma sold it around 1916. Nick and Art of New Trier can remember back to one Bill Wesley own- ing it in the 1930s and '40s. From the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s the place was owned by brothers Ray and Joel Huss. The Huss brothers called the place The New Trier Bar. It was a bar on one side, and also a general store which sold just about everything including gas and propane. In February 1966, Wayne and Joan Link bought the place. Joan told me that some time around 1970 they began to have informal chicken frys for friends and neighbors at the bar. They would buy about 35 chickens and have a little party. Word spread and pretty soon people came in looking for the feast. They decided to open a restaurant for real and changed the name to the "Trophy House" after the trophies that their kids won in horse rid- ing competitions. The Links raised their eight children in the upstairs rooms above the restaurant. In 1976 they sold the restaurant to Charlie and Maureen Morkre. It then went to Dave Erickson. For the last several years and hopefully for many years into the future, the Trophy House still feeds and waters the locals thanks to present owners Scott and Linda Nelson. I sincerely hope that New Trier and Miesville are able to retain their small town feel and traditions, and somehow manage to avoid the fate of so many other rural communities swallowed by an expanding metro. It's tragic in my opinion that so many of our traditional places and structures are lost in the name of "progress." Many historic places could be lovingly maintained and preserved, but instead we knock them down to erect something typically blander and often quite soulless. Why we do this has more to do with profits than it does with architectural integrity or with serving the public interest. I love old houses, buildings, and towns. Their walls and streets tell the stories of the past and are alive with history. They provide a sense of place and security to our citizens reminiscent of being at home. I'll always choose an old family restaurant that's been around for generations over the chain place with the same fabricat- ed ambience and menu at all 10,000 locations. Contrary to the saying, change isn't always good. We lose little pieces of our past every day. On March 15, 2004, as I was writing this article, the Minneapolis Star Tribune did a story on Steve Reis's family hardware store in Hastings The general store at New Trier, c. 1908, now the Trophy House. Note the street lamp on the left. which is closing for good. The downtown hardware store serving the community since 1863 is now the victim of behemoth "big box" national stores on the outskirts of town. Without turning this into a rant against any specif- ic predatory retail ogre, I simply wonder: Will the big chain store offer the kind of personal service and knowl- edge Steve has? Will places like the Trophy House be replaced by a fast-food chain? Will these beautiful, ornate country churches with their gorgeous statuary and quiet majesty be replaced someday by structures that look more like convention center auditoriums than places of reflection? Will the open spaces give way to the homogenous housing developments so typical of many suburbs? And can we do anything about it? Well, the easiest thing we can do is to do our shopping and eating at the local and independent family establishments even when they cost a little more. Beyond that each of us needs to decide how important these connections are to our past and then act accordingly. I think there are lots of folks out there who feel like I do and want to live in a place that is authentic and respects their traditions. And while some change is inevitable and positive, ideally the control and vision will remain with local residents rather than simply outside moneyed interests. I believe we owe it to future generations to maintain at least a few historic places and structures in an unchanged state. I hope that in another 100 years the view from St. Mary's Church will be as peaceful as it is today, where it still bears some resemblance to the place my ancestors lived. PAGE 36 CHASING GHOSTS THE CHASE IS ON I don't really consider myself a "genealogist" as the term seems too formal for my taste. While names and dates are fine, I'm much more interested in finding out something personal about an ancestor. I am trying to learn about people who lived a century ago, so obviously the math doesn't work in my favor. If I had only started this years ago I would have had more people to ask about it. But I have found some wonderful folks who have shared priceless information with me. There is Marie, a wonderful lady who as a child knew my great -great grandmother who died in 1923! Marie and her brother used to have fun with their great grandma who was remembered as quiet and very sweet. She gave me per- sonal information and photos of Mary Felton Resemius which no one in our family had ever known or seen. There is Sister Francis Marie who patiently looked at oodles of snapshots and helped me identify several. And there is Florence, another very sweet lady from Miesville who had pictures of my great grandparent's wedding among many others. Again, our family had never seen the photos she had. The lesson is that even if you think the trail is cold in your family, a stranger may hold the key. That said it seems like every rock I turn over leads to two more questions! My primary interest in this endeavor has been the photographs. The few photos that our family had from New Trier contained some people and places we could not identify. So I have been looking for distant relatives, other descen- dents of those pioneer Beissels, Resemiuses, and Eckerts, who have their own boxes of dusty pictures rescued from Grandpa's attic. By com- paring the ones I've discovered to theirs, I have been able to This couple was close to the Costello put names to family from Welch and appear in the faces of numerous photos taken on Dora some of my Costello's farm, formerly the Cecelia ghosts. But Costello farm. I'm not even close to solving all the mysteries. For instance, the two photos on this page are area residents that I cannot identify. Perhaps you might know who they are. So go find those old photos and spend a weekend going through them all. If you have any infor- mation or photos of the Resemiuses, Beissels, or Eckerts mentioned in this article that are pre-1930, please contact me, resemius@hotmail.com. If you have stories or photographs of growing up in New Trier or of the early parish members St. Mary's Church, be sure to contribute them to this book project I mentioned above. They don't have to be of great histor- ical importance, this book project is for everyone. You can send one photo or a bunch, and you can write a little text or a lot. Whatever you think would be of interest! Just put you memories in a packet and send them along with your old and new pictures of New Trier to: St. Mary's Church Attn: Patti Brown 8433 239' Street E. New Trier MN 55031 Unknown family members from New Trier. The deadline for submitting your stories/photos is August 15, 2004, so do hurry. Include a self-addressed and stamped envelope if you would like your photo- graphs returned. And above all, don't be afraid to chase the ghosts in your family.... SOURCES: The sources for my personal family information in this article are State and Federal census records, State death cer- tificates, newspaper obituaries, immigration records, pri- vate interviews, and of course, the incredible staff and resources at the Dakota County Historical Society. Also, where noted, History of Dakota County and the City of Hastings, by Edward D. Neill and J. Fletcher Williams, 1881. "Days of Early Settlement at New Trier," published in the Hastings Gazette, October 4, 1935. Cannon Falls: As Remembered By One Of Our Pioneers, Mary Jo Magee -Robbins, published by the Dakota County Genealogical Society, 1993. JUNE 2004 PAGE 37 by Dick Darsow The Classical Revival por- tico was the origin of the porch as we know it today. The columned entrance was not meant to be used as living space, but was designed to make a statement to impress the visitor. Occasionally a grand ornate staircase would provide access. The north preferred the one story columned portico, while the south preferred the grandeur of the two story style. Verandas, that later became known as porches, were not introduced, but were popular- ized in America by landscape designer and architect, Andrew Jackson Downing, 1815-1852. At twenty two, he inherited his father's nursery business in the Hudson Valley on his death, and launched his writing career with his own hor- ticulture magazine. Early in Downing's career he embraced the British idea that a house should be careful- ly integrated into nature. His 1842 book of Cottage Residences eventually went though five editions and thir- teen printings between 1842 and 1887, long after his death in 1852 in a steamboat accident on the Hudson River. His next book in 1850, The Architecture of Country Houses, went through nine printings and sold 16,000 copies. Many illustrations in this book were by his architect friend, Alexander Jackson Davis, who loaned his work to achieve the wide distribution Downing enjoyed. In a very real sense the veranda was an early form of air conditioning. As a horticulturist and designer, he was commis- sioned in 1849 to redesign the landscaping for the White House, the Capitol and the Smithsonian Institute. Downing's book of designs of Country Cottages featured verandas or porches and caused "porch mania" in the mid-19th century. City homes and country farm homes across America were modernized with front porch addi- tions. The front porch, as an extension of the house, The LeDucs seen outside the porch before it was screened. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society. became an informal parlor, a place to relax, to enjoy the cool air and to socialize with family and passersby. It promoted grace and comfort. When McKinley ran for President in 1896, he conducted a front porch campaign, designed to endear him to the public, and he was elected. Another of Downing's creations was the bay win- dow, intended to impel the viewer into the landscaped exterior with a broader view of your surroundings. Downing himself had said: "Verandas, piazzas, bay windows and balconies are the most valuable general truths in domestic architecture." The famed LeDuc house on Vermillion Street, which used one of Downing's designs, incorporates two of these concepts: the west facing porch and two bay windows, one facing north and another facing west. THE INSECT PLAGUE Insects have plagued man and animal in infamy, and have cause incalculable death and misery, yet it was not known until the nineteenth century that flies and mosqui- toes were the carriers of disease. It has been recorded that people in the 1860s were plagued by billions of PAGE 38 AMERICAN PORCH insects, but during the Civil War sanitation was not a sci- ence. During intermittent seasons, the supply of insects would ebb and flow. To keep insects out of the house, gauze or curtains hung inside the windows to discourage their entrance, but they were of limited effect. Fly traps were developed here and there in the 1870s, but they were of questionable value. One was a cone shaped device baited with sweet- ened water and syrup. Every household manual had its own formula. Fly papers were in general use at that tune, but they were looked on with suspicion at first. In the 1880s a sticky scented coated paper was developed to trap flies. Druggist William Thum, a German immigrant in Grand Rapids, Michigan, developed a chemical adhesive that when applied to a coated paper, caught the fly when it landed and would not let it go. Thum put his four sons to work applying the adhesive by hand which he sold throughout the city at first, then throughout the world. The boys loathed the task of mixing and brushing the adhesive, but profits from the venture put the four boys through college and created an industry that lasted for nearly a century. Consider the conditions of that period. Horses were the necessity of the day, and there were millions of them plus cattle everywhere. Wherever you have animals you have manure, and there was manure in every street in America. Stables and barn- yards provided perfect breed- ing habitat for flies. With the water tables so close to the earth's surface in most areas, wetlands and standing pools of water provided ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Insect control knowledge and mass control products were yet an unknown commodity. In all probability your grandparents or great grandpar- ents engaged in the primitive practice of driving the flies out of the house, room by room. A large piece of cloth or a dish- towel was swished through the air from right to left in an arc, driving the flies outside through the open door, then closing it to keep them out. The shortcoming was the closed doors and windows caused heat to increase, but there was at least, temporary relief from the maddening pests. Hundreds of flies could have been spawned in a manure pile just outside your house. Then they would follow a food scent through a window or door, and walk across and eat from your dinner before you had a chance to consume it. If you contemplate that for a moment, you can understand the unsanitary conditions that existed throughout the world that caused untold sickness, disease and death. Housewives crocheted doilies to cover food to protect it from flies; gauze or cloth coverlets were spread over tables at mealtime in some cases to ward off the pests while waiting for family to arrive. China and pottery tableware with covers was popular for centuries. THE SCREEN ANSWER Screen sieves have been used by man for centuries, and were usually hand woven from fabric or horsehair. In about 1840, Bennett & Company of Georgetown, Connecticut began experimenting with steel woven wire cloth to replace the horsehair that had been used since 1818. Additional products were developed over the years, such as food safes, ash sifters, horse and oxen muzzles. At that time there seemed to be no hint of using the product to make a house fly proof. With the outbreak Gus, Mabel and Edith Gardner enjoy the great outdoors from the screened LeDuc porch, c. 1915. Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society. JUNE 2004 of the Civil War, their southern market was lost and inventory began to grow. An inventive employee resolved that problem when he gave a section of wire a coat of paint to prevent rust, and offered it for sale as window screening. It proved a big improvement over cheesecloth or fabric curtains, but it was expensive. One of the earliest accepted uses was for screening cellar win- dows to keep the rats out. The history of wire window screening is murky and full of contradictions. Inaccurate and conflicting remi- niscences of men who were in the beginning of screen development are the norm. Several historians seem to agree that the first wire netting for windows was made in Nuremberg, Germany, in the 1660s. It was difficult and costly to make by hand, so consequently it was a curios- ity rather than a commodity. In 1885 the Bennett Company developed the practi- cal galvanized wire cloth used for screening instead of steel, but for that decade it remained a novelty. This is not to imply that Bennett was the first or only manufac- turer of this product, given the historical uncertainty. Eventually journals and magazines began to carry advertisements of screening for windows and doors to make your home insect proof. When the public finally realized the benefits, all across America, screen windows and screen doors began appearing. Porches were screened, and in some cases, screened sleeping porches were added. Often only half screens were used as the lower sash was usually the only one opened for circula- tion. Is it any wonder that Russell Lynes in his 1957 book The Domesticated Americans refers to the develop- ment and mass product of window screening as the most humane contribution the nineteenth century made to the preservation of sanity and good temper. Even the west facing porch of the LeDuc house was eventually screened. Finally man experienced the joy of confining insects to the outside of his castle for the first time in recorded history. In 1902 the DeWitt Wire Cloth Company advertised fine screens for fine houses, and in their catalog they said, "You can keep your house free from fly specks and light your rooms at night without admitting a host of insects." In December 1930, the Journal of Home Economics published the results of a survey made by sociologists of the Connecticut Agricultural College, to discover what household appliances were considered most important. Window screens ranked third after run- ning water and sewage disposal and ahead of electric lighting, central heating and refrigeration. THE DECLINE Until World War I, porches remained a social archi- tectural necessity for the emerging middle class. Wicker furniture, rocking chairs and porch swings integrated nicely with the increase of leisure time, enhancing the quality of life. Sadly after the war, porches fell from architectural favor, less than a century after their arrival. More than anything, the blame can be laid to the auto- mobile, whose exhaust fumes and noise rendered it inhospitable and unhealthy. As the automobile increased, the horse numbers decreased, and so did the fly popula- tion. The streets became void of foot traffic as people pre- ferred to ride, not walk. Neighborly interaction declined and the front porch lost most of its charm. Side or back porches enjoyed a brief interlude which gave way to patios and decks. The development of dens, playrooms, air conditioning and television spelled doom for even those designs. The four -season porch has emerged as the wave of the future and fits best in today's life style. Ironically, the wonderful American front porch, a product of modern technology and creativity, was also its memorable victim. SOURCES The American Porch by Michael Dolan, 2002 The Domesticated Americans by Russell Lynes, 1957 Preserving Porches by Renee Kahn & Ellen Meagher, 1990 Gilbert & Bennett Mfg. Co. pictures & history on WWW The Old -House Journal by Patricia Poore, 1992 PAGE 40 AMERICAN PORCII .�laru.Lr� ra eax ed‘eeafars .. . Project Report October 24, 2001 This study was conducted for the Dakota County Historical Societe and Dakota City Heritage Village by Sue Gehrz, Qualitative Research Specialist, Intergenerating Resources and Steve Werle, History Education Coordinator, Dakota County Historical Services. V &k#dvp t� arm edweaftva , , , INTRODUCTION Purpose The goals for this qualitative study were: • To include the perspectives. opinions, and suggestions from a sample of administrators and teachers in Dakota County schools in the development of educational programs, materials. and formats that will best meet the needs and interests of elementary and secondary students. • To inform school personnel in Dakota County about the current and potential educational resources available through the Dakota County Historical Society and Dakota City Heritage Village. • To establish ongoing communication between the new History Education Coordinator employed by the Dakota County Historical Society and Dakota City Heritage Village and school district administrators and teachers. • To develop a database of the needs of specific schools and classrooms for educational resources available through the Dakota County Historical Society and Dakota City Heritage Village. Data Collection Two qualitative research techniques, individual interviews and focus group discussions, were used to gather the information from school district personnel. A total of 62 Dakota County educators participated in this study. Forty participated in interviews and 22 in focus group discussions. Summary of Major Findings Many teachers and administrators are not currently aware of the educational resources available through the Dakota County Historical Society and Dakota City Heritage Village. These sites are most likely to be utilized if they are considered relevant to curriculum, easy to access, and interesting for students. If teachers had more information and materials about the history of Dakota County, they would be likely to integrate these into their current curriculum. Their access to resources could be increased most efficiently by developing and maintaining a web site, conducting teacher workshops, and offering age -appropriate classroom presentations. . 2 INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS Participants A total of 40 administrators participated in 31 interviews conducted in person or over the telephone by Steve Werle, History Education Coordinator. They represented nine public school districts and four private school districts in Dakota County. Participants included: • 8 curriculum directors from 7 school districts • 12 community education directors and staff from 7 school districts • 1 individual who serves as both a community education director and elementary principal • 3 high school principals • 4 middle school or junior high school principals • 8 elementary school principals • 3 k-8 principals • 1 high school social studies teacher Personnel in the following public school districts and private schools were represented in these interviews: • # 6 South St. Paul • # 191 Burnsville -Eagan -Savage • # 192 Farmington • #194 Lakeville • #195 Randolph • #196 Rosemount -Apply Valley -Eagan • #197 West St. Paul -Mendota Heights -Eagan • #199 Inver Grove Heights • #200 Hastings • St. Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights • Holy Trinity Catholic School, South St. Paul • St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Hastings • St. Joseph Catholic School, Rosemount f Results Prior experience with local historical resources: Question: Are you familiar with the Historical Society or Dakota City? Of the 37 educational professionals who responded to this question, • Eighteen were familiar with Dakota City (49%) • Eleven were familiar with the Historical Society (30%) • Six were not familiar with either resource (16%) • Two were unsure whether they were familiar with either (5%) Unmet needs: Question: When you drink about the history requirements of students in your district/school, which grades might have the greatest need for the local resources available through our programs? Although curriculum directors and principals identified potential needs at all grade levels, grades three, four. and nine were suggested as having the greatest needs. (For community education directors only) How might the resources available through the Historical Society and Heritage Village relate to some of the community education programs you are currently providing or would like to provide in the future? Intergenerational programs or those designed for retired individuals were considered to have the most potential for inclusion in community education programs. Barriers to using these resources: Question: Are there any barriers to using resources like our sites in South St. Paul and Farmington for community education programs? (community education directors) The major barrier identified by community education directors was insufficient promotion of the unique resources available at these sites. 4 Question: What might prevent students from being able to visit these sites in South St. Paul ► and Farmington? (curriculum directors and principals) Six principals representing all types and sizes of schools indicated that they saw no barriers to student use of these resources. Twenty-five curriculum directors and principals identified at least one thing that could prevent teachers or students from visiting either of our sites. The current or potential barriers to use most commonly identified across all administrative groups were: • Limited budgets for field trips to sites • Lack of information about resources available at both sites • Inadequate connection with curriculum and/or grad standards • Web -based resources that are difficult for teachers to use Although resources should be focused on addressing the most commonly identified barriers. organization staff should also be aware of other issues identified as potential concerns or problems. These were: • Teachers who have limited skills. experience, or confidence in using web -based resources • Limited time available for teachers or students to visit sites • Competition from other sites for field trip selection • School or classroom tradition of using other sites • Capacity of our facilities to accommodate large groups of students on the same day Opportunities for Sharing Resources: Question: Are there resources available through community education that might enable more students and adults to utilize our educational programs? Community education directors identified the following resources that might be available to help our organizations promote and provide services: • Intergenerational Community Education Advisory Councils • Community Education Catalogs • Youth community service projects as a source of volunteers • Senior citizen organizations as a source of volunteers • Community education funds for program materials or supplies • Corporate and foundation grants in support of youth programs Question: Are there resources available through the school or district that might enable more students to utilize our educational programs than previously have? Curriculum directors and principals most frequently mentioned Internet access, parent organizations, gifted and talented programs. and grants. • Internet access Ten of the nineteen principals interviewed identified web -based technology as a resource available in their school to help connect local history information with students and teachers. • Parent organizations PTSO's, PTA's, and other school -based parent organizations were suggested by nine of the twenty-six administrators as a potential resource for funding field trips to both sites. • Gifted and talented programs Three of the elementary or middle -school principals suggested that teachers and students involved with gifted and talented or accelerated programs might be most likely to seek the types of services available through our organizations. • Grants Grants for youth programs were suggested as a potential resource by one curriculum director and one elementary principal. • Other resources The following potential resources were identified by one of the individuals interviewed: • Student production of promotional videos • Coordination with Minnesota History Day in schools • Staff development funds • Extracurricular clubs and musical groups • Information booths at community festivals Suggestions: Question: Do you have any other suggestions for how we could expand or improve services for students in your school or district? The major themes emerging from the suggestions of those interviewed were: • Link programs and materials to grad standards • Develop and distribute a brochure for teachers • Develop web -based curriculum resources • Provide guest speakers for classrooms • Use teacher workshops, staff meetings, and personal contact to maintain communication with teachers Other suggestions included: • Prepare an interesting presentation about Dakota County history for use in classrooms and community organizations. • Teach some community education classes at the Farmington and South St. Paul facilities. • Develop the capacity to serve large groups of children at both sites. • Organize staff and volunteers to provide information at booths at community fairs. • Provide a mechanism for teachers to provide feedback about the value of field trips to these sites. • Recruit a teacher liaison within each school. • Make presentations about field trip resources to parent organizations. • Include maps to both sites on all promotional materials. • Create a tour stop at the Historical Society for the South St. Paul history tours. • Develop tools for education about past and present immigration trends in Dakota County. • Develop materials for use in middle school interdisciplinary programs. • Organize small group activities for field trips at both sites. • Facilitate intergenerational activities. • Develop workshops for teachers that would qualify for continuing education credits. • Develop programs that are student -centered. • Promote the research materials available at the historical society to high school students. • Pursue collaborative grants for community service projects. • Coordinate plans and materials with Minnesota History Day. 7 • FOCUS GROUPS Participants A total of 22 teachers participated in three focus group discussions conducted in Apple Valley and Eagan between October 4 and October 11. They represented eight public and two private school districts in Dakota County. Participants included: • 4 third grade teachers • 5 fourth grade teachers • 1 fifth grade teacher • 7 sixth grade teachers • 1 eighth grade teacher • 4 high school teachers These teachers were selected because an administrator had recommended them for participation in this study. Teachers from the following schools participated in a focus group discussion: *Lincoln Center Elementary ♦Lakeview Elementary ♦ Kaposia Education Center ♦ Somerset Heights Elementary ♦ St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School •South Grove Elementary •Glacier Hills Elementary ♦ Rahn Elementary ♦ Pinecrest Elementary *Cherry View Elementary •Randolph Elementary School *Hidden Valley Elementary •Hastings Middle School *Friendly Hills Middle School *Holy Trinity Catholic School •Farmington Middle School -East ♦Inver Grove Heights Middle School •Nicollet Junior High ♦ Simley High School *Henry Sibley High School ♦ Lakeville High School Their years of teaching experience in Dakota County schools ranged from one to thirty-two with 73% of the participants having spent at least five years working in Dakota County schools. These three focus groups were moderated by an independent professional qualitative researcher who 8 wrote this project report. Steve Werle, History Education Coordinator, took written notes for all three focus groups. Audio tapes were made of these focus group discussions. Results The focus group questions were designed to gather information, opinions, and suggestions from a sample of Dakota County teachers about historical content. formats, and teacher education needs. The following is a summary of the major themes emerging from these focus group discussions. Caution should be used in generalizing results from this report to other populations. Qualitative data collection and analysis are vulnerable to investigator bias. While efforts were made to reduce the influence of bias, including use of a structured interview protocol and use of a professional independent focus group moderator, there is a potential for personal bias to influence how data are collected, analyzed. and reported. Content Question: Where do you see Dakota County history fitting Into your curriculum? Elementary and middle school teachers saw Dakota County history integrating most directly with curriculum units on American Indian culture. Minnesota history. and immigration. High school teachers suggested that a wide variety of Dakota County history topics could be utilized by students for individual and group research projects. Question: Why have elementary and middle school teachers not included Dakota County history in their curriculum? Teachers described the major barrier as lack of accessible curriculum materials for their use in teaching students about Dakota County history. They already have materials available about the cities or townships in which their school is located and about Minnesota history. They view county government as the least visible to the typical resident. Students typically study their neighborhood, their city, and state government but, in the absence of easily accessible, age - appropriate materials, are less likely to spend their limited time on county history or geography. Question: For what topics do you have the greatest need for materials and resources? Teachers would find materials and resources particularly useful for pre -settlement, territorial, and immigration periods. They suggested the following subjects or formats: • Places People Events • Information about historic homes and buildings in Dakota County, i.e. power point presentation for teachers to use • Tours of the LeDuc House • Walking or riding tours of historical buildings and places • Historical information from tombstones • Information about how major streets and landmarks got their names, i.e. Kaposia. Pilot Knob, Black Dog, Dodd Road • Maps showing changes in the geography of Dakota County • Short biographies about people who lived in Dakota County during each time period. • The history and culture of American Indian tribes in Dakota County • Census information about immigration patterns in Dakota County • Immigration trunks containing artifacts • Letters. diaries. and documents describing how people lived during.different historical periods • Tools, clothing, and household materials used during different time periods • Information about local historical events that link to current events. i.e. strikes. wars • Living history presentations for classrooms using actors who can portray historical events High school teachers are seeking access to materials on a wide range of topics to assist students in selecting individual research projects. Dakota County history offers many possibilities including labor strikes. German prisoners of war, crime statistics, the Spiral Bridge in Hastings. Teachers are also seeking local people for oral history interviews for student research projects. Formats Web site Focus group participants were given the prototype for a quiz called "The ArtiFACT Room" which contained colored photos of eight artifacts with four multiple choice options for identifying each historical item. The concept for making this type of exercise available on a web 10 site with some information about each artifact, i.e. where, how, why and by whom it was used, was verbally described for the teachers. Question: How useful would this type of quiz be for students if it were made available as an interactive exercise on a Dakota County History web site? Elementary and middle school teachers gave favorable reviews for this type of interactive exercise. Student access to computers and Internet dependability would limit usefulness in some schools. Teachers, therefore, requested that alternative formats to be made available including CD's from which teachers can make power point presentations. Elementary teachers also mentioned the importance of enabling students to touch things. Artifacts displayed in this format would not allow students to have that option. High school teachers suggested that, while this tool could be useful for students. the design should compel students to read about each artifact before they can move to the next. Otherwise. this exercise could become just another fun game instead of an educational tool. Question: How many of your students have access to the Internet at home? Teachers estimated that the following percentages of students in their schools have Internet access at home: Elementary - 50% Middle — 60 to 90% High Schools — 50 to 75% Question: What are the characteristics of `teacher friendly' web sites? Teachers in all three focus groups described the characteristics of "teacher friendly' web sites as: • easy to access • quick to download • easy to navigate • continuously updated • having access to photos Characteristics identified in two of the teacher focus groups were: • Passes the pornography screens used by the schools • Includes links to other resources 11 Characteristics identified in only one of the groups were: • Contains accurate information • Has no advertisements • Contains no music to delay downloading Question: What types of web -based content specific to Dakota County history would you and your students be most likely to use? Elementary teachers suggested the following: • Printable activities and worksheets. • Short, age -appropriate quizzes with printable certificates of achievement. • Materials that are relevant to several curriculum areas • Study guides for teachers Middle school teachers recommended the following: • Primary sources. i.e. letters, diaries. treaties. documents • Historic photos • Maps showing changes over time • List of local historic sites that families can visit • Links to other historical resources • Biographical sketches of important people in the history of Dakota County • Capacity for responding to specific questions • Multiple points of view on a historical event or topic High school teachers suggested that a wide range of historical topics be made available for student research projects. Field Trips Question: What criteria do teachers use to select field trip locations for their students? The most important criteria for selecting field trip locations identified by elementary and middle school teachers were: • Cost of transportation • Distance from the site • Relevance to curriculum being studied I2 If the first three criteria were satisfied, teachers would look at other factors including: • Capacity of the site to accommodate large number of students • Potential for interdisciplinary applications in middle schools • Recommendations from other teachers • Students are not likely to have had other opportunities to visit the site Question: What are the characteristics of a high quality field trip site? (This question was asked only in the elementary teacher's focus group.) • Has presenters/volunteers who are well -trained. knowledgeable and good with kids • Has a prepared program that is ready to go immediately when classes arrive • Has the capacity to present information to students in small. manageable groups of 8 to 12 • Has a designated place to put lunches, bags. and coats • Provides concise information to teachers in advance of the visit to help them prepare students for their field trip experience Question: What advice would you give people who volunteer as student tour guides at field trip sites? (Asked only in the elementary teacher's focus group.) • Clearly go over rules, guidelines and expectations with teachers and students before the tour begins • Maintain control and discipline throughout the tour • Be confident, enthusiastic, and flexible • Change activities often because children need movement High school teachers reported that field trips are generally not offered for high school students for the following reasons: • They are too expensive for large groups of students • There is too much potential for behavioral problems • Liability issues are a concern for the teacher and the school • Field trips disrupt too many other schedules for classes and extra -curricular activities • Many interesting educational sites are too far away The best arrangement for high school field trips is for small groups of advanced students to provide their own transportation and meet their teacher at the site. 13 Classroom Speakers Question: What are the characteristics of effective guest speakers or living history presentations done in your classrooms? The most important characteristics of effective guest speakers identified in all three focus groups were: • Ability to maintain students' interest in the presentation through visual aides, engaging personality, acting or storytelling skills, interactive style, or sense of humor • Ability to present age -appropriate information and materials • Sufficient preparation and organization to comply with classroom time limits Other characteristics that teachers in some of the focus groups might seek included: • Speakers who have received positive evaluations from other teachers or organizations • Content that is "politically correct" • Presenters who have a positive attitude and hopeful message for students • Speakers who communicate with teachers in advance about related curriculum and specific logistic needs, i.e. extension cords. space requirements, room set up Suggestions for Dakota County Historical Services were: • Consider recruiting college theater majors for living history presentations • Maintain a speaker's bureau for classroom presentations Question: What role would you like to see our organization play in providing community service opportunities for students? Only two of the secondary schools represented by teachers in these focus groups had a service project requirement. Students who are too young to drive tend to do volunteer work close to home. Teacher Education The first step in teaching students about Dakota County history is to teach their teachers. The teachers in all three focus group discussions appeared to be eager to integrate information about Dakota County history into a wide variety of curricula provided they can access accurate information and interesting materials. 14 Question: What are the best ways for us to inform leachers about our resources? According to these teachers, there is not one best way to reach teachers at every school and a variety of communication methods will be necessary. The following communication vehicles were most often suggested: • E-mail information about new and existing resources • Mail a calendar of events which includes historical photos and can be posted on the wall • In late fall or spring, send brochures about our resources to teachers through their department or committee chair • Recruit an interested teacher to serve as a liaison in each school • Promote the web site address on all materials • Maintain communication with the media specialists/librarians at each school • Request time to present resource information at teacher staff meetings • Distribute the Dakota County historical sites maps to the schools Question: What role would you like to see our organizations play in continuing education for teachers? Teachers in all three focus groups appeared to be enthusiastic about participating in teacher workshops on the history of Dakota County. Workshops with the following characteristics would have the greatest appeal to local teachers: • Acceptable to recertification committees and boards as renewal units for step and lane changes • Offered within or near the school district area • Include interdisciplinary content • Offered as a "mini -session" during mid -year staff development days Other suggestions included: • Develop a workshop for students and teachers on how to do quality historical research • Offer a workshop on local archeological sites and potential resources for future investigations • Offer bus tours for teachers to historic sites 13 Question: Is there any other advice you could give to the History Education Coordinator to help him set priorities and develop the most useful resources for teachers? This question provided an opportunity for focus group participants to add additional suggestions or to emphasize points that they felt were very important in understanding their needs. Elementary teachers suggested: • Educate teachers first. Help them place Dakota County history into their current curriculum ---integration is the key. • Help teachers align our resources with national and state standards and requirements. • Offer aerial maps of Dakota County showing land use changes over time. • Don't give us too much text. We don't have time to read lots and Tots of information. • Start small, stay focused and do a few things really well at first. • Provide hands-on opportunities for students and teachers. • Produce and distribute any age -appropriate. durable. reproducible activity booklets for students to use. • Try to customize activities for specific school districts if possible. • Talk to our district cun-iculum people to find places where you can contribute. • Maintain a list of good. informative speakers in the county. • Help establish good rapport with the Mdewakanton Dakota tribal leaders. Middle School teachers recommended: • Provide information on local physical geography too — climate. vegetation, rivers. prairies, lakes, etc. • Create a web site with easy to find resources • Provide information on transportation networks, i.e. rivers. railroads, roads, etc. • Produce or distribute high quality videos in which local people tell their stories. • Artifacts are useful. Create little "history kits" with them. • An important theme that is absent is women in Dakota County history. • Provide living histories with actors portraying a time period or a specific person. • Provide information on Native American culture, history, etc. • Advertise groups in the area that promote "civic -minded" virtues High school teachers offered the following advice: • You must sell the teachers on your ideas. They will decide if they are worthy of their time and effort. • Find good contacts at every school. 16 • Maintain a quality speaker's bureau for classroom presentations. • Consider taking artifacts to individual schools in your long-range plans. • Hands-on activities will be most popular with students. • Something fresh or new is what gets people's attention the fastest. Report written by Sue Gehrz, Intergenerating Resources 2285 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 Phone 651 641 1229 E-mail sgehrz@mediaone.net 17 January 2000 Zereie garoleaft A Publication of the Mendota/ West St. Paul Chapter of the Dakota County Historical Society A Century Ago This issue is devoted to looking back at our chapter area in 1900, 100 years ago. Today our area includes West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Mendota, and Lilydale plus a heritage relationship with the West Side. For our looking back we have included "turn -of -the -century" plat maps of the three communities at that time. Today's Lilydale area is included in the Mendota Township map. Lilly Dale incorported as a village in 1901 but returned to township stztus in 1907. While the Village of Mendota also appears on the township map it has a more detailed separate map. The maps are from 1896 the closest plat maps we had available to the "turn -of -the -century." General status in 1900 In 1874 Ramsey County acquired all of Dakota County north of Annapolis St. except for Forty acres in West St. Paul. The loss didn't affect Mendota township greatly but did take a toll on West St. Paul. West St. Paul's population dropped from 1,103 in 1870 to 489 in 1880. Then in 1887 West St. Paul Township disappeared when it became part of the new city of South St. Paul. However, in 1889 West St. Paul separated from South St. Paul to form a city with its current boundaries. Mendota, the oldest village in Minnesota, was made a city by an act of Congress in 1844. However, it reverted to township status but again became a village by 1900. Lilly Dale became a village in 1901 but rejoined the township in 1906 following a flood. The spelling of today's Lilydale has changed often. In 1900 our area included three communities: Mendota, Mendota Township, and West St. Paul. Populations in 1900: Mendota Village 282 Mendota Township 813 West St. Paul 1,830 About the plat maps A plat map is a real estate aid showing who owns �_ Property and now to identify It by 5 el,tiu i nilm ber. Usually farm homes, public schools, churches, and town hall are noted with symbols. The most striking map feature is the division of real estate for sale. These are the cross hatched or gray areas; some with names such as "Eureka Out Lots" in Mendota Township. Typically they were five or ten acre blocks. At times a five acre block might be subdivided into thirty lots. The Military Reservation Line All three cities, plus Lilydale, can claim property in the original area acquired by Lt. Zebulon Pike's 1805 treaty with the Mdewahkanton Dakota. The treaty line runs diagonally through Mendota Township. All of Mendota and Lilydale are within the reservation. The treaty area also included West St. Paul north of the Dodd Road. If you live within the area you can say you are on the first property owned by the United States in Minnesota. Maps and comments: Pages 2-3 Mendota Pages 4-5 Mendota Township Pages 6-7 West St. Paul P 1 K D St. George- ao . Uer,_0f '7 • PLAT OF MENDOTA 1896 r S L v a .T a. me s i B Zl r 7L S 7 8 . so - 7T1ma...layer et aZ -wmn- 'r a. p p • Se 2`r a.4. i CT des Page 2 Little Historian January 2000 Mendota is a legend, is different, is a mystery! Legend: is the oldest village, has oldest house, and hosted explorers, statesmen before statehood. Different: Primary language was French for many years. Created as a city by Congress in 1844. Mystery: How could a 178-year-old village have avoided building a school house for 178 years. Answer: by holding school in former Catholic and Episcopalian churches and the town hall. Mendota 1900 Census Facts Population 282 in 1900. Declined to 173 in 1930, and rose to 327 in 1970. The 1990 population, last census, was 250. Oldest Man: Scril Bebo, age 68, born in French Canada in 1865. Wife Margaret is from New York. Oldest Woman: Margaret Campbell, age 76, born in Minnesota. Margaret lived with daughter, granddaughter, and three great-grandchildren. Youngest Male: George D. Blesestowe, age 1 month, son of Sam and Louise, brother of Rosa, Mary, Emilie, Freddie, and Walter. Youngest Female: Malvenina Campbell, age 2 months, daughter of George and Cora. Reflecting on the 1896 Plat Map Most surpising is Mendota's small size. People think of St. Peter's Church and cemetery, the entrance to the Mendota Bridge, Pilot Knob, and river bottoms as part of Mendota. All are part of the Mendota story but none are inside its boundary. A- The town plat. Mendota's plat shows a squared off village of about 36 blocks. Few if any Mendota houses or streets follow the plat plan. Map, below, shows today's streets. B - Sibley's Indian Homes. This is a platted subdivision with 24 lots linking Mendota proper with Lake Augusta. Location was a natural campsite area for Dakota Indians and was acquired by Henry Sibley and platted for their use. C- A railroad town. In 1900 Dakota County's first two railroads, the Minnesota Central and the Minnesota Valley, continued to cross Mendota. They were now the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and the Chicago St. Paul Minneapolis & Omaha companies. The Valley followed the river running east and west. The Central crossed from Fort Snelling going east and then reentered Mendota to start the ascent of a filled -in grade all the way to the top of the bluff near St. Peter's. At one time the village had 3 depots; one shows between tracks to the east of the village. One line still carries traffic through Mendota to the west. D- Ferry road. Until 1926 the only Minnesota River public crossing to Fort Snelling was the Ferry road. Today the Ferry landing is on Picnic Island. E- The dam. Down stream from the village is a dam across the Minnesota River to Pike Island. The only explanation we have found is that of maintaining a depth of water. The Mississippi River on the other side of the island had a deeper channel. F- Businesses. The business street was 1st St. On the map small black squares identify businesses. Most on the south side of the street were later removed when Highway 13 was improved. Removal included demolition of the Episcopalian Church building which had been used as the village school for many years. G- Lake Augusta. Lake Augusta is primarily in Resurection Cemetery. Originally it was called Lake Duncan for Mendota pioneer Duncan Campbell. The name was changed to Lake Abigail in honor of Colonel Josiah Snelling's wife, Abigail. It was finally named Augusta for Henry Sibley's daughter, Augusta. H- Highway 13. Sibley Memorial Highway (Highway 13) is non-existent on the plat map. Mendota's main street, 1st st., stops abruptly at the east end of the village. 2nd St. continues east below the bluff. Highway 13 today follows Mendota main street. Makers of plat maps often ran streets through water and over bluffs. Little Historian Page 3 Mendota Heights includes all of the former Mendota Township except for Lilydale. In 1900 there was little distinction between Mendota and Mendota Township. Former Mendota residents and relatives settled a wide circle around Mendota. Mendota remained the business and cultural center. On the northern border a few homes were built on Annapolis. Along Dodd Road speculators were thinking subdivisions and Rev. Grace had decided not to build an industrial school. Mendota Township 1900 Census Facts The population in 1900 was 813. It reached 2,107 in 1950. By 1960 the villages of Mendota Heights, 5,028, and Lilydale, 116, replaced the township Oldest Man: Leo Marcott, age 90, from French Canada lived with his daughter Delina, a farmer, two granddaughters and one grandson. Oldest Woman: Johanna Bartz, age 81, from Germany in 1866. Lives with son Ludwig, a farmer, and Ludwig's wife Henritta. Youngest Male: Helmut Kurtz, age 2 months, son of Reinhold, a farmer, and Bertha, brother of Paul, Mary, Anna, Edward. Ewald, and Berthold. Yongest Female: Helen Wachter, age 2 months, daughter of Joseph, a dairyman, and Mary Wachter, sister of Joseph Jr., Mary, and Louie. Reflecting on 1896 Plat Map A- Dodd Road. The road is the only road to cross the entire township and the route has had only minor changes in these 100 years. The Mendota Road (110) crosses east -west but stops at today's Highway 13 awaiting the Mendota Bridge. B- Mendota Township Town Hall. Located on the S. C. Staples property. Interestingly this is the location of the currently proposed Mendota Heights Town Commons. C- C1,C2,C3,C4 School Houses. Cl is No. 91, C2 is No. 4, C3 is No. 52, and C4 is No. 5 (not shown). D- Rogers Lake. Note no road crosses the lake narrows. Was today's crossing made to connect the Fred and AlbertineWagenknecht farms? E- Ferd Burrows Farm. Today's Tom Burrow's farm is considered the last of the pioneer farms in Mendota Heights. About nine of the original 40 acres survive. Note: another Ferd Burrows farm is at the intersection of Dodd Road and (110). F- Rev. T.L. Grace property. The property acquired by Catholic Bishop Grace for an industrial school was sold when he decided to build the school in St. Paul. The school became St. Thomas University. The property is now the Mendakota Country Club. Ironically St. Thomas High School is on the Rogers property a quarter mile away. G- Pyramid Addition to St. Paul. This housing plat looks like a real estate planners dream. Many of the building lots are entirely underwater in Pickeral Lake. Others are on the side of the cliff along side today's Highway 13. The topper is the roadway that follows the stream bed over the falls in today's Ivy Falls area. H- Lilydale then and now. In 1901 Lilly Dale formed as a village in the area along the Mississippi where the map says "RIVER." The village had a town hall and several homes. Flooding was an annual concern. In 1906 it returned to the township. In 1951 it incorporated as the Village of Lillydale including the river bottom property up to and across some parts of Highway 13. Now Lilydale (name change) is atop the bluff with Ramsey County's park occupying the river bottom land. I- Big Foot Creek. It is practically impossible to drive through Mendota Heights without crossing Big Foot Creek but few know it. The stream starts in the Friendly Hills area and flows beneath the intersection of Dodd Road and 110 and on to the Mississippi passing the Pool and Yacht Club. J- F. G. and T.T. Smith. The Smith name appears on at least 8 parcels of property totalling 800 acres. Of interest are plats straddling Dodd Road. The area east of the road is now the Somerset Country Club. The area on the west was sold for homes and has several early century homes. Of interest is the street names: 1st, 2nd, 3rd St, and 4th, names usually in town centers. K- The Fort Snelling Ferry. Originally owned by Sibley, by 1900 the ferry was operated by J. E. Auge. It served for over a century before being replaced by the Mendota Bridge in 1926. L- Minnesota Central Rail Crossing. Note the depot across the Minnesota River below Fort Snelling. From this depot trains crossed to Mendota by levee, bridge, and trestle. Page 4 Little Historian January 2000 PLAT OF MENDOTA TOWNSHIP '4 ass, FORT SNELLING -list' SERVATION ii..... 1."...„.. aata....‘,„ ........./-*" -#... ..4...• Aa.e". 1t .• —• _,,,,.., /*A .,.a/44"' ‘." • _9,2 ,..-. A. ..-4.L ar....tri": mu .247_,Ietk;• '''4•A-...: Ca: • •• ..., • .., e74.1.4:"'t.4.s. -4'' Ala 4- .........A. ., ...A., . a.. tal" =AL 4L. ...ii.•_14.• i !k.-kci2-:::. t-.......7:-Ajd...V .J. '...1.1:a.77.b..:4 .AL'S, -at ,...,. 03 FO i'-t., 4,.'1.-1..z.1.....,.. / 3 V :_,A._%••";,-..".% .*:. ,-4....: ....a......A. Iiii..... le 20 1896 SCHO Me..52 :Paw; . • Cotiecust le 2CILf CrS • ----Xzedwig Trapp ..L.41; Tuaarymaasc Taim , I.- v I •• -/ • G.ra-ce-, • 0. IS SA c_s 'II --- G, le€cPius F. G. Smith, 17. 11. Sm. SOOL. No. 31 42.50 Cl 7? azina. 240 160 ' . /IS I 3 ./Csa.sa.nie. 11 A 1 4 4 • • z 4 a LJ 46.5,TANS.55:15 i!2 i5517.5tr.':;1111 eiSCS5::,. NM; L_IL_1 LI I Paters ao 1 PLAT OF WEST ST. PAUL 1896 West St. Paul, the city, was only 11-years-old in 1900. However, West St. Paul Township had formed in 1858 and a city called West St. Paul was located across the Mississippi River from St. Paul. In 1874 Ramsey County annexed the township north of Annapolis St., except the 40 acres. West St. Paul Township became the city of South St. Paul in 1887 but separated in 1898 as the City of West St. Paul. West St. Paul 1900 Census Facts Population in 1900 was 1,830 growing steadily to 7,955 in 1950 only to more than double, 18,799, in 1970. Last figure, 1990, declined slightly to 17,700. Oldest Man: John Wolters, age 86, born in Holland. Lives with son John and his wife Nathialla, son Jacob, two grandchildren and brother William. John was a brickmaker. Oldest Woman: Christina Bremer, age 81, born in Germany. Wife of Christin Bremer. Youngest Male: Clifford Berry, age 1 month, son of James and Mary, brother of John, James, Robert, Lind, Gertrude, Minnie, and Laura. Youngest Female: Erna Botz, age 3 months, daughter of Charles and Johann, sister of Franklin. Reflections on the 1896 Plat Map The map suggests the city is heavily populated at the top. A magnifying glass discloses few homes except along Annapolis and growth south along Mohawk Ave., S. Robert St., and Oakdale Ave. A - Philip Crowley and the 40 Acres. Located at the city's most northern point is the Philip Crowley House built in 1868. Crowley's position as Supt. of Schools for West St. Paul township saved his 40-acre farm from annexation in 1874. Crowley became the first mayor of West St. Paul. Earlier he was a teacher in Mendota and later the city engineer for the old City of West St. Paul. B- First City Hall. Located at the northeast corner of S. Robert and Orme streets. The map doesn't show it faced Hurley Lake, a favorite swimming hole. While the City Hall was on Joseph Hurley's property the lake was on John Hurley's. Looking at a block This is block 1 of B. Michel's Addition at the corner of S. Robert and Annapolis the end of the streetcar line. Of 22 lots only lot 1 is occupied. C- Government Observatory. A dot on the T. & C. Wallace property notes "observatory." This location on Imperial Drive was also the site of a survey section marker. D- Wentworth House. The George Wentworth house is at the southeast corner of the Wentworth property. The house is the only structure in West St. Paul on the National Register of Historic Places. E- Charlton barrier. Charlton Street is considered one of the city's four major north -south streets. However, in 1900, the Fitzgerald property created a barrier between Butler and Bernard. F- F1, F2, and F3. Sibley, McGrath, and Gladstone Schools. The Gladstone school was located in the middle of Wentworth property. The thin line near the school became Thompson Ave. G- Wolters Brick Yard. The Wolters greenhouse site was originally the Wolters Brick Yard. Wolters bricks faced many local homes and buildings including the original city hall. H- Mohawk Ave. Several changes in street names occurred since 1900. Most striking is Mohawk to Smith Ave. Mohawk was one of several streets named for Indians on the West Side. For years the name lived on as the Mohawk theater. I - A lot of lots to a block. The subdivision blocks look gray because they are divided into so many lots. Hidden in the grayness are a few homes and many subdivision names: Smith's Out Lots, Icklers Add., Staples Add. No.1, Icklers 2nd Add., Curtice & Gray Park Add., Sweeney 2nd Add., Crowley Add., Lawton Add., Deppe Add., Deppe 2nd Add., Wolters Add., Jackson and Bidwell Add., B. Michel's Add., Buena Vista Add., West Side Real Estate Add., Dawson's Out Lots, Summit Park Add., ... and the list goes on. January 2000 Little Historian Page 7 PinPoints in local history Looking for good after Christmas deals? Check the ads in the West St. Paul Times. These are from the first issue in 1900. Copies are on micro -film in ourDCHS history and genealogy library. ,S19.15 SE*ID.ONE DOLLAR } eat this ad est and sand so es, and we willaend you - f y =t R�B�t_ _AIIC11- o examina- tion. You can examine It at your freight dues and if found equal teeny cutter you ean buy else- where at 50 PER CENT BORE SO/it, and one of the handsomest, :treagest aad most st Ihb otters you ever saw pay the freight agent OUR SPECIALMIER PRCE, 314.m, and freight ekanes, less t e 41. sent with order, or $18.75 and fret t. Thl:la the LATEST STYLE Pt1L 8IZZ PORTLAND CUTTER.. GEAR made from selected second growth hickory, Ironed throughout with bes-f Norway iron, 1ii gt..' best grade hardened steel shoes. BODY made of best air - seasoned cutter stock, solid panels, all joints carefully fitted; glued, screwed and plugged. PAINTED in best possible thoroughly rubbed out with pumice stone. hi hl 1 lished, neatly striped and ornamented. IIPHOLST Din finest le full springremovable ceshiona. heavydark grew cloth. SHAFTS. well trimmed and finished. Weight about 17. be ORDER NOW. DON'T WAIT FOR SNOW. Only a halted camber ea■ be sold at $ig 75. DON'T DELAY A DAY. Write for Free flutter (ti, e. iogue—$15. 7 5 to 827. &0- SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO. (Inc.), Chicago. (Sears, 8ogoneh b G. are thoroughly eetlabla.—ILdIMr. ) Little Historian Editor, Bill Wolston 648 Sunset Lane Mendota Heights, MN 5118 Looking at 1900 Plat Maps for Mendota Mendota Townships West St. Paul Mendota/West St. Paul Chapter " Sharon Bruestle, President Bill Wolston, Vice -President Sue Doty, Secretary Russ Withrow, Treasurer / ONLY $2:75 SEND NO MONEY. Cut this ad. out and send to us, etudeyour weight and height, also num- ber of inches around body at last eeaaaEdpp meek, and we will send this CLOTICA 1toTyou by a press, Y P c.o.s..su ject to examination. You can examine and try it on at your nearest express of- fice and if found per'retly satisfactory, exactly as rep- resented and the moat wondrrfvi-value you ever saw or beard of, pay the express agent our eppeclal — - offer prloe$2.75,- and express charges. Express charges will average 40 to 60 cents for earh 1.00o mileq. TH I S CAPE IS LA- TEST S TY L E FOR FALL and WINTER, made from an extra Rae and t heavy all wool bleat orbine genuine Rariton Bea- vercloth. 27 inches long, very full sweep,13-inch upper cape, extra full. Upper tape and large stern collar, beauti- fully trimmed with black Balde seal --fur; upper cant' t twitted w;t:: three rows and collar with two rows of tine mohair braid; cloth button ornaments. -This rape is line tailor made throughout and equal to capes that sell at more than double the price. Write for free Cloak Catalogue - SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO., CHICAGO 'Years. amebaek k Cs. are thoroughly reliable—BdOWr.) IP / Elizabeth Witt 2601 Bedford Ct. Mendota Heights, MN 55120 11 MAIL -i\ sA c-c tNI-11 Iq c T 28 N T 27 N T 115 N T 114 N T 113 N T 112 N T 111 N R 24 W R 23 W R 22 W R 21 W R 20 W .N. • r•_' 1.i_:1. • •'V� APPLE VALLEY f t a • fir 4 Ilk FARMINGTON • ROSEMOUNT 4.11 EMPIRE TWP ^.GATES HAMPTON Dakota County The portion of the county above the dot- ted line was surveyed using the "Wis- consin Initial Point;" land below used the "Arkansas Initial Point." Note the change in Range (R) and Township (T) numbers along the edge of the map. NEW:RER EUREKA TWP CASTLE ROCK TWP I HAMPTON TWP WISCONSIN INITIAL POINT M ESVILtE''. DOUGLAS TWP, WATERFORD SC$QTA TWP RANDOLPHTYYP The primary division of surveyed land is the Township which is six miles square. A Township is divided into 36 one square mile Sections, numbered 1 to 36. The illustration, right, shows the 36 sections of Douglas Township T113N, R17W. The City of Miesville occupies portions of Sections 11, 12, 13, and 14. Prepared by Dakota County and Land Information Department R 17 W as as 01 03 02 01 15 17 t6 PIE§VHISE 113 » Al 11 27 Z3 24 DOUGLAS TWP 30 70 76 a 011 zs r 32 33 14 36 31 N R 21 W R 20 W R 19 W R 18 W R 17 W R 16 W T 28 N T 27 N T 115 N T 114 N T 113 N T 112 N T 111 N Sesquicentennial Activity Update "Follow me to Dakota" If you missed the Chautauqua show "Follow me to Dakota" you missed a true highlight of the county fair and our 150th Anniversary activities. Anniversary committee member Jean Beckman proposed the idea and saw it through to a memorable event. A Chautauqua style tent seating 300 hosted 13 performances through the week. "Follow me .." told the story of our heritage in 18 scenes, many with humor and original music. The script was written by local playwright Pete Martin, music and lyrics by Eric Peltoniemi. Terry Carlson directed the musicians and cast of Marissa Downing, Amy Gerhartz, Tim Larson, Michael Kissin, Justin Patch and Dewey Roth. The torch song "Little Piggy Blues," describing the South St. Paul Stockyards, was a highlight outdone by a finale song describing the discovery of gold in Eagan ... that is . .golden onions. A video is in production of the opening night show under the Chautauqua tent. Copies are being supplied by the County to schools and libraries and will be available for sale. Society's Parade Float The DCHS museum parade float celebrating the 150th Anniversary has participated in 12 events. It closed the parade schedule with appearances September llth in Inver Grove Heights and the 12th in Burnsville. We appreciate the hours spent by board members Arlyn Lamb and Dick Guyer in preparations and building the float. Arlyn is a 2 cylinder tractor hobbiest.This was the first DCHS float in the society's history to participate in parades throughout the county. Old Days in Dakota County After many evenings and weekends this summer Rebecca Snyder has finished editing and annotating the 136 page publication Old Days in Dakota County. The publication originally appeared as a series of newspaper stories printed in the Dakota County Tribune between 1904 and 1907. The articles were written by eight early Dakota County settlers. The publication was initiated and organized with educational application in mind. Schools and libraries throughout the county will receive a copy for historical reference and enjoyment. Copies will be on sale in our museum gift shop. Above: Cast of "Follow me to Dakota," left to right Justin Patch, Marissa Downing, Dewey Roth, Jennifer Merhar, Tim Larson, Michael Kissin, and Amy Gerhartz. Below: The Dakota County Historical Society float celebrating the sesquicentennial. 90 Seconds of Local History If you visited the Society's fair booth you had an opportunity to view some of Bill Wolston's 90 Seconds of Local History videos. For over two years Bill has produced the history videos with the staff of Northern Dakota County Community TV. In keeping with the 150th Anniversary year program the scope of historic subjects was extended to the entire county. Approximately 24 will be produced this year. Copies of videos are supplied by NDCTV to other county community TV outlets for local showing. August 1999 Page 1 Identifying your claim to Dakota County Survey and Land Picture yourself as a new arrival in St. Paul. The year is 1853. You plan to stake a claim in the county across the Mississippi called Dakota. It's been a county since 1849 but in Indian territory. A treaty was ratified by Congress earlier this year opening it for settlement in 1854. You cross the river a little early to find a good location. You aren't alone. Early claims are honored if you can hold them. Question When you find what you want how do you identify it? There aren't any street signs, highways, or maps. The Public Land Survey Fortunately the property you selected can be precisely identified because the Public Land Survey preceded you. This article introduces what prompted the survey, its purpose, how it works, its application to Dakota County, and surveying today. What prompted the Survey The United States was just a few years old when Thomas Jefferson advocated a Public Land Survey System. A survey would be essential to opening the west to settlement. The Public Land Survey was created by the Continental Congress in 1785. Prior to the American Revolution most of the colonies had extensive land claims. Many claims extended to the Mississippi. Others overlapped. Some were separated from the colony. The colonies agreed to give up their claims to the new federal government thinking sales of the land would help finance the new government. While parts of the original survey have changed the basic approach has been used throughout the United States. One could imagine that George Washington supported the survey idea. Among surveyors, George Washington is recognized not only as the first president of the United States, but as the first County Surveyor. He was appointed Surveyor for Culpepper County, Virginia in 1749. Purpose of the Survey The Survey's purpose was to create a method of legally identifying land parcels. The approach was to divide the new territory into six by six mile squares called Townships. The Townships were subdivided into 36 one square mile sections. Monuments (markers) were placed at the corners and every half mile on the section lines. The grid of Townships and Sections was continuous, ignoring water and mountains. Due to the earth's curvature and to compensate for errors it was necessary to adjust the Range or horizontal numbering. This was accomplished by establishing new points to start the measurements called Initial Points. You may recall from school that when Congress created the old Northwest Territory it specified that one Section of each Township should be used to benefit schools. In early Minnesota history northern politicians picked undesirable land for the "School Section." Later iron ore was discovered on the sections making the range schools wealthy. The sections also provided a way to compensate military volunteers. From the War of 1812 to Civil War veterans received land warrants. Many veterans moved west. Others sold their warrants. Survey Base Points for Dakota County Minnesota and Dakota County have two "Initial Points" for measuring Townships. One point was set as the "Wisconsin Initial Point" and the other as the "Arkansas Initial Point." Dakota County south of Eagan and Inver Grove Heights is based on the Arkansas point. For example the description of Douglas Township as T-113-N and R-17-W means it is the 113th Township north and 17th Township west of the Arkansas Initial Point. From the bottom of the Dakota County map Range and Township numbers get larger going north and west. However, at Eagan and Inver Grove Heights they change. The numbers for Inver Grove are T-27-N and R-22-W. These numbers are based on the Wisconsin Initial Point. August 1999 Page 3 EAGAN TOWNSHIP, .0A✓L se .7 PAli 4 WN.rf VY J i APSE :e4 /00 •37 / Es. e'ML'L Cr fL /f0 JA Aa E_MAN /47 40 l• N!COLS T 'sr A.wet/2ac /4-0 COiwry Y• N 14.0 r55 4o A c Q x � v � _. SL Ar14 /YY 1V I( (a 1 r l7 • r5. f. rya I r 7.•. 73 JR • Pee • ✓Y 1900 N • 7rPAPP ✓ 1/1r /„5. L LL .3S •• L f /01 .7 !Y .*, tt A.c A..L. 3s REA'S eN L.s `. EL weu 4 2t' Ota #qV Y v L.r Aiwa, 3 /.e C4grNr0 trwa (1' C. 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Ba Z 4 I w • Sc......tJY • SawA Z. • SJ • • 21 4. k W e 0 2 � • • fr EL 4. 4. /37. YJ Li 4. I N• C W • • O ,.,• ,, Ed.- oar Y0 Y0 rwr .e i �' o ` 20. •f: I 2 ' SLw4•.el4 249L. 4 N i s ! 4 •o r.. , 34 2 I • Ft - SG <C ali4 R•'••� A • w : t • /LY 90 �.... ..., ,. ✓ 4. (ma I I f. e..N My.. NYr7. .Zas vr. 4. 4• b• T .Y. Ara: drys • :7 • 03 a _tied 3B/= „" " Yi Note that Apple Valley and Rosemount are only four sections high compared to the standard six for townships. The difference is also a result of the change from Arkansas to Wisconsin Initial Points. Division of the Township The Public Land Survey reached Minnesota in 1847 and continued until 1903. Eagan was still a Township when mapped for the above 1950s County plat book. Note the division into one square mile Sections numbered 1 through 36. All of what would be Section 6 and parts of 5, 7, 8, and 18 lie across the Minnesota River. In the early years rural townships had four to eight farms in a Section. Today a Section may have over 500 individual building lots requiring precise surveys for legal descriptions. For survey purposes a monument (marker) was set at corners and every half mile around a section. A special monument was set at intersections with large bodies of water. Dakota County also has monuments set along the Military Reservation Line established by Lt. Zebulon Pike's treaty with the Indians in 1805. This military line's territory includes a portion of western Eagan. Page 4 Dakota County History John Blakely Surveyors before the first surveyor On April 26,1853 Territorial Governor Alexander Ramsey appointed temporary officers for Dakota County. John Blakely was appointed one of the commissioners. No surveyor was appointed. At the first county board meeting Sylvester Cook who had been appointed county treasurer was also made county surveyor. When the first election for county officers was held in October 1853 James Thompson became surveyor. We don't know if Sylvester Cook or James Thompson ever carried out surveyor functions. They did not leave a record. We do know that former commissioner John Blakely is considered the first Dakota County surveyor. Dakota County's first surveyor John Blakely became the first Dakota County Surveyor in 1856. As the Federal surveys were completed the Territory or State assumed survey maintenance. The counties, as arms of the state, hired County Surveyors to maintain the monuments set in the Public Land Survey. The surveyor also made surveys for laying out roads, schools, and public lands. 10 1 MILE - 320 RODS - 5280 FEET - 80 CHAINS NY2 320 N N SW '. 40 S !'2 N 40 w'2 NW !; SE !, 20 E N.2N.SE'. 20 NW'u SE 'i. 20 ShN E'4SE'. 20 w !2 SW 1,4 SW4 20 'NE '± SW ' SE'.Sw1/4 40 5'4SE'a 80 E'1SE'.SWT SW -S ACRES W . SE'.SW .SWIA-S ACRE S An example of how a land "section" is divided and described. For example: the division at the lower right would be described as "The south half of the southeast quarter of the section." Dakota County Surveyors 1856 - to present 1856 - 1857 1857 - 1859 1859 - 1869 1860 - 1863 1863 - 1897 1897 - 1913 1913 - 1924 John Blakely M. A. Miller W. D. VanDuzee H. J. Rogers C. B. Lowell Charles A. Forbes Frank Tavenier 1924 - 1954 Paul R. McLagan 1954 - 1971 Wayne McLagan 1971 - 1986 Bernard H. Larson 1986 - present Gary H. Stevenson Until 1972, the County Surveyor was a part-time position. Following World War II Dakota County became a desired location for suburban development. The increasing need for survey services and a need to re -monument the "corners" prompted creation of the County Survey Department in 1972. Corners (monuments) were set every half mile around a "section" with a special monument set at the intersection with larger bodies of water. Today's monuments are metal, in contrast to stone and even wood of earlier days. August 1999 Page 5 Charles B. Lowell surveyor for 34 years The obituary of Mr. Lowell is an interesting account of "Go west, young man." The obituary appeared in the August 8, 1914 issue of the Hastings Gazette. "Mr. Charles B. Lowell, a pioneer resident of Dakota County, died at his home, 509 east Eleventh Sreet, last Saturday evening after a protracted illness. His death, although not unexpected, created a profound sorrow in the community. Mr. Lowell was born in Lamberton, Chautauqua County, NY., Oct. 2d, 1829, was educated at Fredonia Academy, and in 1851 studied law with F. A. Madison, of Fredonia, but decided to adopt civil engineering, serving in that capacity the following year on the Buffalo & State Line Railroad. In 1853 he went south and taught school in Kentucky and Tennessee, coming to St. Paul early in 1855, working on the city survey for a short time. "He was the first city surveyor of Hastings in 1856, was elected county surveyor in 1863, and re-elected five consecutive terms on the republican ticket, although the county was largely democratic. "He was married to Miss Mary G. Crane, of Fredonia, N. Y., May 30th, 1857, since which time they have enjoyed a continuous residence here.. " Monument This stone monument is typical of monuments set in the later part of the 1800s to mark the locations of wood posts set in the 1840s and 1850s. This stone was found in the northeast corner of Section 31,Township 113 North, Range 20 West, Eureka Township. It was buried about three feet under Ipava Avenue. The stone was found with a backhoe excavation in 1982. The stone measured 8 inches on top, 16 inches at the base, and 24 inches high. There wasn't a record of this stone's placement but the many stones found in the township indicate the entire township was remonumented in the late 1800s. Today's Survey and Land Information Department The Survey and Land Information Department has come a long way from chains, witness trees, and stone monuments. Today the department uses technologically advanced GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to create and maintain data used to produce maps and survey information. Chains, tapes, and electronics The chain was the original tool for measuring land in Dakota County. A chain had 100 links with each link measuring 7.92 inches. Steel tapes replaced chains in 1910. The familiar transit was used to measure angles and elevations. In 1972 the County began using electronic measuring devices such as the Wild Distomat and Theodolite. The Distomat used an infrared beam to make measurements with accuracy to the nearest two centimeters. It also could be used in most climatic conditions and either day or night. The Theodolite measured an angle to one second of arc. GPS Today the Dakota County Survey and Land Information Department makes measurements from its cast iron monuments using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and a Ziess Total Station. The Ziess combines the Distomat and Page 6 Dakota County History Orthophoto with Property Lines The image is a portion of a half section Orthophoto Map. As part of the updating process, one of the final steps is to create a rectified photo from the original scanned photo, and add it to the database. At that point just about any feature can be overlaid upon the Orthophoto. In this example property lines have been overlaid on the rectified photo. Thoedolite devices. The system functions day or night and is accurate to within one centimeter. What once took months can now be done in days. GIS In 1987 the department began to build its Parcel Database. The objective was to build a Geographic Information System (GIS) which accurately identifies and describes individual private parcels of land and public properties. The Global Positioning System provided with accuracy the all important monument coordinates. Using the coordinates the Survey Department has mapped and identified over 133,000 individual land parcels. The parcel description and ownership information is the foundation of the Geographic Information System (GIS). The GIS information is maintained in cooperation with the Treasurer - Auditor's Department and Assessor's Office and can be found on the Dakota County web site, a well as public terminals in select County buildings. Using these two tools users can see building footprints, edges of roads, road centerlines, and other landscape features from above. Features are collected and updated on the Intergraph Image Station Z in the Survey and Land Information Department. In the late 1980s and early 1990s vendors collected the features. Today information is obtained and entered by department staff. From 5,000 feet The GIS includes a resource which may have been a dream for early Dakota County surveyors. Each spring aerial photos are taken of selected sections of Dakota County's cities to update the city's physical feature database. The photos are taken from 5,000 feet and are scanned in a digital format and projected to the Dakota County coordinate system. A Photogrammetrist compares the new data to existing GIS data and makes necessary up -dates. The terrain is also updated to facilitate the correction of area topography in the data file. The digital photo is used by GIS to overlay the physical features in hardcopy maps. This process is funded by a partnership with the County's eleven major cities and the Dakota Electric Association. You can obtain more information about the partnership by visiting the Dakota County Survey and Land Information's portion on the web site at www.co.dakota.mn.us/survey/index.htm. Our "Survey and Land" article evolved from a joint County 150th Anniversary activity by the Daota County Highway Department, Survey and Land Information Department, and Historical Society. On a Survey Dept. bulletin board was the story of John Blakely. It seemed natural to recognize something so basic to our County's history. We appreciate the interest and assistance of the Survey and Land staff to the publication of this article and their interest in preserving Dakota County history. August 1999 Page 7 1 Pinpoints in Dakota County history Hard Times in 1857 This excerpt from Neill's History of Dakota County describes the hard times of 1857 and Lakeville pioneer ingenuity. "High prices had been paid for everything requisite to start a farm, except for the land, and just as the farmers began to produce something to sell, the prices went down, partly owing to the insufficient means of transportation, all grain being shipped in sacks. In addition to other causes, the shinplasters, which had been issued by wild -cat banks, became nearly or quite worthless. No money was exchanged for produce, and, exchanged for goods, wheat was rated at 40 cents a bushel; oats 30 cents; and buckwheat 40 cents. "During the era of (land) speculation values had been inflated. There was no sale for property. "People got ragged, and their garments were adorned with patches. The patches got ragged, and they, in turn, patched them. This was repeated so often that it was sometimes difficult to tell of what material a garment was originally composed. If a man was seen with whole clothes on, it was at once inferred that he came from without the state, and it was wondered why he ventured into it. People remained on their farms because they had no way of getting away, since it was almost impossible to get good money for anything they had for sale. One of the settlers succeeded in obtaining money enough for a few yards of white duck. His ingenious wife colored this by the use of sumach berries, and sheathed his old tattered coat with it. Then making a pair of pants out of the same material, he had the appearance of a well -dressed gentleman, that he is said actually to have been an object of envy. "Dennis Nute was much in need of a pair of shoes, one winter, so he took two halves of an old valise and put one on each foot, using rags as straps and supports. With these he got along very well, but say those who beheld him, "Such tracks as he made in the snow beggar the powers of description!" Curator's Corner Diffley Branding Iron Guest researcher Barb Gillis • is" . 1 Upon seeing a branding iron one's thoughts naturally goes to the Wild West, Texas to Abilene cattle drives, and ranches in Wyoming or Montana So, how does a branding iron fit into our collection of Dakota County artifacts? Read on. The iron belonged to William Diffley who imigrated to America in 1847 from Roscommon, Ireland. He married Catherine Corcoran in Rhode Island. In 1856 the Diffley family including two children arrived in Mendota Township. Three more children were born in Dakota County. William squatted on 80 acres and added another 245 acres by 1881. Diffley was very active in organizing the new Eagan Township in 1860. At the time most of Eagan was open prairie. Many of the Irish settlers had cattle and the used the open area to graze their livestock, both beef and dairy cattle. The mixing of the stock prompted the branding to show ownership. The "Irish Prairie" was actually used for grazing into the 1920s. Diffley's iron was made by Mathew Cuchret who operated a "smithy" from 1855 to the mid 1870s. According to Patricia Diffley, great granddaughter of William and Catherine, Cuchret was "the most respected and foremost blacksmith in Northern Dakota County. He could fix anything." To mark an animal the branding iron was heated to red hot and placed on the animal's hide. It left an indelible scar. The iron was forged by cutting, bending and pounding. The handle of the Diffley iron is.a square rod which has been twisted and pulled resulting in a spiral that tapers to the handle. The twisting and pulling adds strength. The Diffley iron was donated to the DCHS, with the land preemption paper and an ox shoe, by William Diffley II, grandson of William. In 1989, the last 109 acres of the Diffley farm were sold to make way for an elementary school and homes. Page 8 Dakota County History Herb Gardening by Early Dakota County Settlers By Peggy Boike Peggy is a life member of the Dakota County Historical Society and daughter of the late Robert B. Kuehn, long time local historian and past president of the Historical Society. She is also a University of Minnesota Extension Service Master Gardener in Dakota County. In celebration this year of the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of Dakota County as well as the Territory of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Extension Service Master Gardeners have planted and are busy tending a Pioneer Garden at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington. Planted in the garden are herbs, flowers and vegetables commonly grown by settlers in the early days of the county's history. The garden is located just south of the Children's Barn, across from the Horticulture Building on the fairgrounds and can be visited during the days of the Dakota County Fair from August 9th through the 15th. A portion of the Pioneer Garden is devoted to a representative sampling of herbs commonly used by early settlers in Dakota County and throughout the Midwest. Most of the herbs we enjoy in our gardens today are descendants of the very same plants that were carried over the Atlantic Ocean aboard ships long ago by our ancestors from the European countries. Today herbs are enjoyed for their fragrance, lovely flowers and foliage and delicious flavors they add to our favorite foods; however, in the early days growing herbs was not only for culinary enjoyment, but also a necessary part of life. Commercial availability of prescription and over-the-counter drugs that we take for granted today was not an option then, and early settlers had to depend on home remedies made from their own home-grown herbs to treat their ailments and discomforts. All of the herbs growing in the Pioneer Herb Garden are easily grown from seed and this is how they were transported by our ancestors to the early American colonies and later to points further west - such as Dakota County and other parts of the Territory of Minnesota - over 150 years ago. Only one of the herbs in the garden is native to Minnesota, and, thus, preceded the early settlers. It was here before they were, growing in the upland woods and vast open prairies of the Midwest. That plant is Wild Bergamot, a showy member of the mint family (Labiatae) that displays lavender flowers in July through September. One of the common uses of the mints was for tea to soothe stomach upsets. Another mint, growing in a pot in the herb garden, is horehound. Horehound was used in early times to make a hard candy that was taken for a cough or sore throat. It is still listed as an ingredient in some herbal cough drops available in drugstores today. We are all familiar with candies flavored with peppermint and spearmint. These are two more mints growing in pots in the garden. Another herb commonly made into a tea for stomach irritations was German chamomile, a very easy to grow, dainty flowering herb. The tea was made from either the fresh or dried flowers of the chamomile plant. Chamomile tea is still available today on grocery store shelves. Herbs growing in the Pioneer Herb Garden include: Anise (Pimpinella anisum) - Anise is one of a number of herbs mentioned in the Bible and was used by the Romans as a negotiable form of currency. It is associated with the first Assembly of Virginia in 1619, when it was decreed that "each man plant six aniseeds." Anise seed has a strong flavor similar to licorice and is commonly used in baking. Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum) - Sweet basil was well known to early Greeks and Romans. Its seed was offered for sale in the U.S. as early as 1775 in the "Virginia Gazette." A classic Italian herb, sweet basil is very versatile and probably best loved for its use in tomato dishes of all kinds. Bergamot, Wild (Monarda fistulosa) - Wild Bergamot, a member of the mint family, is very hardy and native to all of North America. It is one of the many mints whose leaves, fresh or dried, are used to make tea. Page 4 Dakota County History 1999 - 2000 Dakota County Highway Map features County History We have copies for our members. On May 11 a new county highway map was presented to Dakota County commissioners at their meeting in the county's western service center. The county issues a new map every other year. We are pleased the reverse side of the map carries a Dakota County History Map produced by Bill Wolston and the Dakota County Historical Society. We think the map will be a long lasting component of our County's 150th Anniversary recognition. For old timers we hope the map will rekindle fond memories. For the thousands of county new comers we hope it will be a step in providing a new proud heritage. For visitors we hope it will give them a reason to stay a little longer or at least want to come back. The project started last November with Bill working with Lezlie Vermillion of the Highway Department and Jay Whittstock and Joe Sepletal of the Survey and Land Information Department. Rebecca Snyder provided our resource material going into the project and the all important proofing going out to the county and printer. Four 50s equal 150 Across the bottom of the map is a brief history in three 50 year segments. However, the three are preceeded by a fourth segment titled 'Before the First Fifty Years, 1800 to October 27,1849." During this pre-150 year period explorers, fur traders, missionaries, and the military made lasting contributions to our county's 150 year heritage. Historic Sites and Structures Thirty historic sites and structures noted on the map have accompanying illustrations and descriptions. The sites include all Minnesota Historical Society marker sites. Many structures are on the National Register of Historic Places. The oldest locations are the natural formations of Chimney and Castle Rocks. Explorer Joseph Nicollet used the rocks for mapping reference points.The youngest is the Nike Missile site constructed in Castle Rock Township during the Cold War in the 1950s. The missile site buildings are still in place years after the Nike site was decommissioned. Roads, Rails, Reserve, and a Dam The map also identifies early roads and railroads which served people and products in, out, and across the county: the Dodd road, the Mendota-Wabasha road, and the Minnesota Central and Minnesota Valley railroads. The Dan Patch rail line was added for its unique contribution to western Dakota County. The Lock and Dam No. 2 at Hastings changed the county's eastern profile from Hastings to St. Paul. The border line of the Fort Snelling Military Reserve which passes through Eagan and Mendota Heights is noted. Its location within the reserve made Mendota the state's earliest settlement and Minnesota's only community to be made a city by an act of Congress. Even when folded When the map is in its folded form the cover panel shows two pictures of the Hastings Spiral Bridge. As an aside . . . when the Spiral Bridge was dismantled some of its timbers were used in a small bridge crossing Chub Creek in Castle Rock Township. A picture of the small bridge appeared in the issue of Over the Years featuring county bridges. Recently we learned the small Castle Rock bridge has now been replaced. Maps available. Special for You The new county map will be made available to the public at county offices. However, we obtained a quantity for our Dakota County Historical Society members. Stop in and ask Rebecca. If you haven't visited the museum recently you might be surprised at the interesting things to see. May 1999 Page 3 A Fort in Their Midst Dakota Indian Women's Relationships with Fort Snelling Military Personnel, 1819 - 1837 by Carrie Ronnander In the winter and spring of 1996, I took a graduate seminar series on women's history at the University of Minnesota. One of the requirements of the course was to write a paper based on original research on some aspect of women's history. Given that I was already interested in American Indian women and Western history, I cast about for a topic that would let me combine the two. Since Minnesota can legitimately be considered part of the unsettled American West until at least the 1840s, I also decided to try and stay local. Then I ran across this quote by Mary Riggs, a missionary who lived near Fort Snelling beginning in the late 1830s, "Until my location here, I was not aware that it was so exceedingly common for officers in the army to have two wives or more, - but one, of course, legally so. For instance, at the Fort, before the removal of the last troops, there were but two officers who were not known to have an Indian woman, if not half -Indian children." My curiosity piqued, I began researching Dakota (also known as Eastern Sioux) women around Fort Snelling. Early in the research, I discovered that in the early 1830s, Lieutenant James McClure, an officer at Fort Snelling, fought and won a duel with another officer over the honor of his sweetheart, soon to be his wife. She was known in the written sources as Winona, a Dakota woman. They later had a daughter, Nancy McClure, whose reminiscences provide the sketchy detail of the duel. After learning that an officer fought for the honor of his bride to be, I wondered how common it was for the Fort Snelling officers to marry local Indian women. I also wondered what impact did the fort's community have on the Indians, particularly the women, and what, if any, impact did the Indian women have on Fort Snelling? While some local histories mention the James and Winona McClure story to show that some Page 2 Society Happenings �140 1\ 1C4 N n�A� l ‘i( Is there something familiar about this list? We want to recognize our volunteer's. Some are with us a half day a week. Others a full day. Some fill in when we cry help. Others are specialists who provide skill and experience. All like history. All like contributing their time to a "historic" cause. And they are all are wonderful people. Carrie Buck ... comes in on Saturdays to work on putting artifacts away in the collections room. She has also been working on creating exhibitions. Sue Doty ... has been working on a fundraising project since the beginning of April. She has been creating a database of Dakota County businesses which we will contact about becoming Corporate members. Andy Gerbozy ... has worked for several years on a range of projects. Most recently he came in during renovation week to help with our clean up. Barb Gillis . . . works with the Society's collection improve the information we have related various artifacts. She has also done a ton accession related paperwork. Arlyn Lamb . . . His computer expertise has been very helpful. He hopes to install a CD -Rom drive in one of the new computers in the very near future. Gayle Marthaler . .. comes in on Tuesdays to watch the front desk and do valuable data entry related work. Corinne Marz ... has spent several Thursday evenings doing obituary research. Mary Nelson ... takes care of the library when Rebecca can't be here. She has also been helping Rebecca with the time consuming task of double checking indexed census records. Dave Petek ... creates copy negatives from original photos in the collection. David Schreier ... has made many contributions to the Society to over the years. This year he wrote text which was to used in our new brochure. He also used his of gardening talents to trim and transplant the museum's indoor trees. Dick Guyer ... has donated time to set the museum up with two new 486 computers which will replace two smaller machines. Tom Kaliszewski ... is an all purpose volunteer who is willing and able to help with anything that comes up at the museum. This year he has been working with Greg Page on a few fundraising projects. Jackie Koza . . . has been working diligently to index our civil war records. She also works on improving accessioned artifacts records. Gladys Schumacher . . . comes in every Friday and keeps our contemporay news items files up to date and organized. Kristi Streets . . . comes in on Saturdays to keep the collections room well organized. Kristi also works on gathering and preparing artifacts for display. Russ Withrow ... uses his talents as a photographer to collect images of buildings and places throughout Dakota County which are in danger of disappearing. May 1998 Page 1 Illustration at left: Fort Snelling ca. 1830 by artist George Catlin. The view is from the Mendota side of the Minnesota River. Note the Indian encampments below the fort on both sides of the river. From the Thomas Gilevease Institute, Minnesota Historical Society. Illustration at right is of Nancy McClure daughter of Lt. James and Winona McClure. officers married local women, these same histories often do not discuss the full spectrum of Dakota women and Fort Snelling relationships. Below is an abridged version of the paper I wrote that addressed these questions and concerns. However, as with many research projects, this one doesn't seem to end and so the story is ultimately incomplete. First, some basic facts about Fort Snelling. The land for Fort Snelling was acquired in 1805 when Lieutenant Zebulon Pike bought 100,000 acres of land at the confluence of the St. Peter's (Minnesota) and Mississippi Rivers for a mere $2,000. However, the first American troops did not arrive until 1819. From 1819 until at least 1837, the average number of military personnel, which did not include officers' wives and children, numbered between 100 and 250 men. Besides the fort, the United States government also established an Indian Agency within a mile of the garrison. As the most northwestern outpost of the United States frontier during these years, Fort Snelling became a nexus for fur trading operations and American settlement. The American Fur Company erected a fur trading post in the immediate vicinity of the fort and this led to a small community of fur traders. In 1837, the Dakotas ceded their land east of the Mississippi and the United States government opened this land to American settlement. However, by 1837, 239 settlers consisting of immigrants, fur trade families, and discharged soldiers already lived on the military reservation itself. Indians, soldiers, traders, and visitors This very sketchy outline of the development of Fort Snelling shows that an immediate, permanent American community was transplanted to the Dakota Indian frontier in 1819. This community slowly grew until 1837 at which time it began to rapidly expand. In the 1820s, the Dakota frontier consisted of roughly 6,000 plus Dakota who were divided into four different subdivisions: Mdewakanton, Wahpeton, Sisseton, and Wahpekuta. The Mdewakanton, who numbered around 2,000, lived the closest to Fort Snelling and were thus in more contact with the fort community than the other groups. There were 5 villages of Mdewakanton, ranging from about 100 miles down the Mississippi River to 56 miles up the Minnesota river. The Wahpeton, Sisseton, and Wahpekuta all found their way to the fort at various times for varying reasons. While some authors claim that an insulated community sprang up within the walls of Fort Snelling, accounts from contemporaries paint a different picture. Narratives and reminiscences alike recall the bustling activity in and around the fort -- fur traders, Indian peoples and travelers alike came to the fort for private and public business calls and American men and women went out to the Dakota villages for the same reasons. May 1998 Page 3 The trade relationship One of the most overlooked relationships between Dakota women and Fort Snelling personnel was the trade relationship. Opportunities for trade attracted Dakota women and men to the fort as well as to the nearby fur trade post; on the reverse side, the fort relied on food goods supplied by Dakota women when its own army rations were insufficient. The fur trade, first begun among the Dakotas by the French in the 17th century, brought mixed results to the Dakota. Women acquired labor saving devices like iron kettles, knives and awls and ready-made cloth in the form of blankets, yet the fur trade initiated a deadly credit cycle that kept Dakota families dependent upon fur traders. In addition, competition for animals pitted Indian groups against each other and the increased hunting and trapping put unnatural pressures on the environment.The environmental effects of increased hunting led to game shortages which seriously affected the Dakota Indians' own economic base by the 1830s. But the fur trade does have a more mixed legacy then the simple destruction of a way of life for the Dakota people, however. For the Dakota women residing within trading distance of Fort Snelling, the small trading opportunities which did exist actually may have added to their own autonomy and given them an alternative to the increasingly capitalistic and stingy traders nearby. Although the evidence is still inconclusive, it appears that, at least temporarily, the establishment of Fort Snelling may have helped to increase Dakota women's economic independence simply because the soldiers and their wives desired food and goods that Dakota women, responsible for food and clothes, could supply. These foods and items included wild rice, maple sugar, fish, strawberries, cranberries, moccasins, and quill work. Besides these documented cases of exchange, quartermaster and store sutler records also attest to the fact that fort personnel frequently used moccasins. Since Dakota women made moccasins, it can be inferred that they helped to supply the fort with moccasins in exchange for unknown commodities. The failure of the fort to become self-sufficient and long supply lines also forced the fort to purchase items locally. While native women were not the exclusive providers of local foodstuffs -- the fort also purchased supplies from the sutler store, the American Fur Company post, and eventually the squatters who settled on the military reservation -- Dakota women definitely did supply the fort with some of the items which, at times, were desperately needed. Besides food and manufactured goods, there were also opportunities for Dakota women to sell their labor, but it is uncertain why they sold their labor -- did they want more access to trade items, or were they forced to work in wage labor due to hard economic times? The answer is still unclear. However, the instances in which women did engage in wage labor show that they were shrewd bargainers. One woman, who worked only a short time in the garden of Indian Agent Lawrence Taliaferro, drew Taliaferro's scorn because she demanded a larger pay than he felt she was entitled to. In his journal, he complained that this assistant as well as all Dakota assistants were "never...satisfied entirely unless you give them four times the amount of white hands." Mary Eastman, an officer's wife who lived at the fort for seven years in the late 1830s and early 1840s and wrote Dahcotah, or Life and legends of the Sioux Around Fort Snelling also found it puzzling that Dakota women did not happily accept a domestic position. She claimed that women would "scornfully refuse to wash an article that might be needed by a white family." Both of these comments date in the later 1830s, suggesting that Indian women had learned to negotiate their services after years of contact with Americans. Trade outside the credit system The goods, food, and services marketed by Dakota women provided them with access to trade goods and foodstuffs independent of men. While the fur traders primarily desired the furs supplied by men, the men and women at the garrison desired a variety of items produced mostly by women. In addition, access to trade outside of the commercial fur trade enabled women and even men to bypass traditional trade patterns and the credit -lending fur traders. It is important to realize that the small community at the fort afforded only limited trading opportunities, but the opportunities did exist and some women took advantage of them. Page 4 Society Happenings Mendota viewed from Fort Snelling. Tepees are on Pike Island. Artist: Seth Eastman. Credit: Thomas Gilevease Institute, Minnesota Historical Society. Rare cases of soldier abuse In addition to economic relationships, Dakota women also established social, sexual, and marital relationships with the Fort Snelling community. Local histories often ignore these relationships, or use them to show the negative impact that the fort had on the Dakota. Sometimes they briefly mention the James and Winona McClure marriage noted above, but rarely do these histories provide a complete picture. By focusing on the degradations against women, popular and academic historians make Dakota women into passive beings, unable to control their surroundings and at the mercy of men. Traditional historical accounts of interactions between soldiers and Indian women depict the soldiers as aggressive philanderers who abused helpless, innocent native women. While some soldiers did molest some Dakota women, these incidents are small in number in comparison to relationships entered upon freely by both parties. This conclusion is drawn from an extensive analysis of Indian Agent Lawrence Taliaferro's nine volumes of journals recorded between 1821 and 1839. In these journals he writes of only three incidents which involved soldier abuses against Dakota women, and these will be discussed shortly. Taliaferro did take periodic leaves from the fort, and did not record any daily entries for the year 1834 so there may have been more Dakota women victimized by soldiers. But the three incidents he did record are embedded within roughly 3000 journal entries and thus are minimal in comparison to the other events Taliaferro noted. The first incident was recorded on December 6, 1827 after some individuals woke Taliaferro at 2 o'clock a.m. to drive a few soldiers out of a Dakota lodge. In reference to this incident, Taliaferro complained that the soldiers were "troublesome" to the women camped near the agency while their husbands were on their winter hunt. One month later, January 5, 1828, Taliaferro again wrote: "The soldiers of the 5th quite troublesome to the Indians encamped near the Agency House. Russick of Comp. F is much complained of, he having endeavored to force two or three different women who felt disposed to resist his embraces. The Indians have declared that unless this man ceases to interfere with their wives and daughters that they will be compelled to kill Russick in self-defence [sic]." May 1998 Page 5 Aside from the Russick case, there was only one other incident involving soldiers and women that received direct mention in Taliaferro's journal. This event centered on some soldiers who decided to shoot at women when they could not get what they wanted, which, incidentally, was not sexual intercourse but the trees surrounding the village. "Wives not concubines" To repeat, the characterization of soldiers preying on women is just not true. In fact, it appears that a number of Dakota women freely entered into relationships with soldiers, particularly officers. Some were short-term affairs, many were sexual affairs, but others, like the James and Winona McClure relationship, developed into serious emotional and marital relationships. It should first be pointed out that while intermarriage between soldiers and Dakota women did occur, the majority of local Dakota women chose not to marry soldiers. Those that did marry seemed to marry officers, and often it was a traditional Dakota marriage rather than a civil or church marriage. In Dakota culture, a man courted the woman, and when he wanted to marry, offered the woman's father a number of goods in exchange for the daughter. European and American observers often described this practice as buying a wife, which in a sense it was. Anthropolgists now suggest, however, that what the man was buying was the services of the woman who would provide him with lodging, clothing and food, and whose services were now lost from her birth family. In any case, a man and a woman were seen as a married after the man provided the father with acceptable gifts and the two moved into a tepee or summer lodge together. This was quite different than traditional American marriages, so soldiers could, in effect, marry a Dakota woman according to her culture but not to his own culture. He could then rationalize another marriage to an American woman or easily break off his marriage to the Dakota woman. While the McClure marriage is the only one found in which an American soldier publicly declared his emotional attachment to a Dakota woman, at least from what I've found, other marital unions did exist between soldiers and Dakota women. The quote by Mary Riggs in the introduction is testimony to some of the marriages. Missionary Samuel Pond, who came to live with the Mdewakanton Dakota in 1834, also noted in his book The Dakota or Sioux in Minnesota As They Were in 1834 that officers "cohabited" with Dakota women. According to Pond, these women believed themselves "wives, not concubines," and were married according to Dakota customs. However, he did not indicate whether or not their officer husbands actually saw themselves as married to these Dakota women. Colonel Josiah Snelling's 1827 post order also shows that marriage with Dakota women was commonly accepted in the Fort Snelling community. Colonel Snelling was the commander of Fort Snelling from 1821-1827. In July 1827, Snelling, and four Fort Snelling companies temporarily moved down to Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien during a scare that the Winnebago were getting ready for war. While there, he recorded this order in his journal: "Half breeds, not claiming citizenship and Indian women of any grade or colour not having husbands will depart in 24 hrs. on pain of military execution. The commanding officer ...will not suffer spies to be smuggled into his camp under the petticoats of strumpet .... Certificate of marriage will be required of those females who are permitted to stay." Although this post was located 200 miles down river from Fort Snelling, quite a number of the personnel came from Fort Snelling. It is apparent that Snelling viewed most relationships with Indian women as nothing more than sexual affairs But, in his statement "Certificates of marriage will be required of those females who are permitted to stay," there is the implicit acknowledgment that there were legitimate marriages between military men and Indians, including Dakotas, even ones according to American tradition. If one adds the marriages entered into following native customs, i.e., those without legal certificates, the number of legitimate marriages is even higher than Snelling allowed. Why women formed soldier relationships The sources show that Dakota women married American military men from Fort Snelling, but why did they enter into these relationships? As early as the 17th century, French-Canadian fur traders and voyageurs began the practice of taking Page 6 Society Happenings Indian wives as a way to establish networks within the native communities so intermarriage was nothing new among Dakotas and other Indian peoples. In her book Many Tender Ties, Sylvia Van Kirk suggests that women may have found marriage with traders desirable because it gave them easier access to goods as well as more security against the privations well known in village life. In her dissertation, Jacqueline Peterson contends that Indian women married white fur traders for a variety of reasons: material securities, personal freedom, escape from rigid sexual abstinence codes, and a desire for the power associated with whites. Given the precedent for intercultural marriages, the leap to marrying a United States soldier does not appear that large. Drawing on other historians' analyses, marriage to a soldier, particularly an officer, may have seemed desirable for a woman and her parents because it did give them better access to trade goods and basic food items. In the past, marriages to important traders had given many Indian women prestige and acclaim, so marriage to an officer may have also increased a woman's social status in her village. The temporary nature of a soldier's placement at the fort puts into question why parents, who were largely responsible for arranging their daughters' marriages, would allow their daughters to marry into a possibly insecure situation. Perhaps officers did take their wives with them when they transferred to a different location, but there is no evidence to either support or refute this theory. Some discharged soldiers did take up locations around the fort which would enable them to set up house with their wives. Many Dakotas were probably initially just unaware that cultural differences prevented many Fort Snelling soldiers from viewing their relationships with the local women as anything but short-term affairs. It probably took a number of years to realize that marriages with soldiers ended up being pretty different than marriages with traders. Although some women entered into a relationship with a soldier expecting a long-term commitment, it appears that others desired only short-term sexual unions. The documents do not directly say that prostitution occurred although at least two entries in Taliaferro's journals admit to the presence of Dakota women being at the fort at night. It is tempting to argue that sex was yet another service traded by Indian women, and yet, some historians have also pointed out that sex could also be used as a form of diplomacy. One historian noted in a recent work that soldiers had both wives and concubines. Without any hard evidence, however, it is erroneous to assume that sex was freely bought and sold. The various relationships touched upon in this paper show that Dakota women actively participated in a number of relationships with Fort Snelling residents. Each type of relationship can and should be explored and analyzed further. Questions that need to be addressed and developed include: how viable an alternative was the fort trade to the commercial fur trade; did marriages with officers increase or decrease over time and how did these marriages compare with fur trade marriages; what became of the offspring of these marriages - were they raised in Indian or American culture; did prostitution actually occur, and if so, why did Dakota women engage in this activity? It also again needs to be stressed that while some Dakota women did develop economic, social, marital, and/or sexual relationships with Fort Snelling men, many more did not. However, contrary to the academic and popular interpretation that soldiers commonly abused innocent Indian women, Dakota women did independently pursue relationships with Fort Snelling personnel. In the vast majority of their relationships with soldiers, Dakota women had some control in the structure of these relationships. About Carrie Ronnander Carrie is our Dakota County Historical Society curator. Carrie has a BA degree in history from Marquette University and will complete her Master's degree in American history at the University of Minnesota this spring. May 1998 Page 7 PinPoints in Dakota County History The Genealogical Treat Back in November 1984 Bob Kuehn reported in the November 1984 Little Historian that a day, long awaited, had arrived. Members of the Mendota/West St. Paul Chapter were being treated to reviewing the contents of the Letendre six volume family genealogy. Fran Letendre, chapter member, had talked about the set and its stories as well as its extensive record extending back to French Canada. The viewing was the center piece of the chapter's evening meeting. Fran had every right to be proud as he carefully unwrapped his family's set for his fellow chapter members. The hand lettered and hand written volumes were the work of generations. In the meeting minutes Bob recorded that the chapter members were duly impressed in spite of the fact none could read French. Ordinance raises questions On August 2, 1858 West St. Paul passed the following ordinance: "Be it ordained by the city of West St. Paul: Any person or persons who may hereafter be found swimming within the corporate limits of the city of West St. Paul in the daytime shall upon conviction of same be fined in a sum of not more than $5.00 or less than $1.00 plus costs." The ordinance was signed by Geo. W.H. Bell, Mayor. One wonders if swimming referred to swimming in the nude. Why did the ordinance specify daytime? Was night swimming legal? When does daytime start and end? Where did the people swim? West St. Paul didn't have a lake. Was the ordinance fostered by complaints from people in St. Paul looking down on West St. Paulites swimming in the Mississippi? Was this another reason leading to St. Paul's annexing todays St. Paul West Side from West. St. Paul in 1874? Curator's Corner Button Press for Shoes According to a label found in a drawer in the wooden top, this "machine is a button press for womens shoes." The press measures about three feet from the foot pedal to the cast iron shell holding the throat of the press. The drawer also held a variety of buttons. The variety of buttons suggests it may have been used in a small shoe making or repair company. There isn't a clue as to when or where it was used or who produced the equipment. While there isn't a brand name there is a pictue of an attractive young lady printed on the side. Possibly her image was a trademark in the trade. It was designed for volume producers for it has an automatic counter built into the mechanisam. When you donate objects from home, business, or profession be sure to describe their purpose and some detail of your use. Those who see them years from today will enjoy them more. Page 8 Society Happenings J . J. Brackett platted the original Lakeville Village in1855 between today's Antlers Park and Dodd Road. He named it for the beautiful sheet of water Prairie Lake, today's Lake Marion. Brackett was a land speculator and operated a wagon stage line between St. Paul and Faribault. Brackett was Lakeville's first settler, followed closely by his employee Griffin Phelps. By 1858 Lakeville boasted two hotels, a blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, gun shop, shoemaker, and saloon. Lakeville Township On April 6, 1858, Dakota County commissioners created Lakeville Township as one of the county's original townships. The Township surrounded Lakeville Village and was organized in June 1858 with Samuel Dunn as chairman. By 1860 Township population totaled 598 and its border had stabilized with Scott County. During the Civil War 51 Lakeville men answered the call to colors. The H&D, Fairfield, and a new Lakeville In 1869 the Hastings and Dakota Railroad laid rails across the township. Unsuccessful attempts to buy land for a depot in Lakeville Village led the H&D to select a location a half mile east, calling it Fairfield. Wanting rail access, Lakeville businesses moved to Fairfield and Brackett's Lakeville declined. Fairfield requested incorporation as a village from the state in 1878. When the bill passed Fairfield's name was changed to Lakeville. Entering the 20th Century By 1900 combined township and village populations neared 1,000. The township's eastern half was rich open farm land, shipping its bounty through Farmington to Hastings and St. Paul. The western half boasted trees, lakes, and rolling hills with an increasing number of summer cottages and visiting fishermen. The Dodd Road, built in 1854 by Captain William Dodd, became Lakeville's major north -south roadway. Highlights from Lakeville history The village saw improvements and new businesses - telephone service in 1897, hitching posts and cement sidewalks in 1899, a new village hall and fire station in 1901, and electricity in 1914. Antlers Amusement Park and Dan Patch Line In 1910, Antlers Park opened on the shores of Prairie Lake. Thousands of visitors arrived by the gas -electric rail cars of the new "Dan Patch" rail line. Antlers became famous for its recreation and dining facilities. The enterprise was a creation of Col. Marion Savage, William Mason, and George O'Rourke. The "Dan Patch" ran from Minneapolis to Northfield with 10 stops in Dakota County. Antlers' glamour years were short lived. The park gradually evolved to today's picnic grounds and bathing beach. However, Antlers lives on as a "special moment" of Lakeville heritage. Prairie Lake is now Lake Marion, renamed for Col. Savage. Two very different 50 years From 1900 to 1950, Lakeville's population grew slowly from 1,178 to 1,984. Post World War II suburban growth increased Lakeville population to 3,047 in 1960, 7,556 in 1970, and 20,500 in 1990. Lakeville's population at the turn of the century surpassed 42,000. To one Lakeville The "Eight -Year Boundary Battle" starting in 1963 was a struggle to reorganize communities to meet the challenges of suburbia. It involved the Minnesota Municipal Commission, Lakeville Village, Lakeville Township, and seven other local governments. In January 1971 Lakeville Village and Lakeville Township merged as an incorporated village except for ten Township sections which were annexed to the City of Farmington. On January 1, 1974, Lakeville became a city, geographically the largest city in Dakota County. Locating Lakeville history on the map ... . 1 Lakeville's first village site J.J. Brackett staked the first claim in 1854 between Lake Marion and Dodd Road and platted 250 acres as Lakeville Village. Griffin Phelps joined him later that year and became the first postmaster. Other settlers arrived and businesses formed. 2 The Dodd Road Capt. William Dodd cut his road from St. Peter through Lakeville in 1854. It became part of the Big Sioux to Mendota road planned but delayed by the government. J Hastings & Dakota Depot In 1869 the new H&D rail line built a loading platform just east of the original Lakeville, giving birth to the new Village of Fairfield. A depot eventually replaced the platform. LAKEVII Former1,1 FAIRFIEi 1881 I 4 I Lakeville Village (Fairfield) Fairfield grew and citizens of the original Lakeville moved their businesses the half mile east to access the H&D railroad. When the state incorporated Fairfield in 1878, the name was changed to Lakeville. The inset map, above, depicts downtown Lakeville in 1881, three years after the name change from Fairfield. The business district is a good size for a population of only 168. Today Main St. is Holyoke Ave., Walnut St. is Holt Ave., and Front St. is 208th St. 1 Copyright 2000, W. G. Wolston 5 _ iman Dan Patch Rail line Completed in 1910, the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and Dubuque Electric Company train ran from Minneapolis to Northfield. It was nicknamed "Dan Patch" for Marion Savage's famous race horse. After a stop at the Dan Patch stable in Savage it made 10 stops in Dakota County. At Antlers Park the luxury gas -electric rail cars entered on a spur line. 6 Antlers Amusement Park Opening in 1910, Antlers was the vision of Col. Marion Savage, William Mason, and George O'Rourke. The famous midwest amusement park boasted a huge dance pavillion, bathing beach, diving tower, high sliding chute, tennis courts, aerial swing, and a nine hole golf course. The park had an electric light show before Lakeville had electricity. In 1912 on summer weekends the Dan Patch made 19 stops a day at Antlers Park. 7 Weichselbaum's Resort John Weichselbaum, or "Waxy," homesteaded on the south side of Prairie Lake in 1857. He added to his house until it had 14 rooms. John and his wife were congenial people. Good food and good fishing filled their rooms with paying guests. Even the H&D railroad stopped at Waxy's. Resort operations ceased in the 1940s. 8 Ritter Farm Park Purchased from the Ritter Family in 1972, the 340-acre city park was once a working dairy farm with chickens, pigs, and crops. A wellhouse still stands. Today walking trails wind through wooded areas and an old apple orchard. 9 Argonne Farms In 1922 30 severely disabled World War I veterans arrived at Argonne Farms, a veterans self sufficiency project to raise poultry and berries. Each received a four -acre plot, bungalow, and chicken coop at favorable prices and interest rates. However, the land was poor and the homes lacked electricity, plumbing, and insulation. The project failed. 10 Oberhoffer House The Orchard Lake house was built in the early 1900s for Emil Oberhoffer, Minneapolis Symphony conductor. Often when Oberhoffer composed and practiced in his tower music room neighbors would gather outside to listen. The Oberhoffer house was later owned by the parents of renowned golfer Patty Berg. Her many golf trophies were displayed in the tower room. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 11 Sea Girt Inn Resort LeRoy Scott, his mother, and sister, Ida Kirk, a former vaudevillian, built the Sea Girt in 1923. The resort drew large crowds for dances until it burned to the ground in 1986 during remodeling. 12 Huddleston Store Christina Huddleston's Store spanned a half century in the Orchard Lake area. Opened in 1923 along a sand and gravel Lyndale Ave. (Co. Rd. 5), the store supplied the lake community's needs for staples and candy, and served as a community gathering place. 13 Streefland Station Across Lyndale Ave. from the Huddleston store, Cliff Streefland, Christina's brother, sold regular gas for 12 to 15 cents per gallon in the early 1930s. The Streefland family also operated the nearby Slickaway Valley Stock Farm. 14 The Green School When the Crystal Lake District 102 formed in 1879 the Green family donated property for the school built in 1880. L. Coulter was the first teacher. The school was demolished in 1927. 15 is .:::.,-..1111 1101111111111 11 181111l1 l 19 ' The Highland Cemetery In 1867 Thomas Hyland donated seven acres of "high land" for a church and cemetery on Pilot Knob a half mile south of Dodd Road. St. Joseph's Catholic Church and cemetery were built in 1868. In 1881 a wind storm destroyed the church. 1� Airlake Industrial Park Created in 1967 in southeast Lakeville, Airlake now includes more than 80 businesses and over 4,000 employees. 1171 The Old Brick School The community built a brick school in 1906 for elementary through high school students. It was razed in the late 1980s. 1181 The Claro Mill In 1891, the Village offered $1,500 to anyone who would restore and operate a closed Perkins -Balch mill. Claro took the offer and operated the mill until 1926. 1191The Lenihan Building The Lenihan Grocery and Mercantile building, which still stands, was built in the late 1800s. A creamery operated in the basement, and the upper floor held a large meeting room. 20 111 rrses�r� rrr Original Village Hall In October 1900 voters approved $3,500 in bonds for a combination village hall, town hall, and lock -up (jail). The tower bell called firefighters to fire muster until 1964 and is at today's Fire Dept. headquarters. The building still stands. 24 21 The Lakeville Bank Lakeville's first bank was built in 1900. The building still stands at the northeast corner of 208th and Holyoke. 22 Enggren's Market In 1916, Bert Enggren purchased a grocery store at this site, adding a meat market and luxury items such as fresh vegetables and fruit, and bakery bread and cookies. The store has been continuously operated by the Enggren family. 23 Shen Hall ;fig ga Built in the 1890s, the lower floor housed retail businesses. The upper floor hall hosted dances, socials, high school graduations, and early movies. The hall was demolished in 1978. Lakeville Municipal Campus The City Hall, Fire Department Headquarters, Police Station, and Dakota County Heritage Library form today's municipal campus located at the intersection of Holyoke Ave. and 202nd St. Prepared by the Lakeville Area Historical Society in cooperation with the Dakota County Historical Society Printed with the assistance of Custom Color Printing, Inc. 8-0101 lack Dogy,. Village Fort Snelling Military Reservation map of 1833 All Dakota County trails lead to the fort through Mendota. Mendota's United States family genealogy May 30, 1803 Mendota acquired in Louisiana Purchase March 26, 1804 In Indiana Territory March 29, 1804 In District of Louisiana March 3, 1805 Renamed Louisiana Territory July 18, 1805 Lt. Pike buys Fort Snelling Military Reserve - Mendota area from the Dakota June 4, 1813 Renamed Missouri Territory August 10, 1821 Orphan Missouri Territory June 28, 1834 In Michigan Territory April 20, 1836 In Wisconsin Territory June 10, 1838 In Iowa Territory December 28, 1846 Orphan Iowa Territory March 3, 1849 In Minnesota Territory May 11, 1858 In State of Minnesota Mendota Walking in the Foot Steps of History Mendota nestles among hills and bluffs at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. The area is so historically significant it hosts two National Register Historic Districts: the Mendota District from the village to the Mendota Bridge, and the Fort Snelling District from the bridge to Fort Snelling. The name Mendota comes from the Dakota Indian word "mdo-te," meeting of the waters. A history making heritage The Dakota looked upon Mendota's setting as the center of the earth and the tall hill overlooking the rivers, Ohe-ya-wa-he, a sacred burial place. Mendota's American history began in 1805 when President Jefferson sent Lt. Zebulon Pike to the upper Mississippi to acquire a site for a fort. Pike purchased a military reserve which included the Mendota area. Construction of Fort Snelling began in 1819 with materials assembled on the Mendota side of the Minnesota River. By 1819, Jean Baptiste Faribault, the US government fur trade factor, was farming on Pike Island. By the1820s a government ferry crossed the Minnesota River to the Fort. After suffering two floods, in 1826, Faribault moved to Mendota. In 1825 the American Fur Company opened a Mendota post under Alexis Bailly. In 1834 Henry Sibley, a partner, arrived to manage the post. He built a stone warehouse and stone home. Sibley became the civilian host for visiting explorers, statesmen, writers, artists, and international guests. In 1842 Father Galtier, assigned to the Mendota French-Canadian flock, built a log church calling it St. Peter's. Eleven years later Father Ravoux built today's Church of St. Peter atop the bluff. By an act of Congress in 1844, called the town site act, Mendota was incorporated. The city was then located in Iowa Territory. Henry Sibley was elected a delegate to Congress in•1848 for the orphaned Wisconsin Territory between the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. Mendota was still Dakota land. He returned home in 1849 with a new Territory of Minnesota extending from the St. Croix to Missouri River. Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois, the Minnesota bill sponsor, included Mendota as the capital. Sibley proposed and won the capital for St. Paul which was open to settlement. In 1849 Dakota County was created including Mendota. Mendota became Dakota County's second county seat from 1854 to 1857. When Dakota County fully organized in 1858 the village of Mendota became part of the newly formed Mendota Township. In 1858 Henry Sibley was elected to be Minnesota's first state governor. The Sibley house became the governor's residence. In 1887 Mendota again incorporated as a Village. In 1974 Village of Mendota became the City of Mendota under a Minnesota statute making all incorporated communities cities. Tour Mendota History Historic places and sites on following pages PIKE ISLAND n 6 8 5J 12 4. 3 4 11 Hypolite DuPuis House built in 1854. DuPuis clerked for Henry Sibley. Between 1928 and 1970 the house was operated as the Sibley Tea House by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The DAR saved and preserved the Sibley properties. 12 Sibley Cold Store. The 1843 stone building served as a storage vault for furs and goods, cooled by a 15' deep ice vault. "In the Village" Everything in the Village is within a short walk. A natural starting point is at the Sibley House Historic Site visitor's center, corner 1st and D Streets. Here you can obtain information and embark on guided tours of the Sibley and Faribault houses. There are also walking tours x> of Mendota and special events from May 1 to October 31. 141 3 16 15 -!` d rali Yam: 13 Sibley House. Begun in 1838 with local Platteville limestone. Originally served as fur company headquarters. The back two stories were added about 1845 and the office about 1858. Stepping through the front door you will be in the foot steps of famous explorers, military, government leaders, artists, writers, and Indians of the day. Sibley was a dominant figure in Minnesota history; congressman from Wisconsin and Minnesota territories, Minnesota's first state governor, and the commanding officer of US forces in the 1862 US - Dakota War. Abandoned Rail xx }}yxx xx—x }}}} . X } ldge } + Sibley Wash House, 1854. Used as wash house and summer kitchen. Now site caretaker's house. 5 Jean Baptiste Faribault House Faribault was an early British trader in the region and met Pike in 1805. Became American fur trader after War of 1812. He was selected by Leavenworth to run US post in Mendota. Moved to Mendota in 1826 and built his stone home in 1840. xx xx Copyright 2001, W.G. Wolston 7-1 Limestone Rail Bridge, 1864. The bridge carried Minnesota Central Railroad into Mendota after crossing Minnesota River. The road under the arch carried horse and auto traffic to the Fort Snelling ferry until 1926. r b7 Pike Island. When you pass under the Limestone Rail Bridge directly ahead is Pike Island, site of Lt. Pike's 1805 Treaty with the Mdewakanton Dakota. Later Col. Henry Leavenworth made a treaty for a larger military reserve. The Dakota insisted on a provision giving Pike Island to Pelagie, wife of Jean Baptiste Faribault. That treaty was never ratified by Congress. Today Pike Island is a park preserve that can be visited using a walking bridge below Fort Snelling. Site of St. Peter's log church. Father Lucien Galtier started holding Catholic services in a log church in 1842. Earlier he held some services in Faribault's former log home but it collapsed. When Father Ravoux built the stone St. Peter's church atop the bluff the log church was used as a school. The school building was demolished in 1864. Minnesota Valley RR Depot Site. Located along side today's track at the limestone bridge. Minnesota Valley was second rail line in Dakota County. Depot demolished in 1970s. 101 Minnesota Quartz Co. Now Jack's Mfg. Co., the 1930s red brick building near the stone rail bridge was the Minnesota Quartz Co. A wrought iron MQ is still on the door. Art Tabor, a geologist, processed crystalline sand for sand blasting and surfacing zinc plates. Tabor stored sand in Faribault House. E. Bernier Building site on 1st St. Mendota's commercial center prior to 1934. Housed a tavern, dry goods store, grocery, and post office. Berniers were also onion brokers and at one time used Sibley and Faribault houses for onion storage. 121 Site of fur warehouse and Third District Court. In 1849 Mendota became seat of third judicial district. Court was held in 1836 Sibley stone warehouse. Judge David Cooper presided over first Minnesota court west of Mississippi River. Mendota Treaty of 1851 negotiations started here with Mdewakanton & Wahpekute Dakota. 131 _ ... Mendota Jail constructed in July 1915. It is spartan with two cells, potbellied stove, chamber pot, and no water. It was used mostly for Hobos and drunks sleeping it off. John Drew Jr. was the constable. Prior to 1915 a jail cell was located in Town Hall basement at 1st and D St. 741 Site of the Episcopal Church. The church, built in 1856, was located across the street from its memorial marker. It was financed entirely by Henry Sibley. There's no record of church activity. It served as Mendota's school from 1867 to 1925. 15 Mendota City Hall site. The 1910 structure was at the corner of 1st St and D St. A gas light from the front of the building was later used at O'Conners on the bluff in Lilydale. When the village school burned down in 1925 the city council gave up this building for school use. A newspaper commented that use as a school deprived young people of a place to dance. r16 I The Site of Jazz. Across D St. from the DuPuis house was the Bow and Arrow, Rampart Club, and Emporium ofJazz. All were generations ofJazz starting with Red Dougherty's quintette at Mitch's 1930s roadhouse atop the bluff. The Bow and Arrow offered jazz in the early 1940s. Doc Evans took over in the 1950s renaming it the Rampart Club. After a break of fifteen years as a potato shed it opened again as the Emporium of Jazz. Enthusiasts from all walks of life performed together as the Hall Brothers. The buildimg also housed the Hot Fish Shop and Mariners restaurant. 11IISSISSW%' FORT SNELLING 21 24 Ferry Crossing 22 1191 Site of New Hope 17 PIKE ISLAND PICNIC ISLAND 5 Church of St. Peter, completed in 1853, the oldest Minnesota church in continuous use. Father Ravoux helped lay-up the native limestone. Faribault, Sibley, and the Fur Comany were major donors. Fort Snelling soldiers often attended services. IL181 k The Mendota Bridge, world's longest poured concrete bridge when constructed in 1926. Thirteen equally spaced arches spanned 4,119 feet. The view from the bridge is outstanding. Dedicated as a memorial to World War I artillery gunners . From "Atop the Bluff Visiting all of these sites is not a walking tour. Two that should be a must are St. Peter's Catholic Church and taking a walk on the Mendota Bridge for a spectacular view. You will find a path to the bridge walkway just beyond the St. Peter's parking lot. Walk close to the center for the best panorama in Minnesota. 19 St. Peter's Church Pilot Knob 20 St. Peter's Cemetery Highway S -,1rZ, r• y Mendota rail crossing. The 1865 crossing from Mendota to Fort Snelling traversed a half mile wooden trestle, 520 foot iron trestle and swing bridge, and a quarter mile of dike. It served the Minnesota Central, first line in Dakota County. 20 St. Peter's Cemetery. Resting place of early Mendota settlers and military. Marker commemorates Mendota's name. 21 Site of Mendota Ferry. Henry Sibley built the ferry in 1836 crossing to Fort Snelling. It continued in use for 90 years 22 Cantonment New Hope site. Built in 1819 prior to Fort Snelling by Col. Henry Leavenworth. Half of his 122 men died of disease during the winter of 1819-20. 23 Pilot Knob. Site of 1851 Treaty of Mendota with eastern Dakota Indians. Treaty opened land west of Mississippi River to settlement. Treaty marker near crest of Acacia Cemetery. Pilot Knob was river navigation point. r Fort Snelling, originally Fort St.Anthony was renamed in 1825 honoring fort's builder and commandant Col. Josiah Snelling.. Prepared by the Mendota/West St. Paul Chapter of the Dakota County Historical Society 8-0501 A Guide to National Register Historic Sites in Dakota County National Register Historic Sites are special. They document significant moments of national and local history. You can see them, feel them, and know each has a story to tell. Dakota County is blessed with a rich heritage. The Sibley House is Minnesota's oldest stone house. Two entire sections of Second Street in Hastings are designated as historic districts. St. Peter's Church, in Mendota Heights, is the oldest church in continuous use in the state. The Frank Lloyd Wright -designed Fasbender Clinic in Hastings expands one's scope of historic structural design. Two Sites within a ten minute drive offer the extremes in Site structures. The 4,119 foot Mendota Bridge took an average of 200 men two -and -one-half years to build. Orchard Gardens Railway Station in Burnsville could be built by two men in a day and carried away by six. Eleven individual sites are located in Hastings plus the Second Street residential and commercial historic districts. Thirteen other structures are located throughout the County, and Mendota hosts another historic district. 1- C IN DAKOTA CASTLE ROCK Henry H. Sibley House Willow Street, Mendota Sibley began construction in 1835 a year after arriving in Mendota. Stone was quarried locally, mud served as mortar, and pegs joined timbers. The home hosted Indians and people such as Schoolcraft, Ramsey, Longfellow, Fremont, Catlin, and Stephen Douglas. Church of St. Peter's Highway 13 at Mendota Bridge Constructed in 1853 with locally quarried limestone. For years services were conducted in French. Replaced an 1842 log church at base of hill. Mendota Historic District The Historic District is bordered by the Mississippi River, D Street in Mendota, State Highway 13, and the Mendota Bridge. National Register Sites include the Faribault and DuPuis Houses as well as the Sibley House and the Church of St. Peter's. Mendota Bridge Fort Snelling -Mendota crossing When opened in 1926 it was the world's longest concrete -arch bridge, 4,119 feet. The 13 identical arches are also unusual. A major renovation, completed in 1994 included widening the bridge deck. 61-1 apAli Stockyard Exchange 200 N. Concord, South St. Paul This imposing stone and brick building was built by the Union Stockyards Company in 1887 to house commission firms and others associated with the city's stockyards. Initially it held the city's first post office, a bank, and temporary City Hall offices. The building was vacated in 1977 and was severely damaged by water in 1979. Several attempts have been made for renovation. Wentworth House 1575 Oakdale Ave., West St. Paul A Queen Anne style mansion built in 1887 by George Wentworth, English immigrant. The house is now being restored by owner Daniel Waits. Reuben Freeman House 9091 Inver Grove Trail, Inver Grove Heights "The House of Eight Gables" was built by Freeman and his son. Both were experienced builders. Exterior walls are made with stones gathered on the Freeman farm. Bottle glass was used to replaced stone around second story windows. Oberhoffer House 17045 Judicial Road W., Lakeville Emil Oberhoffer, first conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, built this summer home, called 'The Towers," from 1914 to 1918. It was owned by golfer Patty Berg's parents in the 1940s. Orchard Gardens Station County 5 and 155th St., Burnsville Built in 1910 on the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and Dubuque Traction Railroad, the "Dan Patch Line." Waterford School District 72 321st St. at Cornell Ave., Waterford This beautiful school house was constructed in 1882 for $800. The township purchased it in 1944 for a town hall and community center. St. Mary's Church 8433 23th St. E., New Trier The third church built on Mary Hill by the German Catholics of New Trier. A log church was built in 1856 followed by a stone structure in 1864. The impressive Beaux Arts church was built in 1909. Copyright 1994 W.G. Wolston Exchange Bank Building 344 3rd Street, Farmington Opened in 1880 as the Bank of Farmington, the building provided space for a hardware store, post office and music hall seating 500 people. A devastating city fire in 1879 prompted the brick construction. Akin House 19185 Akin Road, Farmington The home was constructed of limestone by Daniel F. Akin from a nearby quarry between 1856 and 1860. An unusual feature is the first story's floor to ceiling windows. The Church of the Advent 412 Oak St., Farmington Parishioners constructed the church in 1872 using a book on rural architecture probably suggested by pioneer Episcopal Bishop Whipple. The Bishop consecrated the church in 1873. rT_ Good Templars Hall 9965 124th St. Nininger Originally a two story meeting hall, the 1858 building became a school in 1859. By the 1870s wood decay on the first floor resulted in the floor's removal and lowering the second floor to make a one story building. It became the Nininger Town Hall in the 1950s. • • P4 i 1A, St n a S. SL n 1 firm City of Hastings National Register Sites n nf 11 nn 1 1=r. 1 i' ; H 1 National Register Districts A East 2nd St. Commercial District Thirty-five buildings testify to Hastings as a manufacturing center and river port. Several display iron work from the Star Iron works. Registered are the Mississippi Belle, Adsit Hospital, Ye Olde City Hall, Masonic Block, Gardner House, and the Michael Schaller, Jacob Schaller, Griffin, Hageman-Humm, Pitz, Mertz, Reissner, Bathrick, Pringle, and Finch buildings. B West 2nd St. Residential District The district includes six National Register homes; Strauss, Norrish, Thorne, Pringle, Pringle -Simmons and Olson. The oldest are the Olson House, moved from Nininger in 1857, and the Norrish House built in 1857. The latter is an octagon design which eliminates hallways with its central core . Dakota County Courthouse Now the Hastings City Hall Third and Vermillion Streets The former Dakota County Courthouse was built in 1871 and extensively remodeled to its present design in 1912. After a period of vacancy it was beautifully refurbished for its grand opening as the Hastings City Hall in 1993. Primary architectural features are the four corner towers and neo-classical dome and rotunda. Continued next page LeDuc-Simmons Mansion 1629 Vermillion Street The Gothic Revival style mansion was completed in 1865 by William Gates LeDuc. LeDuc was a lawyer, businessman and author. , ; *i+s - Hastings Foundry Star Iron Works First St. between Chestnut and Bass Built in 1859 by A. R. More11. Later housed production of marine engines, building components, and boats. fj Thompson-Fasbender House 318 Pine St. Grain dealer and lumber miller William Thompson built this house in 1880. In 1929 it became St. Raphael's Hospital under Dr. Fasbender. It is now the Thorwood Bed and Breakfast. -;�- "Ian Fasbender Clinic Highway 55 and Pine St. Thomas H. Olson, in 1957, asked Frank Lloyd Wright to design this clinic for his friend Doctor Fasbender. The construction was completed in 1959 after Wright's death. Wright -Eckert House 724 Ashland St. Built in 1868 as a parsonage by G.W.T. Wright, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Designed entirely in wood, this Italian Villa style features a cupola and front porch. Van Dyke-Libbey House 612 Vermillion St. This imposing Second Empire style mansion was built by banker W.J. Van Dyke in 1862. Lumber mill owner RC Libbey lived here from 1880 to 1911. McDonald -Todd House 309 West Seventh St. A.W. McDonald, staff member of the Scientific American, edited the Emigrant Aid Journal in this house when it was located in Nininger. It was moved to Hastings in 1868 by Irving Todd, Sr. Howes-Graus House 718 Vermillion St. An 1860s Italianate mansion built by Byron C. Howes. The three story tower is known as a "campanile." Methodist Episcopal Church 8th and Vermillion Sts. The design is a combination of Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, and Italianate styles. It was constructed in 1862 on 5th St. and moved to the present location in 1871. Latto House 620 Ramsey St. Rudolph Latto, brewer and president of the German American Bank, built this Victorian Mansion in 1880. The house was left to the city in 1914 to establish a hospital. It is now the Rosewood Bed and Breakfast. Published by the Dakota County Historical Society 130 Third Avenue North, South St. Paul, Minnesota 55075 4-0592 WWW.CO.DAKOTA.MN.US UPDATE Transportation in Dakota County remains top priority Dakota County Commissioners have directed County staff to revise the County's long-term comprehensive transportation plan as efforts con- tinue on several other transportation -related proj- ects. Over the next several months, the County's Transportation Policy Plan will be updated. The plan is a 20-year look at future transportation needs — including where new and expanded roads will be needed, and transit needs — that identifies necessary costs and sets priorities. The plan includes an inventory of current county roads, with maintenance and upgrading anticipat- ed; identifying future new roads and an implemen- tation schedule; estimates of costs for identified needs; and ranking projects by priority. The plan will act as a guide for completing major projects. The current 20-year Transportation Plan was done five years ago, with involvement from citizens in surveys, focus groups, a Citizens Jury, workshops with city and township officials, and public meetings. A similar strategy will be used for the revised plan, taking advantage of newer pieces of information such as updated census and land use information to show where popula- tion growth is expected, comprehensive trans- portation plans at the state and regional level, and new travel behavior forecasts. "Right now, we do really well at planning trans- portation needs for the next five years. But the years six to 20 in the future are important for us to anticipate in the context of what we're working on today,' said Commissioner Mike Turner, District Five. "We already know we won't have enough funds to do all the projects that all of our citizens might want us to consider. This plan will help us figure out where the needs will be the greatest, and then plan ahead for them" Commissioner Paul Krause, District Six, contin- ued, "This county is growing fast, and congestion on major roadways is growing even faster. We need to plan very carefully to squeeze the best use of our tax dollars to help citizens efficiently get where they need to go. That doesn't just mean new roads, it means looking at mass transit options too" The total cost for building one mile of a four -lane (divided) county highway is now about $3.5 mil- lion. East-West Corridor About 75 citizens attended two open houses held in Farmington and Lakeville last fall to dis- cuss future plans for a new east -west cross - county transportation corridor. Final recommen- dations will go to the Board of Commissioners next month. No funds are identified to construct a new road, so it isn't imminent. The goal is to identify a sys- tem of corridors so future development doesn't block all viable alternatives. The population in Lakeville, Farmington and Empire Township is expected to almost double between now and 2020. But there is no continuous or direct route from west to east across the county south of County Road 46, or 160th Street. "We heard a general consensus from people at the open houses that this is really needed. If we can identify corridors where new roadways could eventually be constructed, we can make sure everyone knows where the right-of-way will need to be," said Commissioner Krause. Cedar Avenue Transitway Dakota County has been studying the Cedar Avenue Transitway for three years in an effort to relieve congestion along a 10-mile stretch that crosses the Minnesota River and continues through Burnsville, Eagan and Apple Valley. The Dakota County Board of Commissioners approved a proposal last year to use bus rapid transit in the corridor. Currently, more than 100,000 vehicles per day use Cedar Avenue to go into and out of Dakota County. "Already in the morning peak traffic peri- ods, the congestion is terrible. And our projec- tions show that much more traffic is expected along Cedar Avenue in the next 20 years," said Commissioner Turner. "Solving this problem is one of our most critical transportation needs, and we can't do this alone." He said last year, $3 million was earmarked for further environmental and engineering work on the Cedar Avenue Transitway in both the (federal level) House of Representatives and the Senate transportation finance legislation. "Unfortunately, neither of those proposals passed before Congress adjourned for the year so we have to start over and hope we can successfully make the Cedar Avenue Transitway case again for how important that funding is to Dakota County." Cedar Avenue is both a state and county highway, but there are no plans for the state to expand it. However, the state Legislature and Metropolitan Council have appropriated a total of $1.4 million for transitway studies and planning. At the request of officials from Burnsville and Lakeville, feasibility studies are underway to extend the cor- ridor as far as County Road 70 in Lakeville and along I-35E into Burnsville. Dakota County's partners in the transitway study are the state Transportation Department, Hennepin County, the Minnesota Valley Transit Association, the Metropolitan Council and the cities along the corridor. "Doing something on this scale is not easy and won't happen quickly, but it's clear the congestion problem will only get worse;' Commissioner Turner said. Contact: Office of Planning, (952) 891-7030 PAGE 3 EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE. RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT 2003 Winter Program Registration Now Open Dakota County Parks offer an array of unique programs to get you out and about! Register online or by touchtone phone any time of day through Link2Funt; -Link2Fun! Link2Fun! • touch-tone phone registration with easy to follow menus • convenient, confidential registration payment by credit card • TO USE Link2Fun!: call 651.438.4RES (4737) and press 3. eLink2Fun! • on-line, easy, secure registration • convenient, secure payment by credit card • browse current program listings or search by keyword • view facilities (such as picnic shelters or campsites) and their amenities • get driving directions and print a map • TO USE eLink2Fun!: log onto the Dakota County Parks web site at www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks; click on eLink2Fun! Parks Program Registration. Follow the easy to use registration instructions. To register, have your: • Account Number and Personal Identification Number (PIN) (see To Establish an Account below) • course number • and major credit card ready. Each system offers a clear, secure and user-friendly registration process at your fingertips 24-hours a day, seven days a week from your home or office. To establish an account... Contact the Dakota County Parks office at 651.438.4696 during business hours (Monday -Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) to establish an account and receive a PIN, or complete and submit the online Account Access Form located on the eLink2Fun! web page. Information in your account is confidential and not used for any other purpose. These traditional forms of registration are also still available: • BY PHONE: Call the Parks Office at 651.438.4696 during regular business hours, Monday -Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Please have the course number (CN) and your credit card handy. • BY MAIL: Mail in your registration (registration forms available in the Connections brochure and on-line) with your check or credit card number. • IN PERSON: At the Park Administration office in Spring Lake Park Reserve. VISA, MasterCard or Discover cards accepted on all registrations. `Not all courses are available for registration through Link2Fun! and eLink2Fun! FULL MOON SNOWSHOE Sat. Feb 15 7-9 pm Spr Lk Yth Camp, Spr Lk Prk Res, Rsmt CN: 162 Fee: $7/person or $15/family Enjoy a naturalist -led snowshoe hike by the light of the full moon. RR SL SENIORS INTRO TO DOGSLEDDING Thu, Feb 20 10 am-4 pm Lk Byllesby Reg Prk, Cannon Falls CN: 163 Fee: $40/person Experience the thrill of mushing a team of dogs through the snow. RR SL CANDLELIGHT SKI Fri, Feb 21 (Friday eve. event) 5-9 pm Schaar's Bluff, Spr Lk Prk Res, Hastings CN:165 Fee: Free Ski along the Mississippi bluffs by candle- light on a 5.8K classical ski trail. WOMEN'S INTRO TO DOGSLEDDING Sat, Feb 22 10 am-4 pm Lk Byllesby Reg Prk, Cannon Falls CN: 192 Fee: $40/person Experience the thrill of mushing a team of dogs through the snow RR SL MINNESOTA WOLVES Tue, Feb 25 7-8 pm Camp Sac, Leb Hills Reg Prk, AV CN: 195 Fee: $7/person or $15/family Learn about Minnesota wolves and what makes them so unique. RR SL MIESVILLE RAVINE WINTER HIKE Sat, Mar 1 11 am-2:30 pm Miesville Ravine Prk Res, Miesville CN: 166 Fee: $7/person or $15/family Hike this beautiful park with naturalist Steve Thomforde. RR SL INDIAN LORE Sat, Mar 1 1-5 pm Spr Lk Yth Camp, Spr Lk Prk Res, Rsmt CN: 196 Fee: S10/person Learn of the Ojibwe and Dakotah Indians who lived in this area long ago. RR SL EVENING UNDER THE STARS Mon, Mar 3 7-9 pm Spr Lk Yth Camp, Spr Lk Prk Res, Rsmt CN: 197 Fee: $7/person or $15/family Discover star clusters, nebulae and much more with Mike Lynch of WCCO. RR SL OWL PROWL Fri, Mar 14 7-9 pm Camp Sac, Leb Hills Reg Prk, AV CN: 167 Fee: $7/person or S15/family Meet a live owl and learn more about his unique raptor. RR SL BUILD A FOLDING ROCKING CHAIR Tue. Mar 18 AND 25 6-9 pm Camp Sac, Leb Hills Reg Prk, AV CN: 198 Fee: $125/person (includes chair & instruction) Lace your own rocking chair from the same materials used for snowshoes. Register by Mon, Mar 10. RR SL BUILD A BLUEBIRD HOUSE Thu, Mar 27 5:30-7:30 pm Dakota Lodge, Thompson Cty Prk, WSP CN: 168 Fee: $15/person or family: (includes one birdhouse kit) Build a nesting box and learn how to attract birds to your home. RR SL PARENT/CHILD - MAP & COMPASS Sat, Mar 29 10 am -noon Camp Sac, Leb Hills Reg Prk. AV CN: 199 Fee: $7/person or $15/family Discover how to find your way with a map and compass. RR SL RR = Registration Required SL = Space is limited Park and recreation programs and facilities are available for people of at abilities. KNEE-HIGH NATURALISTS Preschool programs 9:30-11 a.m. One Saturday a month Spring Lake Youth Camp, Spring Lk Prk Res, Rosemount $5/child; adults free Geared for children ages 3-6. Parent must accompany children. RR ROCKY ROADS March 1 CN:202 Discover rocks underfoot, in your house and even rocks you can eat! SPRING TO LIFE April 5 CN: 20 Learn about the season on a hike in search of changes in the forest. 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Ycc,T// - Sdc'i EA,-74Z vfTt-RAyS //041E Gl v/L vvAl' cF F/RS i '14 i/vyZ":54O7 o6 Nt,v G/Y/G w4/3 17t4D /4 ,vA T-iOyAG- CE'fl TEe/E.S 9'f S' EA/CA4/ 1,V4,ti 9c1D SPA/v/Sfi ,14iC/c'/G4/1/ 1v4/i qf, /2 w w / 0, / y h/ Iv /! 9'/W ,9 1_4_ oTl,<r,� k4 4 TH,E�-STog fis 5 P,4/, (4 - c ij T i'h5 IvoyrE-y • • BYLAWS OF THE DAKOTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY December 10, 1987 Edited & Approved January 25, 1992 January 28, 1995 September 24, 1998 ARTICLE 1 NAME The name of this association shall be the Dakota County Historical Society, hereinafter referred to as DCHS. ARTICLE 2 PURPOSE The purpose of the DCHS, as outlined in the Articles of Incorporation, includes: to promote, foster, develop, and interpret the history of this county and its people. In doing so, the DCHS may acquire, collect, preserve, reconstruct, restore, exhibit, display and demonstrate this history through artifacts, documents, and literary works. The DCHS shall be allowed to own property and operate a museum. ARTICLE 3 FISCAL YEAR The DCHS shall operate its fiscal year on a calendar basis -- January 1 to December 31. ARTICLE 4 MEMBERSHIP 1 - Any person interested in the DCHS may be enrolled as an active member of the DCHS upon receipt of the annual dues. 2 - Membership dues and categories of membership shall be reviewed annually by the Board of Directors. 3 - Members failing to pay their dues after they become payable shall be dropped from the rolls 60 days after the date due. 4 - No person shall be qualified as a member or entitled to vote at a meeting unless his or her annual dues have been paid in advance of meeting. ARTICLE 5 GOVERNMENT 1 - The management of the affairs and property of the DCHS shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors consisting of the officers and trustees. 2 - The officers of the DCHS shall be the President, Vice -President, Secretary, and Treasurer, who shall be elected at the Annual Meeting. 3 - All officers shall be elected for three year terms. An officer may serve two consecutive terms (a total of six years) if re-elected. 4 - The Trustees of the DCHS shall consist of the immediate past president, and five elected Trustees. Elected Trustees shall be elected for two year terms and may serve two consecutive terms (a total of four years) if re-elected. 5 - The Board of Directors may also include one representative designated by each Chapter of the DCHS. This representative shall be a full voting member of the DCHS Board of Directors and may be appointed on an annual basis, but may not serve more than four years. 6 - The Board of Directors shall enforce enactments and resolutions of the membership as adopted at the Annual Meeting, and accepts responsibility for the DCHS personnel policy, membership policy, museum hours, budget, fund raising, construction, publications, the maintenance of the buildings and ground in the possession of the DCHS, and the delegation of all other powers that are inherent to such a board. 2 • • 7 - The Board of Directors shall be empowered to employ or dismiss a director and other staff whose duties shall be determined by the Board of Directors in a written policy and duty statement. 8 - Paid employees or their relatives shall not hold voting positions on the Board of Directors. 9 - Members related through blood or marriage shall not be allowed to serve as voting members on the Board at any one time. ARTICLE 6 DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS The President 1 - The President, with the input of the Board members, the director, and staff, shall determine the agenda for all meetings. 2 - The President shall act as a liaison between the Board of Directors and the director of the DCHS. The Vice President 3 - The Vice -President shall preside in the absence of the President and shall perform such other duties as designed by the President or Board of Directors. The Vice President shall assume the office of the President, should the President be unable to execute his or her duties. The Secretary 4 - The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all Board Meetings. The Treasurer 5 - The Treasurer shall have oversight of the financial activities and record keeping of the DCHS and its financial reports. The Board of Directors 6 - It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors to attend Board meetings. If a member of the Board of Directors fails to attend three consecutive meetings, the Board, may at its discretion, consider appointing a replacement to the position. 7 - If a vacancy occurs in any office during the term of a member of the Board, the Board is authorized to fill the vacancy and the appointee shall serve until the completion of the former Board member's term. 8 - The Board of Directors may establish an executive committee consisting of three or more members of the Board, to act in case of emergency. 9 - The Board of Directors may be compensated for their services as authorized by the Board. ARTICLE 7 MEETINGS 1 - Regular meetings The Board of Directors shall hold quarterly meetings. 2 - Additional meetings The President may call additional meetings of the Board of Directors. 3 - Special meetings Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by: a) The President b) By a majority of the Board of Directors. c) By 5% or more of the members of the DCHS. All special meetings shall specify the specific purpose, and any business not appearing on the agenda shall be considered out -of -order. 4 - Annual Meeting The DCHS shall hold its Annual Meeting during the month of January. 5 - All meetings shall require notification of the Board of Directors at least ten days in advance. This notice shall be by mail or by phone call. 4 • • 6 - Quorums A simple majority of the Board members shall constitute a quorum for the conducting of business. For an Annual meeting, 5 percent of the membership shall constitute a quorum 7 - Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail at all meetings. 8 - Annual Meeting Procedure The President shall appoint a Board Development Committee of two or more members at least 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting to nominate a slate of candidates for the Board of Directors. Nominations may also be made from the floor by members in good standing, and with the permission in writing from the person being nominated, unless that person is present at the meeting. Only members in good standing may be nominated. 9 - Executive Committee The executive committee, consisting of at least three members of the Board of Directors, may meet whenever an emergency arises. ARTICLE 8 COMMITTEES 1 - The President shall appoint committees when necessary. The chairs of the committees shall, whenever possible, be appointed from the members of the Board of Directors. 2 - All committees shall be appointed to serve until a particular project is completed or until the next Annual Meeting, whichever occurs first. 3 - All Committees may be reappointed annually. There shall be no limit to the number of annual terms to which a member of a committee may be appointed. 4 - Whenever a committee business appears on the agenda, a representative of that committee shall be present at the meeting. ARTICLE 9 CHAPTERS 1 - Chapters may be organized for affiliation with the DCHS for the purpose of fostering a particular phase of county history, or to promote the general purposes of the DCHS (as found in the Articles of Incorporation) and shall be within particular geographic areas. 2 - Application for affiliation shall be made by submitting a copy of the proposed bylaws or other acceptable instruments of government, or a statement of purpose. Affiliation shall be granted upon 2/3 (two thirds) vote of the DCHS Board of Directors. 3 - The DCHS director and/or staff shall assist persons in the formation of a chapter, including the completion of any required governmental papers. 3a - Each chapter must sign a copy of the "Local Chapter Affiliation Agreement" which identifies the duties and responsibilities of the chapter and the DCHS. This agreement may be subject to annual review by both parties. 4 - It shall be a general policy to provide each approved chapter, if requested, with a startup subsidy of 250.00 while it is incorporating. This shall be a one time subsidy. 5 - To be eligible for a yearly grant from the DCHS, a chapter must comply with all parts of section III of the "Local Chapter Affiliation Agreement." Any request for a subsidy in excess of $250.00 must be approved by the DCHS Board of Directors. 6 - In accordance with the process defined in the "Local Chapter Affiliation Agreement", chapters may set their own annual dues, and these dues must be at least equal to that charged by the DCHS. Chapters shall be required to return to the DCHS one half of the amount of the dues being charged for membership in the DCHS. This portion returned to the DCHS makes chapter members full DCHS members and provides them all the rights and privileges of any DCHS member. 7 - Each chapter, if not represented by an officer or an elected board member, may annually elect or appoint a representative to sit on the DCHS Board as a full voting member. This person may be appointed on an annual basis and serve no more than four years. 8 - Each chapter shall present an oral, annual activity report at the DCHS Annual Meeting. An annual written financial report shall be submitted to DCHS prior to the annual meeting. 9 - It shall be the policy of the DCHS and chapters to give mutual aid and support to one 6 • • • another in their work. 10 - Chapter affiliation with the DCHS may be terminated for any sufficient reason by a 2/3 (two thirds) vote of the DCHS Board of Directors at the meeting where this item appears on the agenda. 11 - Unless otherwise provided for in the chapter's bylaws, if a chapter becomes inactive, all records, assets, and articles of value shall be surrendered to the DCHS. ARTICLE 10 DCHS AFFILIATION The DCHS shall be enrolled as a member of the Minnesota Historical Society, paying the established dues, and whenever feasible, sending a delegate to represent it at the meetings of the State Society. The DCHS shall make an annual report to the Minnesota Historical Society. ARTICLE 11 DISPOSITION OF COLLECTIONS AND ASSETS 1 - The DCHS, or the Board of Directors, shall make provision for the custody and housing of all material of historic value received by the DCHS. 2 - It is hereby provided that if the DCHS fails in two consecutive years to hold an Annual Meeting, it shall be interpreted as the cessation of an effective working organization. 3 - All assets belonging to the DCHS shall then be turned over to the Dakota County Commissioners, who should place the historic items of the DCHS in the care of the Minnesota State Historical Society until such time as a new society can be organized or the County Board of Commissioners arranges for the care of them. ARTICLE 12 AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS 1 - The Bylaws of the DCHS shall be reviewed at least every two years. 2 - These Bylaws may be amended by the Board of Directors provided that notice, together with a copy of the proposed changes, has been sent by mail to each member of the Board at least 30 days prior to the meeting where the changes will be discussed and voted on. 3 - Members of the DCHS shall be informed that changes are being considered, and of the availability of copies of the proposed changes. 4 - A 2/3 (two thirds) vote by the Board members present shall be necessary to amend these Bylaws. 5 - Amendments to the Bylaws take effect at the conclusion of the Board meeting unless otherwise specified. 6 - Any Bylaw change approved by the Board of Directors shall be reported on at the Annual Meeting of the DCHS. ARTICLE 13 INDEMNIFICATION To the full extent permitted by the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation act, as amended from time to time, or as otherwise provided by law, the following rule applies: At the discretion of the Board of Directors, any person who becomes a party to any legal action because that person is a member, director, officer, employee, or volunteer of DCHS, while acting within the scope of their assigned duties, will be indemnified for the following expenses that such person actually incurs as a result of being a party to such legal action: • attorney's fees; • fines; • judgments; • settlements; and • other reasonable expenses as a direct result of the legal action. • • • 8 May, 1999 Local Chapter Affiliation Agreement Section I The Dakota County Historical Society (DCHS) will only establish a chapter or affiliate relationship with an organization which has its own 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status. Organizations which were chapters or affiliated with the DCHS prior to fiscal year 1999, as of January 1 s` 1999, will not be required to obtain a separate 501 (c) (3) status. Section II Establishing an Independent Historical Organization Contact the Minnesota Historical Society Field Services Division for guidance on the establishment of a new organization. Section III Membership Relationship Chapters established prior to fiscal year 1999 and new chapters or affiliated organizations with their own 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status may offer a dual membership in both the DCHS and their own chapter or affiliated organization at the DCHS membership rate. Chapters or affiliated organizations with their own 501 (c) (3) status will be responsible for collecting membership dues and remitting at least half of the revenue to the DCHS quarterly. The organization will submit to the DCHS the name and address of the new member and a copy of the check written for membership dues. The organization will also be responsible for billing membership renewals. Chapters established prior to fiscal year 1999 shall have an addendum, prepared by the DCHS, added to this agreement which would outline the particular details of the organizations' unique responsibilities related to maintaining and developing dual memberships. Section IV Grants Chapters established prior to fiscal year 1999 and other Dakota County local history organizations which have their own 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status and a bank account may apply for a Dakota County local history project grant from the DCHS. Dakota County local history project grants will not exceed an amount to be determined annually by the DCHS Board of Directors. The number of grants available will be limited and also determined annually by the DCHS Board of Directors. Organizations may apply for grants by filing a grant application with the DCHS. Application forms will be made available upon request at the beginning of each calendar year. Applications for Dakota County local history project grants will be due by the end of February each calendar year. Grant applications will be reviewed by the DCHS Board during its March meeting each year. Grant applicants will be notified about the status of their application following the DCHS Board's March meeting. Grant recipients will be expected to finish their Dakota County local history projects and submit an end of project report by the end of December in the year that they receive the grant. Section V Liability Disclaimer By granting an organization chapter or affiliate status, the DCHS, including its Directors, officY:r, and employees, does not accept any current or future direct liability created at any tin, whether as to intentional or unintentional acts or omis• ions, Ly the chapter or affiliate and its Directors, officers or employees, cr any it direct liability as to third parties. Section VI Review of Agreement The DCHS and affiliated organizations shall review this agreement annually and revise it as needed. DCHS Presiders Date Affiliate President Date • • • Accession Number GIFT AGREEMENT Dakota County Historical Society 130 Third Avenue North South St. Paul, MN 55075 , hereby give, deliver and convey to the Dakota County Historical Society my property described below. This property is given by myself voluntarily, gratuitously and absolutely. I waive all present and future rights to this property for myself, my heirs, my assigns and my personal representatives. This property shall be recorded as an unrestricted gift from me. The Society shall have the right to exhibit, use, and/or dispose of the property as and when it wishes. I understand that by the signature below of a representative of the Dakota County Historical Society that this property has been accepted unconditionally by the Dakota County Historical Society. Description of artifact(s): Donor Date Address Phone For the Society Date Title of pages Preservation Guidelines Types of Files: .4dL,,(eto.,(4, 4. �taoo Subject files created as needed containing newspaper articles, written accounts, photocopies of originals in another location Family files containing news articles about people or families, genealogies, family stories The above files can be open to the public without much concern for the sQfety of the files Catalogued artifacts: Archives containing original material which is encapsulated or in a protective mylar folder. This material can be photocopied and filed in the subject or family files to make them accessible. Photographs in protective mylar folders. Again these can be photocopied and the copies put in appropriate file folders for accessibility. Cataloguing methods: Using the "year. donation. item" method, each item should be catalogued and stored in an order which makes finding them easy. 1998.9.13 1998 is the year in which the item was received 9 is the number of the donor in that year 13 is the number of the item in question, the donor gave at least 13 items at that time Preservation: Encapsulation using mylar and two sided tape Mylar pockets for small enough items Acid free boxex Acid free folders Storage: PF can be a photo file AR can be for archival material OVER can be oversized boxes for large archival materials, birth certificates, etc. NEG can be a three ring binder with negative sheets ir: it Enclosed are examples of a gift agreement, collection information sheet, worksheet Possible subject headings: Activities Airport Banks Business Business - Northwest Business - West Group Census Chamber of Commerce (Conv & Vis Bureau) Churches Churches - St. John Neumann Churches - Trinity Community Service Farming Fire Department History & General > This can be used for subjects which haven't got a home Housing Housing - Historic Indians Industry Lykes - see Parks & Lakes Municipal Newspapers Organizations & Clubs Parks & Lakes Parks - Holz Farm Park Police Department Post Office Railroads Railroads - Nicols Railroads - Wescott Recycling River Roads, Streets & Highways Schools Social Services Social Services - Warren Eustis Center Social Services - Lewis House Voting Water & Sewer Subject headings can be created as needed. SUBJECT FILE: PORTRAIT FILE: Address or Location PHOTO CATALOG PhotoNo. Description: Condition: Mint Good Fair Poor Other Comment on Condition Date of Photo How Dated Size Framed Matte Color Black & White Brown & White Negative Slide Donor Address Donor Comment SUBJECT FILE: PORTRAIT FILE: Address or Location PHOTO CATALOG Photo No. Description: Condition: Mint Good • Fair Poor Other Comment on Condition Date of Photo How Dated Size Framed Matted Color Black & White Brown & Vhite Negat iv'e S 1 i de Donor Address Donor Comment A Brief Synopsis of Heritage Hall In 1968 Heritage Hall was formed by volunteers. We are now called the Pioneer Room. In 1993 when we got this room after the city purchased the former Dakota Courthouse and remodeled it, all of the collected material was dumped in this room. We are subsidized by the city. The staff is Richard Darsow, Ethel Thieling, Bob Olson and we are unpaid volunteers. We sell articles and take donations for services rendered or for photocopies made. We collect artifacts made in Hastings or are a part of Hastings history. Collect copies of all books and pamphlets published on Hastings. Catalog all books. Collect obituaries from St. Paul, Minneapolis and Hastings newspapers every day, plus articles on Hastings, Dakota County, Minnesota and USA. Collect current city and county publications on history and preservation. For the past 5 or 6 years, we have been upgrading records of all the cemeteries in the Hastings area. The Dakota County web site is up and running, and all cemeteries in the county will be entered. We collect high school graduation pictures, keep records of Hastings Alumni, Hastings has a very active alumni association. Collect and catalog photographs. These are divided into subject matter and biographical matter. (Explain) All large framed photos and material is stored in the attic under cover. All overflow material is stored in the basement. Catalog all subject matter that has been researched in depth. We have two sets of files on Hastings, a biographical file and a subject file. We also have a Dakota County file, a Minnesota file, and a USA file. Whenever possible we use acid free storage material. We have a collection of clothing, i.e. Mrs.LeDuc, Ruth Morton, (special clothing that we put on display in the cabinets). Change the display cabinets in the rotunda. We have an Art Committee that is in charge of our art collection. We solicit for and promote the work of the Pioneer Room. I am Curator of this room and also a city historian. Much of my time these past few years has been researching and writing about Hastings. I have many articles published in DCHS publications and Hastings newspapers. (i.e. 20th century series). I act as a step -on -tour guide for visiting bus tours. I am on the book committee that will publish a History of Dakota County in the Twentieth Century, $132,000 has been appropriated. Also $95,000 for an Arts Program. i ] Return Date Loan Period: Date: Name: Loan Number INCOMING LOAN AGREEMENT EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 Phone E-mail To Date: } Address: City, State,ZipCode Telephone: Fax: E-Mail: Purpose of Loan: Insurance Value: Number Object LOAN AGREEMENT PROVISIONS CARE The Eagan Historical Society will provide the same care for loan objects as it does for its permanent collection. It is understood by the lender and the EHS that all tangible objects are subject to gradual inherent deterioration for which neither party is responsible. No alteration, restoration, or repair of loan items will be undertaken without the written authorization of the lender. INSURANCE Loaned items will have limited insurance coverage under the City of Fagan's insurance policy. Additional coverage is the responsibility of the lender. Lender will indicate insurance value of loaned items at the time of loan. Set value must reflect fair market value. Lender's failure to indicate a value constitutes lender's authorization to the EHS to set a value for purposes of insurance for the period of the loan. Said value is nit to be considered an appraisal. The amount payable by insurance secured in accordance with this agreement is the sole recovery available to the lender from EHS in the event of loss or damage. CHANGE OF ADDRESS If the legal ownership of the loaned items changes during the loan period, whether by reason of death, sale, insolvency, or otherwise, it is the responsibility of the new owner and the lender to notify the EHS, giving the full name and address of the new owner in writing. The EHS assumes no responsibility to search for a lender (owner) who cannot be reached at the address of record. LOAN PERIOD AND RETURN OF LOANS The length of the load period must be indicated on the loan form at the time the loan is made. Upon termination of the loan, EHS will contact the lender to either return or renew the loan. If the lender has not responded to EHS' first message within thirty (30) days upon termination of the loan, EHS will attempt to notify the lender in writing at the last known address of the need to arrange return or renewal of the item. If attempts to return or renew items are unsuccessful, items loaned to EHS will be maintained at the lender's risk and expense for a maximum of one (1) year. If after one (1) year the items have not been claimed., the lender/owner agrees that the items become the unrestricted property of the EHS. Any changes in this Agreement must be noted in writing on this form or on an attached form. Additions agreed -upon loan conditions are listed below: - Lender Signature: EHS Staff Signature: (TO BE SIGNED UPON RETURN OF MATERIAL ) [The below signed have witnessed that all materials herein have been returned to the rightful owner in [accordance with this contract ) [ ] {Lender's signature: Date: } [ 1 [EHS Staff signature: Date: } Return Date Loan Number [ } Loan Period: Date: Name: INCOMING LOAN AGREEMENT EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 Phone E-mail To Date: Address: City, State,ZipCode Telephone: Fax: E-Mail: Purpose of Loan: Insurance Value: Number Object LOAN AGREEMENT PROVISIONS CARE The Eagan Historical Society will provide the same care for loan objects as it does for its permanent collection. It is understood by the lender and the EHS that all tangible objects are subject to gradual inherent deterioration for which neither party is responsible. No alteration, restoration, or repair of loan items will be undertaken without the written authorization of the lender. INSURANCE Loaned items will have limited insurance coverage under the City of Eagan's insurance policy. Additional coverage is the responsibility of the lender. Lender will indicate insurance value of loaned items at the time of loan. Set value must reflect fair market value. Lender's failure to indicate a value constitutes lender's authorization to the EHS to set a value for purposes of insurance for the period of the loan. Said value is nit to be considered an appraisal. The amount payable by insurance secured in accordance with this agreement is the sole recovery available to the lender from EHS in the event of loss or damage. CHANGE OF ADDRESS If the legal ownership of the loaned items changes during the loan period, whether by reason of death, sale, insolvency, or otherwise, it is the responsibility of the new owner and the lender to notify the EHS, giving the full name and address of the new owner in writing. The EHS assumes no responsibility to search for a lender (owner) who cannot be reached at the address of record. LOAN PERIOD AND RETURN OF LOANS The length of the load period must be indicated on the loan form at the time the loan is made. Upon termination of the loan, EHS will contact the lender to either return or renew the loan. If the lender has not responded to EHS' first message within thirty (30) days upon termination of the loan, EHS will attempt to notify the lender in writing at the last known address of the need to arrange return or renewal of the item. If attempts to return or renew items are unsuccessful, items loaned to EHS will be maintained at the lender's risk and expense for a maximum of one (I) year. If after one (1) year the items have not been claimed, the lender/owner agrees that the items become the unrestricted property of the EHS. Any changes in this Agreement must be noted in writing on this form or on an attached form. Additions agreed -upon loan conditions are listed below: - Lender Signature: EHS Staff Signature: {TO BE SIGNED UPON RETURN OF MATERIAL } [The below signed have witnessed that all materials herein have been returned to the rightful owner in [accordance with this contract. } [ [ {Lender's signature: Date: } [EHS Staff signature: Date: } } i 1 Return Date Loan Number INCOMING LOAN AGREEMENT EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 Phone E-mail } Loan Period: Date: To Date: Name: Address: City, State,ZipCode Telephone: Fax: E-Mail: Purpose of Loan: Insurance Value: Number Object 1 LOAN AGREEMENT PROVISIONS CARE The Eagan Historical Society will provide the same care for loan objects as it does for its permanent collection. It is understood by the lender and the EHS that all tangible objects are subject to gradual inherent deterioration for which neither party is responsible. No alteration, restoration, or repair of loan items will be undertaken without the written authorization of the lender. INSURANCE Loaned items will have limited insurance coverage under the City of Eagan's insurance policy. Additional coverage is the responsibility of the lender. Lender will indicate insurance value of loaned items at the time of loan. Set value must reflect fair market value. Lender's failure to indicate a value constitutes lender's authorization to the EHS to set a value for purposes of insurance for the period of the loan. Said value is nit to be considered an appraisal. The amount payable by insurance secured in accordance with this agreement is the sole recovery available to the lender from EHS in the event of loss or damage. CHANGE OF ADDRESS If the legal ownership of the loaned items changes during the loan period, whether by reason of death, sale, insolvency, or otherwise, it is the responsibility of the new owner and the lender to notify the EHS, giving the full name and address of the new owner in writing. The EHS assumes no responsibility to search for a lender (owner) who cannot be reached at the address of record. LOAN PERIOD AND RETURN OF LOANS The length of the load period must be indicated on the loan form at the time the loan is made. Upon termination of the loan, EHS will contact the lender to either return or renew the loan. If the lender has not responded to EHS' first message within thirty (30) days upon termination of the loan, EHS will attempt to notify the lender in writing at the last known address of the need to arrange return or renewal of the item. If attempts to return or renew items are unsuccessful, items loaned to EHS will be maintained at the lender's risk and expense for a maximum of one (1) year. If after one (1) year the items have not been claimed, the lender/owner agrees that the items become the unrestricted property of the EHS. Any changes in this Agreement must be noted in writing on this form or on an attached form. Additions agreed -upon loan conditions are listed below: - Lender Signature: EHS Staff Signature: (TO BE SIGNED UPON RETURN OF MATERIAL } [The below signed have witnessed that all materials herein have been returned to the rightful owner in [accordance with this contract. } [ [ (Lender's signature: Date: } } [EHS Staff signature: Date: } Return Date Loan Number I } INCOMING LOAN AGREEMENT EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 Phone E-mail Loan Period: Date: To Date: Name: Address: City, State,ZipCode Telephone: Fax: E-Mail: Purpose of Loan: Insurance Value: Number Object LOAN AGREEMENT PROVISIONS CARE The Eagan Historical Society will provide the same care for loan objects as it does for its permanent collection. It is understood by the lender and the EHS that all tangible objects are subject to gradual inherent deterioration for which neither party is responsible. No alteration, restoration, or repair of loan items will be undertaken without the written authorization of the lender. INSURANCE Loaned items will have limited insurance coverage under the City of Eagan's insurance policy. Additional coverage is the responsibility of the lender. Lender will indicate insurance value of loaned items at the time of loan. Set value must reflect fair market value. Lender's failure to indicate a value constitutes lender's authorization to the EHS to set a value for purposes of insurance for the period of the loan. Said value is nit to be considered an appraisal. The amount payable by insurance secured in accordance with this agreement is the sole recovery available to the lender from EHS in the event of loss or damage. CHANGE OF ADDRESS If the legal ownership of the loaned items changes during the loan period, whether by reason of death, sale, insolvency, or otherwise, it is the responsibility of the new owner and the lender to notify the EHS, giving the full name and address of the new owner in writing. The EHS assumes no responsibility to search for a lender (owner) who cannot be reached at the address of record. LOAN PERIOD AND RETURN OF LOANS The length of the load period must be indicated on the loan form at the time the loan is made. Upon termination of the loan, EHS will contact the lender to either return or renew the loan. If the lender has not responded to EHS' first message within thirty (30) days upon termination of the loan, EHS will attempt to notify the lender in writing at the last known address of the need to arrange return or renewal of the item. If attempts to return or renew items are unsuccessful, items loaned to EHS will be maintained at the lender's risk and expense for a maximum of one (1) year. If after one (1) year the items have not been claimed, the lender/owner agrees that the items become the unrestricted property of the EHS. Any changes in this Agreement must be noted in writing on this form or on an attached form. Additions agreed -upon loan conditions are listed below: - Lender Signature: EHS Staff Signature: {TO BE SIGNED UPON RETURN OF MATERIAL } [The below signed have witnessed that all materials herein have been returned to the rightful owner in [accordance with this contract. } [ ] {Lender's signature: Date: } [ } [EHS Staff signature: Date: } Returned Loan Number Incoming Loan Agreement Dakota County Historical Society 130 Third Avenue North South St. Paul, MN 55075 phone 651/451-6260 fax 651/552-7265 email dchs@mtn.org Loan Period: Date: To Date: Name: Address: City/State/Zip: Phone: Purpose of Loan: Insurance Value: Description of Loan: (Attach additional sheet if necessary) Number Object • Loan Agreement Provisions CARE The Dakota County Historical Society will provide the same care for loan objects as it does for its permanent collection. It is understood by the lender and DCHS that all tangible objects are subject to gradual inherent deterioration for which neither party is responsible. No alteration, restoration, or repair of loan items will be undertaken without the written authorization of the lender. INSURANCE Loaned items will have limited insurance coverage under Dakota County Historical Society's insurance policy. Additional coverage is the responsibility of the lender. Lender will indicate insurance value of loaned items at the time of loan. Set value must reflect fair market value. Lender's failure to indicate a value constitutes lender's authorization to DCHS to set a value for purposes of insurance for the period of the loan. Said value is not to be considered an appraisal. The amount payable by insurance secured in accordance with this agreement is the sole recovery available to the lender from DCHS in the event of loss or damage. CHANGE OF ADDRESS If the legal ownership of the loaned items changes during the loan period, whether by reason of death, sale, insolvency, or otherwise, it is the responsibility of the new owner and the lender to notify the museum, giving the full name and address of the new owner in writing. DCHS assumes no responsibility to search for a lender (owner) who cannot be reached at the address of record. LOAN PERIOD AND RETURN OF LOANS The length of the loan period must be indicated on the loan form at the time the loan is made. Upon termination of the loan, DCHS will contact the lender to either return or renew the loan. If the lender has not responded to DCHS's first message within thirty days upon termination of the loan, DCHS will attempt to notify the lender in writing at the last known address of the need to arrange a return or renewal of the item. If attempts to return or renew items are unsuccessful, items loaned to DCHS will be maintained at the lender's risk and expense for a maximum of one year. If after one year the items have not been claimed, the lender/owner agrees that the items become the unrestricted property of DCHS. Any changes in this agreement must be noted in writing on this form or on an attached form. Additions agreed -upon loan conditions are listed below: Lender signature: DCHS Staff signature: To Be Signed Upon Return of Material The below signed have witnesses that all materials herein have been returned to the rightful owner in accordance with this contract. Lender signature: Date: DCHS Staff signature: Date: Board (Continued) the family tree one pioneer couple could have started. Then realize that 8,157 people registered as citizens in Dakota County in 1857, said DCHS Director Greg Page. All the programming at the DCHS Museum this year will include an anni- versary spin, Page said. And the museum's 60th anniver- sary will be part of the celebration, too. The county highway map will sport information of his- torical value on the back, and Dakota County commu- nity groups are being en- couraged to work together to do something special, too, such as creating floats for annual parades and other civic events, Page said. On Oct. 27, the actual date of the county's 150th birthday, something special will happen, though officials aren't yet sure what that will be. According to Page, the county may put together a time capsule for a future generation to open. According to Patrice Bataglia, a County Board (See Board, p.28A) THI$1LVf,EK _ February 7, 1999 27A Old Bones'°' Unearthed Accidentally (Photos, Burnsville section) Old bones of a human body were accidentally unearthed in the Sibley Terminal industrial Park, 3207 Sibley Highway, in Eagan township Thursday. They were believed to be the bones of a male Indian, buried tiPtween 1800 and 1850 accord- ing to A. E. Galbraith who took them to the Minnesota historical society. The bones were unearthed by Oren Judge, employed by De- pendable Excavating company. He called Eagan police and Coroner Dr. Herman Just was also sum- moned, The bones were buried at about 2-1/2 feet. The man was five to five and one-half feet tall and he was over 18 years oldbecausehe had wisdom teeth. Found in a box, the bones were buried with many beads, also a spoon and a ring with a blue stone. ASSESSMENT NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That the Board of Review —*Equalization of the Town of Lebanon in Dakota Coun- ty, Minnesota, will meet at the office ( of the clerk in said township on Mon- day, July 8th, 1968 at 7 o'clock Cedar Lebanon Municipal Building Avenue 1 mile north of County Road. 42 for the purpose of reviewing and correcting the assessment of said town- ship residents for the year 1968. All persons considering themselves aggriev- ed by said assessment or who wish to ek0mplain that the property of another t is assessed too low, are hereby notified to appear at said meeting, and show cause for having such assessment cor- rected. No complaint that another person is assessed eloplow er on sollbe assessed, or his until L hall have been notified of such agent, complaint. Given under my hand this 24th day f of June 1968. i Cecelia Strunk Clerk of the Town of Lebanon v •Applieprovides for only a Board charters of Equalization. ation. ll,'\i: 27. 141(i2i Old Indian L.unes Found PARTS OF THE SKULL of an Indian found by excavators in Sibley Terminal Industrial Park. (Story, front page) . .1 UNE 27,, 19(i8 lst. Hastings, possession and consumption by a minor, fined $25.00. Lawrence A. Praml, 2140Eliot st., Cottage Grove, speed 75/60, bail forfeited $25.00. Richard Roland, Rt. 1, Lake- ville, theft, arraigned, released on his own recognizance, defen- dant to return 6-28-68. Orlin T. Zemke, 429 W. 4th st., Red Wing, disobeyed traffic signal, fined, $10.00/$8.00 sus- pended. Lawrence E. Mehrkens, 1836 S. Park st., Red Wing, stop sign violation, bail forfeited $10.00. Gregg W. Paulson, 1805 Pine st., Hastings, speed 40/30, bail forfeited $15.00. John D. Hartley, 1408 N. Ohio, Mason City, Iowa, speed 55/40, bail forfeited $25.00. Leonard A. Brochman, Rt. 1, Hampton, speed 40/30, bail for- feited $15.00. James D. Grotheer, 713 W. 11th st., Hastings, speed 75/60, bail forfeited $25,00. Joseph Haas, 503 W. 2nd st., failure to yield right of way, continued to 6/24/68. Robert C. Stevens, 121 State st., Hastings, disorderely con- duct, continued to 7/1/68. Shayne O'Connor, 188 Garden View, Rosemount, burglary, con- 4inued to f stop for stop sign, fined $10.00. Richard A. Snyder, 1901 Pine st., Hastings, possession by a minor, fined $25.00. Leo J. Degroot, R.R. #5, Fari- bault, speed 40/30. bail forfeited $15.00. Donald C. King, 634 W. 5th st., Hastings, no driver's license in possession, dismissed as de- fendant has a valid D/L. Roger V. Rother, 421 W. 13th st., Hastings, stop sign violation, plead not guilty, courttrial7-17- 68. Roger V. Rother, 421 W. 13th st, Hastings, careless driving, plead not guilty, courttrial7-17- 68. Roger V. Rother, 421 W. 13th st, Hastings, open bottle, plead not guilty, court trial 7-17-68. Mrs. Lee Glasby, 307 E. 3rd st., Hastings, theft by check, con- tinued. Barbara Louise Anderson, 2008 Walnut st., Hastings, speed 44/30, bail forfeited $23.00. Philip Arthur Johnson. 1762 Minnehaha, St. Paul, failure to stop for stop sign, bail forfeited $10.00. Donna Mae McDunn, 1315 W. 18th st., Hastings, speed 40/30, bail forfeited $15.00. Timothy J. Pease, 2801 14th st. NW, New Brighton, disobeyed stop sign, bail forfeited $10.00. Larry B. Tollefson, 1352 W. 17th st., Hastings, speed 40/30, bail forfeited $15.00. Daniel Halonen, 2217 2nd ave. no., Minneapolis, theft, moved for dismissal by assistant county attorney as there does not appear to be sufficient evidence to se- cure a conviction - granted. Steven Harty, R.R. #1, Rose- mount, aggravated assault - re- duced to simple assault, plead guilty to reduced charge 30 days in county jail. Maurice E. Hardie, Jackson Heights Trailer Park, Shakopee, aggravated assault. waived pre- liminary hearing bound over dis- trict court of Dakota county. Save with safety. Develop that com- fortable feeling, use the mail if more convenient. �.' 17, / 7 3 ) -1\‘‘ w i' _ 14- a-1-yH Special events will be held to commemorate sesquicentennial By BRENDA HAUGEN "I wonder if they had chairs like this way back when," one lady mused at a recent Dakota County Board meeting. "I wonder if they had county boards way back when. Their government was not much, I don't think. "And that's right, women couldn't vote." A lot has changed since Dakota County came into being 150 years ago. In rec- ognition of that and of the people who helped the county become what it is today, a host of organiza- tions are planning a year of activities in celebration of the county's sesquicenten- nial. While preparations for up- coming events have been underway for quite some time, the official kickoff of the sesquicentennial cele- bration was held Jan. 19 dur- ing the County Board meet- ing. At the meeting, old and new came together. County staff and others who were on hand to address other busi- ness on the board's agenda were dressed in clothes of today. But many who attended the meeting because of the sesquicentennial kickoff celebration donned the dress of days gone by. The women sported long skirts with dainty blouses, perhaps a sweater hanging from their shoulders, and of course the ensemble was topped off with a fashion- able hat. Gentlemen wore everything from fur coats to a smart -looking outfit of dark trousers, a white shirt, suspenders and a red, white and blue bow tie. Many of those in costume are part of the Sesquicen- tennial Committee, which formed to generate ideas and events that will encour- age residents to experience, investigate and appreciate their history. Thus far, the biggest event ' planned is the Homestead Reception tentatively scheduled for March 3 at the Dakota County Histori- cal Society (DCHS) - Mu- seum. The reception will honor families who are the de- scendants of the original settlers of Dakota County. One might think there would be few families living in Dakota County who could trace their roots back to the early settlers, but that's not true. Consider the size dF (See Board, p ,'n q GREG PAGE of the Dakota County Historical Society goes through some of the mu- seum's boxes of stored treasures of the county's past. Photo by Rick Orndorf Board (Continued) member and co-chair of the Sesquicentennial Commit- tee, the goal of the year's events is to educate resi- dents on the county's history as well as celebrate. Dakota County has grown from an area of trading and agricul- ture to the third -largest ru- ral/urban/agricultural county in Minnesota, she said. The sesquicentennial also is a time to celebrate the courage, tenacity and com- mitment of those who helped form the community of Dakota County, said committee co-chair Don Chapdelaine. And that's fit- ting because the county's name, which originated from the Dakota tribal lan- guage, means "joined to- gether in friendly compact," Page said. IIISTVRY OF DAKOTA COUNTY. itch, a native of Prussia. Katie, John, Charles lafy are their children: Mr. DofTing's. farm ,prises seven hundred acres, which is well im- ved and stocked. IIe gives considerable atten- Io n to raising and breeding Norman horses from Imported stock. John Holmes was born in 1826, in England. as reared as a farmer and came to America in 'I, locating in Michigan. Here he worked for railroad until 18.55, then came to Dakota County, Minnesota, and pre-empted a portion of his present farm of two hundred and forty acres. Married in 1551 to Jiiss Eliza Ilaynes, who was ixu-n in England, August 17th, 1827. Eight chil- dren have been born to them, two sons and six daughters. Jacob Isla, Jr., a native of Prussia, was born February 1 I th, 1852. IChert a child of four years his parents crossed to the new world and settled in the township of Hampton, Dakota county, 3tinnesota. Ifere Jacob grew to- manhood and gained a practical education. lie has occupied his present farm since 1876, and has been quite successful in agricultural pursuits, having a nicely improved estate. At New Trier, in 1876, he married Miss Mena Tank. They have three little daughters, Matilda, Mary and Alvina. Bridget Kane, a native of Ireland, was born in I834. In 18.56. she came to America, and to Minnesota the same year, locating on the place the now occupies. She was married to Peter Kane in 18.58, who departed this life in the fall of 1869. He left his widow with six children, four sons and two daughters. Michael Klasen was born in Prussia, June 24th, 1829. Ile was occupied in pump -making and farming in his native country, and in 1861, tame to America. Coming direct to Dakota county, Minnesota, he settled on a rented farm hi Vermillion, and in 1862, moved to Hastings. He kept a boarding-house in that city until 1864, when he traded for his farm, to which he moved in 1866, engaged during the time at the carpen- ter's trade. Jlarric'd in 1866, to Miss Elizabeth Schweich, who has borne him one son and one daughter, Andrew and Eva K. Mr. Klaseni s father, born in 1SOU, lives with him. The farm of one huudre l and sixty acres is finely improved and well stocked. Catherine McLaughlin, widow of John 31c- Laughlin, was born in county of Mayo, Ireland, in 1826. In 1851, located at Syracuse, New York, and there made her home six years. She then came west as far as Freeport, Illinois, and two years later came to Minnesota. Her claim in Dakota county was made after her arrival. She was made a widow by the death of her husband October l6th, 1872. Seven children have been born to her, three sons and four daughters. Patrick Quinn was born in Tipperary county, Ireland, in 1821. During early life, he engaged in farming. In 1849, he came to America and settled in IIerkimer county, New York. Until 1855, he engaged in farming, was also employed in a cheese factory. Coming to Michigan at that time, he remained one year, thence to Minnesota and made his home in Hastings until 1863, then pre-empted his present farm, on which he has since lived. Married at Utica, New York, In 1855, to Miss Helen IIenly, who has borne him three sons and one daughter. N. W. Taplin was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, in 1838. During the fall of 1855, went to DeKalb county, Illinois, and the next spring started for Hastings, Minnesota. He was a day laborer, also run a threshing machine un- til 1860, then purchased forty acres of his present farm. IIe now has one hundred and sixty acres in Douglass, also eight hundred acres in the Red River valley. Married Miss McLaughlin. in 1860, who has borne him six childred. Mr. Tap- lin has held the office of town clerk seven years. EAGAN. CIIAI'TEli XLIX. DESCRIPTION —SETTLEMENT—FIRST EVENTS ORGANIZATION — SCIIDOLS—CI I 17RCII1O3 —n10- 01tA1'HICAL. The town of Eagan is situated in the north- ern part of Dakota county, and is bounded on the north by Mendota, on the east by Inver Grove, BAG Alf —SETTLEMENT. south by Rosemount and Lebanon, and on west and north-west by Burnsville and the to river. SURFACE CIIARACTER1ST1C'S.• •The surface of the town is rolling in the north - portion,, while in the southern portion it is an vdremely rough. Lakes appear in several parts of the town, principally in the central and south- eastern parts. These lakes are peculiar, from the e her visible inlets or out - fact that they a eP` ure,tclear water, and lsome of lets. They them are of considerable depth. A large marshy lake extends from Mendota into the north-west part, of Fagan township, but with this one excep- tion, the lakes of the town have high, sloping banks, with gravelled shores and bottoms. The largest lake in the town is Black Hawk or Long lake. It. lies in sections 16, 17 and 21, and ex- tends nearly east and west., Its area is about ninety acres. Its length is not far from a mile, and its width averages about thirty rods. Le May lake, situated in the north-western prat of section 10, is so named from the settlers living near. It is a beautiful sheet of water, and covers about fifty acres. Fish lake lies in sections 15 and 16, and is about thirty acres in extent. In early times, there were great numbers of fish in these lakes, but latterly only the smaller kinds remain. Great number of them were killed in the shallow lakes by the past severe winter. Interested parties have at various times, at- tempted the culture of fish in these bodies of wa- ter, but as a rule, they have been unsuccessful. One small stream, called Black Dog's creek, crosses the west line of the town near the west quarter post of section 18. It empties into the Minnesota river nearly where the north' line of section 18 intersects it. Along the Minnesota river, in the north-west part of the town, a strip of bottom land appears, averaging nearly a mile in width. This principally meadow. East of this, extending to the Black Dog road, is slightly rolling and higher land, finely adapted to agricultural purposes. This portion of the town, with a few hundred acres in and near sections 2 and 3, constitutes all of the original prairie land. The remaining portions of the town were hugely covered by a brushy growth, 347 with an occasional spot containing larger trees. These latter were principally oak. At present a fringe of elm timber appears along the river. The soil for the town is principally a clay loam, unusually fertile, with -proper management. Oc- cassionally a sandy loam appears, with numerous gravely knolls. The principal crop is wheat, though considera- ble quantities of corn, barley and oats are • pro- duced. Some of the farmers, engage in market gardening, to a small extent. SETTLEMENT. The Indian village, kuown as Black Dog's, and situated near the mouth of Black Dog's creek, in section 18, has been previously described, After the treaty of 1837, a Frenchman named Louis Martin, was stationed among these Indians as farmer. He located on section 17, and the In- dians began to form a new village round him. Several log buildings were erected for residences and shops. In•the spring of 1849, Hazen Mooers, tlm welt known Indian trader, was appointed to succeed Mr. Martin. His wife was a half-breed Sioux, by whom he bad three children. After the ratifica- tion of the treaty of 1852, when the Indians were removed to Red Wood agency, Mr. Mooers went with them. J. W. Brown, who had married a daughter of Mr. Mooers, in 1846, came down to ' Black Dog village, in the fall of 1849, and as- sisted his father-in-law. When the Indians were removed he remained on the land,and pre-empted ; a farm, in the northern part of section 17, which be lived on until 1857, when he removed to Red Wing. IIe resided there for six years, returning at the end of that period to his farm in Eagan. Here he lived until 1873, when he sold his original claim and removed to his present place of resi- dence, in the north-west quarter of section 9. Mr. Brown is accordingly the first white settler of the town. At the same time with him, John Brown and a Mr. Ports made claims also, in section 17. Neither of them remained, however, but a short time. Two brothers, Campbell, made a claim in the north-east quarter of section 18. They had been • attaches of the Indian farm, and soon sold their claim rights to Franklin Steele. A comrade named lieujanin Young then took possession HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY. claim, probably for Mr. Steele, and contin- live there for several years. Mr. Young of the first two justices of town of e peace. within the limits of the present ova.Ile subsequently removed to St. Paul, and is now somewhere among the Indians in the Michael Le May came soon after the treaty ofest- Ii 13,,; was ratified, and settled in the southern part of section 10. He ba � lstillt rs lives famron his out, in October of that year, oriina1 claim. His son Fievier came at the same time, and his family also, came on in Oc- tv11er. IIe made a claim on the northern side of section 15, and lived there until 1864, when he weld to Canada. lie returned subsequently, and father and son are now living together. Joseph Langlois came at the same time with the Le Mays, and made his claim in section 15. Ile took full possession of it in the spring of 1853, and continued a resident of the town until about the year 18511, when he removed to Rice county. Somewhat earlier than the last mentioned set - tiers, came Robert O'Neil, in June of 1852, and made a claim in the central part of section 2, hiring men to work it. Mr. O'Neill was, at that time, a resident of St. Paul. In August, 1853, with his family, he took up a permanent resi- dence in Eagan, and has since lived on his original claim, which has been largely added to by purchase. Mr. O'Neil has always occupied a prominent position among his townsmen, and in the county as well. Ile was elected to the first state legis- lature of 1857-8, and served as one of the first representatives elected from the county. Ile was chairman of the board of county commis- sioners from 1853 until 1858, when under the state organization, the office of county commis- sioner ceased for a time to exist. Jean Rousseau, who had married a half-breed. was another settler of 1852. IIe made a claim. in the central part of section 12, but after a short time removed to Mendota. In 1860, he went to Redwood Agency, where he died. ile was among the first French settlers of Eagan. I'hilbcrt Le Clair came also during the sum- mer of 1852, and made a claim in the south-west quarter of section 2. After a short interval he sold his claim and returned to Mendota. Fran- cis Le Clair made a claim partly in sections 2 and 11. He soon sold it, and after a season, located another where he now resides, in the north-west quarter of section 2. About this time Mr. Credit made a claim in sections 12 and 13. Ile died about the year 1866. During the summer of 1852, Joseph Turpin claimed the land now owned by John Shields, in the south-west quarter of section 2. His wife. was a half-breed, and like her husband old. Both husband and wife died within a few hours of each other, after living on their claim several years. John Kennedy made a claim in the northern part of section 3, but never lived on it. His residence at that time was in Mendota. He afterwards served as county register of deeds, and at present is the genial post -master of Hast- ings. Louis Letendre came during the summer of 1852, and settled in the central part of section 13. Ile sold his claim not long afterward to Dr. F. R. Smith, a non-resident. At the same time Louis Lavaille made the claim next north. He wentto Hennepin county with Mr. Letendre, where the latter died. Quite a growth in the settlement of the town was visible during the year 1853. Among the settlers of that year were P. Chapdelan, F. Le Bret, Dosite Auge and his son, Trefile, James and W. L. Wescott, T. N. Dailey, Michael Reid, and T. J. McCollum and sons - Mr. Chapdelan bought of Edward Bibaux aud Felix Ake, who had come in earlier, the claim in sections 12 and 13, now owned by James Wes- cott. While at St. Paul, the river rose too high for Mr. Chalxlelan to return to his land, and Le Bret, taking advantage of this absence, jumped his claim. Mr. Chapdelan then made a claim further south, and lying partly in the towns of Eagan and Inver Grove. James Wescott soon purchased Le Bret's claim right, and built a house sixteen feet square,which he occupied with hisbrother. W. L. Wescott. In the fall of 1854, the hitter returned to their for- mer home, in Maine, and brought out his family. • James Wescott being at that time unmarried, the brothers continued to live together. Along EAG AN—SETT•LEMEI.T. Note, si,ow by their house, there was a large tts f otracel, and from the time they began at4t si• gns of house -keeping. the Wes- toow the furs ht to entertain the travelers• COis teem belong business of soon forced to make a fpey were became famous through- thix ail �1 retry 's inn country as a traveler's rest. Political oat the at an earls day. oncentions were held here ore occasion, in 18.56, a mass convention as - here, of which John Van tl loesefl, of Ned Amonger es gctittgs, was chairman. the affair, speeches and motions were in reach, and the worthy chairman was forced to ycall an interpreter to his assistance. After a few ears, W. L. Wescott removed to a claim of his own, while his brother Ja Thisbe duel witth great keep public house until 1S63. success, being unable at times to entertain all who would be his guests. Ile still occupies his original home, as much distinguished for his pri- vate hospitality as be formerly was for hospitality to the public. made a claim Mr. huge came in the spring, andcree he died De .,: as the south side of sectionHs sons, George and 22d, 1S71. possession TrefNe, came into Po -ion of the homestead. the same Dosite Auge, Jr., made a claim at time with his father, and adjoining him on the north. Here he continues to makein bistio home. fmltle Auge made his claim partly 8 and 9. lie sold it, after an interrfd of three years, and at present lives in Mendota. Mr. Dailey came in the fall of 1 S53, and settled in section 11. lie afterward removed re t1Co the south-west quarter of section 10, died about four years since. of May. Michael Reid arrived the twelfth day =i proved and located on what to be school IIe lived land, and hence not subject to entry• he settled oil the 349 The following year, 1854, settlement continued unabated. Among the earlier arrivals were, James Callan, John O'Lary, Thomas Fallon, Michael Eagan, Edmund Barry, Edward Dow- ling, Patrick Mooney', William Harper, Edgard Taylor and John Cheerer. James Callan made a claim in sections 28, 8 and 33, where he has since and in the county. prominently among his people John O'Lary came in March, and settled on the west side of section 14. Ile still lives ur hale. original claim, having added to it by P Edmund Barre, came not long after, and settled in section 23, where he now owns a fine farm of three hundred and five acres. Jir. Fallon settled on the west side of section 23. Mr. Dowling in section 26, Mr. Eagan in the north-west quarter of section 22,-Ir. Cheerer in section 12, Mr. Mooney in the south-west quarter of section 22, Mr. harper in the south-east quarter of sec- tion 21, and Mr. Taylor in the south-west quarter of the sane section. Patrick Coghlin, in The farm now owned by sections 11 and 12, was the home of David Fari- - bault, a mixed blood. A Frenchman, Michel Archambeaux pre-empted it for him. Mr. Fart- bault built him a pleasant house, and surrounded it with a picket fence. Here he lived for some years, but finally removed. - A well-known character in the towier, n was John' Conklin. who 1><d IIebearly acctuiretl the name of Fort Snelling. called. "Black hawk.' and was commonly so After his discharge from the army a rum i on the' of General Sibley, who placed C�. faremploy 1 in section 3. . r. farm now owned byil placed on a farm at the Sibley afterwards 1 east end of Long Lake, subsequently known as Black 'Hawk lake. doubtless in Coul:lif's(on or. Liquor was the natural enemy Aside and be died in the poor -House at \ ininger. on this land abouteca year, when spoken i e a worthy south side of section 9. Here be died, October I from this weakness, he is s1 lth, 1877.Jspring of 18i3, man. While living on the farm now owned by T. J. McCollum settledarin the sp g and his Ili Mr.Trapp, Conklin married Mrs. Helen Dunn, on the ff rsonMc quarter ofr section 19, pre-empted it. Nadi- ', who died at the lake farm in the spring 71. +n, Jefferson McCollum. 1 ,attially -. the FIRST t:c-r r�`' urn, another son, made a claim 1 while William as south -nest quarter of section 19, The first birth of a white child in the town part of section 30. A. Drown. November -- made his in the northern to \ that of Mary W. and Mary Brown, After a few years, the �1cCoilums removed , She was a daughter of .1 i+Mydt county. was born at their home in the Indian village She lived with her parents until rck Dog man;age with Jasper McCollum in 1871. ) r,OW live in a house on her father's place, and have had six children. 'Neill, 111e next bath was that of Susan F. parents were ORobert way 7th, 1854• Her Catharine O'Neill, and lived at home until was sixteen years of age, when she lived her sister in Minneapolis Jinn �1hermarriage lrtin Kennedy,JeSth,880 She now es in St. Paul. e first marriage of parties living in the town that of Alexander Huard and Jane Me- plott. They were married in 1854, and in he made his home in the western part of ver Grove, where he lived a number of years, when he moved of section 1t location in the north -West quarter 2. ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS. Eagan was formerly a part of the town of Men- dota as established by the county commissioners, April Gth,1858. At a meeting held by them on the .'oth of the same month, a town was formed con- sisting of sections thirteen to thirty-six inclusive, in the present town of Eagan, and called Mont- gomery. This action proved unsatisfactory, and was reconsidered and repealed at the same meet- ing. Ily a special act of the state legislature during the winter of 1861, the town of Eagan was detached with its present limits from Mendota. The population at the census of 1880 was 642. The first meeting for the purpose of organizing the town was held at the house of Michael Comer in the north-west quarter of section twenty-five, April3d, 1860. Robert O'Neill was chosen mod- erator and Michael Comer clerk. At the election which ensued, the following officers were chosen for the corning year, viz.: Patrick Eagan, James Collar, -Robert O'Neill, supervisors; Michael Coiner, clerk; Thomas Farman, assessor; William 1)illiey, treasurer; Michael Kirby, William Harper, justices of the peace; Patrick Mooney, Louis Sansoncey, constables; Patrick Eagan, Anthony Devitt, Michael Cain, road overseers. The following persons have served as chairmen of the town board, and as town clerks, during the years following the organization to the pres- ent time. HISTORY OF DAKO7A COUNTY. 1861—Patrick Eagan, chairman; Michael Co- mer, clerk. Mr. Eagan resigned during the year and Robert O'Neill was chosen in his place. Mr.: Comer also resigned, and Michael Downing was chosen by the board December 28th, 1861, to act in his stead during the remainder of the term. 1862 and'63—Patrick Eagan,chairman, Michael Downing, clerk. 1864—Michael Kirby, chalr man; Michael Downing, clerk. Mr. Kirby re- signed and Patrick Mooney, one of the board was elected to succeed him, and Michael Gorman was elected to fill the place vacated by Mr. Mooney, September 27th, 1864. 1865—W. F. Donaldson, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1866—Robert' O'Neill, chairman; Patrick Callahan, clerk. Mr. O'Neill failed • to qualify and W. F. Donaldson was chosen as chairman. 1867—W. F. Donald- son, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1868— W. F. Donaldson, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1869—Patrick Eagan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1870—Patrick Eagan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1871, 1372, 1873—Hugh Barnes, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1874 —Eugene Le May, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1875 and 1876—James Callan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. I877—James Callan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1S78—Robert O'Neill. chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1879—Robert O'Neill, chairman; Michael Dowll- ing, clerk. 1880—James Callan, chair'n, Michael Downing, clerk. Mr. Callan failed to quailfy, and the board at a meeting held March 27th, 1880, chose Jabez Harper in his place. 1881— Jeffrey Fanning, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk.1 The first justices of the peace elected within the present limits of the town were James Callan and 1 Benjamin Young, which was prior to the org ni- zation. The valuation for 1860, was$S7,342. For 1870, 106,521. For 1880, S177,890. S('UOOts. The first school in the town was taught by Mi- chael Downing during the winter ,'f 1359- 60, in a small log house 14x16 feet, owned and built by Thomas Farman in the north-west quarter of section 14. For a new district the attendance was unusually large, tieing about forty. This building was used about two years, when a new 351' EAGAN—C. F UIiCIIES--RAILROADS. of logs was built, and located in the south - corner of the south-west quarter of section by Patrick Quigley. This note used i nabout six years ago, on ISO no ins was was erected. It n the present schoolhouse tr Sucture 18x26 feet, and located on frame ite of the old log building, containing patent capacity of about forty. ts. with a seating cal e district is designated as district number 14. 1e next school was commenced soon after the t in a house belonging to Bartholomew Dailey, the western part of section 29. It was a small house h'iilt as a claim shanty, and was used the district for two years, then others until s , , when a school -house was erected near the nter of section 29, on land owned by Daniel iemeYer, It is a frame st ucturilll ab utd 16rom eet, contains plain seats, andarty to thirty-five scholars. This district is norm as district number 13.% in October, 1860, a school was taught for one house of Robert O'Neill, by Mrs. O'Neill month, and then the services of \Liss Elizabeth McDermott were secured, and she continued to teach in the district a number of terms. The nett spring an old building was fitted up and used for a schoolhouse, until a log house was built on land now belonging to P. Coghlin, in the north-east quarter of section 11. Thisbuild- ing was burned during the spring of 1865, and was replaced by a frame erected soon after at the same place. The locality was not o con about a and the house was subsequently movedmile farther west, and during the montih of March, 18S1, suffered the same fate as its prede- cessor. A new building is already erected by the district known as number 11, in the south -ea ;t corner of section 3. It is 18x26 feet, was at a cost of $600, with patent seats, seating forty scholars comfortably, and is the finest school building in the town. organized, and In 1869, district number 12 was org. a school -house built. The building is about b x21 feet . The district is the smallest in the town in respect to the numller of scholars. The town has four entire districts and one joint dis- trict, with four school -houses. C1tURCIIES. ' The first religious services in the town took place at the house c•f Edward Dowling, in the north-west quarter of section 26, and were con- ducted by the Rev. Father Ravoux. Only a e e such services were held, however, as, during following spring, the church at Inver Grove was finished, and services were transformed thither The Lutheran church at Inver Grove has a goodly number of members in this town, also 1 Mendota for Whom the distance is so great they have been bolding meetings at the school- house in district number 91, in Mendota, or at private houses every alternate Sabbath under the Rev. R. N. �'olgefi. auspices of their pastor, The society has purchased about two acres of land belonging to J. 11. Pfieffer and his son-in- law, August N achtigal for the purpose of erect- ing a church edifice, where they intend holding services in alternation with the church at Inver Grove. The plat of land lies on the east side of the St. Paul road, in the south-east quarter artconneeriof section 2, and a cemetery will with the church lot. ftAif.ltOAPB. The Iowa and Minnesota division of croe sses the;cago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railwayr eastern part of the town, extending from north- west to south-east and leaving the southern line • near the quarter post on the south side of section 36. The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha railway crotses the to south \t est part f the t from own opened for traffic in 1865. STATIONS. In 18G6, a flag station without a depot was es- tablished on the line of the Iowa and Minnesota ; division of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway, near the south-east corner of section 13, on land belonging to James Wescott, from whom the station is named Westcott station. Nicols is also a flag station without a depot, es- tablished in 1867. It is located on the line of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneaixolis and Omaha rail- way, in the north-west quarter of section 17, on land then owned by John Nicola rosr-OrF ICE.. Westcott post -office was established in April, 1881, and A. Lau appointed postmaster. HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY. sIIOPS AND STORE. in 1860, a blacksmith shop was opened by Rob- ed Myers, on the south-east quarter of section 17. lie remained there about two years, then re- moved to St. Paul and afterwards returned and reflted a farm belonging to James Slater, in the north-east quarter of section 31, where he put up another shop. This he operated several years, and finally removed toHamilton.blacksmithHehas the the honor of being the pioneer place. _Another shop was opened by George Auge in May, 1867, on the west side of the Mendota road, in the south-west quarter of section 4, which he continues to operate. In 1869, Edward Rachenberg opened a black- smith shop in the south-west quarter of section I which be operated until about four years ago, when it was closed to the public, and he uses it only for his own work. Still another shop was opened by IIerman Rad- datz, in the fall of 1876, in the north west quar- ter of section 3, where he still continues. IIe has, however, purchased a few acres of Mr. I;urns, a short distance south-west of his present location, and purposes removing there. A store was established by the brothers, A. and J. Lau, at Westcott station, March 4th, 1881, where they keep on hand a small general stock of merchandise suited to the wants of the imme- diate neighborhood. nroOIIAPII1CAI . E. Barry, a native of county Kilkenny, Ire- land, was born in 1820. Came to America in April, 1846, landing in Quebec. Ile lived in that city seven years, then removed to St. Paul, Min- nesota. After making his home there more than a year, he removed to Eagan township, and took a government claim of one hundred and sixty acres. Ilere he has since lived. His wife was Miss Ann Grant, a native of Ireland, whom he married in 1845. Patrick, Michael, Edmond, Stephen, James, John, Thomas and Joseph are their surviving children. Iingh Burns was born in County Mayo, Ire- land, in 1837. When twelve years old he came to America, and for seven years resided in Clinton, Massachusetts; thence to West Virginia, where be remained three years. Coating westward, he made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Eagan township, Minnesota, and three years later , disposed of it, then purchased a farm of the same size in section 3. Mr. Burns has a fine farm and is a well-to-do farmer, has held the office of chairman of town boar'. Married in 1864, Miss Maria Cunningham. Their living children are: Mary, Charles, Hugh, Elizabeth, Clara and Ellen. James Callan was born in Ireland in 1830. He came to this country, in 1847, and settled in New.1 York for five sears. Thence to Ohio, and on to Minnesota, locating on his present farm in 1854. He was one of the earliest settlers. His neighbors were far between. IIe has taken a great interest in his town and county; has held the office of county commis- sioner several years; has been one of the ton n board two years; was elected clerk of the first school board of the town. Ile has a farm of four hundred acres, and is owner of the Callan Norman Canadian stallion, one of the finest horses in the state. Married, Miss Elizabeth IIodt, a native of Ireland, in 1851. Benjamin, James, Lizzie, Margaret, Frank; Ernest, Andrew, Charles and Robert are their children. Patrick Coghill' was born in County Galway, Ireland, March 6th, 1818. IIe came to this con- tinent in 1852, proceeding from Boston to Clin- ton, Massachusetts. For years later he removed to Minnesota, locating on a farm in Eagan town- ship, which place has since been his home. He now bolds the office of clerk of school district. Married in 1852, to Fanny Silk, a native of Ire- land. Three children have been born to them: Mary Ann, Thomas and Frank. Franklin llaunessy. a native of Ireland, was . born March 25th, 1817. Coming to America in 1830, he located at St. John, New Brunswick, and three years later removed to Eastport, Maine, soon after to Machias. Making this his home four years he proceeded to Boston, Massachusetts, and after a residence of five years went to Port- land, Maine. In 1856 he came to Minnesota, lo- cating in la►gaun township, and in 1876 purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. His wife was Miss Mary Bh•kley, married in 1841. Six children have been born to them, only one of whom is living, John K. Joseph lloysler is :I native of Minnesota, born EAOAN—BIOORAPHICIAL. Digan in is56. At an early age he was thrown his own resources, having earned his own liho,xi since twelve years of age. IIe married }ielcina Le Clair, a native of Mendota, Min - eta Two children have been born to them: „geuia and William. Alexander livard was born in St. Nicholas, ►,a,te in 1818. Here he was reared to man - and in 1848 came to Minnesota, and until E5, lived at Mendota, then moved to Inver rove, locating on a farm. Since 1868 he has made his home in Eagan. Married Miss Jane McDermott, a native of Ireland, in 185-1. Ellen net Mary Ann are their children. ;August Lau was horn in Germany, in 1856. Ile lived with his parents until 1881,comingwitlt Ahem to America in 1872. In company with his other Julius he opened a store at Westcott sta- tion. they being also postmasters. Julius Lau, a native of Germany, was horn in 1s.9. Came to America with his parents in 1872; he lived in Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, one year, and has since lived in different towns in Da- kota county, Minnesota. In 1881, he and his brother opened a store at Westcott station. Francis Le Clair was born in Montreal,, Can- ada, January 1st, 1819. Came to Mendota, Min- nesota, in 1849, and made a claim of one hun- dred and sixty acres, which he sold a few months later. Ile, however, invested in another farm of ninety-two acres in Eagan township, in 1859, where he has since lived as a tiller of the soil. Miss Eliza Labrie, a native of Montreal, became his wife August 25th, 1857. Eight children have been horn to them. The living are Mary Ann, Edward. Sellena, Frank. Norman and Nelson. Eugene l,emay was born in Canada East, in 18-10. When thirteen years of age, he came to Mendota with his father's family, remaining with them until attaining majority. Lt 1867, he pur- chased a farm in Eagan township, and has since added to it by purchase until i►is farm now eom- pii.►es one hundred and ninety-three acres. Ilis marriage with Miss Julia Auge, who was born in Canada, occurred in 1862. They are the ikarents of six children he remained a short time in St. Paul, then moved to what is now the town of Eagan, and made a claim of eighty acres, where he has since lived. • Married in 1844, to Bridget Barry, who has borne him eight children. Mary Ann and Thomas are the surviving ones. James McDonough was born in County Mayo, Ireland, and, in 1859, came to America. Land- ing in New York, he lived there one year, then went to Vermont. In 1865, he came to Minne- sota and purchased a school section in Eagan township, on which he now resides. Ibis wife, whom he married in 1853, has borne him four children: Terrence, Annie, John and Patrick. John O'Leary was born in County Cork, Ire- land, in 1826. Came to America in 1849, and for two years worked in an iron foundry, then came to St. Paul, Minnesota. Two years later, he took a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Eagan township, having now a farm of two hundred and thirty acres. Since his becoming a resident of I this township, he has been a thrifty farmer. Married Mary O'Driscoll, in 1851. Mary, Bridget, Daniel, Ann and John are their living children. Robert O'Neill was born in Ireland, July 29th, 1811. When seven years old moved with his ; parents to America. Through the advice of friends his father removed to Perth, Ontario, remaining until 1828; thence to Buckingham, Lower Canada, and settled on a farm. In 1850, Robert came to Minnesota, and eug3ged in lam - Bering three years. In the meantime he made a claim of two hundred and thirty acres in Eagan township, and in 1853, moved to it. During the fall of that year he was elected first chairman of county board of commissioners; was a member of the territorial legislature in 18.57, and has she* held seven►1 town offices. In politics he is a stanch democrat. His wife was Miss Catherine Forbes, who was born on the beautiful Isle of Montreal. She has borne him twelve children, eight of whom are living. )(John Shields, a native of the Emerald Isle, was born in June, 1812. Came to America in 1850. After visiting Ohio and Illinois he arrived at Mendota, Minnesota. Ile lived on his farm Thomas Manning is a native of Ireland, born live years then resided on General Sibley's farm in Comity Tipperary. in 1810. Cane to this con- ! thirteen years. Purchasing two hundred acres tineut in 1845, landing at Quebec, where he re- he moved to it in 1879, and built. the residence hhLLUned ten years. Coming thence to Minnesota. in which he now lives. In 1850 he married 23 4 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY. 351 Michael, oderick, a native of Ireland. fidget li,l� Margaret, MaryThomas Ilenry, and A., a John+ Panels are their children. in McHenry Michael B. Shields was born ' ►sty, Illinois, October 1st, 1851. When about parents to twee )ears old hemAfter a yendota, Dakota county, Minnesota, fey" years residence at this place they removed to Fagan township, and located on a farm. Mr. continued living at his father's house, sod has carpenter's sod t,as acquired a knowledge of the tile. Married in May, 187f,, to Bridget Furey, who has borne him two children, John and Mar - John Silk was born in County Galway, Ireland, in Jane. 1823. After attaining majority he came to America, and for seven years worked in a cotton mill at Manchester, New Hampshire. In Ir;57, he settled in Eagan township, having pur- closed a small farm on lch he fnrui ive3i anied ur son bought his present er Sunday, 1854, to Miss Mary Hamburg, a ;e of Ireland. Ten children have been born to them: James, John, Michael, Thomas, noes Jane, William, Henry, Edward, Mary and Charles. James Slater was born in Limerick county, in 1820. Came to this continent in 1837, made New York his home until 1854. Com- ing westward to St. Taal, Minnesota, he took a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, in what is now Eagan township. His farm new consists of hundred and forty-seven acres. In 1849, he cried Miss Bridget O'Brien, a native of Ire- d. They have bad seven children, four whom are living: James, Mary, Annie and rge. Maurice Walsh was born in Ireland in 1830. ism eighteen years of age he came across the er to Nmerica, and for nine years made his me in New York. Coming to St. Paul, Min- t:►, at that time, soon after came to Eagan uship. IIe lived on his farm in that place e years, then purchased eighty acres of Gen. , which he now owns. Bridget 'teeny be - his wife in 1862; she has borne him seven oil, all living. Thomas, Maurice, Jerome, , Timothy, Daniel and Mary. ues Wescott was born in t)', Maine. Oetober I8'_13. Cumberland IIe went to California in 1849, and followed mining until 1853. Returning to his former home, the next spring, he came to Eagan and began farming, having a claim of one hundred and sixty acres. Ilere he has since resided and1is one ne of tile pio- neers of the county. e army, joining Company I, FirstMirinesota IIeavy Artillery, as junior lieutenant. IIe was honor- ably discharged at Nashville, Tennessee, at close of the war. Was elected treasurer of Da- kota county in 1860, and held the office two years. His residence in Eagan is near Westcott station,, which was named in his honor. August who has3m 1857, he married Mary E. Atkinson, borne him seven children, five are living. EMPIRE. FIRST sErrL — FARMING HOUSES CIIURCII Es—nio CHAPTER L. i5 — OROANIZATIOw INCORPORATED GREAT FIRE — the ounty as 1854, d0r1 id C. R. Rollins • llio river, on sections., e t.moPaul and North - on section 24, on the s ad, near the om. Ver- Laird and E. P. Two 1 tels were opened one ch side of the led I:mp re City , though land. A st{office was Amidon se lenient bade village. store was nt is now grounds, whoa rwards to N. E. vas near w Slack. As early in the hist y of Alidon Amidon, N. A ii made claims on the -' e ► 29 and 30, on the line of t field road. The same yea St. Paul and Cannon.Fa million river, L. Fish, ► Whittier made claims at this point in 185. , one river. This point w s cal no plat was made f the established here The fair to become quite a opened by N. midon in 1857, the entrance f the fair transferred his interest James Ti tle opened the next store nh what been known a: the Barkaloe house, 402 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY Michael Le May came soon after the treaty of 1852 was rati- fied, and settled in the southern part of section 10.. He brought his family out, in October of that year. His son Flevier came at the same time, and his family also, came on in October. He made a claim on the northern side of section 15, and lived there until 1864, when he went to Canada later, however, returning. Joseph Langlois came at the same time with the Le Mays, and made his claim in section 15. He took full possession of it in the spring of 1853, and continued a resident of the town until about the year 1859, when he removed to Rice County. Somewhat earlier than the last mentioned settlers. came Robert O'Neil, in June of 1852, and made a claim in the central part of section 2, hiring men to work it. Mr. O'Neil was, at that time, a resident of St. Paul. In August, 1853, with his family, he took up a permanent residence in Eagan. Mr. O'Neil has always occupied a prominent position among his townsmen, and in the county as well. He was elected to the first state legislature of 1857-8, and served as one of the first rep- resentatives elected from the county. He was chairman of the board of county commissioners from 1853 until 1858, when under the state organization, the office of county commissioner ceased for a time to exist. Jean Rousseau, who had married a half-breed, was another settler of 1852. He made a claim in the central part of section 12, but after a short time removed to Mendota. In 1860, he went to Redwood Agency, where he died. He was among the first French settlers of Eagan. Philbert Le Clair came also during the summer of 1852, and made a claim in the southwest quarter of section 2. After a short interval he sold his claim and returned to _Mendota. Francis Le Clair made a claim partly in sections 2 and 11. He soon sold it, and after a season, located another in the northwest quarter of section 2. About this time Mr. Credit made a claim in sections 12 and 13. He died about the year 1866. During the summer of 1852. Joseph Turpin claimed the land, in the southwest quarter of sec- tion 2. His wife was a half-breed, and like her husband old. Both husband and wife died within a few hours of each other. after living on their claim several years. John Kennedy made a claim in the northern part of section 3, but never lived on it. His residence at that time was in Men- dota. He afterwards served as county register of deeds, and later as postmaster of Hastings. Louis Letendre came during the summer of 1852, and settled in the central part of section 13. He sold his claim not long after- ward to Dr. F. R. Smith, a non-resident. At the same time Louis HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY 403 Lavaille made the claim next north. He went to Hennepin Coun- ty with Mr. Letendre, where the latter died. Quite a growth in the settlement of the town was visible dur- ing the year 1853. Among the settlers of that year were P. Chap- delan, F. Le Bret, Dosite Auge and his son, Treffle, James and W. L. Wescott, T. N. Dailey, Michael Reid, and T. J. McCollum and sons. Mr. Chapdelan bought of Edward Bibaux and Felix Ake, who had come in earlier, the claim in sections 12 and 13, now owned by t. While at St. Paul, the river rose too high for Mr. Chapdelan to return to his land, and Le Bret, taking advantage of this absence, jumped his claim. _lIr. Chapdelan then made a claim further south, and lying partly in the towns of Eagan and Inver Grove. James Wescott soon purchased Le Bret's claim right, and built a house sixteen feet square, which he occupied with his brother, W. L. Wescott. In the fall of 1854, the latter returned to their former home, in Maine, and brought out his family. James Wescott being at that time unmarried, the brothers con- tinued to live together. Along the route, by their house, there was a large amount of travel, and from the time they began to show the first signs of house -keeping, the Wescotts were be- sought to entertain the travelers. They were soon forced to make a business of this, and Wescott's Inn became famous throughout the country as a traveler's rest. Political conven- tions were held here at an early day. On one occasion, in 1856, a mass convention assembled here, of which John Van Hoesen. of Hastings, was chairman. Among other features of the affair, speeches and motions were in French, and the worthy chairman was forced to call an interpreter to his assistance. After a few years, W. L. Wescott removed to a claim of his own, while his brother James continued to keep public house until 1863. This he did with great success, being unable at times to entertain all who would be his guests. Mr. Auge came in the spring and made a claim on the south side of section J, where he died December 22, 1871. His sons, George and Treflie, came into possession of the homestead. Dosite Auge, Jr., made a claim at the same time with his father, and adjoining him on the north. Here he continued to make his home. Treffle Auge made his claim partly in sections 8 and 9. He sold it. after an interval of three years, and moved to Men- dota. Mr. Dailey came in the fall of 1853, and settled in section 11. He afterward removed to the southwest quarter of section 10, where he died. Michael Reid arrived the twelfth day of May, 1853, and lo- 404 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY cated on what proved to be school land, and hence not subject to entry. He lived on this land about a year, when he settled on the south side of section 9. Here he died October 4. 1877. T. J. McCollum settled in the spring of 1853. on the northwest quarter of section 19, and his son, Jefferson McCollum, pre- empted it. Madison, another son, made a claim partially in the southwest quarter of section 19, while William made his in the northern part of section 30. After a few years, the McCollums removed to Scott County. The following year, 1854, settlement continued unabated. Among the earlier arrivals were James Callan, John O'Lary, Thomas Fallon, Michael Eagan, Edmund Barry, Edward Dow- ling, Patrick Mooney, William Harper, Edward Taylor and John Cheever. James Callan made a claim on sections 28, 29 and :33, where he resided. figuring prominently among his people and in the county. John O'Lary came in _March and settled on the west side of section 14. He still lives on his original claim, having added to it by purchase. Edmund Barry. came not long after. and set- tled in section 23, where he now owns a fine farm of 305 acres. Mr. Fallon settled on the west side of section 23. _\Lr. Dowling in section 26, Mr. Eagan in the northwest quarter of section 22, Mr. Cheever in section 12, Mr. Mooney in the southwest quarter of section 22, Mr. Harper in the southwest quarter of section 21 and Mr. Taylor in the southwest quarter of the same section. The farm later owned by Patrick Coghlan, in sections 11 and 12, was the home of David Faribault, a mixed blood. A French- man, Michel Archambeaux, pre-empted it for him. Mr. Faribault built him a pleasant house and surrounded it with a picket fence. Here he lived for some years. but finally removed. A well known character in town was John Conklin. who had been a soldier, it is said, at Fort Snelling. He early acquired the name of "Black Hawk," and was commonly so called. After his discharge from the army he was in the employ of General Sibley, who placed him on the farm later owned. by L. Trapp, in section 3. Mr. Sibley afterwards placed him on a farm at the east end of Long Lake, subsequently known as Black Hawk Lake, doubtless in Conklin's honor. Liquor was the natural enemy of Conklin, and he died in the poorhouse at Nininger. Aside from his weakness, he is spoken of as a worthy man. He was married to Mrs. Helen Dunn, who died at the lake farm in the spring of 1871. The first birth of a white child in the town was that of Mary A. Brown, November 22, 1849. She was the daughter of J. W. and Mary Brown and was born at their home in the Indian vil- HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY 405 lage of Black Dog. She lived with her parents until her marriage with Jasper McCollum in 1871. The next birth was that of Susan F. O'Neill, January 7, 1854. Her parents were Robert and Catharine O'Neill, and lived at home until she was sixteen years of age, when she lived with her sister in Minneapolis until her marriage with Martin Kennedy, June 8, 1880. The first marriage of parties living in the town was that of Alexander Huard and Jane McDermott. They were married in 1854, and in 1855 he made his home in the western part of Inver Grove, where he lived a number of years, when he moved to the northwest quarter of section 12. Eagan was formerly a part of the town of Mendota as estab- lished by the county commissioners, April 6. 1858. At a meeting held by them on the 20th of the same month. a town was formed consisting of sections 13 to 36 inclusive, in the present town of Eagan, and ealled Montgomery. This action proved unsatis- factory, and was reconsidered and repealed at the same ineeting. By a special act of the state legislature during the winter of 1861, the town of Eagan was detached with its present limits from Mendota. The population at the census of 1880 was 642. The first meeting for the purpose of organizing the town was held at the house of Michael Coiner in the northwest quarter of section 25, April 3, .1860. Robert O'Neill was chosen moderator and Michael Comer clerk. At the election which ensued, the following officers were chosen for the coming year, viz.: Patrick Eagan, James Collar, Robert O'Neill, supervisors; Michael Comer. clerk; Thomas Fannan, assessor; William Ditliey, treasurer; Michael Kirby, William Harper, justices of the peace; Patrick .Mooney, Louis Sansoucey, constables: Patrick Eagan, Anthony Devitt, Michael Cain, road overseers. The following persons were early chairmen of the town board and early town clerks: 1861—Patrick Eagan, chairman; Michael Coiner, clerk. Mr. Eagan resigned during the year and Robert O'Neill was chosen_ in his place. Mr. Coiner also resigned, and Michael Downing was chosen by the board December 28, 1861, to act in his stead dur- ing the remainder of the term. 1862-63---Patrick Eagan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1864—Michael Kirby, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. Mr. Kirby resigned and Patrick Mooney, one of the board, was elect- ed to succeed him, and Michael Gorman was elected to fill the place vacated by Mr. Mooney, September 27, 1864. 1865—W. F. Donaldson, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1866—Robert O'Neill, chairman; Patrick Callahan, clerk. Mr. O'Neill failed to qualify and W. F. Donaldson was chosen as chairman. 1867— 406 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY W. F. Donaldson, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1868— W. F. Donaldson, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1869— Patrick Eagan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1870—Pat- rick Eagan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1871, 1872, 1873 —Hugh Barnes, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1874— Eugene Le May, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1875 and 1876—James Callan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1877— James Callan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 18 7 8—Robert O'Neill, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1879—Robert O'Neill, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. 1880—James Callan, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. Mr. Callan failed to qualify, and the board at a meeting held March 27, 1880, chose Jabez Har- per in his place. 1881—Jeffrey Fanning, chairman; Michael Downing, clerk. The first justices of the peace elected within the present limits of the town were James Callan and Benjamin Young, which was prior to the organization. The first school in the town was taught by Michael Downing during the winter of 1859-60, in a small log house 14x16 feet, owned and built by Thomas Farman in the northwest quarter of section 14. For a new district the attendance was unusually large, being about forty. This building was used about two years, when a new one of logs was built, and located in the south- east corner of the southwest quarter of section 28, on land now owned by Patrick Quigley. This building was used until about six years ago, when the present school -house was erected. It is a frame structure 18x26 feet, and located on the site of the old log building, containing patent seats, with a seating capacity of about forty. The next school was commenced soon after the first in a house belonging to Bartholomew Dailey, in the western part of section 29. It was a small log house built as a claim shanty, and was used by the district for two years, then others until 1865, when a school -house was erected near the center of section 29, on land owned by Daniel Niemeyer. It is a frame structure about 16x22 feet, contains plain seats, and will hold from thirty-five to forty pupils. In October, 1860, a school was taught in the house of Robert O'Neill, by Mrs. O'Neill, for one month, and then the services of Elizabeth McDermott were secured, and she continued to teach in the district a number of terms. The next spring an old build- ing was fitted up and used for a school -house, until a log house was built on land in the northeast quarter of section 11. This building was burned during the spring of 1865, and was replaced by a frame erected soon after at the same place. The locality was not convenient, and the house was subsequently moved about a mile further west, and during the month of March, 1881, suf- HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY 407 feral the same fate as its predecessor. A new building was erected in the southeast corner of section 3. The first religious services in the town took place at the house of Edward Dowling, in the northwest quarter of section 26, and were conducted by the Rev. Father Ravoux. Only a few such services were held, however, as, during the following spring, the church at Inver Grove was finished, and services were trans- formed thither. The Lutherans belonging to the church at Inver Grove, many years ago. purchased about two acres of land belonging to J. B. Pfeiffer and his son-in-law, August Nachtigal, where they erected a church edifice, where they held services in alternation with the church at Inver Grove. The plat of land lies on the east side of St. Paul road, in the southeast quarter of section 2. and a ceme- tery is in connection with the church lot. The Iowa and Minnesota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway crosses the eastern part of the town, ex- tending from northwest to southeast and leaving the southern line near the quarter post on the south side of section 26. The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway crosses the northwest part of the town from northeast to southwest. and was opened for traffic in 1865. In 1866. a flag station without a depot was established on the line of the Iowa and Minnesota division of the Chicago, Mil- waukee and St. Paul Railway, near the southeast corner of sec- tion 13, on land belonging to James Wescott. from whom the station is named Wescott station. Nichols, a flag station, was established in 1867 on the line of the Chicago, St. Paul. Minne- apolis and Omaha Railway, in the northwest quarter of section 17, on land then owned by John Nichols. Wescott postoffice was established in April, 1881. and A. Lau appointed postmaster. In 1860, a blacksmith shop was opened by Robert Myers. on the southeast quarter of section 17. He remained there about two years, then removed to St. Paul and afterwards returned and rented a farm belonging to James Slater, in the northeast quarter of section 31, where he put up another shop. This he operated several years, and finally removed to Hamilton. He has the honor of being the pioneer blacksmith of the place. Another shop was opened by George Auge in May, 1867. on the west side of the Mendota road. in the southwest quarter of section J. In 1869, Edward Rachenberg opened a blacksmith shop in the southwest quarter of section 1. which he operated several years. 408 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY Still another shop was opened by Herman Raddatz. in the fall of 1876, in the northeast quarter of section 2. A store was established by the brothers, A. and J. Lau, at Wescott station, March 4, 1881. Following is a list of the Civil War veterans credited to Eagan Township in the adjutant general's report : Peter Felix. Henry Harper, _Martin Noonan. Lewis Sansoney, Sevier Turpin. Francis Turpin, William Healey, Mathias Lemay, Napoleon Le - may. Thomas O'Harmon, Theofelt O'Detts. Bartholomew Dailey. Thomas Lelnay, Joseph Terreaux and Henry Williams. EUREKA. Eureka township was named by a colony o were traveling with their effects in prairie sell a location for a future home and who, wile place where they tinall settled. exclaimed " I have found it. •' The township is one of and is known as township 11. fifth principal meridian. and lik the county, received its designati The surface of Eureka is divided hilly, scrub oak and more heavily timb central and central western portions of tion of a body of timber in the northwe prairie. The central. southern and so sist of hilly. timbered and serub oak la districts is a sandy loam. having a eta} portions the soil inclines more to el sub -soil underlaid with a formation ers. But one stream of water worth town. The Vermillion river dehou tion 18, at the extreme western ho flows in a general course east by no Eureka and Lakeville, in section 1. ton. The course of the stream is r are invaluable to the stock farme Chub lake, the principal body inidst of the timber, in the sout one and a half miles long by 500 It is a shallow lake, with a mu value. It is bounded by sections Bear lake touches the western 7 and 18, but its waters lie almos le western ti north, of nearly in A to 1 re Indianians. who oners in search of they calve to the Eureka." Meaning, r of Dakota eounty. ange 20 west of the 1 the other towns in ril. 1858. -el and rolling prairie, land. The north, east, e town. with the exeep- corner, consist of open th)•estern portions Bon- d. T soil in the prairie sub -soil. In the timbered y and gra% 1. with -a clay smooth ;ray and hould- of notice bows within the es from Bear lak in see- ndary of the townsh and th: crossing the line bet -een near the village of Farm' pid. and its clear cold water of water in Eureka, lies in the central part of the town. It is yards wide at its broadest part. bottom, and contains no fish of 1, 22, 27, 28, 33 and 34. borders of the town. in sections wholly in Scott county. Ver- HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY 409 million lake is a small body of water lying at the foot of Bear lake, in section 18. Wells are in use generally through the town, and excellent drinking water is obtained at a depth of from ten to one hundred feet. The prevailing product of Eureka is wheat, which comes to maturity finely in these lands The quality is first-class, and the yield large for Minnesota. C ' rn is also grown quite extensively, as well as oats, barley and , otatoes. The farmers are also well supplied with live stock, e• .ecially horses and cattle. The but- ter" ,roduet is quite large, while sheep are kept but little. The Jowl ds of the town pro uce prairie hay of the best quality. As i ose people rem • nber. who were in Minnesota early in the "fiftie " there was reat hope of St. Peter, at that time, as the Coming c,' v of the new territory. The old "Dodd road" was an outgrow of thi expeetation. On the second day of May. 1853, three brother. Cyrus M., Dwight L. and Ansel R. Kingsley, began work on this I , t : d highway. By the latter part of June. operations had progre ed so far as that portion of the road afterward embraced wi h'the limits of Eureka township. When at a point o . th Vermillion river, now embraced in section 7. Captain Dodi , struwith the beauty of the spot, had C. M. Kingsley constrt et a ela shanty there, and stake out a claim of 160 acres. Th captain' ntention was to have this land pass into the hands o 1 a friend. i • St. Paul. The improvement made was simply a 10 pen, without roof. Captain Dodd soon forgot his claim, how ver, and it pass d into other hands than those for whom it was intended. But the Kingsley )rothers. more deepl ' impressed with the character of the lands lying on the Vermillion, resolved to return and settle here at a suture day. During the winter of 1853-4, Cyrus Kingsley met a old friend, Benjamin Caskey, at St. Paul. Mr. Caskey was ready to appropriate a good location, and under Mr. Kingsley's advice, he set out, in May, 1854, on a prospecting tour along the line of the Dodd road. The result was, that he settled on the claim staked out the previous year by Captain Dodd. On the fifteenth of July following, Cyrus M. Kingsley settled on the northeast quarter of section 17. His brother, Dwight L. Kingsley, settled on the southeast quarter of section 6. July 18, Peter Sampson, and his son Magnus, Ole Torrison and Ole H. Oleson, all Norwegians, arrived at Chub lake, from Wisconsin. Mr. Sampson took a claim in sections 22 and 27. Messrs. Torrison and Oleson located in section 21. During the autumn of 1854, Sylvester Bell came at the in- stance of C. M. Kingsley, and made a claim in the northwest 548 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY year had reached Pittsburg, Pa., by way of the Baltimore and Ohio canal He then accepted a position of principal of one of the schools . t Pittsburg, and in his spare time kept books for the Joseph :eting Coal Mining Company. While at Pittsburg he was marries in 1852 to Catherine O'Shaughnessy, a lady of many aecomplis ents, who was also a teacher, and they worked together for seve • years. Not much was known of Minnesota at that time, but th y had he rd much of the great possibilities of the country, and : fter d e preparation they decided to try life in this locality. ave • ng by boat the greater part of the way, they arrived in St. ' ; 1 May 12, 1857. Mr. Crowley obtained a position in the office • • the city engineer, where he remained until the fall of the s : me • ear, when on account of the hard times they moved to ' arver county and took up a claim, which later became the si of the • resent village of Norwood. Mr. Crowley was elect: i county s . veyor of Carver county, but the following year t ey moved to Fort Snelling, where he was employed as as stant engineer o • the survey of the Minnesota Central Railr • : d, and was later e cted engineer of West St. Paul. He su sequently settled in Me • • ota, occupied a log house which orig • ally belonged to Father R. voux, taught school for eight year and on Saturdays, and during stations, was engaged in surve ng. He also performed the duties of freight clerk at Mendot . In 1868 he was again attracted to West St. Paul and remov with his wife to that place, where • ey both taught for a time. Mr. Crowley's ability as an educa''r were recog- nize • and in the fall of 1870 he was elected county k • erintendent of hools of Dakota county, in which position he faithfully ser ed eight years. He served on the council of South St. Paul, anafter the separation of South and West St. Paul, which was 1 gely due to the efforts of Mr. Crowley and George W. Went- orth, he was unanimously elected the first mayor of West St. Paul, at the first election in 1889. He retired from public life in 1891, and after a long and useful life died in 1902. Ignatius Donnelly, the noted author and scholar, was his intimate friend. Desire • Chapdelaine, of Eagan township, was born in the old homestead February 2, 1862, one of the twelve children of Peter and Margaret (Plant) Chapdelaine, natives of Canada. The father, a farmer, came to St. Paul in November, 1848, with his family, remaining until 1853, when he moved to Eagan town- ship, this county, and pre-empted 120 acres of land. He first erected a log cabin and later a home and buildings, improved his land and engaged in a general line of farming. He died Novem- ber 16, 1891, and the mother still lives on the homestead. Desire ra'Pived his Prinea.tion in the public schools of the township, and HISTORY OF DAIiOTA COUNTY 549 of the home farm, together with his brother, being thus engaged until in 1892. In that year he went to North Dakota and took up a homestead of 160 acres of land in Ward county, where he erected a house and cultivated the land for three years, return- ing in 1895 to Dakota county, where he has since remained, farm- ing at home. He has bought produce for a commission house of Minneapolis since 1907. He is a Catholic in his religion, and in politics a Democrat, and has served as director of the school of district 106 for a time. He belongs to the C. 0. F. Dr. Percival Barton, pioneer physician, has taken an active part in maintaining a high ethical standing for the profession of medicine in Dakota county. He was born in Maine and there married Sarah C. Paine, also a native of the same state. The family eame West in the fall of 1854, lived a short time at St. Paul, went to the present site of the village of Inver Grove, and subsequently took up a claim in Waseka county, where they lived a year. Then they came hack to Inver Grove, where Dr. Barton assisted in laying out the town site. In 1861 he enlisted in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, as assistant sur- geon, and served until the autumn after the close of the war. He then returned to his family and purchased his present home, where he has lived for over forty years, engaged in the practice of medicine. He is an ideal country physician, sympathetic and able, and commands the love and respect of every resident for miles around. In addition to practicing his profession, Dr. Bar- ton has found time to interest himself in other business enter- prises. Ilis wife died in 1902. Dr. and Mrs. Barton have two children. A sketch of their son, Henry C., appears elsewhere. Helen M., the daughter, married George Gillette. Mr. and Mrs. Gillette died in March. 1887. Of their three children, one died in infancy; one, Alma E., died in 1907. and Harvey L. is still ]iviug. Harry C. Barton, a prosperous farmer of Inver Grove town- ship, was born in Somerset county, Maine, Augus 16, 1851, son of Percival and Sarah C. (Paine) Barton, nativ: • of that state. Ire received his education in the public school: of Inver Grove, and afterward took up fa ing, which occu . : tion he has since successfully continued. Asid from goner: farming he makes a specialty of truck gardening i d stock 'eeding, and the prod- ucts of the River View Farm, as ie c: s his place, are known for their high quality and excellenc In politics Mr. Barton is a Democrat. He has served the to ip four years as chair- man, and one year as treasurer of e boa . . He is now serving as president of the village co il. Mr. Ba on has joined the Sons of the American Revolut • n, and he also ; • longs to Schiller Grove Lodge, No. 3, Order • Druids. of St. Pa1i1. He was mar- HISTORY OF DAKOTA COITN TY Jib ates with the A. O. t . W. at Farmington, and attends the Pres- byterian Church at Farmington. William H. Wescott, of Eagan township, was born on the fam- ily homestead, April 5, 1870. He received his education in the public schools of Inver Grove, and after finishing his studies took up farming. In 1883 he went to St. Paul and entered the employ of the .3IcKibbin Hat and Cap Company. After two years he came back to the farm and in 1899 took full charge. He now carries on general farming and stock raisin g, and so sells o- duce and grain. He cultivates about eighty acres. al In 1906 Mr. Wescott was elected representative to the state legislature, and is now serving his second term. He offices in the township, having served has assessor as also helfor nine several sears, clerk for a short while, and as a member of the school board.ears his politics he is a Republican. He affiliates with the M. B. A., and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, James and ,liar His parents, Y E. Atkinson Wescott, were natives of Maine. James Wescott emigrated to the west in 1849, traveled by means of ox teams across the plains of Nevada and settled near Sacra- mento, Cal., remaining three years in the gold mines. In spring of 1854 he came to St. Paul, and subsequently loc_ tedthe in Eagan township where he bought 160 acres of improved land and engaged in farming. He married Mary 23, 1877. They retired from active life inE 01, and areAugust stilI i livng. During the war, Co.I, 1st _liinn. he James Wescott served two years in y Artillery, as lieutenant under Colonal Colville. He was m ustered out at Nashville, Tenn., and received his honorable discharge at Fort Snellin g. ed as county treasurer for two years from 1858-1860, and alsosserverved as census enumerator in 1890. They were the parents of seven children, of whom four are living: ie ves married and lives at St. Paul. E. iss marriedts and also lives W. E. is in St. Paul. 1�T. H. is the subject of this sketch. Benjamin B., Gertrude and Deborah C. are dead. Peter Thompson, of Eureka township, has the honor of hav- ing served as postmaster of Christiana p°stoffice for the long period of twenty-five years, and he would have been retained been established and th in service for a still longer period had not the rural free delivery o pe ahnliohea rs_ , II ;,. Available from: HIGGINSON BOOK COMPANY 14 Derby Square, P.O. Box 778 Salem, Massachusetts 01970 (508)745-7170 This facsimile reprint has been photoreproduced on acid -free paper. Hardcover bindings are archival quality. CHAPTER XV. TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES. Eagan Township —Eureka Township —Christiana Postoffice— Castle Rock Township —Castle Rock Village —East Castle Rock —Randolph Township —Randolph Village —Burnsville Township —Empire Township —Farmington Village —Doug- lass Township—Meisville—Greenvale Township —Schools — Churches —Early Settlers —Officers —Veterans of the Civil War. Eagan Township receives its name from Patrick Eagan, first chairman of the board of supervisors. The town is situated in the northern part of Dakota County, and is bounded on the north by Mendota, on the east by Inver Grove, on the south by Rosemount and Lebanon, and on the west and northwest by Burnsville and the Minnesota River. The surface of the town is rolling in the northern portion, while in the southern portion it is extremely rough. Lakes ap- pear in several parts of the town, principally in the central and southeastern part. These lakes are peculiar, from the fact that they have neither visible inlets nor outlets. They have pure, clear water, and some of them are of considerable depth. A large marshy lake extends from Mendota into the northwest part of Eagan Township, but with this one exception, the lakes of the town have high, sloping banks, with graveled shores and bottoms. The largest lake in the town is Black Hawk or Long Lake. It lies in sections 16, 17 and 21, and extends nearly east and west. Its area is about ninety acres. Its length is not far from a mile, and its width averages about thirty rods. Le May Lake, situated in the northwestern part of section 10, is so named from the settlers living near. It is a beautiful sheet of water, and covers about fifty acres. Fish Lake lies in sections 15 and 16, and is about thirty acres in extent. In early times, there were great numbers of fish in these lakes, but latterly only the smaller kinds remain. Interested parties have at various times, attempted the culture of fish in these bodies of water, but as a rule, they have been unsuccessful. One small stream, called Black Dog's Creek, crosses the west line of the town near the west quarter post of section 18. It empties into the Minnesota River nearly where the north line of section 18 intersects it. Along the Minnesota River, in the northwest part of the town, 400 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY 401 a strip of bottom land appears, averaging nearly a mile in width. This principally is meadow. East of this, extending to the Black Dog road, is slightly rolling and higher land, finely adapted to agricultural purposes. This portion of the town, with a few hundred acres in and near sections 2 and 3, constitutes all of the original prairie land. The remaining portions of the town were largely covered by a brushy growth, with an occasional spot con- taining larger trees. These latter were principally oak. At present a fringe of elm timber appears along the river. The soil for the town is principally a clay loam, unusually fertile, with proper management. Occasionally a sandy loam appears, with numerous gravelly knolls. The principal crop is wheat, though considerable quantities of corn, barley and oats are produced. Some of the farmers engage in market gardening, to a small extent. The Indian village, known as Black Dog's, and situated near the mouth of Black Dog's Creek, in section 18, has been pre- viously described. After the treaty of 1837, a Frenchman named Louis Martin, was stationed among these Indians as farmer. He located on section 17, and the Indians began to form a new village round him. Several log buildings were erected for residences and shops. In the spring of 1849, Hazen Mooers, the well-known Indian trader, was appointed to succeed Mr. Martin. His wife was a half-breed Sioux by whom he had three children. After the rati- fication of the treaty of 1852 when the Indians were removed to Red Wood agency, Mr. Mooers went with them. J. W. Brown. who had married a daughter of Mr. Mooers, in 1846, came down to Black Dog village, in the fall of 1849, and assisted his father- in-law. When the Indians were removed he remained on the land, and pre-empted a farm, in the northern part of section 17, which he lived. on until 1857, when he removed to Red Wing. He resided there for six years, returning at the end of that period to his farm in Eagan. Here he lived until 1873, when he sold his original claim and removed to a farm in the northwest quarter of section 9. Mr. Brown is accordingly the first white settler of the town. At the same time with him, John Brown and a Mr. Ports made claims also, in section 17. Both of them remained, however, but a short time. Two brothers, Campbell. made a claim in the northeastern quarter of section 18. They had been attaches of the Indian farm, and soon sold their claim rights to Franklin Steele. A comrade named Benjamin Young then took possession of the claim, probably for Mr. Steele, and continued to live there for several years. Mr. Young was one of the first two justices of the peace, elected within the limits of the present town of Eagan. 608 HISTORY OF DAKOTA COUNTY received his education in the common schools of his native coun- try, and when he had reached his nineteenth year decided to come to America. He arrived in New York, May, 1852, and came directly to Minnesota, settling in Rice county, where he took up a claim and worked on it, improving and cultivating the land until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he enlisted in Company K, Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He received his honorable discharge and after be- ing mustered out returned to Minnesota, sold his claim in Rice county, purchased eighty-five acres of improved land in Castle Rock township. He has now a fine place of 350 acres of which over 200 is under the plow. This farm is conducted by his sons, and he and his wife are living a retired life. He was married in September, 1867, to Mary Sullivan, daughter of John and Nancy Sullivan, natives of Ireland who emigrated to the United States in 1853, and located near Stamford, Conn., and carried on farm- ing until 1861 when they came west, bought a farm in Castle Rock township and carried on farming operations until 1867 when the father met his death by being thrown from a horse. To Mr. and Mrs. Tierney have been born seven children : Alice Julia. who graduated from the Normal School at Winona, and is now principal of a school at Fargo, N. D.; John Edward, in the theatrical business at Sioux City, Iowa.; Mary Rose, married to Herbert Day, who conducts a cement and block business at Bagley, Minn. ; Arthur and Philip who conduct the home farm ; Charles N., who is in the real estate business at Spokane, Wash., a graduate of the University of Minnesota ; and Dillon P., who is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and also of Yale University Class of 1908, where he took a forestry course, being now in the employ of the government in Montana in the forestry department. Mr. Tierney is a Republican in politics and takes a great interest in the affairs of the community in which he lives. He has been on the school board of district 53 for a number of years, serving part of the time as treasurer. He is a member of the G. A. R., and the family faith is that of the Roman Catholic church. Robert Van Asten, South St. Paul dairyman, was born in Ger- many, July 10, 1860, son of William Van Asten, who was also in- terested in dairying. After leaving school he took up his present business, and has met with considerable success, now owning a herd of cattle, a pleasant home and some city lots. He and his wife, Amelia, attend the German Lutheran Church, or South St. Paul. Mr. Van Asten had a sister and a brother. The former, Annie, is dead, and the latter, Carl, lives in Kansas City. .Andrew J. Ward is a lumber merchant, contractor and builder of Rosemount. He was born in Eagan township, October 24,1860, HISTORY OF D AKOT A COUNTY 609 and attended the public schools of the township remaining at home working on the farm until 1891, when he took up con- tracting and building. In November, 1902, he bought the Rose- mount lumber yard from the St. Croix Lumber Co., and added a factory, where he manufactures doors, sash and blinds. He carries a full line of cement, lime and hair, furnishes estimates and draws plans for buildings. About 20 men are employed in his establishment. He was elected mayor of the village in 1909, and previous to that had served on the council for ten years. In October, 1906, he was married to Anna Gibbons, daughter of Patrick and Anna Gibbons, natives of Ireland. They came to America and located in Rosemount township where they engaged in farming, the father later entering into business with Michael Comer in Rosemount. He died in 1887, but the mother still lives on the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have one child, Andrew J., Jr. Mr. Ward is a member of the I. 0. F., and A. 0. H. In politics he is a Democrat and the family faith is that of the Roman Catholic church. Thomas and Catherine Ward, parents of Andrew J. Ward, were natives of Ireland. They came to America in 1850 and after living in Massachusetts three years, moved to St. Paul and remained there eighteen months, the father serving on the police force. In 1854 they located in Dakota county where they improved eighty acres and remained until 1867, in which year they sold out, purchasing 160 acres in Empire township where they erected a home and general farm buildings, carrying on farming operations until the father's death in October, 1891, the mother having passed away in 1889. A. C. Messenger, of South St. Paul, was born in Virgil, Cort- land county, New York. He received his education at his native place and later learned the trade of cabinet maker, serving three years as apprentice, after this he worked two years in different places. October 2, 1851, he married Helen M. Seamans. also a native of Virgil, born in 1832. Seven weeks after their marriage they started for the western country, spending several months in Chicago where Mr. Messenger was foreman in a large cabinet and chair factory. They went from there to, Quincy, I11., with the intention of going on to California, but through the influence of friends, came to Minnesota instead, Mr. Messenger arriving July, 1852, and Mrs. Messenger in September the same year. Here Mr. Messenger was chiefly engaged at his trade of cabinet making and carpentering, and also operated a steam engine in a cabinet factory. In 1855 he took up a claim, which was later purchased by the Clark -Bryant Improvement Company, and is now a part of South St. Paul. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. H, 7th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and was transferred to the Vet- eran Reserve Corps, where he served until the close of the war, Interview July 23, 2003 MNfP INTaV!CW Z w3 Emily Paulson: This is Emily Paulson, interviewing Emil Jandric. It's July 23, 2003. I'm gonna start by asking what was Inver Grove Township like before you started developing South Grove? Just about the character and what was there. Emil Jandric: It was all farms. Just nothing but farms. As a matter of fact, I remember looking at it when I first bought the first piece of ground and thinking "God, there's nothing out here at all." And there wasn't. But Northern Natural (?) was just starting up in the back there, you know. Down the line a little ways from Inver Grove Heights and South Grove. And that's it. It was all land of farms. Paulson: All right. And what were you doing before you started developing? Jandric: Just before I started developing? Paulson: Yeah. Jandric: I was in the Navy. And we had three children when I went in and for that reason they let me out early. They started this law, if you had three dependents or more, you were out of the service, period. And that was me; I had three kids. So I came home, and when I came home, a real good friend of mine, Ken Bordner (?), suggested that I sell real estate, because he thought I could sell some real estate. So he said, "Before you go back now, and your old job", because those were always held over for the veterans. He says, "Come down to my office, and try it for a week or two." Which I did, and I had very good luck and I was selling houses. And one of the guys that was in the same office with me, he was Evert (?) Peterson, and we decided to go in business together, because the two of us had two different kinds of approaches to real estate. I thought that looked like a good idea. So we went in the real estate business, and one of our customers was a homebuilder that we were selling lots of houses for. And he was building houses the way we said we wanted them. And I realized that we were selling houses, because we had a good feel for what the people wanted. And when we were through with this particular builder, we decided to do some building of our own. Paulson: OK, so that's where you got into it. Jandric: Yeah. Snyder: What year did you get out of the service? Jandric: Forty. Wait a minute. I started - Where did I end up here? Rebecca Snyder: You were talking about beginning to build houses of your own. Jandric: Oh yeah. And I had no money and so the only property I could use was the property that belonged to the old Bucher farm. And that was my wife's mother's maiden name — Bucher. And they were trying to sell their farm and having trouble selling it. And somebody offered them 8500 bucks for the farm. And there was 80 acres in there plus a farmhouse and farm buildings. And I said, "Before you sell it, sell me some of the land." And I said, "I'll get you more money for your farm than you could get this way. " So, they decided to try it, and they gave me about five lots. And they had to give me title to the property, so I'd get a mortgage there. And they gave me five lots and I was paying them individually for each lot when I bought it. And about the second year we had twice as much money into the farmhouse than they could have got for it in the first place. And they still owned the farm! Paulson: All right, so that was good. 1 Jandric: Yeah. They were real happy. And I could see why. Well, and anyway. We started to run out of land up there and we decided somewhere else. I had to go somewhere else. And we decided, I decided, me and my wife decided we'd go to South St. Paul and we had relatives there — the Megas (?) and the Drkulas were all my relatives. And so we went there and there again we had the problem with the land situation. We gotta have some money for land and old Hap Horbach, who owned one of the farms in the area there, he operated with us the best he could. And we got land as we needed it, from him, rather than having to buy the whole farm. So as we needed land, Horbach would give us lots, whichever we needed and so forth. So that was the start of South Grove. That's automatic. One led to the other. Paulson: So it wasn't all like a grand scheme. It just sort of — Jandric: Oh no. It just happened because it was the only way we could go. When you don't have any money you gotta do whatever you can do at work. And so that's the way that worked, and that was the start of South Grove. Paulson: And what about your connection with Pine Bend? There's a newspaper article mentioning that you had put up the houses in order to provide houses for Pine Bend, and it connected you with the Pine Bend development. Jandric: There's no connection with Pine Bend whatsoever. Paulson: Really? Jandric: None whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I was just as surprised as anybody else when they were doing work in the area. Although, naturally anything that you have that is promoting people is good for the home-building industry. And I was happy to see it there. And I certainly wanted to help them get going with everything. So when Pine Bend came in, we tried to be very careful about helping them the best we could. Paulson: Do you think when you were putting up houses, do you think it was easier to do than it would be today? Less governmental regulations and stuff? Jandric: Absolutely. I'm sure glad I'm not in it today. I know there's lots of problems with it. But that's the way time goes. Snyder: What sort of regulations did you have to deal with? Jandric: Well, we were primarily governed by the GI Loan and the FHA Loan. That's the people that were supplying the money and we had to make them happy, so we did everything they wanted. They had very strict regulations on how the house should be built. It was good. Because somebody like myself who was not really a builder, just of houses, had to do it right or you couldn't get your mortgage. Paulson: So they wanted you to build houses for people from the war? I mean I know it was after the war. Jandric: Yeah, it was after the war. They were interested in veterans getting a good deal. Uncle Sam wanted the veterans to have a mortgage on the house and it was a blessing to the country. Because all over, people were building houses and coming up with GI Loans. And the GI, who all of a sudden, who had nothing all his life was able to buy a house. And I was one of them. Because I remember when I announced to my dad that I was gonna buy a house, he says, "How come you can buy a house?" I says, "Well, I'm gonna get a GI mortgage." "Where you gonna get the money for the down payment?" I said, "I don't need one." He says, " You mean, they're lending you money and you have none of your money?" I says, "Yeah." "Well then, what kind of interest? They must be charging." "No," I said, "The lowest interest in the book." Four percent at 2 that time. And he understood it because I said it worked, but my dad, he didn't understand it at all. And I almost didn't, but it was a blessing in disguise for everyone, all the GI's. All of a sudden they were family. Before that they didn't have that option at all. So it was a great thing for the people. Snyder: It was a huge market. Jandric: Oh absolutely. It was the biggest market. As a matter of fact, that's another reason why I was in that field, because that's where I could get my money. That's where I could see that the guy could get his money to pay me. So it worked good both ways. Paulson: All right. Let me see... How much of a risk did you have when you built the homes? You kind of talked about that with doing them one at a time. Jandric: Risk? Paulson: I guess like monetarily. Jandric: I didn't have any money, so I didn't risk much. But as time went on my equities grew and things got better all the way through, and then I had equities. I didn't gamble too much, because I was always buying just enough property that I had. And the mortgage company would not let me build way out in front. By that I mean that they wouldn't let me build houses that I did not have sold. So that kept me on the level path, too. When I had a house sold, we built it. And then I realized that — I am a salesman at heart, I am not a construction man more or less, I'm a salesman, I'm a developer. And I could see that I had to have houses sold so that I could get a mortgage for putting on the books. So then I built a sales force that sold houses one after another, the best they could. And at times we would have anywhere from 15 to 20 houses sold in advance of our construction. And then we'd bite into that all the time so we'd get along. And then we set it up with the mortgage company that we were, that I could have as many of those mortgages as I could sell provided that the house is bought by the veteran ahead of time. So they were, the loan company was borrowing the money or lending the money to the veteran. See what I mean? Paulson: Yeah. Jandric: And by using his mortgage I could pay off my bills, that I had hired the guys to do - the cement work and the painting inside the house and the carpenter -work — Paulson: And the newspapers when they're talking about the developing, they kind of make it look like you'd planned to have a kind of consistent, or I guess full community with churches and stuff. Jandric: Well, that we did. Yeah. We did that primarily because you've gotta have something to sell the people. When I went out there to South Grove, I stood in a field. There was nothing around me! Anyplace. The only thing I could actually see was the airport. The South St. Paul airport. Because we bordered them at one time. So I could see that, but that was all there was to see. There was nothing there. So we just build up this sales situation, and started building the houses. And if I needed money, I just went in and gave a note to the loan company. They okayed that I'd done this work and they gave me the money for it and I paid the guy that did the work. Paulson: Okay. Was there a specific kind of community you were trying to create, or were you just trying to create a community? Jandric: Getting back to that, it was important, for me to sell a house, they had to want to buy the house. Well, when they buy a house, they certainly aren't going to go somewhere where they're sitting out in a cornfield and there was nothing they can see. You know? So I just had pictures 3 showing them what we were gonna do to the shopping center area. I had pictures showing them how nice the houses were going to look. What color and everything else. Then I told them where these houses were going to be and then we took them out on the property and showed them where the houses sit. Now, a person that sits and looks at that, that doesn't mean anything to them. But it was closing our deal, I'd say, on the house. So did the man say, "Okay honey, let's go ahead with this." And they'd say, "Okay." So we'd sign them up and we had another sale. Then we had something to show them. "The shopping center's going to be here. We're gonna have schools over here." And the religious area was gonna be better, because there was... Many years ago, way back when Brian McGroarty was the head man in the Inver Grove politics, the Catholic church was pretty important in the area. Lot of Catholic people. But the church burned down. Now, when the church burned down there was insurance on it. And for some goofy reason, the only guy that was on the insurance was Brian McGroarty's name. So he got all the money. So they went to him about "Oh, let's start building the church." He says, "Okay, but I want a statue of St. Patrick." Now Brian McGroarty was a real Irishman. And I mean Irishman. Nice guy, beautiful guy. But he was a one-sided guy and everybody that's doing something in the world is one-sided to one faction or another. So Brian McGroarty said, "If you put the statue of St. Patrick up, I'll release the money." Well, they had a vote that said we'll give you the St. Patrick statue. But he says, "I refuse to have the snake on it." You know how St. Patrick always has the snake on the bottom? He refused to put that up there if they had a snake there. St. Patrick don't need a snake. So there was a lot of bickering back and forth, and finally they decided, well, what the hell, we'll put the statue up and it won't have a snake, but at least we'll have our church. And in the meantime, there was scuffling back and forth, and I didn't know what happened. But then I came into the picture. Now, I'm Catholic, and I wanted a Catholic church in that area, because the Catholic area was missing. So, when I'm selling houses, I'm practically eliminating the Catholics, because they had no place to go to church. So that's a bad thing for me. So I go to Brian, and I say, "Brian, we're good Catholics. We gotta get this up. Let's get this church up and get it over with." He says, "Okay, just get them all squared away." He says, "If you get this thing set up where they will in writing tell me that they will not have a snake on the bottom of St. Patrick," he says, "I'll release the money." I say, "Can I go to the bishop and tell him this?" He says, "Yeah." So I go to the bishop and I tell him this and he says, "Will Brian release the money?" Now, this is a sore point, you know. There's Catholic money and somebody else has got it. That ain't right, you know. And so the bishop says, "Well, if you can get all this stuff straightened out, we'll go ahead with it from our end of it." I said, "Okay, I'm gonna tell Brian that too." He said, "Okay, yeah, that's okay." So, I go back to Brian. "Brian, it's all set to go. We're gonna build the church right now." And he says, "Did the bishop get it all straightened out." And I says, "Yeah." There was a lot of believing in me, you know, and the bishop had no reason to let me go back and dictate this thing. But the real situation that was nutty at that time, and I was just rough enough to try to get it done. And I did. And I got it all set and they started building. So that's how the Catholic church got in there. Snyder: That was about 1960, wasn't it? Jandric: Yeah. Snyder: Is that right? They went for a long time without a church. Jandric: Oh yeah. Yeah, it was about, let me see, we started South Grove about 1954. And it was later than that, that we started the church. And then when the Catholic church came along, I went out to see what else was missing. There's some other churches that aren't there. And they only one they had was the one that was up there on Salem Park Road. Old, old, old church. And I think it was a Lutheran Church. It was either Lutheran or Protestant, I don't remember which. About two months later or so, a month, I heard by the grapevine there's another church going in the area. Well, the more churches you have the better off you are. That brings people in. And it makes stability for an area. So when they came in to see our model houses, there's where we were quick to explain to them that there's lots of churches. We got a shopping center going in and the schools are close to expanding, which they were. And that all these steps is gonna happen, 4 just as quick as we get some more people in here. We got a lot of people interested in houses. And that's the way we sold houses. And we sold well, South Grove's a successful area, we sold lotta houses in there and it worked out good, and it's a good area. It's a good residential area. drove by there just about three weeks ago with my wife to take a look at it. It brings back memories. And it's a nice -looking area. It isn't a sloozy area like some areas can get that way. Paulson: So, with the churches, I was reading something about Good Shepherd, the Lutheran church. They were saying that a poll was taken and that went up as a Lutheran church, because X amount of the population was Lutheran. Do you remember anything about that? Jandric: Tell me the front part. What did you say? Paulson: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Jandric: I don't know about a Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Paulson: Okay, never mind then. Jandric: No, I don't remember it. Snyder: Does St. Patrick have a snake or no? Jandric: Oh no. Snyder: That's funny. Jandric: It's funny, but you know it's - Old Brian, he's quite a guy. Snyder: I was afraid he was going to want the statue to look like him. Jandric: You know, I always went to Brian before the meeting and explained to him what we were gonna do, and is this all right, and is there stuff you like and don't like. Because when I went to a meeting, I wanted things to go through the way they were supposed to, so that everybody was happy. Or else, what the hell good's the meeting? If somebody's out in left field and he's not happy, that's no good. Because that only boils and boils and festers and festers, and gets worse. So, Brian McGroarty and I would sit down at his kitchen table, and I'd explain to him what I was gonna come in there with and say, " Yeah, this is okay. This is what I'm worried about. This is okay." When we'd go into the final meeting, never had a problem. That's more than I can say for a lot of other places. There was a lot of places, I'd go in and I'd explain everything to them, all the way through like it's supposed to be. And I'd come to the meeting and it'd sound like I never saw that guy in my life. Then you start from scratch of less at that point. But Brian was a man of his word and everything worked nice. It always did. When there was a problem of an unusual nature, I would either sit down, or call Brian or Ed Kurth — Ed Kurth was another good guy -- both of them were interested in doing something good for the area. Housing was good. Brought people in. And all of a sudden Ed — he used to have one or two building permits a year — and I used to come in for ten or twenty of them at a time, and about after the second year he said to me, "Listen, if you're gonna keep doing this housing business, you're gonna have to get me a secretary! " Oh, Eddie Kurth. So that was, well, I never did get one. He was kidding, but he was a good guy. He was like Brian, you knew where you were with those boys all the time. And the other boy — Fisher (?) — he was another one, he was above board. He had that beer joint out there on the highway. Snyder: Oh, Louis? Louis Fisher? Jandric: No, you're thinking of the guy and the golf course. Snyder: Yeah. 5 Jandric: No, this is the guy further out the other way. He had right on the corner of the highway and the cross street. He had a beer joint. And he was a good guy, too. They were all good guys! I was happy with them. Course, we started out on the right foot and right off the bat introduced myself to these guys. Told them what we had to do, showed them all the things. And they agreed with them. And I asked them, "What is it, is there anything here you didn't like?" And if they didn't like it, we fixed it. Snyder: All above board? Jandric: Yeah. And it was early enough in the stages where nothing was committed dollar -wise. And that's what had to be with me, because I didn't have any to spend. Anyway, that's the way South Grove went, as far as I was concerned. Paulson: Did you have to do anything with transportation to connect South Grove to anything else? How well was it connected to other areas? Jandric: You mean transportation -wise? Paulson: Yeah. Jandric: Well, there was no transportation. Paulson: Did you have to put any up at all? Jandric: No, but I kept going to the transportation people, street car lines, and asking them to include Inver Grove Heights. But there was a real bad situation there. The car line ended there by Duke's kind of and they couldn't go any further. There was a river on one side, and a huge bluff on the other. They woulda had to go through that bluff, and that's tremendous expense. Unless you're awfully sure of everything right off the bat, you don't put any tunnels in the bluff. So, then we got staggered there. We had no transportation. And I don't think they have any yet. Paulson: Are you talking about streetcars? Jandric: Yeah. Do they have any busses or anything up there? Paulson: No, it's a really small bus -line in Inver Grove. Not very much. Jandric: I know they had a bad situation there. I wanted transportation real bad. Because that's the answer. That's a real important answer to all areas that are designated to be built up. Talking about a project that was like ours. Transportation's a damn important thing. We just didn't have it out there. We finally got to a point where we said, "Well, we're not going to have transportation. That's it. And we gotta put this thing together without it." And we did that. Paulson: And it worked? Jandric: Yeah, it worked, of course. Snyder: Using primarily the existing roads, like Babcock, or Cahill, or whatnot? Is that right? Jandric: Oh yeah. Snyder: I mean, it's not like 494 came whizzing through there. Jandric: Yeah, that was a lot later. The only highway that was around there at that point was the one that goes up on the hill there, on top of Inver Grove Heights, where South Grove is. Where 6 he had the... he was renting out trailers. Can't think of the name. He was across the street from South Grove on the highway. I'll think of it. Give you a call in the morning. Paulson: What about the people who were already there? What kind of — Jandric: There was nobody there. Paulson: The farmers? No farmers or anything? Jandric: No, they didn't live there. Hap Horbach owned a big piece up there, he lived down below the hill. And Cordes lived up there the other way, where the school is now, more. And there was nothing there. We started right from scratch. Paulson: Because I was going to ask what they township people thought about the building. Jandric: Well, you know, people who are in an area where there aren't very many people around always seem to welcome more people. Paulson: Oh really? Jandric: Oh sure. They're happy to see more people in there, because it means we're going to attract better shopping areas. We're going to attract better schools. We're going to attract better religious things all the way through. I mean, we're going to attract people who are going to be religious. It's better for the area. That was never a problem. The only problem that I ever did have on South Grove — and it was not really a problem — Cameron. Do you remember Cameron, the old boy? Snyder: Oh, not George? Jandric: No, his dad. The first time I met him, I went down to see him, and I told him who I was. And I already had my office up there. And I think I bought some liquor for a party or something. And I said, "What do you think of this thing down here? We're going to be putting in 500 houses." "500 houses! Where the heck are you going to get 500 people to buy a house in Inver Grove?" And he says, "It's never gonna work." I says, "You know what? I hope you're wrong. I know you're wrong. And when we're all through, we're gonna have more than 500 houses up there." And of course, 500 was only halfway through then. Not even half. I think we put in 1500 houses before we were finished up there in South Grove. Paulson: Sounds about right. Jandric: Yeah. Old man Cameron was surprised as hell when we kept on going. George is a little different. He's newer, a younger breed. Snyder: And he'd be of your generation? Jandric: Yeah. Not only that, George looked at it the other way. Bringing people in here, we get more customers. That's the difference. The old boy, he wanted everything to stay the same and he was going to make whatever the hell he had work. George looks at it like, "What can we do to get it bigger and better, and better for everybody?" Because he had young ideas. Snyder: They had Cameron's store down by the toll bridge Paulson: Okay, I remember Cameron Liquors. Jandric: That's the one. Yeah. 7 Paulson: So, you used farmland besides just your wife's relatives, right? You bought other land? Jandric: Well, one is in one place. One is in Ramsey County, that's where we started. That's in Ramsey County, this is in Dakota County. So, you can't mix the two. Paulson: All right. So South Grove was only the one farm plot? Jandric: No, they were all farmland. That's the only place you can get land really, to build lots of stuff. You can buy an individual lot here maybe. And there's one over here two blocks further. And three blocks over here is another lot. But we had to have the land continuous, because when we shaped the lots to get our ground level perfect, our big machines would come in there and they would do a block. Not one, because they had to have more, because that's the way we were set up. On each one of these lots, they were so much money that had to come out for the guy that's pushing the Caterpillar tractor around, and so much for the guy that was shoveling the dirt over there for them to use. That money had to come out of there. And you could only do it by having long strings. And then you had the utilities. That was another thing. You had to put the water in and the sewer. And then you had to put the roads in, and you had to put the sidewalks in. And then the curbs and gutters. And all those things came one after another. And a lot of them fell into place pretty good by themselves once you started going. But you had to have it all set up ahead of time, so there were no surprises for you. Because if you had surprises, you were in big trouble by surprises. Something happened to the flow of your money to the mortgages. If I had, let's say, 30 or 40 houses being built from one stage to another, that's a lot of money on the ground. Well, if all of a sudden somebody says, "Hey. Next week we can't give you any more mortgage money," almost have to commit suicide. Because everything's in there. It ain't working. So that's why you got to have it done ahead of time. And people gotta feel that you're gonna do it right, too. I remember going to Drover's Bank when I first started, and telling them what I wanted to do. And they said, "Geez, that's a good idea," because it looked like more customers for them, too. But they couldn't see it. They thought it would be a tough job, and I said, "I know it's a tough job, but it's gotta be done. And it will be done." Eventually they saw us doing it. Old Gunnar Krontholm was president of the bank at that time. I sat down with Gunnar and told him at one point. I says, "Gunnar, I don't have very much money, but what money I have is there the way it's supposed to be used. And I'm never gonna double-cross you when they're talking here. There's never gonna be a time when you'll be hearing one story from me and another thing happens later." I said, "The way I say it's gonna go, it's gonna go." And he said, "Okay." And he bought it. And they helped us all the way through, and they put me on the board of directors. And I was on the board for, geez, twelve, thirteen, fourteen years. Before they built the new building. Well, I was in there all the while the new building was being built, too. When we finally finished up at South Grove and left, then there was no more part of the community, like I was when I was there. Then I wasn't on the board anymore. But I was on there for about twelve, thirteen years. Paulson: They have the land written down as owned by Johnson Jandric, Inc. Who was Johnson? Jandric: When we had our fifth child, and my wife told me she was pregnant with the fifth child, I got thinking to myself that night, "God, I gotta start thinking about that kind of a thing." Up until then I was just assuming that whatever we had in the family, I would take care of and it was done. But now it's starting to be a situation where tuitions and everything else involved, and we had all our kids at a Catholic school. "It's gonna be tougher and tougher. I better start thinking about something." So when I'm thinking about something, I have to think about something that don't take much money, because I don't have any money. So I came up with the idea of planting Christmas trees. Now, do you know anything about that? Paulson: A little bit. I mean, I've seen the tree farms and been through them. Jandric: Okay. I buy a Christmas tree for a penny. And they're seedlings about twelve, thirteen, fourteen inches high. And one of the guys that was in that business with me was this Johnson. And he was in there because he was on the road a little bit. Got out there and saw some of these 8 farms and so forth. And he wanted to get in that business, too. And so it was a natural kind of a thing. He was Johnson Jandric. We were partners. And that's how we started that tree business. And we planted a quarter of a million trees a year. Now, how are you gonna plant them? That's a tough job. So, this Johnson and myself are talking about it, and we came up with the idea that we could use a tomato planter. Have you ever seen the tomato planter? Paulson: No. Jandric: A tomato planter plants tomato plants about that big. The same as a Christmas tree. So, we just changed the Caterpillar tractor around a little bit, not much, not even enough to talk about. And this thing had a big wheel that went around, and had this thing down here, and as it went down in the ground, it deposited the tree in the ground. And then it pushed the dirt around the tree as it went past it. And with that machine, we could plant about ten thousand trees, five thousand trees a day, instead of 500. So we had that licked. We got into that. When you're in the Christmas tree business, you generate quite a bit of cash. You can make, well, we paid a penny for these trees. We were selling them for three dollars and four dollars apiece. Because Christmas tree lots would come in and buy lots of these things. And they'd pay us three to four dollars, depending on how good a tree it was. Now, the government doesn't charge you for profits on a Christmas tree, like they do for a regular profit. That's not the case with Christmas trees or with oil. Those are natural resources that come out of the ground. The only tax you have is 20 percent across the board. Now, that's pretty easy to live with, in comparison to 50 percent, you know. So that was a big break. And Johnson Jandric was with me on that thing all the way through. We got all the trees planted. And now, where you gonna plant those trees? You gotta have land. You gotta buy the land to do that. Back to that Bucher farm we had. We showed you a way to make a lotta money on that thing. We made a lotta money on the farm for you, which we did. I want some more land. And I can't pay for it. But I'm willing to do this: we're gonna plant Christmas trees on their land. And they had nothing but sand. No trees, no shrubbery, no nothing. I says, "I'm gonna plant Christmas trees every six feet in those whole area here. And when I get through I'm gonna only take about every fourth tree. Maybe every other tree, instead of every third tree." Is this boring you or no? Paulson: No. Jandric: Well, anyways. So I said, "When I get through, I'll have my trees that I want , but I'll have to wait seven years for them. Maybe six. Seven would be more like it. But the balance of the trees I would leave on those lots, and now you have property that has beautiful Christmas trees on them. And the area looks nice instead of real sandy, you know." They thought it was a pretty good idea, and I said, "Besides that," I said, "You're already home free. You had twice the cost of this farm from the first thing that we did." And I said, "You still got the farm." And I said, "Now we're going through this. At the end of seven years, you're going to get a lot of money for that property." Because now, the city's coming out further and further toward them. And instead of sand and a great big bunch of sand around there, you've got Christmas trees all over your property. It's gonna look nice. And it did. So, they agreed. And they went along with it again. So that's how Johnson and Jandric - When we got all through planting the trees, Johnson's health was failing, and he didn't want to get into this tree business any more than it was. Because from here on in, the tree business was a sales problem. You had to sell these trees. We had them coming great, there were a lot of trees. So Johnson decided he'd like to get out, so I said, "Okay." The first batch of money I get, I'll take care of you. He says, "Okay." So that was the end of Johnson. Snyder: I'm just gonna pause it. Paulson: All right. [flip tape] Paulson: Is the Bucher farm still there? 9 Jandric: Yeah, it is. But it's full of houses. Paulson: So that's part of South Grove now? Snyder: No, that's in Ramsey County. Jandric: That's in Ramsey County, see. They're on the Ramsey County line, way up north. The farthest north on the Ramsey County line. Do you know Turtle Lake or any of those areas up there? Paulson: Not really well, at all. Jandric: North Oaks? Well, it's north of North Oaks, a mile. That's where it is. Paulson: Okay. So, when you were getting land in Inver Grove, was there — even in Eagan — was there any competition? Jandric: Oh, some. Sure. Not so much in South Grove, but there was in Cedar Grove. You're gonna switch to Cedar Grove, then? Paulson: Well, I just figured I'd get the land part right there. Jandric: Did we have any competition? In Cedar Grove we had competition from lots of people. For some reason or other, Minneapolis is a lot more vibrant city, business -wise, than St. Paul. And primarily it's because it's twice as big as St. Paul. So that's why that happened. With South Grove, I don't know of any competition in South Grove. Although the individual little guy who maybe sells a house or two or three a year was around, and you don't even feel him with this operation. We were moving three to five million dollars worth of mortgage money a year into the economy. And that's big business. That's not small. Paulson: Yeah, that's a lot. Jandric: But I was still in the same position that my equities were all wrapped up with things that were part of the business. At that point we had an office in South Grove. A building that used to be the South Grove office. It's in the shopping center area, now. Bill Murr, I think Bill Murr owned it. He bought it from me. Bill Murr. He's in the plumbing business. Paulson: He's not related to the teacher, is he? Jandric: Pardon? Paulson: He's not related to the teachers? I don't remember the first names, but there's a Murr couple who teaches at the high school. Jandric: Well, that sure as hell could be. Paulson: I'm sorry, I don't remember the names. Jandric: Well, see, that's another thing. There are at least two Murr different families that I know of. And maybe three. I know of two for sure. And they all had families. Now, Bill who was the plumber for me, his son was the chiropractor that was doing office work in that office space, for a while, that we had there at South Grove. Then he moved over here, out here a little ways. He's successful. Paulson: What about - oh go ahead. 10 Jandric: I was done. Paulson: All right. What about getting the land from the farmers? Did you have problems with that or were people pretty willing to sell? Jandric: People were very happy to sell, because we represented a sale that generated quite a bit of cash for the farmer. So we had a lot of cooperation on that score from the people. That never bothered us. Most of those places that you're talking about, and at those times, everybody was looking for more people. Because more people solve lots of problems. If you had lots of people, the tax rolls (?) raised, and people had money to spend for other kinds of things. And all the merchants in the area are happier, because now they got more customers. And the people themselves are happier, because now the fire department can take form. Or the police department can be enlarged. See all those things are happening because... And then we hung our hat when we first came onto the service on the fact that the country was trying to get back on its feet. Because this war, we were sorta having a problem with a lot of things. So the idea was to get money back into the economy to stimulate it, to get it going well. Nothing can stimulate an economy more than building houses. We pay for plumbing, heating, carpentry work, the lumber itself, the plumbing equipment itself, the Caterpillar work. All those are people that we put lots of money in, every year. Because they performed lot of service for us, you know. So that works good. We were not the bad guys. Usually, we were considered the good guys. Usually. I don't know of any bad feelings. Paulson: That's good. From the plat maps, it looked like land was owned for quite a while before any houses went up. Was that true, and how land was owned — Jandric: The land was owned for quite a while before buildings went up? Paulson: Yeah, because the plat map in '49 shows a little chunk of land owned by Johnson Jandric, Inc. Jandric: How much of the land? Paulson: It wasn't a lot. Jandric: Well, see — Paulson: It would have been maybe an eighth of a section, or something. Jandric: See, if I buy a little piece, I can live with that. And if I get cornered, and I gotta pay for it, I can do that. With just a little piece. That's why I asked you how big a piece it was. Paulson: No, it wasn't that big. Jandric: See, that's probably the reason why it was in there, because that was the first batch. Once we bought the land, the house had to go up, because that's the only place we got money, was the mortgage. We can't get the mortgage unless there's a house. So the minute we sold a house, our boys had to go. And they knew it. And they were told, "You gotta move. Boy, we all gotta live on this." And that's exactly what happened. So, when we put out an order for five houses, that meant that we had to have five houses started just as quick as we could get them going. So, the first guy was Freddy Caulfield (?). He had to straighten out the land so we could get in there and put a basement up. That was, we put five basements in. Once he puts those basements in, he wants to get paid. You know, that's a normal thing. So, I would have to have the mortgage on that property before the people even started working. Because I had to draw money on that. So, as soon as Freddy'd get through, I had it set up so where I could write up a work order that showed the loan company, and tell them how much money he is due, and they would send me a check. And then I'd write a check to Freddy right away. So he could live and be happy. 11 It's a funny business. And a lotta people depended on a lot of people. Not a lot of people, but a few people. To have this thing work. And if it works right, it's good. Paulson: Did you most use people you knew, then, to do the actual building? Or did you get to know them as you hired them? Jandric: Yeah, we hired them as we went along. Because I didn't know too many guys in the building business. The only people I... See, I'm a musician by trade. Snyder: Really? Paulson: Are you? Jandric: Oh yeah. I made my living in the music business when we were first married, and before I was married. So what was I going to tell you about? Paulson: What did you play? Jandric: I played the drums and the vibraphones. Paulson: Oh sure. Wow. Jandric: Sure. And I'm a lithographer by trade. That's my real trade. Lithography. Snyder: Oh my. Jandric: And I did that for Brown and Bigelow's and Louis -Dow for years. And when I was doing that, I was playing nights at the Colonial Bar down in Mendota. Snyder: Really? Jandric: Yeah. Snyder: Oh, neat. Renaissance man! Jandric: Oh yeah. We had a lot of fun. Lot of work. After all we did (?). Snyder: When was the first plat for South Grove filed? Do you remember? The first subdivision plat? Paulson: I think it was like '54, '53. Something like that. Jandric: '54. Paulson: '54? Okay. Jandric: We started South Grove in '54. The first plat would be on them (?). As soon as we started, because there was a case (?) where we had our mortgages. You can't get a mortgage if you haven't got a plat. So all these things had to be there ahead of time, you know. The right time. In order to make the cash come out the other end the way it was supposed to. Paulson: So, where were you living when you were doing this? Were you in South St. Paul? Jandric: Oh no. I was born and raised on West 7th Street. That's on St. Clair (sp) and 7th. But when we were married, we lived in Highland Park all the time. 12 Paulson: All right. So, while you were developing you lived in Highland Park. Jandric: Yeah. Paulson: Were there any sort of environmental or landscaping concerns when you were putting it up? Or was it too early for there to be anything like that? Jandric: Landscaping concerns? Paulson: Or environmental. Did you have to fulfill any regulations or — Jandric: No, I didn't. We had none of that problem. I had that problem after we started Chomonix. Paulson: Oh really? Jandric: Are you acquainted with that? Well, we built a golf course out north of town. And we dredged a pond so that it would be a nice lake instead of a pond. Shallow end was so full of green and crap and stuff. We changed it around. But the environmental people don't buy it that way, see. They buy it that you gotta leave that stuff alone. They've got a reason for it. I don't know what it is, but I'm sure they've got a reason for it. But I said, now, "I'll come in there and spend a lot of money, and this thing'II be pretty when I'm done. And you will have a lot more desirable area when I leave, than when I came." But they didn't buy it that way. And I had a hell of a time with them. And then they started on xxx(?). And what they said was, we disturbed the beavers lived in these ponds. There were about two beaver houses out there. And they said, "You will disturb that beaver that's in the house." And I said, "I don't think that beaver gives a goddamn what the hell I do." And I said, "I can't see it, but I gotta go along with it, because I'm not gonna fight this thing." So they said, "Okay. You just go ahead and do your work, but don't disturb the beavers." And I said, "Okay." So that's exactly what we did. But it wasn't until just about 7, 8 years ago, somebody bought the lots where those beaver houses are, and they disappeared now. Paulson: Oh really? Jandric: Yeah. And just the same old story, you know. Eventually, the people get along in there, and they change it over. That's what happens. Snyder: When were you developing that golf course? Jandric: Oh, Jesus. I would say we started Chomonix in about, 15 years ago. Paulson: Oh, so this is recent, then. Jandric: Yeah. Well, that's the last one, see. That's the last one we did. We developed the golf course in xxx(?) and it's still going. But the government took it over. It's the open -space program. You plant it with something (?). The open -space program came in and said, "You're disturbing all the wildlife in this area." And I said, "Okay. What do I do?" "Well, you gotta stop bothering them." I said, "I'm not bothering anybody." I said, "I'm trying to do this the nice way, and -" [Interruption] Paulson: Okay. Can I just jump to Cedar Grove really quick for something? Jandric: Sure. Paulson: They talk about Nichols Fen, which is some sort of wetland. You had no problems with building by that? 13 Jandric: Nichols? Snyder: Nichols. It's a wetland. I think probably they weren't even thinking about that back then. Yeah, because a lot of this environmental stuff is a lot more recent than when you were building. Jandric: Nobody bothered us on environmental stuff when I was developing. Snyder: Okay. I mean you could have wiped out half the planet. Jandric: Yeah. They've got their own reasons for doing things. And a lot of these zoning things, for instance, now you can see why a building -zoning permit is good. You know, they keep people in line so they don't get wild with putting up a shacky-looking place in a nice area. Or lousing up the road that they just put in for thousands of dollars. And when they get all through now, and you look at the finished product, it looks nice. South Grove always bothered me on that score. I said to myself, "When we get these roads in, who the hell gives a damn how it's gonna look when we're through?" Well, it wound up where when we were through, it looked nice. Everybody thought, and my mortgage people who I have to be careful with all the time came out and said, "Looks good. You did a nice job. No problems here." And that's good. Because when you move on to another project, you can refer back to these people and say, "We did business with Twin City Federal, here. Here's the president. I'll bring him out and he'll tell you everything's good that we do." And that's why it works that way. And that's important. Paulson: With the houses in South Grove, it kind of seemed like there was a lot of emphasis on them looking different. Was there? Jandric: Oh absolutely. It's important. Again, you get to a point where you say, "What if you buy a house yourself?" And every house that you buy, I mean the house that you buy is the same as the whole block on both sides of the street, are the same. That don't make you feel like it's a house or your home. It makes you feel like you're in some kind of a stamped -out development. Where there's a house here, house here, and house here. So we tried real hard to change that. The only way you can change that is by putting different bedrooms, different garage placements, and that kind of a thing. South Grove is a pretty good example of trying to do that. We did a pretty good job of that, I thought. We drove by there, just like I said, about three weeks ago or so. And the place looks nice, and I can see that there was thought given to trying to make these things work the way they're supposed to. And they did. Snyder: Did you have like X number of models? Jandric: Oh yeah. We always had four models or better in South Grove. Towards the, real close to the end we might have had two or three. But out in Cedar Grove, when we started out we had something like 9 or 10 models. And that's a big drain on the cash. So we put that down after about two years. Paulson: Did you have any problems bringing businesses into your commercial centers? Were people glad to move in? Jandric: Did I have trouble bringing them in, do you mean? Paulson: Yeah. Like in Village Square and stuff. Jandric: Well, I never had trouble bringing them in. The trouble was to close them out, to say that "Yes, I will take a piece of land," or "Yes, I want the land" or "I want an area." That was tough to get them to do. But there again, you're come back to the other, and he wants to see houses in the area. If this hardboard that he has, like she has there [notepad], adds up to the houses the way he thinks it should be, he'll buy the property. So I say, "Well, what's the problem here?" And he says, "You're a little light on population." Well, how light are you? And he'd say, "Well, you need 14 to get about 50 more houses in here." I say, "Okay. Now when I get 50 more houses in here, what will you do?" "Well, we'll come in here, buy a property." I said, "Okay. Just remember that." As soon as I get that, then I go out and book (?) the sales office. 'We gotta get 50 deals in here." And during the winter we always built up our sales in advance, because we couldn't dig in the frost and ice. So we'd put them on the shelf. Get another sale, you know, and when the weather changed and we could build, we would take as many of these houses that we had up there sold and mortgages all set to go. Ready to go, we'd put them on the market, I mean the ground. And we'd say, "Go ahead and build these." Well, a lot of times in the early spring, we would start or put out orders on 25 or 30 houses at a crack. Well, that makes the workmen feel pretty good, you know. They can see their situation looking pretty good, and they're happy. It's always nice to have happy workers. Happy people. Paulson: Did you have a lot of businesses from people that were already in the area or were they mostly from outside of Inver Grove, coming in? Jandric: You mean, businesses? Paulson: Yeah. Like when you had commercial people come in or you were talking about the chiropractor, in the area. Jandric: Oh, well he, they bought my office building. No, I never had any trouble with that. At the end, when I started to get out of there, that's about the time you're talking about, the problem of having people was licked. We had the people. Now we were in a position, we could take people and show people, "Look what we got here. All these people living here, they're trying to get a place to buy your product." Put it to them that way, they wanted a house so they could buy something. You know, they wanted to increase their volume, too. All those things add up one to another. Snyder: Did the businesses that come in, did they come primarily from the cities? Jandric: Some did. Course you see, are you talking about Cedar Grove or South Grove? Snyder: Well right now, South Grove. Jandric: South Grove. We really woke South Grove up. There was nothing there. We really woke them up. It took awhile before the commercial people realized that there was so many people living in that area. Biggest sales point I had, I'd put them in my car and I'd drive them up and down the streets, so they could see on both sides of the street the houses are solid. And talk about population explosion and I would point out that the school is going over here, and the Catholic church is just gonna be built another, whatever it was. You better hurry up, so that you're in here where you're supposed to be, and that's what happens. Paulson: Oh yeah. The "when will the water come in" contest. Where did you get that idea? Jandric: Well, that was only in, when you generate that kind of interest the people automatically say, "Well, this is a fine, fine project, but how about the utility companies? How they doing?" So you woke the people up, too, that there's things happening in that area. And by having them participate in it, it's just cream on top of the program (?). And the people enjoyed doing it, because we had a prize for them. They wanted (?) the prize. And the Christmas tree program we had, we had a Christmas tree program. And I started that off by giving them a fifty -dollar prize for first place. That puts the people in a position where they can go out and spend 50 bucks. And it didn't cost them a dime if they win. So they try their best to do the best job they can. And my Christmas tree project looks great. Paulson: What was that? Decorating for Christmas? 15 Jandric: Yeah. Outside. Outside the house decorations that you can see from the road. Paulson: Oh that's cool. Jandric: Yeah. And the people enjoyed it. It looked great, and it gave a real good Christmas feeling in the area, you know. Lots of lights all of a sudden. Paulson: So, did you have any other advertising things besides those two? You must have. Jandric: Advertising things? Paulson: Yeah. Or did you just do like normal newspaper advertising, other than that? Not necessarily advertising, but maybe like promotions or things. Jandric: I can't think of any right now. Paulson: Okay. Jandric: But we always had something going on of some sort. I remember one time that we had this program about "when's the transportation coming in," up north in Ramsey County. See, there was, there it's important for them to get out further out, because they pick up more customers. But there weren't enough customers between me and the city to warrant putting in a bus route, you know. So that gets to be a problem. So I had a program where "how soon will the bus line be in." Well, the bus line, they look at that program and they think, "Jesus, we better get our fanny in gear here. They're gonna be having a contest and somebody's going to win and we won't be up there." You know. So it stimulates everybody along the line, a little bit. It isn't foolproof, but it don't hurt. And all of these programs are things that never hurt. And they can help a hell of a lot, possibly. Paulson: And then, when you bought the flags from the South St. Paul Jaycees, did you have any connection to them? The flags for the water contest. Jandric: The only connection I had was with Tony Rozak (?). He was working for me at that time, and he was also selling flags. So I bought flags from him to put on this project we're talking about here. And I didn't have any other connection outside of that. Just Tony, that worked for me. And I was trying to help Tony. And it certainly didn't do me any harm to see this flag. Look at right there, I still use that flag business. Because I am patriotic enough that I like to see those kinds of things. My car looks like somebody doused it in the flag. Paulson: And it probably, did it help get people involved that there was this civic organization kind of supporting — Jandric: Oh sure. You see, all those things feed on each other. It's good for you to have people wondering what's gonna happen to the church, because that stimulates talk. And whether they're Catholic or not, they're talking about religion coming in the area. Nobody can argue about religion being bad. Although the Catholic faith's having problems these days. Paulson: So, and then, there was a little bit of a conflict with Fleming Airfield, about the water tower. Jandric: Yeah, yeah. Paulson: What did you do to solve that? Jandric: Well, we bordered him on the south part of his airfield. And he would have liked to have another piece of land in addition to that(?). Just exactly where that ends is about as far as they 16 can go with a certain type of aircraft that he's trying to push. They sure as hell would like to get a few acres of land in there. So I said, "Look, how much acreage do you need?" I said, "Maybe I'll sell you some, but I sure as hell don't want to sell a lot of it, because I just got it myself." He says, "Five acres." I said, "Okay, you got a deal." So I sold him five acres of land, and he eliminated all the lawsuits, and everybody was fine. Snyder: Was this Jack Lysdale? Jandric: Yeah. Is he still alive? Snyder: He died about ten years ago. I think. It's been awhile. He was manager of the airport. Paulson: Oh, okay. The last name sounds familiar. And then, with the South Grove Elementary, you were involved in putting that up, correct? Jandric: No. Paulson: The school there. You weren't? Jandric: How was I? How? Paulson: South Grove Elementary School. In South Grove. That was — Jandric: What did I do did you think? Paulson: So you just — Jandric: I had nothing to do with it. Paulson: Okay. But you were gonna have schools put up in the area and stuff, and you — Jandric: Anybody that wanted to put up a school, I was in favor of it. Because that's, like I say, it makes my area stable, and the people are happier when they've got a place to go to church. I was never really involved in that. I knew that there was something going on over there. I always heard about some of those things. I knew it was happening, but I was not involved with that, like I was with all the other things, in the area. Snyder: Of course this is also right at the time of school consolidation, too. Jandric: Oh, that didn't bother me. Snyder: All the one -room schoolhouses were closing and they were all consolidating, so you needed these bigger schools. Just about the same time. Excuse me. Paulson: That's fine. When you had the whole development put up, how closely did that follow, I guess how you initially imagined it would be? Jandric: Pretty much right the way it was supposed to be, because if it wasn't, something didn't work right. If something wasn't working, no pretty much exactly the way it's - Yeah, I think it's pretty much exactly the way it's supposed to be. We never really did finish the shopping center area up there on the top of the hill. My office went in. Drkula was going to put a bowling alley in there at one point. Paulson: Yeah, it's there. Jandric: Is there a bowling alley up there now? 17 Paulson: It's right next to the Village Square. It's got a bowling alley and it's like a bar and restaurant in there. Jandric: Oh, I'm talking about up on the hill where, you know where my office was? Snyder: We're thinking, we're both thinking on Cahill. Jandric: I know you are, and I'm not. I'm talking on the highway. Snyder: Up on 55? Jandric: Yeah. Snyder: Oh, okay. Jandric: That area up there, you know, is where my office was, that brick building. That was supposed to be a shopping center when they were finished. Snyder: Oh! Jandric: And it's still not finished. Snyder: I'll be darned. Okay. Jandric: You know where I mean? You know where my office was, that office building that was there? Snyder: 55 and about where? Jandric: Right at the top of the hill. Snyder: I was thinking on Cahill all this time. Paulson: Yeah. Jandric: I know you were. Yeah. Paulson: So what happened there? Just, plans fell through? Jandric: Well, no, no. I just never got to a point where I could work on it. And the funny part, I told you about Drkula. He originally was trying to buy a piece of land where I have my office. Up there on, what's the name of that street, that comes through there? That first street? From Duke's. Coming up the hill. Snyder: Oh, Concord. Jandric: No. Yeah, no, but I'm talking about, when you go by Duke's, you go up the hill, there's a road up right on the top of the hill. Goes west. Paulson: Is that Dawn you're talking about? No, that doesn't go west. Snyder: 70th? Jandric: I don't know what it is now. Paulson: Yeah, they changed the names of everything over there. 18 Jandric: Oh, anyway, he was going to put his bowling alley up in there, up there by my office. And I had a lawyer at that time, by the name of Todd, Jack Todd, and he was, he had Drkula as a client. And he suggested to Drkula that he buy a piece up there at this Cahill place, rather than down here. And Joe did it, Joe Drkula. Did you know the Drkulas? Joe owned the bowling alleys, and Frank owned the grocery stores. They were brothers. And they started out on Grand Avenue, on the middle of the hill. Snyder: xxx(?) Jandric: Yeah. Old Frank Drkula started that thing originally. The old man. And then the boys came along, Joe and Frank. And they had two sisters, Julia and Mary. Mary died, long time ago. I don't know where the hell Julia is. Well, anyway, there you go. Paulson: All right. How much did South Grove shape Inver Grove Township? I mean, you said there was nothing there. Was it pretty much, did South Grove kind of become Inver Grove Township, when you put it up? Jandric: Yeah, I think so. South Grove blended in with Inver Grove, yeah. There was a boy that worked for the South St. Paul Reporter. And he was in my office, and he said, "I thought of a good name for your development." I said, "Okay, what is it?" And he says, "South Grove." He says, "South is because it designates `south' and Grove is because of Inver Grove Heights." And he says, "The two of them together, you kind of get to thinking it's out this way (?)." And I said, "You're right." That's how it was. And it stayed that way. Paulson: Was there kind of a community feeling among everybody in the development? Jandric: You mean after the development was there? We didn't have a development. There was nobody there at first, you know. Paulson: Yeah, but afterwards. Jandric: How much afterwards? How many years? Paulson: I guess when it was first being put up, and people had lived there for a little bit, you know. Jandric: Well, now, how much "a little bit?" That makes a difference. Let me tell you why, and you can decide. I think the first thing that happened at South Grove is that a volunteer fire department evolved. Paulson: Okay. Jandric: Okay, what was his name? Juhl (sp). Juhl was the guy that bought a house there, and he had, he felt he was a volunteer fireman type guy. And he said, "I think we should have one here." I said, "I think we should, too. Because that's good for the area, you know." So I said, "Listen, you go ahead with this thing, and if you have any expenses, if anything happens, let me know. I'll try to help you." Okay. So he disappeared, and about three weeks later, he came back and he had a sheet of, I think, twenty men that signed up for volunteer fire works. Fireman work. So I said, "Well, geez, that's good. Where are you gonna be?" And he said, "Well, we're gonna build a place eventually out here somewhere." And that, how the hell did it come up? Anyway, he said, "I'd like to have a piece of land over by where the boys, the kids have the -" We used to have, call it a tot lot. There's another promotion. Called it a tot lot. And we put that in every block. We had one of those tot lots put in there. And then we did that at first for, oh geez, the first, I don't know, the first few years. And then it lost, I don't even know where it lost itself. It lost itself when I was not involved with it. And I suppose people just didn't have enough time to put in there or something like that. 19 Snyder: The tots grew up. Jandric: Well, that too. Yeah. The tot lot. Yeah. Anyway, Juhl was in that, so I helped them get that thing started. And then they appointed me honorary fire chief. That's right. And they gave me a hat. Fireman's hat. Paulson: Oh yeah? Jandric: Says number one on it. They can only have one "number one" and I got it. Xxx (?) Say, how is that fire department doing? Must be doing pretty well. They got a nice building there. Snyder: Yeah, it's a big building. Jandric: Then they got some equipment in there. Snyder: That was right on 70th, is that right? Paulson: Yeah, you're talking about the one on 70th? Snyder: What in my town is Lone Oak Road? Jandric: I'm thinking of the one right in the middle of South Grove. Is that 70th? Paulson: Yeah, that's 70th. They used to take school tours there. And all the fire trucks and everything you'd see. They have a bunch of stuff. Snyder: Honorary fire chief. Paulson: So then there were community people around. There was a community. Jandric: At that point they were starting to come. And I know there was a police department thing that was set up, too, after that fireman got squared away. Some additional volunteer police. I don't know what their situation was, but that sort of reared its head. And I forget who ran — Chuck Coffey, no no not Coffey, was the police chief in Hastings. Snyder: Chuck Cherry? Jandric: Chuck Cherry. That's the guy. He came out to see me a couple of times and we discussed the things. And I think we set it up the way Chuck said it should be done, as I remember. Paulson: So what about later? You said — Jandric: What? Paulson: You said it mattered when I was asking about. Did something happen later? Jandric: After the firemen? Or the policemen? I don't know. Well, I'm sure that there was, I would imagine that somewhere along the line, all of a sudden some men's club organizations must have got started. I don't know. From that point on, I don't know what they did. Or how they did it, but I'm sure they did something. Snyder: Could you use a break? Jandric: Well, I'm gonna have to take a break. I'm gonna see if I can get my hat. I gotta show you that. 20 Paulson: Oh yeah. Jandric: You'll get a kick out of that. [break] Jandric: There you go. That's what I was looking for [fireman hat]. Snyder: Wow! That's a pretty serious hat. Paulson: All right. Jandric: But that's a big deal. See, that's a lot of my work. Snyder: I suppose, yeah. Jandric: And I'm proud of that baby. Snyder: That's wonderful. Jandric: I should give it back to them, just because somebody should be worth it. Here it says, "Fire chief." Snyder: That's very nice. Jandric: And it is a real hat, too, you know. This is not an imitation. A real hat. Snyder: It looks like the shield is leather. Jandric: Yeah, sure. Paulson: Wow. That's really nice. Snyder: I think we've seen a picture of the fire department. We've got a copy of it coming. It looks like it's in a garage. Jandric: Originally it was. Snyder: Would that have been Mr. Juhl's (sp) garage, or — Jandric: No. You know, I think that's the first building that the fire department built. It is. The fire department built that. Juhl (sp) wasn't instrumental. Does he live in the area yet? Snyder: I don't know. I'm not familiar with him. Paulson: Yeah, I don't recognize the name. He might, though. Jandric: Yeah. Well, what else can I help you with? Paulson: I was actually just about done with South Grove, so that was a good point to end that. Oh, I guess I have some more about South Grove. Okay. Were there any problems from the big population change? Because it kind of just, I mean, there wasn't anything there before. Was there problems or did it work out smoothly? 21 Jandric: Well, there were lots of problems with — You know, lots of them can be taken care of fairly easily, when it's brand new. It's when it's older and it festers and it gets worse and worse and worse, makes it tough then to fix it. But when you're on the bottom floor, when it first happens, you know, it's not too hard to fix. And that's about the position we were in all the time. It was always brand new, and it was brand new, and I didn't have anybody that I had to answer to. I had to do it, and I did it myself. And I came up with a solution, most of the people, well the people bought it, if they were involved with it. Because it was working. And it seemed like this was a good way to go, so they went that way, or bought it. Went along with it. Paulson: What type of problems were there? Jandric: Well, the utility company was a thing that was tough, because at one point I was told that there will be no more GI Loans done, unless we have central water. Now, that meant you had to put pipes in all the streets. And that meant you had to have a connection from the streets, to every house. And that got to be a problem, so the only way (?) to fix that, started my own utility company to put in (?) South Grove. That was tough. But it worked. Paulson: Did you see any changes in Dakota County, as a whole, around the time of South Grove? Like, were lots of other houses going up in the whole county? Or did you really pay attention to that? Jandric: Well, there were lots of other houses going up in Dakota County, but when you're a block or two away from this, you're not worried about this any more than the others, you know. There was nobody close to use over in South Grove, anywhere. Nobody. I don't, is there anybody building houses, or was there anybody building houses in the last twenty years? Paulson: In Inver Grove? Jandric: Yeah. Paulson: Yeah, there's a big development south of South Grove - Arbor Pointe - that's going up. Jandric: Arbor Pointe? Who is that? Paulson: Rottlund Co. is doing that. Jandric: Rottlund Builders? Paulson: Yeah. The - I know they had some stuff out in Farmington, too, that they're working on right now. Snyder: They're probably working everywhere. Paulson: Yeah. But that's just the one I remember seeing. Snyder: Yeah, that's at Concord and 52. Jandric: Yeah. That's a big, he's got a big thing going there. Snyder: That's the kind where you can't tell which house is yours, because they all look the same. Jandric: Yeah. Snyder: I don't know if you count, or if you put a big red light out in front of your door, or what. Jandric: Don't put a red light out there, you're in trouble there. 22 Paulson: Oh yeah. So then with Cedar Grove, what differences were there between Cedar Grove and South Grove, with building them? Jandric: Well, in Cedar Grove we had to have sewer and water, right off the bat. We knew that before we went in, so we had that going before we started. Snyder: Did you know it was going to be bigger? Did you intend for it to be bigger than South Grove? Jandric: Oh yeah. Yeah. Although, it's true we thought (?) it was going to be bigger. As a matter of fact, it had to be bigger, because there were more expenses with that one. Snyder: Because you had 9 plans, huh? Jandric: Yeah. Paulson: So, then why did you choose to build where you did for Cedar Grove? The area? Jandric: Well, I think, primarily there was a real estate man by the name of Jean Parranto. And the Parrantos are still out there evidently. Well, Jean was the founder of that organization. And he founded it because he had me as a customer out there. Jean knew what kind of problems I had with building, on account of this mortgage situation and the utility company and this and that and the other thing. And he went out and set up a couple of places for me to see, that I didn't have to do any work on. And that appealed to me quite a bit, because I was busy enough. And I said, "Okay, Jean, let's get something going out there." So he said, "The Rahn farm is a good one to take to start with." Rahn was the chief man, or head man on the council. Snyder: Art Rahn? Jandric: Yeah, Art Rahn. He was a, what do they call it? Snyder: Town chairman. Jandric: Town chairman. He was the town chairman. So that was a good thing two ways. We had the guy that really wanted us to get in there, and he was on the board, with the board, so. And he worked really good with Jean Parranto, and Jean was a nice guy, then. He was not full of bologna. And I think that rubbed off on Art Rahn, because Art bought Jean pretty well. Because when we had some problems, Art would just call Jean up and say, "Hey Jean, here's this." And he'd call Art, and pretty soon there was, it was solved. And it was fine. So, that's the only way I got out there, is through Jean Parranto. Snyder: It helped because you had Cedar Avenue right there. Jandric: Yes. Well, of course. Snyder: So you had access to Bloomington and Minneapolis. Jandric: It was the corner of 13 and Cedar and all that stuff up there. Yes, it helped. As a matter of fact, we had our first four or five models right on that, right on the road. On the crossroad there, Cedar, Cedar Avenue. On the top of the hill. Snyder: Really? Are they gone now? Jandric: Well, somebody bought them. They're living in them. Snyder: Oh the houses are still there. 23 Jandric: Oh sure. The houses are there. Because when we move out of the models, we always sell them to somebody, and they move in. Paulson: What was it like to be putting up both developments at once? Did it get kind of — Jandric: Well, it was plenty busy. But it wasn't insurmountable. I had good people working for me. And I was proud of the fact that I paid my people more than most of the people were getting at those kind of jobs somewhere else. Which made me desirable to the people that were working on that kind of stuff. But that's, I had good people and that helps. When you can say, "This is the problem here. This is what you gotta do to fix it. Fix it." He knew what to do to fix it; he fixed it. I could move on to something else. Paulson: Yeah. Did you have any of the same people working on both developments, then? Or was it different groups of people? Jandric: The jobs were big enough that they had to have separate people. But we all housed in the same building, over there in South Grove. We all housed in the same building. But we had a general manager at South Grove; we had a general manager at Cedar Grove. And we had superintendents at both places. And we had sales managers at both places. And they were all good men. Or they wouldn't have been able to produce what they did. Pete Keprios was the guy at South Grove, and Bob Brand was the guy at Cedar Grove. Snyder: Was the Cedar Grove retail center more successful than the South Grove? Jandric: Yeah. See, it drew out of Minneapolis, which gives it so many (?) more people to talk about, see. So when you start developing one or the other, this one far outshadowed South Grove, because it had many many more people. It immediately tied on to Minneapolis. Couldn't do that with South Grove. Snyder: Yeah. We always associated with Minneapolis. I grew up in the northern end of Eagan and we always went to Minneapolis. We never went to St. Paul. Jandric: Yeah, yeah. Snyder: Didn't matter how you did it. If you took Cedar or the Mendota Bridge, we always went to Minneapolis. Don't know why. It's farther. Jandric: The guys that promote shopping centers told me that people always go north when they leave their house to go shopping. Now that's a funny thing. I never thought about that. But here you are, you're saying the same thing. So you went north, right to Minneapolis. And that was farther than, no it wasn't further but it was — Snyder: Well, if we'd gone south, we would have had to have kept going an awful long way. Rochester. Jandric: You could go south, wouldn't do any good. Farmington, Fairmont. Farmington is one, but they didn't have anything going on in Farmington, in those times. Farmington, Rosemount was very much like Eagan was, when I was talking to you about it. It was all farmland. Was all farmland. Snyder: Did you envision a downtown, a downtown Eagan? Jandric: Yeah. I expected South Grove to be bigger than it was. I mean, eventually. But see, when we moved out, I was the guy sparkplugging that whole thing over there. And when I left, there was nobody to do it again. I don't mean that to sound like I'm the guy that did it, but 24 somebody has to sparkplug everything. And I was the guy that did that, all the time. And I really had visions of the shopping center being developed on the top of the hill, on 70th. Where we talked about, where my office is, was. I expected that to be a bustling area. And it never really connected. Cahill connected more than that, and that surprised me. Just doesn't look as nice as we could have made South Grove on the top of the hill look. But it's working. Paulson: Did you learn anything in South Grove, that you got to use in Cedar Grove? Jandric: Oh yeah. We always learned stuff. Paulson: So, it was a lot easier then? Jandric: My life was filled with learning things all the time. When you start out with nothing, you learn a lot of things, fast. Paulson: Oh, I bet. Jandric: And you have to, because by the time you think you're all through, it's too late, you know. Gotta be there when it's ready. But it's a interesting way to do things, and I enjoy seeing my hat, and I enjoy driving through South Grove, and I enjoy driving through Cedar Grove. One of my daughters still lives in Cedar Grove. Two of my other, three of my other children were in there, too. Now they're down in Florida, and one is in Wisconsin. Spread out all over. Snyder: Whose idea was it to name all the streets after gemstones? Jandric: Well, the original story was to name them after my kids. Paulson: Oh really? Jandric: Yeah. That's why we had Kathpat. You don't remember that do you? Snyder: Uh-uh. Jandric: Kathpat was in there, was a street in South Grove. And Billbuck was another one. See, Billy and Bucky were my sons, and Kathy and Patty were my daughters. And Krisbarb was my other two daughters. And that was a street there, too. And Putzie never got in that. I guess she wasn't born yet. Snyder: But then it became Diamond and Quartz and Topaz — Jandric: Yeah. I think that came out of the surveyor, McLaglan (sp), what's his name? Snyder: McLaglan. Jandric: McLaglan. Yeah. I think that came out of his office. He says, "Use names of stones. They're prettier, and people like it better." Paulson: How closely do you follow what happens now. Do you just kinda drive through, or do you follow it closely? Jandric: Well, there isn't that much happening that I should go along, all the time. But I manage to go there as much as I feel I can. Maybe once every three to four months, something in there, I'll go through there. Paulson: What about the redevelopment of Cedar Grove? Have you paid attention to that at all? Jandric: No. 25 Snyder: That's a mess down there. Jandric: Is there a problem there? Snyder: Well, you remember that they moved Highway 13, up about 20 years ago? Jandric: Yes. Snyder: Well, that practically, that probably came close to killing Cedarvale. Jandric: Yeah, yeah. Snyder: But now they're having this big Cedar Grove Redevelopment, and they're moving streets all over the place. I go down to the vet, and I can't figure out where in the world I'm going. It's a mess right now. Jandric: You bet. Snyder: You know, I think they're trying to revitalize it, but I don't think they're increasing access, which I think is probably the problem with Cedarvale. They, people want, people don't want to have to figure out how to get someplace. They want access. Jandric: Yeah. Paulson: Actually that's — Snyder: You asked if there was somebody, you thought there was a name that was involved in the redevelopment. Could you think who that is? Paulson: Oh yeah. Parranto. I think his son was in, I'm sure I'm saying that wrong, his son was involved. Jandric: Yeah, it's his son. He's working there now. Jean was the old man, and he's dead. Paulson: Okay. I just thought it was kind of ironic or something that his father seemed to be involved in the original development and his son was doing the redevelopment. Jandric: Oh yeah. Well. Paulson: That was actually most of what I have. Did you have anything else that you wanted to say or talk about? Jandric: No, you did very well. 26 South Grove Emil Jandric ran South Grove development. Development plan included shopping center, park, school, churches, doctors, dentists, "public transportation will be available" but no details as of paper time (South St. Paul Reporter 10-28- 1958) 121 plat lots were approved for South Grove in January 1956. (West St. Paul Booster 2-2-1956) South Grove was planned as a $20 million development, 500 acres, $250,000 water system, for "moderate income" families, a 5-year plan, and houses costing from $10500 to $ 16000. (West St. Paul Booster 3-15-1956) Average person for South Grove: age 23-9, 2.8 kids, "average workingman's salary." (South St. Paul Reporter 10-28-1958) SSP subcontractors "used whenever their prices are competitive." (South St. Paul 10-28-1958) Housing package includes 6-month subscription to Reporter, natural gas from NSP which "surprised most people" says Jandric, water heaters, plumbing, extra cost for kitchen appliances. (South St. Paul Reporter 10-28-1958) Jandric says will "absolutely not" look alike. People can choose exterior from brick to stucco. (South St. Paul Reporter 10-28-1958) South Grove property previously part of Motz and Horbach farms. (SSP Reporter 10-28-1958) In 1958 South Grove was Dakota County's fifth largest community. (South St. Paul Reporter 10- 28-1958) Street lights installed in South Grove in 1977 after public hearing. (Dakota County Tribune 2-10- 1977) Most densely populated area in Inver Grove Heights in 1977. (Dakota County Tribune 2-10-1977) Map shows that South Grove extends west to Cahill Avenue, East to Dawn Way, north to 68th Street, south to 78th Street. (Dakota County Tribune 2-10-1977) South Grove housing types will be three bedroom rambler and two -bedroom house with expansion attic, as well as a "deluxe" type. (Dakota County Tribune 2-24-1956) 1949 Inver Grove plat map shows land owned by Johnson & Jandric Inc. 1956 Inver Grove plat map shows appearance of South Grove, but still small at about one eight section. 1964 Inver Grove plat map shows growth of South Grove to connect with Inver Grove village. 1967 Inver Grove plat map shows that South Grove occupies about one half of Section 10. 1972 Inver Grove plat map shows that South Grove land Co. has bought up most of Section 10. South Grove shopping center was called Village Square. (History of Inver Grove Heights) South Grove was almost like a separate entity because it had its own Jaycees, had its own fire department, forced the township to build sewers, and some people hoped that South Grove would incorporate independently when Inver Grove Village and Township incorporated. (History of Inver Grove Heights) "South Grove, that booming community south of us" (West St. Paul Booster 12-11-1959) There was a possibility of Inver Grove Township annexing Inver Grove Village and South Grove. (West St. Paul Booster 12-11-59) South Grove men were raising money to build a fire department in order to "safeguard their rapidly growing residential community." (South St. Paul Reporter 11-8-1956) In April 1956 a 127-lot addition to South Grove was approved. (West St. Paul Booster 4-19-1956) South Grove had a "News of South Grove" section in the paper. There were also a South Grove League of Women Voters and a South Grove Christian Reformed Church. (South St. Paul Reporter Booster 2-24-1965) The South Grove Jaycees "worked for more than three years for incorporation" of Inver Grove. (South St. Paul Reporter Booster 3-3-1965) A township committee convinced Inver Grove Township of the need for an $850,000 South Grove sewer project. (South St. Paul Reporter Booster 3-3-1965) "Development outside South Grove... 'kind of leapfrogged' " (St. Paul Pioneer Press 11-7-1993) There were concerns about a lack of kindergarten for South Grove children to attend. (West St. Paul Booster 3-13-1959) South Grove Children went to Pine Bend or Inver Grove Elementary. (West St. Paul Booster 3- 13-1959) Residents said people were friendly and it was a good place to raise children, and there were activities for kids like 4H and scouting programs. (West St. Paul Booster 3-13-1959) Lots of new pupils from South Grove caused a petition for consolidation of the six Inver Grove school districts. The project hit internal problems. (South St. Paul Reporter 7-4-1956) Jandric Construction Company Development was involved with Pine Bend Industrial Area. (South St. Paul Reporter 2-16-1956) South Grove should have relieved housing shortage caused by Pine Bend industrial development. (South St. Paul Reporter 2-16-1956) There were concerns about smog from refineries in Pine Bend occurring in the South Grove area. (South St. Paul Reporter 3-20-1956) South Grove Utilities Company received the franchise for the South Grove water system. (South. St. Paul Reporter 3-15-1956) Jandric sponsored a contest for people to guess when the South Grove drillers would hit water. The prizes were a television and 50 flags. (South St. Paul Reporter 4-24-1956) South Grove development had a booth at the Jaycee Home Show. (South St. Paul Reporter 4-24- 1956) The well was the largest private water system in the Northwest. (South St. Paul Reporter 4-24- 1956) Emil Jandric supported the South St. Paul Jaycees' "Operation Flaglift" by buying 50 flags for his well -drilling contest. (South St. Paul Reporter 4-26-1956) An advertisement for South Grove also advertises the Jaycees' "Operation Flaglift" and their Home Show. (South St. Paul Reporter 5-3-1956) South Grove advertisement says the development lets people own a house instead of paying rent, is a "model community", is "beautiful", features nature and technology, has low cost, and allows a "choice of styles." (South St. Paul Reporter 5-3-1956) Well -drilling hit difficult ground but the workmen were working extra to finish it by Jandric's goal of June 15t. (South St. Paul Reporter 5-17-1956) An issue developed between Fleming Field and South Grove because their water tower stood 21 feet higher than allowed. South Grove representatives said they were told their plans would meet the standards. (South St. Paul Reporter 7-31-1956) South Grove plans call for an extension to the West as shown by the location of the water tower and statements from people involved. (South St. Paul Reporter 7-31-1956) Many real estate transfers from Johnson Jandric Inc. to citizens begin occurring around August 1956. (South St. Paul Reporter 8-7-1956) South Grove developers said that they were not told about the height ordinance around airports that applied to their water tower. (South St. Paul Reporter 8-21-1956) Louis Tinucci opened a restaurant on Concord in the South Grove development. (South St. Paul Reporter 9-6-1956) An agreement was reached in the conflict over the airfield and the water tower. The tower was to be flattened and therefore lowered to only three feet above the regulation height as well as lighted and painted with checkerboard patterns to be visible to airplanes. Land was to be sold to the city in order to extend the runway. (South St. Paul Reporter 9-27-1956) Emil Jandric was from South St. Paul. He bought farmland that people did not consider to be ready residential land and built houses to satisfy the rising "lively demand" for housing. (South St. Paul Reporter 11-15-1956) The land planned for the South Grove shopping center needed to be rezoned. (West St. Paul Booster 4-5-1956) South Grove residents' complains to Emil Jandric: water rates and promised parks and playgrounds not yet built. (Dakota County Tribune 9-18-1958) Arbor Pointe Rottlund Company proposed a "resort community" for the area west of Concord, northeast of Highway 55, and south of Cuneen Trail. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) Planned to be "one or largest developments in the city's history." (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) The development proposal included 1424 housing units, hotel/convention center, corporate and commercial sites, park, and golf course. Things to possibly be included were health club, skating rink, tennis courts, pools, and a path for biking, walking, and running. (Southwest Review 1-30- 1989) Arbor Pointe was a $175 million plan, planned to be carried out over six years on 440 acres. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) Development started with an Environmental Assessment Worksheet carried out by the city. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) Developers said the plan would increase Inver Grove Heights' property tax base by 30%. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) The Arbor Pointe plan needed approval on the local, county, state, and national levels. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) In 1996 Inver Grove Heights was 15 out of 190 in population growth for the metropolitan area. Mayor Joe Atkins attributed it to a "combination of quality suburban amenities together with the open space and rolling hills." (Southwest Review 8-4-1996) Parts of Arbor Pointe development going up in 2000: Arbor Gables 138-unit town home development on Broderick Blvd. and Brooks Blvd., arbor Glen 26-unit town home development going up on Concord Blvd. and Old Concord Blvd., Arbor Knoll 26 single family houses going up to the northeast of Cahill Ave. and Concord Blvd. (West St. Paul Sun Current 12-6-2000) Arbor Pointe was considered one of three major plans in Inver Grove Heights, along with the Southeast quadrant of Highways 494 and 52, including hotels and restaurants, and Heavy Industry Zoning. (www.progressplus.org/invfqual.htm) Arbor Pointe was planned to be a "mixed use resort community" and "active village" consisting of "planned development" with 27 residential (low, medium, and high density) neighborhoods, retail, business, research and development, and a hotel. (Arbor Pointe Design Manuals May 1993 prepared by Whitten Associates Inc., online at www.betterigh.com/designmanuals.pdf) The Arbor Pointe Village Square was intended to be located at Cahill Ave. and Concord Blvd. (Arbor Pointe Design Manuals May 1993 prepared by Whitten Associates Inc., online at www.betterigh.com/designmanuals.pdf) The Arbor Pointe "theme...is a village," and it was planned to be tied through common threads in landscaping, architecture, and signage and monuments. (Arbor Pointe Design Manuals May 1993 prepared by Whitten Associates Inc., online at www.betterigh.com/designmanuals.pdf) The "Purpose and Intent" of changing the city code to allow building of Arbor Pointe: "greater creativity and flexibility in environmental design," "economic and cultural advantages...to the residents of a planned community," preservation of desirable land and open space, harmonious development pattern. (Inver Grove Heights City Code, online at www.ci.inver-grove- heights.mn.us/cityhall/code/arborpointepud.pdf) The findings on what Arbor Pointe's plan would do for the city: consisting with city's 1992 comprehensive plan, "complete and unified development within its own boundaries," compatible land use with surrounding areas, each phase of development is "sufficient unto itself," environmental and local impact satisfactory, changes in plan will be shown to city. (Inver Grove Heights City Code, online at www.ci.inver-grove-heights.mn.us/cityhall/code/arborpointepud.pdf) The development was to be centered on the hotel. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) A plan was proposed to redesign College Trail to hook up with Highway 55, giving more access to the housing units. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) In 1989 the first phase of Rottlund Company's plan was approved. (South St. Paul Sun Current 8- 9-1989) The public built the Arbor Pointe golf course. The golf course was part of Rottlund Company's original plan but they did not want to pay for it. (South St. Paul Sun Current 4-23-1998) The majority of Yahoo searches on "Arbor Pointe" and "Minnesota" brought up Arbor Pointe Golf Course. Arbor Pointe Golf Course is a "challenging" executive golf course. (Arbor Pointe Golf Club online at www.arborpointeqc.com) The master plan of Rottlund Company was approved in 1992. (St. Paul Pioneer Press 6-1-1999) Arbor Pointe was targeted at middle age to older adults. (St. Paul Pioneer Press 6-1-1999) The proposed commercial development of Arbor Pointe included a Rainbow Foods, gas station, and restaurant. (South St. Paul Sun Current 6-23-1999) Construction of Arbor Pointe began in 1993. (South St. Paul Sun Current 6-23-1999) After ten years, in 2000, all but four parcels of land owned by Rottlund Co. in Arbor Pointe have been developed. (West St. Paul Sun Current 2-16-2000) There were environmental issues because Arbor Pointe was to be built on steep, highly erodible areas. (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) The entire housing plan "hinges on the council's approval of tax increment district." (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) Residents opposed Rottlund Company's plan change to build town homes instead of single-family homes. There were concerns that property values would decrease, traffic would increase, and trees would be removed. (Saint Paul Pioneer Press 6-1-1999) People claimed they paid $8-14 thousand extra to have views of undeveloped ponds and trees. (St. Paul Pioneer Press 6-1-1999) People in Aspen Ridge neighborhood on Coffman Path complained about losing undeveloped ponds and trees. (South St. Paul Sun Current 6-23-1999) Inver Grove Heights denied Rottlund Co.'s request to build town homes in 1999. The city said it needed more single-family homes and wanted 52 units on the area by Cahill Avenue and Concord Boulevard. (South St. Paul Sun Current 6-23-1999) Mayor Joe Atkins suggested that more senior housing should be built in Arbor Pointe. (South St. Paul Sun Current 6-20-1999) Residents oppose a 119-unit apartment complex on Concord Boulevard and Old Concord in Arbor Pointe for environmental, traffic, safety, aesthetic, and population concerns. (West St. Paul Sun Current 2-16-2000) There were issues between Rottlund Co. and Inver Grove Heights over lack of tree replacement in the golf course. Rottlund Co. claimed they owed nothing because the course was paid for by the public and not by the company. (West St. Paul Sun Current 2-23-2000) Rottlund Homes wanted to change their master plan to remove the designation to build a hotel on Broderick and Concord Blvd. Inver Grove Heights refuses to remove the designation. (South St. Paul Sun Current 7-19-2000) Arbor Pointe residents want to keep away a proposed Wal-Mart, east of Highway 52 on Concord Blvd., because people wanted to avoid lots of stores and commercial developments when they moved to Arbor Pointe; they say Rottlund Company promised a vision of small town retail while making a deal with Wal-Mart. Others say they do not want to go to other towns to shop, and John Bisio, Wal-Mart spokesman, says Wal-Mart has changed plans three times to cooperate with residents. (City Pages 7-17-02, online at www.citypages.com) Arbor Pointe residents say Rottlund Company betrayed its smaller, "neighborhood -friendly" commercial plan with the planned Wal-Mart. Michael Noonan, Rottlund representative, says the situation has changed since the original plan was created. (Minneapolis Star Tribune 7-14-2002, online at www.startribune.com) A Wal-Mart plan revised to compromise with the community eliminates gas station, moving Cahill Ave., and requirement for amendment to the city's comprehensive plan. (South St. Paul Sun Current 8-21-2002) Residents say Wal-Mart's new plan fails because it is bigger than allowed by Arbor Pointe's Planned Urban Development code, and that Wal-Mart should be a "good neighbor" by fitting into community and abiding by the rules. (South St. Paul Sun Current 8-21-2002) Arbor Pointe residents formed Citizens for a Better IGH to oppose the Wal-Mart in Inver Grove Heights. (Minneapolis Star Tribune 9-8-2002) Inver Grove Heights Planning Commission approved the Wal-Mart plan, with an intention to amend Arbor Pointe Planned Unit Development ordinance and a plan to build three offices around the Wal-Mart. (Inver Grove Heights Sun Current 9-12-2002) Arbor Pointe residents came to the Planning Commission meeting to protest the approval of Wal- Mart and say that the store is not "a community shopping center." They expressed concern that Wal-Mart would put local stores out of business, create excessive traffic, and leave an empty building when Wal-Mart moved on. (Inver Grove Heights Sun Current 9-12-2002) Arbor Pointe residents expressed concerns about poor low -paying jobs brought in by Wal-Mart, and the opinion that Inver Grove Heights should be pickier about the businesses that it lets in, at a meeting in which he Inver Grove Heights City Council approved zoning change that allowed Wal-Mart to build. (St. Paul Pioneer Press 9-24-2002) Change in Dakota County Dakota County existed mostly as separated city and farm, until after World War II (Chatfield), when it entered an era of suburban expansion that mixed the rural with the urban. Early subdivisions spawned further development, often nearby (Chatfield), and such suburban growth continues today. One city, Inver Grove Heights, experienced this growth in phases, from private farms to South Grove (Section 10), the city's first major development, to the huge residential and commercial development of Arbor Pointe (Section 15). South Grove South Grove was Inver Grove Heights' first sizable development, and during its early years was the fifth largest community in Dakota County (South St. Paul Reporter 10-38-1958). The development was planned by Emil Jandric, who began the project in January, 1956 with the township's approval for 121 plats (West St. Paul Booster 2-2-1956). The community included a shopping center, school, and church, and was aimed at young families with an "average workingman's salary" (South St. Paul Reporter 10-28-1958). Christmas Tower The South Grove Jaycees decorated the water tower for Christmas, in 1959 (History of Inver Grove Heights). The tower is flat on top due to an earlier controversy between the developers and Fleming airfield (South St. Paul Reporter 9-27-1958). Emil & Council This photo shows Emil Jandric presenting plaques to the Inver Grove Heights city council. That was one of the ways Jandric made himself part of the community and involved them in his project. He also supported the local Jaycees by purchasing 50 flags from their Operation Flaglift campaign to use as prizes in his advertising contest (South St. Paul Reporter 4-26-1956). School South Grove Elementary was built in 1964 by Jandric (History of Inver Grove Heights). A few years later, a good example of suburban development breeding further growth occurred, when South Grove created so many high school -aged children that Inver Grove Heights could no longer send them to South St. Paul and had to build its own high school (History of Inver Grove Heights). Moved House This house, owned by the Bohrers, was moved in 1969 so South Grove's Village Square shopping center could be built on the property. Good Shepherd Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was built in 1959 for residents of South Grove after a poll showed that 30 percent of the households were Lutheran (History of Inver Grove Heights). The addition of a larger sanctuary, as well as tree growth, has changed the view after 44 years. Arbor Pointe Arbor Pointe is a large community, close to South Grove, originally proposed in 1989 (Southwest Review 1-30-1989) and still expanding. The project was initially described by its creator — Rottlund Co. — as a "mixed use resort community" (Arbor Pointe Development Manual) that would include 1424 housing units, a hotel, corporate and commercial sites, a park, and a golf course (Southwest Review 1-30-1989). Arbor Pointe was initially targeted at middle age and older adults (St. Paul Pioneer Press 6-1-1999), larger and more expensive than South Grove's starter homes. Golf Course The Arbor Pointe Golf Course was paid for by the public; although it was part of the original plan, Rottlund Co. did not want to pay (South St. Paul Sun Current 4-23-1998). This became the basis of a disagreement between the builders and city, when Rottlund Co. said they owed nothing for tree replacement on the course, because they did not pay to build it (West St. Paul Sun Current 2-23-2000). Rainbow This Rainbow Foods is part of Arbor Pointe's "Village Square," along with businesses like a gas station, Subway, and a movie rental store. Rottlund Co.'s original plan called for a small, "neighborhood -friendly" commercial center (Minneapolis Star Tribune 7-14-2002). Gazebo This gazebo sits at an entrance to the path through Arbor Pointe. The trail and gazebo represent the semi -rural quality, so desirable in suburbia that some Arbor Pointe residents claim to have paid $8000-14000 extra for a view of trees and an undeveloped pond (St. Paul Pioneer Press 6- 1-1999). Close Up An issue faced in the building of Arbor Pointe was the type of housing to put up. When the developers proposed building town homes and apartments, residents were concerned about a potential decrease in property values, increase in traffic, and removal of trees (St. Paul Pioneer Press 6-1-1999). Contrast Over time, the face of the area changed, through the new developments that were built. South Grove was the only large development in the area at the time. When it was built, it had less competition in defining itself and the region. Many developments preceded the building of Arbor Pointe, and the character and process of making communities was different. Fire Department The South Grove Fire Department was first established in a local garage with money raised by community members (South St. Paul Reporter 11-8-1956). This was one of the many community organizations and features South Grove possessed, such as the South Grove Jaycees, South Grove League of Woman Voters, and a "News of South Grove" section in the local paper (South St. Paul Reporter Booster 2-24-1965). With some people even hoping for South Grove to incorporate independently as a city (History of Inver Grove Heights), the development became like a separate community. Arbor Pointe, while visually distinct from the rest of the city, only had a few organizations, like the Golf Club and Citizens for a Better IGH, to give it a separate character. Construction & Water Tower Arbor Pointe has seen many contentions between its developer, and the residents and city. Most of these were because people wanted their neighborhoods to be as desirable as possible. Some issues involved the master plan of Arbor Pointe and changes Rottlund Co. wanted to make, such as removing the requirement to build a hotel (South St. Paul Sun Current 7-19-2000), which the city denied. A large struggle between the developer and residents was the building of a Wal-Mart. People said they moved to Arbor Pointe to avoid the density associated with large stores like Wal-Mart (City Pages 7-17-2002). Some residents banded together to form Citizens for a Better IGH (Minneapolis Star Tribune 9-8-2002) to oppose construction. They claimed the deal with Wal- Mart betrayed the original plan for the area, but Rottlund Co. said the situation had changed, since the first plans were made (Minneapolis Star Tribune 7-14-2002). The city approved the building plans after compromises were made with Inver Grove Heights and the residents (Inver Grove Heights Sun Current 9-12-2002). South Grove's issues were mostly over legal requirements. A big debate concerned the water tower built near Fleming airfield. The tower stood too high, but South Grove officials said they were told the plan would comply with standards (South St. Paul Reporter 7-31-1956). The issue was settled after meetings, by flattening the tower to lower it and selling land to South St. Paul to extend the runway (South St. Paul Reporter 9-27-1956). There were more minor issues between the township and the developers such as rezoning land for Village Square (West St. Paul Booster 4-5-1956). Later, residents were upset with the developer for the lack of promised playgrounds (Dakota County Tribune 9-18-1958) and concerned about the school system's ability to handle the influx of children from the development (South St. Paul Reporter 5-8-1956). Aerial & Row The images of the two communities are almost opposite. Arbor Pointe was designed to have a common "village" theme throughout the development, with similar architecture and landscaping to connect the entire community (Arbor Pointe Design Manual). On the other hand, Emil Jandric was emphatic about his houses looking different; there were two main styles to choose from and the exterior could be of a variety of materials and colors (South St. Paul Reporter 10-38-1958; Dakota County Tribune 2-24-1956). While driving through Dakota County shows many recent developments with nearly identical houses, it was sometimes different in South Grove's time. In Levittown, the first planned community in the post -World War II years, the houses were given different colors, roof styles, and exteriors (Hales) to prevent total uniformity. Paul was divided in 1887 to create industrial South St. Paul, and the two communities, with their proximity to St. Paul, became a part of its first -ring suburbs. Unlike the remaining rural towns in the County, South St. Paul and West St. Paul experienced dra- matic changes early in their history, developing into small cities and becoming encircled by the growth of the metropolitan area. They also became centers for immigrant com- munities by providing necessary serv- ices and employment opportunities. The remaining northern towns and townships of the County experi- enced similar growing pains as the nation began building for the future after the Second World War. The need for adequate housing was con- siderable as soldiers returned home, some returning to their wives and children, others marrying or bring- ing back "war brides." In June 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, better known as the G.I. Bill. The Act made low -interest home loans available to veterans returning from the Second World War. Families moved out of the core cities, with their outdated housing, and began migrating to Dakota County, resulting in the post - Dakota County Historical Society Large lots on a varied terrain made up Country Home Heights. war suburban "baby boom." The popu- lation of the county began to reflect the wave of postwar migration, increasing by 200% between 1940 and 1960 and by nearly 900% by 2000. One of the destinations for post-war migrants was Eagan Township. Within a short time, the surge of "urban migration" would also envelop neighboring Lebanon Township. The change from farms to fam- ilies would be swift. A New Home in Eagan and Lebanon Established in 1860, Eagan was exclu- sively farmland until 1947. The north- ern portion of Eagan was a natural place for early subdivisions and housing developments, with the Mendota Bridge offering easy access to both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Although the township had virtually no retail businesses, many of the new residents came from the Twin Cities and had little difficulty doing their business in south Minneapolis or the Highland area of St. Paul. John and Eunice Odink subdivided 30 acres to create Highview Acres on Pilot Knob Road and Highview Avenue, the first postwar subdivision in the township. In 265 immigration, assimilation, and migration_ 268 The gentle rolling pastures of Lebanon Township yielded to housing and business developments. Hmong farmers tended to their crops near Koch Refinery (Flint Hills Refinery) at Rosemount in 1994. Dakota County Historical Society County as their presence replaced farms and fields with homes, parks, schools, shopping areas, and business cen- ters. Successively less restrictive immigration laws aug- mented migration, engendered by the baby boom. New immigrant families were again arriving in the County. A New Era of Immigration The effects of the spread of Communism throughout the world changed the diversity of the County. By the end of the Twentieth Century, Asia had replaced Europe as the pri- mary source of immigration. In 1965, amendments to the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act lifted quotas, per- mitting more Asian immigrants. The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act had consolidated earlier immigration laws and removed race as a basis for exclusion, although it retained the nationality quota that dated back to the 1921 Immigration Act. In 1965, the national -origin quotas were eliminated, inaugurating a new era of mass immigration. The changes were viewed as an extension of the civil rights movement, eliminating discrimination in immigration "to this nation composed of the descendants of immigrants."" Refugees fleeing .Communism from war -torn Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam also increased due to the Refugee Act of 1980, and later in the decade refugees from Central America began arriving. One program developed to aid in immigrants' transi- tion to life in Dakota County was the New Immigrant Farm Program, sponsored by the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Initiated in 1998, the program helped immigrants who chose farming as their occupation to acquire valuable farming skills. The participants owned or leased acreage throughout the County or leased land at Noteworthy Events of the Twentieth Century Hastings State Hospital con- structed. Village of Randolph is incorporated. The Webb -Shaw experimental farm is established in Eureka Township by Edward Webb of the Farmer magazine. Run by Thomas Shaw, a University of Minnesota professor, the farm introduced a five-year crop rotation to solve weed prob- lems, as well as alfalfa and soy- beans Grading for the Dan Patch Line is complete in the County. Village of Inver Grove is incorporated. Farmington loses bid to acquire the county seat. The Interurban Construction Company pur- chases land in the County for the St. Paul Southern Electric Railway. The Daughters of the American Revolution saves the Sibley house in Mendota from ruin. A model postal road is proposed for Wescott, Rosemount, Farmington, and Castle Rock. The Central Good Roads Association is organized with 500 members from throughout the County Hastings Cooperative Creamery Association .is organized. The Capital -National Highway opened with a Good Roads Booster Rally. The highway is the nation's first international highway. Capital -National Highway. Randolph Consolidated School first in County. South St. Paul's Hook 'em Cow club is organized. 324 Dakota County Historical Society Dakota County aliens are required to register with the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety during February. Josephine Raetz is elected county superin- tendent of schools even though she cannot legally vote. Dakota County Agricultural Society moved to the new fairgrounds in Castle Rock Township. Wilhelmina Gehrke�s alien registration. 1918 SI ri-ru:'TF^7ptNT tiC11UOt.p;; Ua@5ta (: 4,0,' vst �nw.f to �.rrvNY C. Roe Work begins on estab- lishing American Legion. Armour and Company opens new modern slaughter- house and packing plant in South St. Paul. Women in South St. Paul are the first in the country to vote after the passage of the 19th amendment. Dakota County became part owner of Mineral Springs Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Cannon Falls. 1919IMMIIIIMINIMMIL 1920 Mineral Springs Sanitorium. 1928 Disabled WWI veter- ans begin Argonne Farms rehabilitation project in Lakeville. 1922 Hollywood ;.films segments Hof Sinclair Lewis movie, Free Air" in semount. The Mendota Bridge is opened with great fanfare. Dakota County ranks sixth in the state for the number of Boys and Girls Clubs which would later be known as 4-H clubs. 1924 Construction begins on the Mendota Bridge. 1926 Construction begins on dam and locking system to span the Mississippi River at Hastings. Acacia Park Cemetery on historic Pilot Knob dedicated. KSTP radio station is built in Eagan Township. 1927 American Legion Memorial Library in South St. Paul is ded- icated on Armistice Day. Hastings' Nick Mamer sets record for first non-stop, round trip, coast to coast, longest distance flown nonstop, and first night- time aerial refueling record. A new modern milk plant is con- structed in Farmington, replacing two previous creameries. 1929 I930 Harold Stassen, 23, of West St. Paul, is elected Dakota County attorney, the youngest in County history. Hastings Lock and Dam number 2 is completed. noteworthy events of the twentieth century Dakota County Attorney Harold Stassen is the first county attorney to argue a case before the United States Supreme Court. Albert Park, dedicated in West St. Paul to the memory of Albert LeFevre, claimed by Ripley's Believe it or Not to be the smallest in the world. 1J31 326 1932 Dakota County Deputy Sheriff Rudolph Fischer is shot to death in the line of duty. Dakota County estab- lishes full-time nursing service. Dakota Electric Association is created. Lucy Denzer became the first woman to serve as a county commis- sioner upon the death of her husband, Andrew. She served until his successor, John Trog, was sworn in on January 1, 1937. 1937 The Dakota County Historical Society is founded. Movie producer Bill Frank opens the West Twins Theater in West St. Paul. Nick Mamer is killed in an airplane crash in Montana. Todd Field is dedicated in Hastings; the stonework was created by the Works Progress Administration. 1938 1939 Harold Stassen is elected governor of Minnesota at age 31, the youngest gover- nor in the coun- try's history. Dakota County Historical Society South St. Paul loses bid to acquire the county seat. Negotiations begin to transfer ownership of Fleming Field to South St. Paul. First highway cloverleaf constructed in the state opens at South Robert and Highway 55 in Inver Grove. Construction begins on the Gopher Ordnance Works in Rosemount. Rosenberger kids open the cloverleaf. Fleming Fick'. 1942 1111=1.111. 1945 University of Minnesota takes over the for- mer Gopher Ordnance Works powder plant to use as an agricultural experiment station. 1946 11111111111111101Mi Harold Stassen is appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt to serve on the United Nations Charter draft committee. 1947 National Guard is dispatched to South St. Paul to quell the packinghouse workers strike. 1948 noteworthy events of the twentieth century 327 Attempts to save the Ignatius Donnelly house in Nininger fail; it is torn down for its lumber. A series of archaeological explorations are made at Spring Lake in July which result in a wide range of artifacts indicating the presence of Native American sites over a long period of time. Spiral Bridge with new bridge in the background. Hastings' Spiral Bridge is demolished. Dakota County Historical Society Construction begins on the Great Northern oil refinery, later known as Koch Refinery. In 2002 the plant became part of Flint Hills Resources. 49, Great Northern Refinery. Village of Coates is incorporated. Village of Mendota Heights incorporated. Emil Jandric begins building the South Grove housing development in Inver Grove Township. South Grove. Signal Hills, the county's first shopping center, is built in West St. Paul. I IIJIVI lli VFJUI1101I 1 VII IL, Ospery. • Illinois: Chicago Historical Society, Chicago. • Iowa: The History Center, Cedar Rapids; National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, Cedar Rapids. • Kentucky: Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort. • Michigan: Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson. • Mississippi: Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, Jackson. • Missouri: Pony Express Museum, St. Joseph. • New Hampshire: Seacoast Science Center, Rye. • New York: Geneva Historical Society, Geneva. • Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Heritage Society, Harrisburg. • Tennessee: Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Nashville. • Wisconsin: Neville Public Museum of Brown County, Green Bay. Rosenbloom donated his longtime store, located at 369 N. Dale Street in St. Paul, after his death on Aug. 5, 2001. The building is an important remnant of the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, and acquiring it allows the Society to document a retail business that thrived outside the mainstream of commerce. Rosenbloom was an icon, not only in St. Paul's African -American community, but also to anyone who had ever driven by or dropped by his store. In the tradition of the "Mom and Pop" variety store, this community business flourished through offering specific merchandise to a local clientele. After months of conservation and preservation work, the 8x10-foot building, with many of its contents in tact, debuts in T is for "Tiger" Jack in the "Minnesota A to Z" exhibit at the Minnesota History Center on June 30. New hours at Cafe Minnesota Hours at the History Center's Cafe Minnesota have been changed. New hours are Tuesdays through Fridays: 8 to 11 a.m., continental breakfast; 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., lunch; 2 to 3 p.m., dessert/beverages; Saturdays and Sundays: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., lunch. On Saturdays and Sundays, "Family Specials" of such items as pan-fried chicken, meatloaf with mashed potatoes or spaghetti with meat sauce will be served at the entree station. The full grill will be open with the regular and children's menus and a breakfast special. The salad bar is still available, along with grab -and -go selections, desserts and beverages. The cafe is now closed on Mondays. For a limited time, members can book corporate, association or personal events at the Minnesota History Center and receive a 25% discount on the facility rental. This offer is good on events occurring in the Great Halls and/or 3M Auditorium. For more information, call Beth Baker at 651-296-9004, e-mail beth.baker@mnhs.org or visit www.mnhs.org/eventsrental. Events must occur before March 31,2004, and are subject to availability. MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Member News ISSN 1064-5675 Published bimonthly by the Minnesota Historical Society, 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, Minn. Membership in the Society includes a subscription to Member News. Correspondence should be addressed to the editor at the above address; phone 651-296-2155. Editors are encouraged to reprint articles from Member News with appropriate credit. Editor Marjorie Nugent. Designer. Kimberly Brink Smith. Writers: Jacki Bedworth, Jessica Hackner, Jeri Niedenfuer, Marjorie Nugent. Photography: Steve Woit. A portion of the Society's general operating funds for this fiscal year has been provided from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency offering general operating support to the nation's museums. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Member News, 345 Kellogg Boulevard West, St Paul, Minnesota 55102-1906 MEMBER NEWS Vol. 12 No. 3 Published by the Minnesota Historical Society 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, Minnesota 111111 11111i.1111111 u I1111111I1111111111111111 111.1111111111 ***********************SCH 5-DIGIT 55120 EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY VIRGINIA KNIGHT 1455 HIGHVIEW AVE EAGAN MN 55121-1143 Printed on recycled paper, 1096 post -consumer. four MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY • M A Y/ J U N E 2 0 0 3 Time Travelers reciprocal program expands Eighteen new museums have joined the Time Travelers affiliates in offering Society members benefits such as reduced admission and gift store discounts. As a Society member you are now eligible to receive reciprocal benefits at more than 132 historical organizations in over 40 states when you present your current membership card. New Time Travelers affiliates are listed below by state. For information and updates on the entire network, visit www.mnhs.org/about/ members/timetravellist.html, call 651-296-0332 or 1-888-293-4440, or e-mail membership@mnhs.org. • California: Folsom History Museum, Folsom; San Luis Obispo County Historical Society, San Luis Obispo; Heritage Square Museum, Pasadena; Ventura County Museum of History and Art, Ventura. • Florida: Key West Art and Historical Society, Key West; News briefs Mill City Museum set to open Sept. 13-14 Construction and exhibit installation is approaching the fmal stages at Mill City Museum, on the Minneapolis riverfront. Staff members were able to move into office spaces in February, and are planning for the opening weekend celebration on Sept. 13 and 14. See the next issue of Member News for more information about this exciting new museum. Plant pumpkins at Kelley Farm In appreciation of your membership support as Minnesota Historical Society members, you are invited to help celebrate spring by planting a hill of pumpkins in the Oliver H. Kelley Farm garden on May 10 and 11 from noon to 5 p.m. each day. Then tend your patch over the summer and harvest your pumpkins in the fall. At this time of year the 1860s-era working farm also is home to a variety of baby animals, including lambs, calves, piglets and kittens, sure to delight visitors of all ages. Reservations required; call 651-296-0332 or e-mail membership@ mnhs.org by May 9. After May 9, call 763-441-6896. `T' is for Tiger Jack premieres June 30 The family of St. Paul African - American businessman "Tiger" Jack Help preserve history forever By establishing a named endowment fund, you can create a personal, lasting legacy that supports in perpetuity a program or historic site of your choice. You can benefit your named fund through a current gift of cash, stock or mutual fund shares and/or deferred gift options, including a will or charitable trust, charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, life insurance or retirement plan designation. For more information on named endowment funds or other gift opportunities, contact Keith Bartz, director of planned/major gifts, at 651-205-4575, 1-888-293 4440 or keith.bartz@mnhs.org. Split Rock Lighthouse event celebrates new facilities An opening celebration for a new addition to the Split Rock Lighthouse visitor center will be held on June 28. Expanded facilities include doubling of the public space in the visitor center and new lobby space, expanded rest rooms and an expanded museum store. The 5,000- square-foot addition includes a small outdoor plaza and sidewalks along the building with protected overhangs. The architect was Robert Claybaugh of Claybaugh Preservation Architecture Inc.,Taylors Falls, and the general contractor was Ray Riihiluoma Inc., Cloquet. fife and drum music. This event offers an opportunity to visit the historic site for families not able to attend during regular daytime hours. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. STATE CAPITOL ARCHITECTURE ADVENTURE AND TOUR Thursday, June 19, 7p.m. Minnesota State Capitol, St Paul Hear about the construction of the Italian Renaissance -styled building and architect Cass Gilbert's role in selecting decorations, artwork and furnishings. A special program will be offered for children whose parents take the regular tour. Reservations required. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12; $2 discount for MHS members. IRVINE PARK WALKING TOUR 21 Saturday, June 21,11 am. Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul When Alexander Ramsey built his lavish mansion nearby in 1872, Irvine Park had become one of St. Paul's finest neighborhoods. Take a walking tour of the park and surrounding restored neighborhood beginning at the Ramsey House. Reservations recommended. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. UNE VISITE DE LA COMPAGNIE Saturday, June 21,11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 22, noon to 4 p.m Lower Sioux Agency, Morton The living history group La Compagnie will recreate the colorful fur - trade era when they set up a voyageur camp on the site's grounds for the weekend. Learn how the voyageurs — the laborers of the fur trade — lived, worked and played. Nonmembers: $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $2 for children ages 6-12. STALKING THE WILD FUNGUS Saturday, June 21,1 to 3 p.m. Forest History Center, Grand Rapids An illustrated talk on mushrooms — both safe to eat and otherwise — will be followed by a hike in the surrounding forest and fields to look for wild fungi. Visitors also can enjoy the recreated 1900s-era logging camp's regular activities. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. 22 HISTORY HIJINX: BUTTER CARTON COUTURE Sunday, June 22,1 to 4 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St. Paul (See June 15) Quebec. Stretch out on the lawn and listen to the region's best French-Canadian fiddlers and singers play lively music from the fur trade era, and watch costumed dancers perform traditional dances. 24 GUEST IN THE GALLERY: CLYDE DOEPNER, MINNESOTA TWINS HISTORY Tuesday, June 24, 1:30, 2:30 and 330 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul Doepner will show examples from his Twins memorabilia collection of more than 7,000 items, beginning with their first season in 1961. He will discuss the Twins' star players, past and present, as well as changes in the team's appearance over the years. ARROWHEADS AND STONE TOOLS: FLINT KNAPPING 27 Friday, June 27 noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 28, 10 am. to 5 p.m. North West Company Fur Post, Pine City Learn about the art of making spear points and arrowheads and see how modern flint knappers keep the ancient craft alive. Knappers from around the country will demonstrate their skills, the same as those used thousands of years ago to hunt wild game. Co -sponsored by the Minnesota Flint Knappers Guild. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. MINNESOTA CRAFTS FESTIVAL Friday, June 27, noon to 7p.m Saturday, June 28,10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 29,11 a.m to 5 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul The 31st annual festival features 140 fine craft artists from the Upper Midwest who will display their works, including pottery, tapestry, bookbinding, wood, glass, metal and jewelry. Music, food, children's events and art demonstrations also will be part of the weekend. Admission to the History Center, where many activities will take place, remains free. Items from the Society's art collections by Minnesota artists will be on display. A History HiJinx program, "Make a Minnesota Crafts Festival Hat," will be ongoing during the festival. The event is co -sponsored by Art Resources Gallery and is made possible in part by the Minnesota State Arts Board. Nonmembers: $5; $1 discount for MHS members. (See story, page 3.) are best seen and take a twilight tour of the surrounding prairies to look for nocturnal prairie animals. End the evening with a look at the stars through a telescope with astronomer Donald Franck. Nonmembers: $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $2 for children ages 6-12. THUNDER ON THE PRAIRIE 28 Saturday, June 28, bus tours 8 am. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.; site open 10 am. to 8 p.m. Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey Explore prairie life on bus tours to the upper Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood River basins. A bison supper will be available at 5 p.m. for an additional fee. The program is ajoint venture of the Society and the Prairie Ecology Bus Center, Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cottonwood County Historical Society. Reservations and prepayment are required by June 21 for the bus tours. Nonmembers: $10; $8 for MHS members. OPENING CELEBRATION: SPLIT ROCK LIGHTHOUSE VISITOR CENTER Saturday, June 28, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors The expanded Split Rock Lighthouse visitor center will open with a day of special tours, presentations and family activities. (See news brief, page 4.) MISSISSIPPI MUD: DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI Saturday, June 28,10 a rn. to 5 p.m. Forest History Center, Grand Rapids See how uses and attitudes toward the Mississippi River have changed over the past 100 years, and participate in a variety of hands-on activities including water quality tests and exploring the river's plants and wildlife. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. WALKING THE LINDBERGH HOUSE NATURE TRAIL Saturday, June 28, 11 am. to3p.m. Charles A. Lindbergh House, Little Falls (See May 24) FLINT KNAPPING DEMONSTRATION Saturday, June 28, loon to 4 p.m. Mille Lacs Indian Museum, Onamia A demonstrator will talk about the art of flint knapping and its part in American Indian culture. The program is included in the site's regular admission. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-800-657-3773 OR THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE HISTORIC SITE. WEB SITE: WWW.MNHS.ORG MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY • M A Y/ J U N E • 2 0 0 3 Library classes at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul — Call 651-296-2143 to register. These one -session classes introduce the Society's collections for genealogical, house or other historical research. Advanced registration required for most classes; call 651-296-2143 or TTY 651-282-6073. Participants will be notified of class cancellation if fewer than five people are registered one week prior to the class date. For a sign -language interpreter, please call 651-296.2143 at least five working days in advance. Fees: I'm New Here: Introducing the Library class is free; most other classes are $7 for nonmembers and $5 for members. To learn more about the library or to conduct an online search of its catalog, visit the Society's web site at www.mnhs.org/library. I'M NEW HERE: INTRODUCING THE LIBRARY Saturday, May 3, 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. also May 10,17 and 31; June 7,14, 21 and 28 The library contains an amazing array of sources for finding your family history, researching a term paper, looking into the history of your house, business, organization or neighborhood — or just finding out more about Minnesota's rich past and many cultures. This free class introduces these sources and offers tips on how to use catalogs, request materials and purchase copies of historic papers and photos. LIBRARY CLASS: WHOSE HOUSE WAS THIS? Tuesday, May 6, 6 to 730 p.m. Discover the many intriguing ways to learn about the history of your urban house and the resources at the library that can be helpful to you. Reference specialist Tracey Baker will describe the use of maps, city directories, photographs, manuscript collections, architectural periodicals and State Archives records. Class is limited to 30 participants. Nonmembers: $7; $5 for MHS members. Warren Research classes at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul - CaII 651-503-4802 for information. These one -session classes on family history and genealogy meet hi the MacMillan Education Center on the second level of the Minnesota History Center. For directions, call 651-296-1430. Instructors Jim and Paula Stuart Warren are nationally recognized genealogical researchers, lecturers and writers. All classes include handouts and Internet information. HOW TO REGISTER: Advance registration by mail is recommended. List the chosen class(es), your address, phone and MHS membership number (if applicable). Mail that information with the registration fees listed below (check payable to Warren Research) to: Warren Research, 1869 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104-5938. Refunds will be given when canceling in writing at least 10 days before class. Registration is taken at the door if space is available. For more information on these classes, call Warren Research at 651-503.4802 or e-mail warren@spacestar.com. ANCESTORS HANGING ON YOUR FAMILY TREE: USING COURT UM INSTITUTIONAL RECORDS Saturday, June 14,10 to 11:30 a.m. Do you have family stories concerning a family dispute, medical problems, criminal activity or a mysterious disappearance? Court and institutional records may provide a wealth of personal information and genealogical connections. This class introduces a variety of court and institutional record examples along with suggestions for locating and understanding them. Nonmembers: $9; $7 for MHS members SOLVE GENEALOGICAL PROBLEMS LIKE A PRO Saturday, June 14, 12:30 to 3 p.m. See working examples of the tools, techniques and methodology that professional researchers use to solve genealogical problems. This hands-on workshop uses real research problems and situations to help you learn to evaluate evidence, think through problems, search for appropriate resources and move your own research forward. Class participants may e-mail instructors a one -page description of a genealogical problem, which may be used during the session. Nonmembers: $16; $12 for MHS members. RESOURCES OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES Sunday, June 15,1 to 2.:30 p.m. This session introduces researchers to the National Archives and Records Administration nationwide system and its rich collections, as well as online, mail, and in -person access to its holdings. A wide range of record examples, finding aids, online sources, access options and research tips will be discussed. Nonmembers: $9; $7 for MHS members. THE WPA ERA: WHAT IT CREATED FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH Sunday, June 15, 3 to 4:30 p.m,. During tough economic times in the 1930s and'40s, government programs put many people to work. The Works Progress/Projects Administration yielded a goldmine of records for today's genealogists. Learn how to use WPA records transcriptions, courthouse and manuscript inventories, record indexes, newspaper clippings and histories that may exist for your ancestral locales. Nonmembers: $9; $7 for MHS members. 9JAN EVENING AT FORT SNELLING: CIVIL WAR TRAINING CAMP Thursday, June 19, 5 to 9 p.m. Historic Fort Snelling, St Paul Go to "school" with Minnesota Civil War volunteers and learn how to drill, pack a -knapsack, saddle -a -horse and load a cannon to the tune of 32 LA FETE DE LA ST.-JEAN BAPTISTE ✓ Monday, June 23, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sibley House Historic Site, Mendota Join in a celebration of the French-Canadian heritage of Mendota on the eve of the feast of St. -Jean Baptiste, the patron saint of STARRY NIGHT, PRAIRIE NIGHT 27 Friday, June 27, 7p.m. to midnight also June 28 Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey View the Jeffers Petroglyphs at dusk when the ancient rock carvings make voyageur pou• ches, • learn to play ball and hoop, make a stick game and join in a game of "cat -and -mouse." Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. HISTORY HIJINx: `REEL' FISH MOBILES Sunday, May 18,1 to 4 p.m. also May 25 Minnesota History Center, SL Paul Take a look at creative fishing lures from the museum collections, make a lure from feathers, paper clips, pop tabs, Styrofoam and rubber bands, then reel in a prize catch of paper fish and display them on a hanging mobile. GUEST IN THE GALLERY: FLY TYING MINNESOTA STYLE Sunday, May 18, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St. Paul Ray Morris, who has been tying flies for more than 30 years, will demonstrate the art of using fur, feathers and other natural materials. Once a hobby, fly tying has become a commercial business and a recognized art form. 19 OPEN HOUSE AT TIE MINNEHAHA DEPOT Monday, May 19, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Minnehaha Depot, Minneapolis Experience a taste of the past at an open house at the 1875 depot known to railroaders as the "princess" because of its ornate canopy and delicate architecture. The depot is normally open to the public from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays and holidays during the summer months. surround the site and participate in a variety of activities such as packing a travois, learning to throw an atlatl or joining in a prairie scavenger hunt. WALKING THE LINDBERGH HOUSE NATURE TRAIL Saturday, May 24,11 am. to 3p.m. also June 28 Charles A. Lindbergh House, Little Falls The famous aviator was also a committed environmentalist and naturalist, and the home where Lindbergh lived as a young boy influenced his interests. Visitors will take a guided walk along the historic site's trails, learn about the wildflowers, basswood and birch trees, and watch for orioles or bald eagles soaring above the Mississippi River. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. FAMILY FUN WEEKEND Saturday, May 24,10 am. to 5 p.m. and May 25-26 Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul Talk to the officers, soldiers, cooks and storekeepers, hear fife and drum performances, and watch infantry drills and cannon and musket firings. Hands-on activities include making a black ribbon cockade, the symbol of a soldier in the early 19th century. On Memorial Day soldiers from many eras of American history will display uniforms and equipment. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. 25 HISTORY HIJINx: `REEL' RAH MOBILES Sunday, May 25, I to 4 p.m. Minnesota History Center, SL Paul (See May 18) 1 RI111LI URI R1 1 IR11 Il1YYCLi RIN W11CI1 O1WA ROOM Sunday, June 1, noon to 4 p.m. Fort Ridgely, Fairfax; Lower Sioux Agency, Morton Take part in activities and games and explore the culture of the Dakota, European -American settlers, and the United States soldiers and their families who lived along the Minnesota River in the mid- 19th century. Travel to both sites for an afternoon of fun and activities. Event is free; state park admission required at Fort Ridgely. HISTORY HIJINX: TIES THAT BIND Sunday, June 1,1 to 4 p.m. also June 8 Minnesota History Center, SL Paul Make a one -of -a -kind paper necktie using stickers, sequins, buttons, sandpaper, contact paper and a variety of other materials. A display of ties from the 1988 St. Paul Pioneer Press Ugly Tie Contest will be on display, as will a more tasteful collection of neckwear from the Society's collections. CITY OF MENDOTA WALKING TOUR 7 Saturday, June 710 a.na. June 14, 21 and 28 Sibley House Historic Site, Mendota (See May 3) GEOLOGY DISCOVERY DAY Saturday, June 710 am. to 8p.m. Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Cani%rey Examine samples of rock found at the historic site, take a guided tour of the site's rock face and see how it has evolved over time. A driving and walking tour to a nearby Sioux Quartzite quarry and Red Rock Dells will be offered at 3 p.m. Nonmembers: $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $2 for children ages 6-12. History Center Hours Admission Museum: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays, except Monday holidays. Museum stores hours: Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. Library hours: Tuesdays, noon to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesday mornings. Cafe Minnesota: Tuesdays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Coffee and dessert until 3 p.m.) Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Auxiliary aids and services, including sign - language interpreters, for Society programs at the History Center and historic sites are available. Please call 651-296-6126, 1-800-657-3773 or TTY 651-282-6073 in advance of your visit. MEMBERS ARE ADMITTED FREE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-800-657-3773 OR THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE HISTORIC SITE. WEB SITE: WWW.MNHS.ORG MINNE 17 SPRING PLANTING AT THE LOWER SIOUX AGENCY Saturday, May 17,1 to 4 p.m. Lower Sioux Agency, Morton Visitors can help with planting the site's gardens and fields. In case of inclement weather, call site to confirm event. Nonmembers: $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $2 for children ages 6-12. THE MOTHERS: TEA WITH MRS. COSGROVE Saturday, May 17,1 to 4:30p.m. W. W. Mayo House, Le Sueur Tours will focus on Louise Mayo and Louise Cosgrove, who lived in the home at different times. A costumed guide will portray Mrs. Cosgrove, and a pie and ice cream social will be held in the a4jacent Louise Park. The event is held in conjunction with Le Sueur's sesquicentennial celebration and the 100th anniversary of the Green Giant Company. Nonmembers: $2 for adults, $1.50 for senior citizens, $1 for children ages 6-12. SMOKIN' ON THE PRANUE Saturday, May 17,1 to 5 p.m. bus tour; site open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey View a prairie burn, sample wild edibles and learn the cultural significance of prairies and the historical events related to the site. A buffalo supper will be available at 5 p.m. for an additional fee. The program is a joint venture of the Society and the Prairie Ecology Bus Center, Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cottonwood County Historical Society. Reservations and prepayment required by May 10 for bus tour. Nonmembers: $10; $8 for MHS members. 18 STILL TIME FOR PLAY AT THE KELLEY FARM Sunday, May 18, noon to 5 p.m. Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River Join in a game of town ball, sack races and potato relays, and make a corn husk doll or string game to take home. Experience the 1860s farm as spring chores are being done and animal babies are demanding attention and take a horsedrawn wagon ride. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. CHILDREN'S Dar. FUR TRADE GAMES Sunday, May 18,1 to 4 p.m, North West Company Fur Post, Pine City Children's activities and games of the fur -trade era helped hone skills, such as hunting and sewing clothes and moccasins, necessary fnr survival hutvnunosttrs alga nlavvd camas lust fir fun Visitors ran REELMN DOCUMENTARY SERIES: 'THE MAIN STREAM' Tuesday, May 20, 7p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul As a transportation route, a path of exploration, a means of economic exchange and a venue for recreation, the Mississippi River has been Minnesota's link to cultural and economic transformation. In "The Main Stream," humorist Roy Blount Jr, takes an upbeat and unpredictable journey down the river. 20 22 SAINT PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA MUSICAL `U': BEETHOVEN'S SYMPHONIES REVEALED Thursday, May 22, 7p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's David Levy looks at Beethoven's life and major work with an emphasis on the Ninth Symphony. Beethoven rejected over 200 different versions of the "Ode to Joy" theme before completing the Ninth. For more information, call 651-291-1144. Nonmembers: $20; $15 for SPCO and MHS members. OF THE EMPIRE BUILDER' 24,,DEATH'uluiday,May24,10a.m. to3:30p.m. James J. Hill House, St Paul Tours focus on the death and funeral of Hill, known as the "Empire Builder," who died on May 29,1916. A display of photographs and newspaper articles show the impact he had on the nation, elaborate memorial volumes created for his family will be on display, and a guest organist will play selections from the funeral service throughout the day. Reservations are recommended. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. THE NORTH WEST COMPANY AND THE WAR OF 1812 Saturday, May 24,10 a.m. to 5 p.m. North West Company Fur Post, Pine City The North West Company was directly involved in the war of 1812 — raising a troop of voyageurs, supplying canoes for transport on the Great Lakes and providing several company partners to serve as officers in Lower Canada. See the war from the British point of view through demonstrations, recreated camp life and activities for all ages. Nonmembers: $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for children ages 6-12. FAMILY DAY AT JEFFERS PETROGLYPHS Saturday, May 24,10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Cmri frey Explore the prehistoric rock carvings at the site and hear about the cultaire of the neonle who created them I.earn ahiut the nrairies that BLUEGRASS MUSIC AT THE HARKIN STORE Sunday, May 25,1 to 4 p.m. Harkin Store, New Ulm Enjoy bluegrass music in the setting of an 1870s general store, chat with the musicians and the site's staff, and learn the history of the tunes and the traditional instruments used to play them. Nonmembers: $2 for adults. 26 25 AMERICAN INDIAN VETERANS MEMORIAL DAY Pow Wow Monday, May 26,10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mille Lacs Indian Museum, Onamia Experience a contemporary pow wow recognizing and honoring American Indian veterans. The event will begin with a grand entry and invocation followed by a veterans' honor song. Vendors selling American Indian crafts and fry bread will be on hand. SIBLEY HOUSE CHILDREN'S DAY: ARCHAEOLOGY Monday, May 26,1 to 4 p.m. Sibley House Historic Site, Mendota Sift the soil for artifacts from the past in specially created test pits, see historic and prehistoric objects from the Sibley House collections, and learn how information gathered through archaeology provides details about the history of Mendota. Outdoor children's activities are free; regular admission applies for house tours. 31 LINDBERGH TRIVIA NIGHT Saturday, May 31, 6 to 8 p.m. Charles A Lindbergh House, Little Falls Test your knowledge about the famous aviator in a trivia contest. Participants may play individually or in teams and a grand prize will be awarded for the person or team who answers the most questions correctly. Nonmembers: $3. 1 OPEN HOUSE AT SPLIT ROCK LIGHTHOUSE Sunday, June 1, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors Visit Split Rock Lighthouse State Park and the historic site free of charge. Tour the light station and the visitor center, which offers a film about the early shipping industry on Lake Superior, exhibits on the North Shore's tourism and commercial fishing industries, and a museum store. r..... n..._ r ..... n._ ._... _. w Don and Carin Huizenga Langwater Foundation Harry McNeely Kingsley and Katherine Murphy Kitty and John Pillsbury Jim and Mary Pohlad William and Teri Popp Randall Pratt and Clifford Johnson Valerie and Edson Spencer, Jr. RoxAnn Splittstozer For more information on the North Star Circle, or to report an inaccuracy in this listing, please contact Bonita Jenne, North Star Circle director, at 651-284-4801. The Society has received two special challenge gifts totaling $105,000 to assist us in meeting our $1 million Annual Fund goal. These combined gifts will be used to match new and increased gifts received before June 30. At press time, members have contributed some $88,000 in new and increased gifts towards the $105,000 challenge total. "The support of our members helps ensure that the Society will continue to provide high -quality programs through which people of all ages discover and enjoy the past," says Mark Haidet, director of development. "We are deeply grateful to our two donors who have created this special challenge and to all our members who have responded so generously." Activities supported by Annual Fund gifts include History Day, the acquisition and care of collections, library and educational programs at the History Center, and historic sites. Some of the Society's programs are made possible only with private support. Members can help the Society secure the remainder of the combined challenge gifts in two ways: • Make a new or increased gift of $50 or more to the Annual Fund before June 30, 2003. Increases of at least $50 over last year's gift will qualify for the match. • Renew your membership at a higher level than your current membership: Associate ($100) Contributing ($250) Sustaining ($500) North Star Circle ($1,000) Member support of the Annual Fund has never been more crucial. The Society is facing reduced operating funds as state government struggles with a huge shortfall. Your support will make a critical difference - and this year, your gift will have even greater impact thanks to these challenge gifts. If you are in a position to help with a special gift of cash or stock to the Annual Fund or if you have not received your Annual Fund appeal, please contact the development office at 651-297-7805, e- mail membership@ mnhs.org or donate online through our secure website at www.mnhs.org/donor. North West Company Fur Post Continued from page 1 Costumed North West Company Fur Post reenactors take visitors track to 1805. Scottish, English, French-Canadian and American Indian music and dance, historic food demonstrations, craft activities, canoe rides, nature walks, and costumed reenactors demonstrating daily life at the fur post in 1805. The opening events are free to the public, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. An 11 a.m. dedication will kick off the celebration on June 7. "The fur trade is such a significant part of Minnesota history," says Schifferdecker. "I hope all our members will come out and celebrate the revitalization of this wonderful site." The North West Company Fur Post visitor center and exhibits were funded in part by the State of Minnesota through appropriations made by the Legislature in 1998 and 2000, and through federal funding from a Congressional appropriation for the Minnesota Transportation History Network. MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY • M A Y/ J U N E 2003 Welcome new North Star Circle members The North Star Circle recognizes individuals and family foundations making gifts of $1,000 and more to the Minnesota Historical Society's Annual Fund. The Society welcomes its newest North Star Circle members. These donors joined between July 1, 2002, and March 18, 2003. Anonymous (2) Charles W. and Peggy Amason Richard and Mary Lyn Ballantine Patrick Bradley Louise and Dick Eilert Jane and Jim Ernison Eleanor S. and Stuart W. Fenton Harold and Ruth Frederick Eugene and Mary Frey Donald L. and Patricia A. Garofalo Bert and Susan Gross Luverne Gustayson David and Kim Hakensen David Hartwell and Elizabeth DeBaut Mavis E. Hogan A message from the director Staggering deficits have stimulated debate across Minnesota about what is essential for the well-being of our communities. Throughout state government and in organizations that receive public funding, including the Minnesota Historical Society, difficult decisions are being made to reduce many programs and services. What's at stake, however, goes beyond budget balancing. We must not forget that decisions being made today will affect the quality of life in Minnesota for years to come. Minnesota is not alone in facing budget deficits. Nearly every state in the country is in similar trouble. Each state will respond in its own way. In Minnesota, the solutions should reflect the values and accomplishments that have given our state its distinct identity. What is it that makes Minnesota Minnesota? What are the values that underlie our community life that make this a cherished home place? The answers to these questions will help us shape a future that preserves the values that have sustained Minnesota for generations. Answers to these questions are found in every exhibit, book, school lesson, lecture, manuscript, object and historic place presented by the Minnesota Historical Society. Indeed, the Society's mission statement asserts that history is valuable because it gives people a sense of place and a sense of purpose that enable them to face challenges as they move into the future. A new report of the Citizen's League asks the question: What will we begin building today that will be celebrated in 150 years? This provocative question reminds us that as we benefit from the work of earlier Minnesotans to create a flourishing state, we have a responsibility to continue the effort for the benefit of future generations. Former Society President Gov. Elmer L. Andersen, one of our state's most comps-ssionate and thoughtful leaders, wrote these words on the occasion of the opening of the Minnesota History Center in 1992: Our future depends on our ability to preserve and transmit the rich heritage of values that is the foundation of our state. There is no question that the values that built our past are essential to our future. But, we cannot assume they will be automatically adopted by future generations. The Society is a vital factor in preserving the best of the past and projecting it into the future. Yes, our knowledge of the past should influence our decisions today. This is the challenge for each of us as citizens and for our government - and the outcome will reflect our collective aspirations and will. Although budget reductions seem inevitable, I want to assure you that the Society will continue to pursue its mission with vigor on behalf of all Minnesotans and for the benefit of future generations. This is the time to make your voice heard, and to join the conversation about what we want Minnesota to be today and in the future. --)t-Gt.t.e._ ad% cit Nina M. Archabal Society's major challenge gift for Annual Fund is expanded MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY • J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2003 News briefs 1950s-era lounge draws visitors to exhibits If you have been in the History Center lately, you've probably seen a unique new "mini exhibit." It is a replica of a 1950s living room that entices visitors entering on level one to take a right turn and climb the stairway or approach the elevators to the main exhibits. Comfortable furniture is grouped to create a public lounge, and a black and white television broadcasts archival KSTP- TV footage and clips of retired weatherman Bud Kraehling, currently a volunteer at the Society. A "severe weather" message on the bottom of the screen alerts viewers to the "Weather Permitting" exhibit upstairs. "We wanted to create a teaser for the Society, Minnesota Orchestra Focus on Civil War The Society sponsors a number of programs and events that focus on the Civil War. In 2003, staff members are working to provide members with more collective information about these popular programs, including Civil War tours at the Minnesota State Capitol, the annual Civil War weekend at Historic Fort Snelling and other events. New "Minnesota in the Civil War" Museum Lessons, geared for students in grades 4-12, will be available starting Jan. 7 for school groups visiting the History Center. From Feb. 4 through April 6, display cases featuring the story of Minnesota's role in the war will be on view in the History Center library. Other January and February events related to the Civil War are detailed in the calendar. In March, several events will focus on "We Are Met at Gettysburg," a new piece co -commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. "We're very excited about this collaboration between two major statewide organizations - the Minnesota Orchestra and the Minnesota Historical Society," says Heather Koop, the Society's public programs manager. First Minnesota Volunteers. Moe's book is an MHS Press publication about a volunteer regiment that played a key role in the Gettysburg battle. Roamin' for SnowMN A special treat awaits Minnesota History Center visitors this winter. The building and grounds are headquarters for the new Roamin' for SnowMNTM public art project, featuring human -sized snow statues, designed and painted by Minnesota artists, community groups and businesses, that will travel around the state through March. They will make appearances at events such as the Holidazzle parades and Capital New Year celebration. One lucky SnowMN will be snugly ensconced in a snow globe in the History Center lobby. Others will be on the History Center grounds when they are not traveling around Minnesota. Roamin' for SnowMN, the first annual event under the "Minnesota Winter Wander" concept, is designed to promote winter tourism and raise money for charity. The statues were produced by St. Paul -based TivoliToo Design & Sculpting Studios, which created the Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy statues that were placed around St. Paul, as well as the Elephant and Donkey Party Animals on display in Washington, D.C. The A new 1950s-era lounge at the History Center invites visitors to relax, then explore exhibits. upper floor exhibits, because the layout of the building means that it has always been hard to get people to take that right turn up the stairs," said Dan Spock, head of the Exhibits department. "We decided that the television would get people's attention, and we wanted to create an inviting public area where people can relax." The lounge is designed to be customized to the History Center's changing programs and exhibits, and the television video will be changed to match the subject matter of future exhibits. While the mini -exhibit doesn't have an official name, Society employees have dubbed it the "elevator lounge." "The response has been pretty " Spock said. "I've seen ors hanging out there and one Jotted an elderly couple - one the newspaper and one ig TV - as if they were in their ing room." 111C ple . t Will 111 C11 L1e1 lll LI IC Minnesota Orchestra's Young People's Concerts on March 18 and 19 and its Adventures in Music for Families series on March 23. On the evening of March 18, History Center visitors can meet the composers, Steve Heitzeg and Amy Scurria, and Richard Moe, author of The Last Full Measure: The Life and Death of the event win cumunace in a nowiviIN auction celebration in the Twin Cities in March. MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY "ViemberNews ISSN 1064-5675 Published bimonthly by the Minnesota Historical Society, 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, Minn. Membership in the Society includes a subscription to Member News. Correspondence should be addressed to the editor at the above address; phone 651-296-2155. Editors are encouraged to reprint articles from Member News with appropriate credit. Editor. Marjorie Nugent. Designer Kimberly Brink Smith. Writers: Diane Rose, Jeri Niedenfuer, Loris Sophis Gregory. Photography: John Lindell, Steve Woit, Eric Mortenson. A portion of the Society's general operating funds for this fiscal year has been provided from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency offering general operating support to the nation's museums. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Member News, 345 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1906 MEMBER NEWS Vol. 12 No. 1 Published by the Minnesota Historical Society 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED • •i I1IIl1111I111{tti,grillnlllnlllrilillilloillili,•11111S®lip —******* *********rn****5-DIGIT 55121 PAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY VIRGINIA KNIGHT 1455 HIGHVIEW AVE EAGAN MN 55121-1143 Printed on recycled paper, 10% post -consumer. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, Minnesota MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY • J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y • 2 0 0 3 Library classes at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul — Call 651-296-2143 to register. These one -session classes introduce the Society's collections for genealogical, house or other historical research. Advanced registration required for most classes; call 651-296-2143 or TTY 651-282-6073. Participants will be notified of class cancellation if fewer than five people are registered one week prior to the class date. For a sign -language interpreter, please call 651-296-2143 at least five working days in advance. Fees: I'm New Here: Introducing the Library class is free; other classes are $7 for nonmembers and $5 for members. To learn more about the library, or to conduct an online search of its catalog, visit the Society's web site: www.mnhs.org/library. I'M NEW HERE: INTRODUCING THE LIBRARY Saturday, Jan. 4, 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. also Jan. 11, 18 and 25; Feb. 1, 8,15 and 22 The library contains an amazing array of sources for fmding your family history, researching a term paper, looking into the history of your house, business, organization or neighborhood — or just fmding out more about Minnesota's rich past and many cultures. This free class introduces these sources and offers tips on how to use catalogs, request materials and purchase copies of historic papers and photos. BACK TO BASICS: SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CARE OF PAPERS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND BOOKS Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6 to 7:30 p.m. This class offers some basic ideas for the care, handling and organization of papers, photographs and books. Reference librarian Ron Kurpiers will present tips for those interested in beginning the process of organizing and preserving paper -based items and photographs. Class size is Limited to 30. Registration is required. Nonmembers: $7; $5 for MHS members. Warren Research classes at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul - CaII 651-503-4802 for information. These one -session classes on family history and genealogy meet in the MacMillan Education Center on the second level of the Minnesota History Center. For directions, call 651-296-1430. Instructors Jim and Paula Stuart Warren are nationally recognized genealogical researchers, lecturers and writers. All classes include handouts and Internet information. HOW TO REGISTER: Advance registration by mail is recommended. List the chosen class(es), your address, phone and MHS membership number. Mail that information with the registration fees listed below (check payable to Warren Research) to: Warren Research, 1869 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104-5938. Refunds will be given when canceling in writing at least 10 days before class. Registration is taken at the door if space is available. For more information on these classes, call Warren Research at 651-503-4802 or e-mail warren@spacestar.com. DISCOVER YOUR FAMILY HISTORY WORKSHOP Saturday, Jan. 25,10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Learn the basics of finding the history of your family. Steps are outlined for fmding information within your own family and in libraries, archives, courthouses, churches and cemeteries. Designed for those just starting research and as a refresher for those with some research experience. Nonmembers: $16; $12 for MHS members. WRITING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY IN SMALL, MANAGEABLE PIECES Saturday, Jan. 25, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Don't wait until your research is "completed" to share and preserve your research results and family stories. This class offers encouragement, methods, examples, practical "write -as -you -go" methods and simple alternatives to writing a large book all at once. Nonmembers: $9; $7 for MHS members. RAILROAD RECORDS AND RAILROAD HISTORY: METHODS FOR TRACKING Sunday, Jan. 26,1 to 2.:30 p.m. How many genealogists have heard that an ancestor traversed the nation as he worked for the railroad? For which railroad did he work? Where did it run? Are there railroad records still extant which may tell us something about his ancestry or where he later went? This session addresses these questions. Visuals and references demonstrate the wealth of historical materials available. Nonmembers: $9; $7 for MHS members NEW CLASS! SOLVE GENEALOGICAL PROBLEMS LIKE A PRO Sunday, Jan. 26, 3 to 4:30 p.m. See examples of the tools, techniques and methodology that professional researchers use to solve genealogical problems. This workshop uses real research problems and situations to help you learn to evaluate evidence, think through problems, search for appropriate resources and move your own research forward. Class participants may e-mail the instructors a one -page discussion of a genealogical problem which may be used during the session. This is not a beginner level class but is valuable for ahnost anyone with some research experience. Nonmembers: $9; $7 for MHS members. IBREAD, BISCUITS AND CAKE 5 Saturday, Feb. 15, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MEMBERS LUNCHEON: J 'THE LURE OF MINNESOTA'S LANDSCAPE' Mondau, Feb. 17, 11:3a.m. 23 HISTORY HI,IINX: THE ART OF MEHNDI: HENNA PAINTING PARTY Sundae Feb. 23. 1 to 4 Hain. (See Jan. 18) BEYOND BOREAS: A PUPPET SHOW OF FROZEN FOLLIES AND MYTHICAL MELTDOWNS Saturday, Feb. 15, 1:30, 2:30 and 3.30 p.m. also Feb. 16 and 22-23 Minnesota History Center, St. Paul (See Jan. 18) 16 HISTORY HI,JINX: THE ART OF MEHNDI: HENNA PAINTING PARTY Sunday, Feb. 16,1 to 't pan. also Feb. 23 Minnesota History Center, St Paul Experience a bit of Somali culture with the art of Mehndi, an ancient cosmetic and healing art practiced in Africa, India and the Middle East. Mehndi is henna painting, applied on hands and feet in an elaborate pattern to celebrate special events. Shakun Maheswari will use her artistry to create designs and visitors will enjoy Somali music, tea, poetry and games. The History HiJinx program welcomes families with children to work on projects together. It is especially suited for ages 3-11. GUEST IN THE GALLERY: SOMALI MUSIC WITH ADAR KAHIN Sunday, Feb.16,1, 2and 3p.m. Minnesota History Center, St. Paul Musician Adar Kahin will perform contemporary Somali music in the "Sounds Good to Me: Music in Minnesota" exhibit. Kahin, who has lived in St. Paul for five years, is a Somali immigrant who is a well-known performer in her native country. IN A SINGLE GENERATION: TWO FILMS ABOUT THE HMONG IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE Sunday, Feb. 16, 1 and 2:30p.nt. Minnesota History Center, St Paul After the Vietnam War, approximately 120,000 Hmong were driven from their homeland in Laos and forced to reestablish their lives elsewhere. The United States is now home to large numbers of Hmong and, like millions of new Americans before them, they have worked to adapt to the challenges of the immigrant experience. The award -winning documentaries "Being Hmong Means Being Free," shown at 1 p.m., and "The Split Horn: Life of a Hmong Shaman in America," shown at 2:30 p.m., are two films which look at the experiences of the Hmong community in the United States. Tucson, Ariz Join Society Director Nina Archabal for a luncheon featuring Brian Szott, the Society's curator of art, presenting "The Lure of Minnesota's Landscape," which highlights works from the Society's art collection. For more information, please call 651-284-3546 or 1-888-293-4440. s MEMBERS LUNCHEON: 1 `THE LURE OF MINNESOTA'S LANDSCAPE' Tuesday, Feb. 18, 11:30 a.m. Scottsdale, Ariz. (See Feb. 17) `OVERCOMING': THE HARRY DAMS STORY Tuesday, Feb. 18, 7p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul Minneapolis civil rights leader W. Harry Davis will discuss and sign copies of his recently published book, "Overcoming: The Autobiography of W. Harry Davis." Rising from an impoverished urban neighborhood, Davis became one of the city's leading voices for equality. He was the founding chief executive of the Minneapolis Urban Coalition, one of the first black executives at a major Twin Cities corporation, and campaigned as the city's first black mayoral candidate. VICTORIAN COOKING FOR CHILDREN 22 Saturday, Feb. 22,10 a.m. to noon or 1:30 to 3.:30 p.m. Alexander Ramsey House, St Paul (See Jan. 25) ROACH HEADDRESS WORKSHOP Saturday, Feb. 22,10 am. to 2 p.m. and Feb. 23, noon to 4 p.m. Mille Lacs Indian Museum, Onamia The Roach is one of many headdresses traditionally worn by Ojibwe men as part of their dance regalia. Participants will learn to construct a headdress and hear why and when such items were made and used. Preregistration and prepayment for the two-day workshop is required. Nonmembers: $25; $20 for MHS members; $25 supply fee. BEYOND BOREAS: A PUPPET SHOW OF FROZEN FOLLIES AND MYTHICAL MELTDOWNS Saturday, Feb. 22, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. also Feb. 23 Minnesota History Center, St Paul (See Jan. 18) Minnesota History Center, SG Paul (See Feb. 16) EXHIBIT OPENING: 'THE CHINESE-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN MINNESOTA' Sunday, Feb. 23, noon to 5 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul Items relating to the lives and history of Chinese Americans in Minnesota will be on view. Displays will include special artifacts and cookware, paintings, prints, textiles, clothing and photographs. The exhibit, which is sponsored by Sit Investment Associates Foundation, will be on display through May, which is Asian -American Month. HILL HOUSE PARLOR CONCERTS 24 Monday, Feb. 24, 7:30 pm. James J. Hill House, St Paul The Hill House Chamber Players: Rees Allison, piano; Julie Ayer, violin; Tanya Remenikova, cello; William Schrickel, bass; Thomas Turner, viola; and Jeffrey Van, guitar perform in the Hill House's two-story art gallery. The series is co -sponsored by the Schubert Club and WCAL-FM, which will tape the program for later broadcast. Complimentary wine and mineral water will be served, and house tours will be available following the program. The concert will be repeated on March 3. Reservations are recommended; call 651-296-8205. Nonmembers: $14; $12 for MHS, WCAL and Schubert Club members. BILL MOYERS: THE CHINESE IN AMERICA Monday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul Bill Moyers will host a question and answer session and preview highlights of the film, "Becoming American: The Chinese Experience," which will be shown in its entirety on PBS in March. The program is co -sponsored by TPT and the Organization of Chinese Americans. FOR AMERICAN HISTORY LECTURE SERIES: 2BRIDGE_ 'AT AMERICA'S GATE: CHINESE IMMIGRATION, 1882-1943' Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul Erika Lee will explore how Chinese exclusion laws not only transformed Chinese-American lives, immigration patterns identities and families, but also recast the United States in the role of a "gate -keeping" nation. (See Jan. 28) FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-800-657-3773 OR THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE HISTORIC SITE. WEB SITE: WWW.MNHS.ORG American spirituals of the South, mountain clogging and old-time music, and the dance that swept the nation and renamed a city in the Roaring Twenties. The group is led by artistic director Donald LaCourse. Nonmembers: $17; $15 for members and seniors; $12 for students; $10 for children under age 12, HISTORY HIJINx: HORNS APLENTY Sunday, Jan. 19,1 to 4 p.m. also Jan. 26 Minnesota History Center, St. Paul Horns have been used throughout history as signaling devices, for hunting, to direct troops in battle and to send messages. Participants can take a look at musical instruments in the History Center's "Sounds Good To Me" exhibit and an array of horns courtesy of the Schubert Club's Kugler Collection of musical instruments, then make their own horn with cardboard, tubes, cones stickers and other provided materials. The History HiJinx program welcomes families with children to work on projects together. It is especially suited for ages 3-11. 19 25 VICTORIAN COOKING FOR CHILDREN Saturday, Jan. 25, 10 am. to noon or 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. also Feb. 22 Alexander Ramsey House, St Paul See how cooking and kitchens have changed over the last century at a special hands-on cooking activity. Children and adults will mix dough and bake cookies in a wood -burning stove in the home's 1870s kitchen and learn how kitchens, measuring standards and cooking utensils have changed over the years. Participants can take home cookies made from Ramsey family recipes. An escorted tour of the house is included. The program is designed for children ages 8-12 with an accompanying adult. Reservations and prepayment required; maximum 12 participants per session. Nonmembers: $8; $6 for MHS members. FROZEN FOWES AND MYTHICAL MELTDOWNS Saturday, Jan. 25, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. also Jan. 26, Feb. 1-2, 8-9,15-16, 22-23 Minnesota History Center, St Paul (See Jan. 18) 26 LOOM DESIGNS Sunday, Jan. 26, noon to 4 p.m. Mille Lacs Indian Museum, Onamia The Ojibwe people traditionally have decorated their clothing and regalia with intricate beadwork. Participants in this four-hour workshop will construct their own beadwork on a loom. Preregistration and prepayment required. Fee: $25; $20 for MHS members. HISTORY HIJINX: HoRNs APLENTY Sunday, Jan. 26,1 to 4 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul (See Jan. 19) GUESTS IN THE GALLERY: MATTERHORN ALPHORN Duo Sunday, Jan. 26,1, 2 and 3 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul Marvin McCoy, the region's best-known "alphornist," and an accompanist will demonstrate the national folk instrument of Switzerland. Originating as a crude wooden signaling device for shepherds to communicate, the 12-foot instrument is now played on concert stages around the world. Dressed in traditional Swiss costume, the duo will perform solos and duets and explain the history of this unique instrument. 'YANKEE GIRLS IN THE LOWELL MILLS: WORK AND EARLY AMERICAN INDUSTRIALIZATION' Tuesday, Jan. 28, 7p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul In the first of a four-part lecture series focusing on the contributions, struggles and triumphs of women and minority populations in American history, Lisa Norling will examine the lives and experiences of young, unmarried factory workers. In her one -hour talk, Norling will describe the work world of this significant group of young women and explore the reasons early industrialists employed them. Upcoming programs in the series will take place on Feb. 11, Feb. 25 and March 11. All of the speakers are professors at the University of Minnesota. The lecture series is part of the "Bridge for American History" program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, in which middle and high school teachers work to advance and enrich the teaching of American history in Minnesota schools. It is co- sponsored by the Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools and the University of Minnesota. February WINTER ON THE HILL Saturday, Feb. 1, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. James J. Hill House, St. Paul (See Jan. 25) BEYOND BOREAS: A PUPPET SHOW OF FROZEN FOLLIES AND MYTHICAL MELTDOWNS Saturday, Feb. 1, 1:30, 2:30 and 330 p.m. also Feb. 2, 8-9,15-16 and 22-23 Minnesota History Center, St Paul (See Jan. 18) History Center Hours Museum: Tuesdays, 10 am. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 am. to 5 p.m. Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays, except Monday holidays. Museum Stores hours: Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. Library hours: Tuesdays, noon to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 9 am. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesday mornings. Cafe Minnesota: Mondays through Fridays, 8 am. to 10 am. and 11:30 am. to 2 p.m. (Coffee and dessert until 3 p.m.) Saturdays, 11:30 am. to 3 p.m. Sundays, 11 am. to 3 p.m. Admission Auxiliary aids and services, including sign - language interpreters, for Society programs at the History Center and historic sites are available. Please call 651-296-6126, 1-800-657-3773 or TTY 651-282-6073 in advance of your visit. MEMBERS ARE ADMITTED FREE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-800-657-3773 OR THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE HISTORIC SITE. WEB SITE: WWW.MNHS.ORG MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY • J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y • 2 0 0 3 18 CROSS COUNTRY SKI CONIC Saturday, Jan. 18, 1 p.m. Forest History Center, Grand Rapids Learn the fundamentals of cross-country skiing at a program that will teach the proper type of clothing, waxes and waxing techniques, types of equipment and various techniques used in the sport. Skiers then will have the chance to enjoy the site's groomed trails. Those without skis may rent them in Grand Rapids. Call to confirm event in case of unusual snow conditions or subzero temperatures. SKI UNDER THE Fuu Moo AT THE FOREST HISTORY CENTER Saturday, Jan.183 6 to 9 p.m. Forest History Center, Grand Rapids Enjoy a magical evening on cross-country skis. Candle luminaries and the moon light the site's River Trail. The recreated logging camp's office will be open to skiers, and interpreters will share lumberjack stories and music by a wood -fired stove. Skiers also can warm up in the Center's Interpretive Building with hot cider and cookies. Call to confirm event in case of unusual snow conditions or subzero temperatures. FILM PREMIERE: `TINE DOGS OF EL NINo' Saturday, Jan. 14 2 p.m. Minnesota History Center, SL Paul 'The Dogs of El Nino" is a 58-minute documentary that explores what happens when the annual sled dog race in Wisconsin's Madeline Island comes face-to-face with the warming effects of El Nino. It also introduces viewers to the colorful residents of the normally ice -bound winter community and the bond they have with their dogs. Filmmakers Cyndi Moran and Eric Scholl live and work in Chicago. Their previous work "The End of the Nightstick" aired nationally on PBS's acclaimed independent film showcase "P.O.V." Music for the film was provided by Stuart Rosenberg, a Chicago musician, world music expert and radio personality. ETHNIC DANCE THEATRE: 'THE AMERICA SHOW' Saturday, Jan. 18, 7p.m. also Jan. 19, 2 p.m. Minnesota History Center, St Paul From the jubilant Appalachian Barn Dance to the scandalous Big Apple, dance has always been a way for America to celebrate. Staged for the first time in the United States, Ethnic Dance Theatre's' The America Show" celebrates the rich and vibrant legacy of the country's dance and song. Performed by the group's highly acclaimed Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble, the four-part show includes segments highlighting immigrants naccino thrnnoh Rllic Island the Cairn fiddles and Afrinan Wing Young Hule, left, and Ken Hule, Duluth, ca. 1960. 25 WINTER ON THE HILL Saturday, Jan. 25,10 a.m. to 310 p.m. also Feb. 1 James J. Hill House, SL Paul St. Paul Winter Carnival history will be part of special tours focusing on how the Hill family dressed for winter. Visitors can see a display of Carnival buttons, programs, a 1917 Carnival uniform worn by Louis Hill, a bearskin carriage robe and Rachel Hill's snowshoes. An organist will perform period music throughout the day. A $1 discount will be given in all admission categories for visitors wearing a Winter Carnival button. Nonmembers: $6 for adults; $5 for senior citizens; $4 for children ages 6-12. RGvtvn RnDceC• A PunocT nc 28 GASLIGHT TOURS AT THE JAMES J. HILL HOUSE Tuesday, Jan. 28, tours leave at 7 and 7.30 p.m. also Jan. 29-31, Feb. 4-7 James J. Hill House, SL Paul The Hill House was "a blaze of light and beauty," according to a Pioneer Press writer describing a social event at the mansion in the 1890s. Those elegant parties under the romantic light of flickering gas jets will be recalled during evening tours of the historic house. Cider and shortbread will be served and a guest organist will play the Hills' 1,006-pipe tracker organ. Reservations are recommended. Nonmembers: $6 for adults; $5 for senior citizens; $4 for children ages 6-12 and MHS members. Anne ere Auemn.0 Uic.rnev 1 rower Centre. Minnesota's Landscape," which highlights works from the Society's art collection. For more information on these events or to receive an invitation, please call Debi Meissner at 651-284-3546 or 1-888-293-4440. Minnesotans `Going Places' Going. Going faster, going farther. Going somewhere, going anywhere. Going simply for the sake of going. A new exhibit at the History Center, opening in January 2004, will trace how the American passion for mobility has shaped life in Minnesota for nearly 200 years. The exhibit will provide a place to travel back through time to celebrate the promises of the new, to reflect on the consequences of the past, and to debate and dream ways of moving transportation forward through the 21st century. "Going Places: The Mystique of Mobility" will present travel and trips by bicycle, on roads and rails, and through air and space. The exhibit team is looking for short stories and anecdotes about the best and the worst of your travel experiences, whether traveling across continents, cross-country, around Minnesota, or commuting back and forth to work. They also would like to hear memories of getting a driver's license or car, and descriptions of how your car (past or present) reflects who you are. Clear photographs of people with Mill City Museum continued from page 1 The National Historic Landmark structure was gutted by fire in 1991. modes of transportation, especially from the 1940s to the present, also are needed. If you would like a chance to become part of "Going Places," please call Loris Sofia Gregory at 651-297-7706 or e-mail loris.gregory@mnhs.org. "Going Places," part of the Minnesota History Transportation Network, is funded in part by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA- 21) through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Meyer says the complexity of the project required twice as many drawings as a typical new building, as well as intense involvement by the architect all the way through the construction process. "There have been great examples of cooperation all along the way, and that's been essential," he says. "We've faced many challenges, but everyone involved knew that their hard work was for a great cause. Most of the city's riverfront redevelopment is private, for government institutions or high -end housing, so it's critical that there be a place that's as open, cordial and egalitarian as Mill City Museum will be." nvn I N N E S O T A HISTORICAL SOCIETY • J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 3 Society's art curator will speak at events in Florida, Arizona Members are invited to join Director Nina Archabal and fellow Minnesotans for special events in Florida and Arizona in February and March. A luncheon will be held on Feb. 17 in Tucson and a similar event will take place on Feb. 18 in Scottsdale. On March 1, the Society will host a luncheon in Naples, Fla. This event is sponsored by the Minneapolis and Naples law offices of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP. All programs will feature Brian Szott, the Society's curator of art, presenting, "The Lure of A letter from Nina Archabal Today, the jagged stone walls of the Washburn A Mill enclose a new museum that will open its doors next May. With construction nearly complete on Mill City Museum, the setting seems obvious. Yet, a decade ago when fire nearly destroyed the National Landmark Washburn A Mill, it was hard to imagine that the smoldering ruin could serve a useful purpose. Now, thanks to the creativity of the Society's staff members and the inspired vision of architect Tom Meyer, Mill City Museum promises to draw people to the once renowned Minneapolis Mills District to discover and enjoy the legacy of this significant place. With the collaboration of many public and private entities, a vital new neighborhood is taking shape around Mill City Museum. Abandoned mills and other industrial structures are being transformed into places for people to live, work and enjoy recreation. In this issue of Member News architect Tom Meyer tells us how he worked with the Society to imagine a new life for the Washburn A Mill. Growing up on a farm in southern Minnesota, he would have been hard pressed to imagine that, like the local wheat that made its way to the Minneapolis nulls, he would journey to the riverfront to play an essential role in the revitalization of this historic area. Mill City Museum will tell one of Minnesota's signature stories - connecting farm hand to mill worker, railroads to waterpower, and technology to marketing. The building that Tom Meyer has fashioned out of the Washburn ruin provides the ideal setting. Nina Archabal Director David Koch, lead fundraiser for Mill City Museum, is honored David A. Koch was honored at a Nov 12 luncheon ceremony as Minnesota's Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser for 2002. For the past five years, Koch has led a successful campaign raising more than $31 million for Mill City Museum. He and his wife, Barbara, are among several individuals who have pledged more than $1 million apiece. "When David agreed to head the Mill City Museum committee, our plans were limited to an $11 million project, but we knew it would be a major challenge to raise even that much money," says Nina Archabal, the Society's director. "David pushed us to think big - to realize that we had the opportunity to tell the story of how the Mills District enabled Minneapolis to become a great city in the late 1800s. He gave literally hundreds of hours of his time to the project." Koch serves on the Society's Governing Board. In 1975, as CEO of Graco, Inc., he was one of the founders of the Five Percent Club, which challenged Minnesota companies to donate five percent of their pretax profits to nonprofit and community causes every year. The concept became a nationwide model for corporate giving. Focus of 2004 exhibit is A Brief Synopsis of Heritage Hall In 1968 Heritage Hall was formed by volunteers. We are now called the Pioneer Room. In 1993 when we got this room after the city purchased the former Dakota Courthouse and remodeled it, all of the collected material was dumped in this room. We are subsidized by the city. The staff is Richard Darsow, Ethel Thieling, Bob Olson and we are unpaid volunteers. We sell articles and take donations for services rendered or for photocopies made. We collect artifacts made in Hastings or are a part of Hastings history. Collect copies of all books and pamphlets published on Hastings. Catalog all books. Collect obituaries from St. Paul, Minneapolis and Hastings newspapers every day, plus articles on Hastings, Dakota County, Minnesota and USA. Collect current city and county publications on history and preservation. For the past 5 or 6 years, we have been upgrading records of all the cemeteries in the Hastings area. The Dakota County web site is up and running, and all cemeteries in the county will be entered. We collect high school graduation pictures, keep records of Hastings Alumni, Hastings has a very active alumni association. Collect and catalog photographs. These are divided into subject matter and biographical matter. (Explain) All large framed photos and material is stored in the attic under cover. All overflow material is stored in the basement. Catalog all subject matter that has been researched in depth. We have two sets of files on Hastings, a biographical file and a subject file. We also have a Dakota County file, a Minnesota file, and a USA file. Whenever possible we use acid free storage material. We have a collection of clothing, i.e. Mrs.LeDuc, Ruth Morton, (special clothing that we put on display in the cabinets). Change the display cabinets in the rotunda. We have an Art Committee that is in charge of our art collection. We solicit for and promote the work of the Pioneer Room. I am Curator of this room and also a city historian. Much of my time these past few years has been researching and writing about Hastings. I have many articles published in DCHS publications and Hastings newspapers. (i.e. 20th century series). I act as a step -on -tour guide for visiting bus tours. I am on the book committee that will publish a History of Dakota County in the Twentieth Century, $132,000 has been appropriated. Also $95,000 for an Arts Program. / 1 Preserving ... Publishing ... Promoting History Around the County South St. Paul Chapter sponsor historic site plaque at Castle Hotel ceremony The Grand Opening of the recently completed Castle Hotel was held on September 23. The entire membership of the South St. Paul Chapter was on hand for the opening ceremony. Following speeches by the mayor and representatives of the HRA and Progress Plus, the new owners, Martha and Duane Hubbs, received an enthusiastic ovation. The Hubbs have made a wonderful restoration of the building's exterior and a beautiful interior. Chapter president Ed Horst unveiled the National Register of Historic Places plaque presented to the Hubbs. South St. Paul has two Register sites. The chapter previously presented a plaque to the Serbian Hall. The South St. Paul High School Band played some stirring selections before the guests were served beverages and appetizers in the ballroom of the hotel. Guests also had a opportunity to tour the hotel with visits to guestrooms, the two restaurants, and meeting rooms. The hotel building was formally the Union Stockyard Exchange Building erected in 1887. It was the hub of the huge stockyards which with South St. Paul's meat packing plants formed a multi -million dollar industry. Genealogical Resource Fair On Saturday October loth the DCHS and the Dakota County Genealogical Society teamed up to create this year's Genealogical Resource Fair. The Resource Fair was highlighted in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and as a result was well attended by 111 people. Eagan Historical Society 'The Ted Wachter Room" Ted Wachter will be resigning this year from the Eagan City Council. Ted, a founding member of the history group, has made his mark on the community's history in many ways. Probably most significant is his service on the town council starting in 1972 and reelected through the years to today. He was on the planning commission in 1958. When he shows people the frame, one room, township hall across the street from the current city hall, he knows it for he was there. On December 15, the city council will offically rename the conference room the Ted Wachter Conference Room. In addition the showcase in the municipal center lobby will display memorabilia from Ted's civic career. Hastings Pioneer Room Bob Olson of the Pioneer Room donated two large bags containing thousands of clippings for our family and town history files. The Pioneer Room is allowing volunteer Barb Gillis to photocopy their transcriptions of Lakeside cemetery, a daunting task. Barb will put the records on computer and give a digital copy back to the Pioneer Room. Acquisition: 1918 Alien Registration Forms While the United States was at war with Germany, the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety collected information on the aliens living in the state. Among the 35 questions asked was how much property the individual owned, what were names of relatives in service in the U.S. or against it, and date of arrival in the United States. One question is "If you have never taken out first papers of naturalization, why have you not done so?" Many South St. Paulites answered that they hoped to go back to the old country. This purchase, which consists of seven rolls of film (five for South St. Paul and two for the remainder of the county) was largely made possible by a donation from Vicki Young Albu who wanted the information available at our facility for the many researchers who use it. November 1998 Page 9 1'SO FEARS OF HiSTOW1 Tiro me. —. — 11.Imo sltr.a.. Page 2 Dakota County History On May 11 a new county highway map was presented to Dakota County commissioners at their meeting in the county's western service center. The county issues a new map every other year. We are pleased the reverse side of the map carries a Dakota County History Map produced by Bill Wolston and the Dakota County Historical Society. We think the map will be a long lasting component of our Countyl 150th Anniversary recognition. For old timers we hope the map will rekindle fond memories. For the thousands of county new comers we hope it will be a step in providing a new proud heritage. For visitors we hope it will give them a reason to stay a little longer or at least want to come back. The project started • last November with Bill working with Lezlie Vermillion of the Highway Department and Jay Whittstock and Joe Sepletal of the Survey and Land Information Department. Rebecca Snyder provided our resource material going into the project and the all important proofing going out to the county and printer. Four 50s equal 150 Across the bottom of the map i9 a brief history in three 50 year segments. However, the three are preceeded by a fourth segment titled "Before the First Fifty Years,1800 to October 27, 1849." During this pre-150 year period explorers, furtraders, • missionaries, and the military made lasting contributions to our county's 160 year heritage. Historic Sites and Structures Thirty historic sites and structures noted on the map . have accompanying illustrations and descriptions. The sites include all Min e.sota Historical Society marker sites. Many structures are on the National Register of Historic Places. The oldest locations are the natural formations of Chimney and Castle Rocks. Explorer Joseph Nicollef used the rocks for mapping reference 1999 - 2000 Dakota County Highway Map features County History We have copies for our members. points.The youngest is the Nike Missile site constructed in Castle Rock Township during the Cold War in the 1950s. The, missile site buildings are still in place years after the Nike site was decommissioned. - Roads, Rails, Reserve, and a Dam The map also identifies early roads and railroads which served people and products in, out, and across the county: the Dodd road, the Mendota-Wabasha road, and the Minnesota Central and Minnesota Valley railroads. The Dan Patch rail line was added for its unique contribution to western Dakota County. The Lock and Dam No. 2 at Hastings changed the county's eastern profile from Hastings to St. Paul. The border line of 'the Fort Snelling Military Reserve which passes through Eagan and Mendota Heights is noted. Its location within the reserve made Mendota the state's earliest settlement and Minnesota's only community to be made a city by an act of Congress. Even when folded When the map is in its folded form the cover panel shows two pictures of the Hastings Spiral Bridge. As an aside . . . when the Spiral Bridge was dismantled some of its timbers were used in a small bridge crossing Chub Creek in Castle Rock Township. A picture of the small bridge appeared in the issue of .Over the .Years featuring county bridges., Recently we learned the small Castle Rock bridge has now been replaced. Maps available. Special for You Thenew county,map will be made available to the .public at county offices. However, we obtained a quantity for our Dakota County Historical Society members. Stop in and ask Rebecca. If you haven't visited the museum recently you might be surprised at the interesting things to see. May 1999 Page 3 CELEBRATE DAKOTA COUNTY'S SESQUICENTENN ILAL JOHN KOBLAS, TOM MELCHIOR AND GREG PAGE "ON HISTORY" NoVEMBE _ .4 \V WFsCOrf I IBR rY MEETING LO ER LEVEL SPONSORED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE WESCOTT LIBRARY OOM ge ►ng fan • 651,177-4577 76 Burnsville E 952.898-2754 9 ©MArvRA LAVERY $13975 100w 15"w 13"h Pacifica Lighting & Fans Maplewood P' _. d` ALL PRICES INCLU LIFETIME COMPUTER AND VALVE. 'AGE 4) P205/65111 4)15-6.5 MB Mo, s made on a CarCa,eCNE consumer crap carp au ur 6N pang statement. it you do not, Inane Moro re not pal when due, all special promotional terms r r PNethe fixed AN is 22.4E 1. Except In PR, gxec S CCV" CHARGED, STATE ENVI or en en; en a good excuse to get out of the house. She said the boys' devel- opment has improved by going to the classes — and they get to release some of their toddler energy by playing or climbing around Lookout Ridge. {`They don't fight as much. They get to learn, meet new friends, play with new toys, paint and get messy," Menken said. `It's great. "Now we have a lot more friends," she said. "It's like a second home to us." Megan Boldt can be reached at mboldt@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5495. • °tI-, 300'.. a°• � .-� _a3 ='Z� ° o[Ugiqqa �m ir C0 0 coo ° a›'i y.0 74 w^�" �w o 'g'0 a 40 0 ca sO �.0 >;: 0 b -0 8 o �-d� d. °.c tirc4::.3 8y 0 aa_ .c a, .0 .c °' a r, c t 'tie 2 tea ° ° bo° i 3 az ° c 0;b 0 >,4 acts v,, y o cn v, >, O G..e 0 m .c.a.a,4 - 3, ° ° 0 o O ° 3 -0 0 0 d ca y, e U Q) ° . gr.. hp & m ca 0 '� b < aC p •4.3 a$ • cq q .2 ell C zzcis g �, 0 0 0 .G 0 .0 hp 7 +- 0 rn ,� ro�g• �q°`� own °aa°o0)C0- ° o w .c • ti q •� a~i v^i 3 ~ o o s°. cU c°i > y ai m .0 cpCD pp al ' 1 -C o add g ao a � � .0 . 0 ° ' ° 02y -cis' ca.o C4Z r.," 7 = N C. - E °.4cn 0 3 O 3 c° C(0 v°� 4 c°i.[ Ci uoa) 0 0 N aa) > O. co I°. C aa)i a 2 • CI1 4-3 oc �.[-. 3Q0 °WO A"-ci _0000a-)...4 o0 3gft cao�c ;'F 4 M0C 32,°4F•I5 274 ,-.E o' -o ° 8 --CI' iro t" ca o o( C c In 09 y o 01 0 m ,~ d 3 Q v qf'fl o �0�v ala'00aa-•ov omv�3 ;, xaoo s.g'a.t ogca were submitted to fingerprint- ing, they had to have an ID card. You look at that and see what is going on today with Arab -Americans or the immi- grants in the U.S., Minnesota, Dakota County who are of Islamic descent, it's no differ- ent now than it was a century ago, that really surprised me. qIf you had time machine, what moments would you ack in time to? AIt would be 1911. I want to buy a ticket on the Dan Patch line and I want to go to Antlers Park. It's going to be a Saturday afternoon. It's going to be in June. I'm going to have .,,.. hnlnnev sandwich. I want Park in its glory. take a nap in a ung between two want to go fish - Marion.... That . , •- ..attraction in the co to os metro area, ! - m. (The Lakeville Ig clresort and recre- 0- o that included a w ,.mond with a L• oa dance pavilion, c o boats. The park ( ° although some o. R e gone.) arson would you ° 'et from the past? 4. ilike to meet John o . Dakota County f.. 6nt of schools. He A. d in 1914. He "4 ucation in Dakota [e knew education a is going to lift fam- t of poverty and 0 0 mmunities in which ... He wanted the o )akota County to c `e school diploma m there little infor- „ on American Indi- a.� .' 5odern history, 20th 0° ; % Native Ameri- 0 o given the boot out �atain1863with the co cm ing..... The only `< �ricans of any sig- gn Dakota County ° 'Ll[endota. What real- ed me was the as 5iericans here in so amty — as early as Fnd then we kind of an ,tn the 1920s. We had • 'm Dakota County. parading up and treets in every com- `idn't want the Klan 1. -. There are more things in Dakota story for me to d write about than The African- ' families yousee as a county at a nattu•a resource lake or park. there any individual in Isakota County history whom you feel has never got- ten the recognition in the past that he or she deserved? AMitchell Choban. He is very small, very thin young man who came from Romania to South St. Paul and enlisted in the First World War and was given the boot because he was an enemy alien. ... He didn't get bitter, he didn't speak against the U.S. He became a successful busi- nessman, he helped his people, the Romanians, he helped them become Americans and when the Second World War came around he was ready to step up to the plate, becoming the commander of the defense corps. (Any historical mysteries you were unable to unearth? Any lingering ques- tions you would like answered? AImwould have liked to learn ore about what hap- pened to the young men who died during our nation's wars. There were so many stories in the newspapers about the young men who had been shot or wounded or died or were missing in action. There was no closure. You follow these people through high school and they enlist and you see a little blurb in the newspaper where they are at and the next thing you know it's a death notice. What happened to them? Where are they buried? What's their story? That bothered me; there was no closure. These young men who died, there is no memorial in Dakota Coun- ty, which I think is really a tragedy. (There are some city memorials but not a county memorial.) If we don't have one in the year 2003 we are never going to have one. QAny women stand out for you? AAAlice Nelson from Farm- gton is one. She was the Dakota County Women's Civil- ian Defense Service, she was the director (during World War II). She was also the first woman to go on the fair board. She was responsible for the Dakota County library system getting established. Amy Sherman covers Dakota County public safety and govern- ment. She can be reached at asherman@pioneerpress.com or rr, ono n, ^II,, A + LOCAL NEWS WWW.TWINCITIES.COM U ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS :CREATION s central to Woodbury CRAIG BORCK, PIONEER PRESS ijoy the Woodbury Central Park complex. The park connects the YMCA to wary and features an indoor park with a waterfall, an amphitheater, an ice jnd. enior 3 the to do play - their (hood it the enior asses eekly Ibury every Thursday afternoon to play cards, said Central Park is good place for senior citizens to gather. "It's social time for us," she said. "It's handy and conven- ient." About 388,000 people have checked out more than 765,000 items since the R.H. Stafford Branch Library opened last October, said Carla Prakash, the library's deputy director. The branch does about 33 per - ale 5 x 100w 25"w 22"h Pacifica $ 24975 cent of the Washington County library system's business. Chil- dren can attend story time three times a week, while adults can attend monthly book club meetings. Prakash said a lot of people are coming in to look for jobs or get help with their resumes. "When times are tough, libraries get busy," she said. South Washington County school district's Early Child- hood Family Education offers classes for children and par- ents in the building, from baby massage to a reading class where kids focus on a book by engaging in art, songs and movements. Many classes set aside time for parent discus- sion. Fiona Menken moved to Woodbury from Germany in 2001. She brings her three boys — twins Harry and Charley, who are almost 3, and 1-year- old Billy — to classes, and her husband joins them on Satur- days for crafts and activities. For Menken, Central Park is a good excuse to get out of the house. She said the boys' devel- FROM PAGE 1C j us•: EL c!7!s ,'hut shooed Dakota County in the Twentieth Ce Title: "Picturing the Past: Events That Shaped Dakota County in the Twentieth Century" Author: David Schreier Cost: $36.95 To order: Contact the Dakota County Historical Society by e-mail at dchs@mtn.org or call 651-552-7548 or call Beavers Pond Press at 952-829-8818. New history book (continued) tions ranging from why rural schools consolidated to what happened on the home front during wartime. The author, David Schreier of Eagan, has been active in community historical societies. He used old newspapers, coun- ty documents, photos and other sources to research the nearly 400-page book. Dakota County provided $110,000 to fund the research and publica- tion for the county's 150th anniversary in 1999. The following is an inter- view with the author: QWhat was the most sur- prising thing you learned? AThe German -Americans here in Dakota County, how the county followed the state mandate to keep those people in check, to report on them, to stifle their meetings. . The county continuously was working to keep the Ger- man population and anybody else who was against (World War I) in check. The "alien enemies" that they were called were submitted to fingerprint- ing, they had to have an ID card. You look at that and see Minneapolis and St. Paul. (In 1891 the Hastings area African -American community was large enough to start a church, and arsonists led to its demise in 1907, according to the book.) QWhen thousands of resi- dents attended the annual county picnics it seems like citizens felt they had a county identity and spirit. Do you think that is true' today? Do residents think of themselves as part of a Dakota County community or only a part of the suburb they live in? AI think it's part of a sub- urb. It's really too bad. It was so easy for the county to get together at Lake Marion and Antlers Park and enjoy the day and get to know one another. People in South St. Paul knew people from Etter (a community that no longer exists), Greenvale, because they participated in sports together, they broke bread together. Now there is so many of us and the communities themselves have got great facilities like Eagan's Cascade Bay (swimming pool) ... we don't need now to get together as a county at a natural resource lake or park. tunas. 'hat's how the organization had spent three decades ing women rebuild after Ave relationships suddenly Lanny mgn... That set off a string of investigations and sparked WOMEN'S SHELTER, 5C JOHN DOMAN, PIONEER PRESS peace pole. ST. PAUL ;er perfect PHOTOS BY JOE ROSSI, PIONEER PRESS a 1954 flatbed cylinder press he used to craft replicas of a rare 1507 Jniversity of Minnesota's James Ford Bell Library. The map - seen — is important because it bears the first use of "America" to identify Hemisphere. artisan printer in a small West Side shop uses make works that are both practical and beautiful. When Minnesota business lead- ers promised former South African leader Nelson Mandela money for his museum, the commitment was accompanied by a document made by Aldrich. To thank the biggest givers to a palace renovation, the American Friends of Versailles sent leather portfolios crafted by Aldrich. Aldrich laughs when he says it, but it's true: "Printer for dissidents and kings." DAKOTA COUNTY New history book brings the past home Author shares lives of ordinary people BY AMY SHERMAN Pioneer Press Sure, Dakota County residents know about the history of the meatpacking plants in South St. Paul, but not as many know that the city was the first to hold an election after women obtained the right to vote in 1920. Shortly after the 19th amendment had passed, 90 women voted in the water bond election in South St. Paul. Not everyone was thrilled about the partic- ipation of :vmen, however. A newspaper article at the time speculated that female voters would lead to voting booths with lace curtains, forget-me-nots and a "tenee wenee powder puff on the shelf" The tale is one of many included in a new book on Dakota County history, published by the Dakota County Historical Society. The stories in "Picturing the Past: Events That Shaped Dakota County in the Twentieth Century" places events within a national context and provides a flavor of home. Although local history books often focus od a who's who of local families and a timeline of devel- opment projects, this book focuses on the social his- tory of ordinary folks, including the experiences of immigrants and minorities. It answers many ques= NEW HISTORY BOOK, 6C ST. PAUL Concordia student raped in her dorm room BY AMY MAYRON Pioneer Press A man who apparently broke through the screen of an open window at a Concordia Universi- ty dormitory raped a student early Saturday, St. Paul police said. Administrators scrambled to organize prayer services and educational meetings to address stu- had •a cup of coffee and away we went," said Bruce Mead, an ex -cop who has been on the board for eight years. LCL iuiiu,. That's how the organization that had spent three decades helping women rebuild after abusive relationships suddenly ST. PAUL luueiy uigu. That set off a string of investigations and sparked WOMEN'S SHELTER, 5C Letter perfect PHOTOS BY JOE ROSSI, PIONEER PRESS Kent Aldrich demonstrates a 1954 flatbed cylinder press he used to craft replicas of a rare 1507 map in the collections of the University of Minnesota's James Ford Bell Library. The map — seen behind the photo of Aldrich — is important because it bears the first use of "America" to identify the continents in the Western Hemisphere. peace pole. JOHN DOMAN, PIONEER PRESS 003 DAKOTA COUNTY New history book brings the past home Author shares lives of ordinary people BY AMY SHERMAN Pioneer Press Sure, Dakota County residents know about the history of the meatpacking plants in South St. Paul, but not as many know that the city was the first to hold an election after women obtained the right to vote in 1920. Shortly after the 19th amendment had passed, 90 women voted in the water bond election in South St. Paul. Not everyone was thrilled about the partic- ipation of women, however. A newspaper article at the time speculated that female voters would lead to voting booths with lace curtains forget-me-nots and a "tenee wenee powder puff on the shelf." The tale is one of many included in a new book on Dakota County history, published by the Dakota County Historical Society. The stories in "Picturing the Past: Events That Shaped Dakota County in the Twentieth Century" places events within a national context and provides a flavor of home. Although local history books often focus on, a who's who of local families and a timeline of devel- opment projects, this book focuses on the social his- tory of ordinary folks, including the experiences of immigrants and minorities. It answers many ques= NEW HISTORY BOOK, 6C ST. PAUL irn>h nnra i' 19, A. tpft •ottle In celebration of the accomplishments of Fred Lawshe (1884.1971), founder of the Dakota County Historical Society in 1939. THE LEGACY OF FRED LAWSHE 11:30 am - 12:15 pm Historian Bill Lanoue will offer a retrospective of Fred Lawshe, the man whose energy and inspiration led to the creation and growth of the Dakota County Historical Society. FROM BACKWATER TO BARGES A History of the Mississippi River From Hastings to Minneapolis 12:30 - 1:15 pm National Park Service Historian John Anfinson will recount stories of this great river and discuss its current ecosystem restoration issues. DAKOTA COUNTY'S 20TH CENTURY HISTORY 1:30 - 2:15 pm Author David Schreier will present some of the fascinating facts and photos he uncovered while writing PICTURING THE PAST: EVENTS THAT SHAPED DAKOTA COUNTY IN THE 20th CENTURY. Make a donation to the FRED LAWSHE FUND and be eligible to win a framed print of Carl Gawboy's "Morning Chores" or David Estrada's outdoor metal "Heron" sculpture. u A Q,zifl PAW, COW] t,ia i� h� en tied] (e? furs ii PICTURING THE PAST, David Schreier's acclaimed book on the events that shaped Dakota County in the 20th Century. ii THE RIVER WE HAVE WROUGHT, John Anfinson's engaging book on the history of the Mississippi River. Ili A GIFT MEMBERSHIP in the Dakota County Historical Society. Recipients will receive issues of the Society's Over The Years magazine and Preserving Our History newsletter for a year. i1 Many more unique items will be on sale in gift shop_ There's a 1O% discount for DCHS members. Enjoy a hot cup of apple cider and a tasty treat as you take in the exhibits and programs at the Holiday Open House. 1V"/ 144.0401, 6444 Gain a hands-on understanding of the demands and challenges of working at a South St. Paul meatpacking plant in the 1940s with a strike looming. Dakota County Historical Society • 130 3rd Ave. N. • South St. Paul, MN 55075 • (651) 552-7548 • e-mail: dchs@mtn org • online: www.dakotahistory.org November 4, 2003 Dear History Enthusiast, Since 1939 the Dakota County Historical Society has been collecting, preserving and sharing our County's heritage. It is through the generosity of people who recognize the importance of preserving local history that the Society's programs and services are sustained. Each year the Dakota County Historical Society makes an appeal for support in recognition of Fred Lawshe (1884-1971). It was Fred Lawshe's energy and dedication that led to the creation and development of the Dakota County Historical Society. Now more than ever, local history needs to be cherished. The penetration and dominance of television, freeways, giant shopping centers, fast food restaurants and suburban sprawl is overwhelming unique local identities. Without your County Historical Society, those who come after us may find information and insights into their past is no longer accessible. Please consider a contribution that will enable the Dakota County Historical Society to keep the stories of previous generations, events and places alive. Sincerely, Mark L. Reidell Executive Director P.S. You're invited to our Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 6, 11 am - 3pm. Check out the enclosed flyer for more information. �Looking at Dakota County's rich history BY MARK REIDELL Guest Columnist The sesquicentennial cele- bration of the 1854 Grand Ex- cursion is just a couple of months away. A flotilla of steamboats will be making their way up the Mississippi River from Rock Is- land, Ill., to St. Paul to com- memorate the first railroad connection to reach the Missis- sippi. That railroad connection played a major role in opening the Minnesota Territory to set- tlement and prosperity. Hundreds of prominent peo- ple from the East, including former President Millard Fill - more, accepted an invitation from the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad to make the trip west via rail and steamboat in 1854 to see for themselves the op- portunities that awaited set- tlers, investors, and entrepre- neurs in Minnesota. One of the things they did not see on their excursion up the Mississippi River was the Kaposia Indian Village located in what is now South St. Paul. The Mdewankanton Dakota who had lived there were re- quired to move to a reservation near the Minnesota River head- waters as stipulated in the Treaties of Traverse Des Sioux and Mendota. Those two treaties, when fi- nalized by the signature of Fill - more in February 1853, trans- ferred ownership of Minneso- ta west of the Mississippi from L the Dakota People to the United States government, thereby making those lands available for settlement. An earlier treaty signed in 1837, ceded Dakota lands east of the Mis- sissippi River to the United States and obligated the Dako- ta Indians to move west of the river. Kaposia Village was in its prime from 1837 to 1853, with Little Crow IV and V recog- nized as the chiefs. Early in that period, the Rev. Alfred Brunson established a mission there. Brunson and several oth- ers worked hard to teach the In- dians Christian ideals and farming. When ill feelings by Little Crow IV and another chief, Hole in the Day, developed to- ward Brunson's replacement, the Rev. Benjamin Kavanaugh, the mission was closed in 1843. Following the departure of the missionaries, whiskey sell- ers began trading with the In- dians. Alarmed by the demoraliza- tion of his village, Little Crow V arranged for Dr. Thomas Williamson to re-establish a mission in 1846. Three years later, Philander Prescott, a fur trader and superintendent of farming for the Dakota People, reported that Little Crow's vil- lage had plowed 75 acres, made 500 yards of fence, constructed two houses and one storehouse, put up 20 tons of hay, and har- vested almost 5,000 bushels of corn. Kaposia had a population of 300 in 1851, when Little Crow and other chiefs signed the Treaty of Mendota. The Dakota Indians left Ka- posia and other villages throughout southern Minneso- ta and moved westward to the reservation. After a decade of living there in miserable conditions, enduring numerous treaty vio- lations, war ensued. Little Crow V led the Indi- ans. Known as the 1862 Dakota Conflict, it resulted in the deaths of more than 500 set- tlers and soldiers along with an uncounted, and probably high- er, number of Indian deaths. It warms my heart that the Grand Excursion has inspired so many people to embrace local history. But when we ro- manticize an event, indepen- dent of the broader context of history, we have to be careful that we don't shortchange the truth. The Dakota County Histori- cal Society is a non-profit mem- bership organization at 130 Third Ave. N. in South St. Paul. For more information, call 651- 552-7548 or visit www.dako- tahistory.org. • he news. be pre- urch in ay, April of Coun- The the - open to play the he read- e moral ho lived caust. A tic read- ll, where OUR C SST C uy FOR A NEW HOME JUST GOT BETTER. Imagine a o .. - . o'ers more pre -selected options, who plans locations for all the essentials of life, and who can demonstrate the lowest cost of ownership to you. For the Best of everything, visit our awesome models and see for yourself? dose Buyer er %O First Tuesday f of every monfi ep..y 4. ai 5:30pm at 7 ali communities. 2 All you ever Q wanted to know `about buying and building a new home APPLE VALLEY - LEGACY SQUARE Colonial Collection From the $180's to the $240's. 2-Level Townhomes featuring up to 3 bedrooms and loft, 21/2 baths and 2-car garages. Phone (952) 431-4487. To Visit: Take Highway 77/Cedar Avenue to County Road 42 East to Foliage Avenue South to Frost Path. LAKEVILLE - SPRINGBROOK Homestead Collection From the $160's to the $210's. 2-Level Townhomes featuring up to 3 bedrooms and loft, 21/2 baths and 2-car garages. Phone (952) 469-9773. To Visit: From 1-35, take County Rood 70 (Exit #81). Go East on County Road 70 to North on Kenrick Avenue to right on 205th Street. Go East to Kensfield Trail to Sales Center. LAKEVILLE - CORNERSTONE LAKE Homestead Collection From the $160's to the $210's. 2-Level Townhomes featuring up to 3 bedrooms and loft, 21/2 baths and 2-car garages. Phone (952) 460-6975. To Visit: Take Highway 77/Cedar Avenue to County Road 42 East to Pilot Knob Road. Go South to 170 Street East to Embers Avenue to Sales Center on left. Decorated Models Open Daily llam - 6pm © 2004 Town & Country Homes. Prices subject to change. Minnesota Builder #9137. StCL SOct-ty EtorGior ISrORIC iowN b}t-L WL1 SIRE 2A M TwinCities.com St. Paul Pioneer Press Eagan Fire in historic city hall `suspicious' By Emily Cutts ecutts@pioneerpress.com An early morning fire at Eagan's historic city hall Sunday is being investigated. "We think the cause of the fire is suspi- cious," said Tom Garrison, the city's commu- nications director. The Eagan Fire Department was called to the scene of the fire about 5 a.m. The structure is on the corner of Pilot Knob and Wescott roads, said Tom Schellinger, battalion chief for the department. Flames were shooting through the roof and coming from the back corner when crews arrived, Schellinger said. Firefighters from four stations had the blaze under control after about 15 minutes and worked another hour dousing all the embers and trying to salvage items from the building, Schellinger said. No damage estimate was available early Sunday morning. "It's hard to put a number on its contents," Garrison said. Although many original items are stored at the current city hall, some items — such as almost all the century -old glass windows — were destroyed. The building was opened in 1914 after fire destroyed the previous town hall, built in 1896. City officials and historical society members had just begun planning the centennial cele- bration. "(It's) really a shock," said Kim Hazel, vice chair of the historical society. "I'm just devas- tated. I drove in and started crying." No one was injured. Pilot Knob Road was blocked off for about three hours, according to the fire department. Anyone with information about the blaze is asked to call the tipline at 651-675-5799 or the state Arson Hotline at 800-723-2020. A reward is being offered to anyone with information that may help solve the case. Monday 9-9-2013 PIONEER PRESS: EMILY CUTTS The fire at Eagan's historic town hall apparently started in the rear of the building. Loving, loathing and fear in 'Fool for Love' A&E Live, 1C dailydeals PURCN�YONl YO�1p(°e •CO Swlo� cmo 28 18-Holes9 Including Cart at St. Paul's Como Park Golf Course THIS IS NOT A COUPON • MUST PURCHASE ON TWlNCITIES.COM PIONEER PRESS EPTEMBER 9, 2013 > CLASSIFIED, 5-8C Lions 34 / Vikings 24 TwinCities com A MiMediaNews Group NEWSPAPER Woman + 4A M TwinCities.com St. Paul Pioneer Press Eagan Arson investigated in old town hall fire Some museum items damaged By Alyssa Anderson oanderson@pioneerpress.com The fire that ravaged Eagan's Historic Town Hall early Sunday morning is being investigated as arson, according to the Eagan Fire Department. No arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon, but the fire department has a couple of leads in the case, according to Eagan Fire Chief Michael Scott. "Everything is pointing to arson," Scott said. The fire — discovered about 5 a.m. — was extinguished almost immediately. The 1914 building serves as a museum for the city's historical soci- ety, and city officials are try- ing to salvage what damaged items, including flags, farm tools and photos that in some cases are more than a centu- ry old. City officials didn't have a damage estimate Monday. "The fire department was amazing," said Joanna Foote, a spokeswoman for Eagan. Foote credited firefighters with helping to save artifacts from the town hall. Preservation and restora- tion has begun, she said. Sal- vaged photos had been removed from frames to be dried by Sunday night. The Minnesota Historical Society offered its help Mon- day morning. "A lot of stuff inside is dam- aged and can't be replaced — that's the sad part," Scott said. "You know, when you have a fire, TVs can be replaced ... old documents and photos cannot. "We are hopeful to bring the people, or person, to jus- tice," he said. St. Paul Pioneer Press Tuesday 9-10 2017 M 3A rces delay in Scout sex abuse trial Peter Stibal II, convicted of molesting four Scouts, is at the cen- ter of the lawsuit. trial, but I suffered a broken bone in a fall." filed in 2011. Stibal, now 48, was sen- tenced in June 2011 to more than 21 years in prison for molesting four Scouts in his troop, based at River Hills United Methodist Church in Burnsville. The abuse took place while on Boy Scouts camping trips in 2008. John 1 1: i was one of thos ranks; they should have known the danger Stibal pre- sented, the suit argues. Besides Stibal and the local Boy Scouts council, the defen- dants include the Boy Scouts of America, the National Boy Scouts of America Founda- tion and River Hills United Methodist, where the troop h • d meetin s. Stephen Plunkett, attorney for the church, said he received word of the trial's postponement about 7:30 a.m. Monday. A calls to Kirsten Hansen, attorney for the Boy Scouts of America, was not immediate- ly returned Monday. Emily Gurnon con be reached at , SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 • STAR TRIBUNE • Firefighters called to the scene of Sun- day's fire in Eagan man- aged to carry out nearly everything that wasn't bolted down. JOEL KOYAMA joel.koyama@ startribune.com Most artifacts saved after suspicious fire at 99-year-old Eagan Town Hall • Displays depicted early government, community and farming life. By PAT PHEIFER pat.pheifer@startribune.com munications coordinator for the city of Eagan and staff liaison for the Eagan Historical Society. The fire was spotted by a police officer about 5 a.m. Sunday, Scott said. The initial blaze was put out in 20 min- utes, he said, although it took Many of the flags, photos and another hour to fight hot spots other artifacts displayed in the in the attic. Forty volunteer old Eagan Town Hall can prob- firefighters responded, some ably be saved. extinguishing the blaze, oth- It's too early to say, though, ers collecting anything that whether the building that was wasn't bolted to the floor in the the center of town government wooden one -room building. from 1914 to 1965 can be saved Scott said that the cause of after a suspicious fire early Sun- the fire is under investigation day heavily damaged the strut- but that he is "pretty confident it ture, Eagan Fire Chief Mike wasn't an accidental cause." He Scott said Monday. said he couldn't elaborate until Inside the 99-year-old build- the investigation is complete. ing at the corner of Pilot Knob A damage estimate wasn't and Wescott roads were pho- available; a contractor will be tos and displays about town hired to see what can be fixed. government, farming and com- The artifacts, of course, were munity life; the original pot- priceless, Scott said. belly stove and the original The photos, artifacts, maps table where members of the and other items saved by fire - town board gathered; a 48-star fighters were taken to a profes- U.S. flag and three variations sional restoration company to of the Eagan flag; a cradle hand see what can be saved. carved in the 1800s; and a small "We can't thank them anvil where a farmer might have enough," Foote said of the fire - made his own nails or horse- fighters. "The fact that they shoes — all remnants of an even thought to do that in the Eagan that is long gone. midst of what is already a diffi- A flag that inexplicably cult job. braided itself during a past "Tables, chairs, benches —all windstorm was a casualty of of it came out. Steamer trunks, the fire, said Joanna Foote, com- every framed artifact, every snippet of newspaper clip- ping that might be clinging to a wall," she said. "It's truly amaz- ing. The only things they didn't bring out were the things physi- cally attached to the walls [and] a milk cart that wasn't able to fit through the doors." By the time Foote arrived early Sunday, everything had been methodically stacked in the driveway. She and other members of the Historical Society spent the day sorting and cataloging the items before sending them to Service Master. "We hugged, we cried," Foote said of the workers. "But the big thing was: Let's make sure we can preserve this and make it available to the community and the next generation." The old Town Hall and the displays had been curated by the Historical Society since the mid-1990s. Foote said that there were open houses there in the spring, summer and fall and that a committee was planning how to celebrate the building's 100th anniversary next year. The agenda has changed dra- matically for Tuesday's meeting of the Historical Society. "The intent is to figure out how we move forward and how we continue our mission," Foote said. Pat Pheifer • 952-746-3284 use ended up with only one dissenting vote on a disaster -relief bill at Monday's special session. The Senate pa 7M er relief hat will port for outhern ounties storms ummer • Lawmakers' differences on taxes will be pushed into next BY JIM RAGSDALE and RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER Star Tribune staff writers The Minnesota Legislature approved a $4.7 million disaster - relief measure on Monday, offering reimbursement checks to counties in central and southern Minnesota bat- tered by windstorms, floods and ice storms over the spring and summer. "Disaster relief is on its way," Gov. Mark Dayton said in the governor's reception room, where he signed the bill into law. In a rare show of unanimity, the Senate quickly dispatched the disas- ter -relief package on a 59-0 vote, and the House followed suit, 123-1. Leg- islators briefly engaged over contro- vers that cal sess lica do th Davi Relie Fire is 5th playgr at Minneapolis p • Total damage has reached T $ 200,000, and there have been no pare arrests in the puzzling cases. St By STEVE BRANDT and PAUL WALSH poli Star Tribune staff writers fire Melted plastic sagged from a large plastic tunnel and a stench hung in the air at the Lyndale Community School playground, where about half the play area was roped off with yel- low caution tape Monday. f< unb sai att da ha de Restoration of Eagan' Old Town Hall is complete after a fire severely damaged the building three years ago. Do- nations are being sought to cover the cost of displaying artifacts and landscaping outside the historic building. (Photo by Jessica Harper) Eagan's historic Town Hall restored to old glory Donations sought to cover cost of artifact display, landscaping by Jessica Harper SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE When a fire set by two arsonists tore through Ea- gan's Old Town Hall in 2013, many in the com- munity worried that the istoric building would be a total loss. Under the guidance of ity leaders and the sup- ort of community mem- bers, Eagan's oldest build- ing has been restored. With new white siding and sage -green shutters and door, the one -room hall — located across the street from City Hall at Wescott and Pilot Knob roads — looks much like it did when it was built over 100 years ago. "We've made the best out of a bad situation and were able to restore Ea- gan's 01d Town Hall even better than before," said Joanna Foote, Eagan com- munication coordinator and liaison to the Eagan Historical Society. Old Town Hall was built in 1914 and served as Eagan's official Town Hall until 1965. For the past several decades, it has See HALL, 9A sentenced March 18 to 19 years in prison, Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said. Jason Alexander Lott, 38, stabbed the woman on June 16, 2015, at the apart- ment they shared on the abdomen, right leg and right arm. Lott then tried %sifit the woman's 14-year- id daughter when she inter- vened in the attack. The woman foiled the attempt on her daughter until the County conducts presc Dakota County Parks, in cooperation with Prai- rie Restorations and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will conduct prescribed burns throughout its parks be- tween the end of March and May 31, as conditions allow. Burns will take place in Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Thompson County Park, Spring Lake Park Reserve, Whitetail Woods Regional Park and the Dakota County Adminis- tration Center in Hastings. Prescribed burns are controlled fires used to improve the growth of na- tive vegetation, including trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers. Prescribed burning can recycle nutri- ents tied up in old plant growth, control many woody plants and herba- ceous weeds, improve poor quality forage, increase plant growth, reduce the risk of large wildfires, and improve certain wildlife habitat. County staff and con- tractors who are experi- CHURCH OF THE RISEN S Catholic Community "Our Doors Are Open To March 24: Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper at 6:30 p.m. March 25: Good Friday: Stations of the Cross at Noon Celebration of the Lord's Passion at 6:30 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. (Spanish) March 26: Saturday: Blessing of Easter Foods at Noon Restoration of the Town H HALL, from 1A functioned as a museum with displays and artifacts from the city's history. "One upside of this whole thing is that the vis- ibility of the building has increased and we've heard the community's apprecia- tion for the city's decision to salvage the building in- stead of totaling it," Foote said. After considering a number of options, Eagan officials agreed to restore the building and hired MacDonald & Mack Ar- chitects, a Minneapolis firm _that specializes in preservation and restora- tion of historic properties. As workers removed frames and boards for refinishing, they discov- ered the town hall's origi- i all cost $500,000. (Photo by Jessica Harper) nal green and white paint creating displays for arti- scheme. facts and landscaping out - The interior was also side the Old Town Hall. restored to resemble its The town hall's original original appearance with potbelly stove and a few avocado -green walls and a benches have gone back cedar shake roof. Modern inside, but the historical heating and cooling sys- society plans ,to carefully tems were added to make go through its artifacts be - the building more com- fore deciding which to dis- fortable for guests and to play, and how to display better preserve artifacts them, inside the restored inside. building. The $500,000 restora- "It needs to be a tion of the building was thoughtful process that completed in recent weeks. will take some time," The city received only Foote said. $104,000 from its insur- The building is still ance claim so the rest of closed to the public. A re - the cost was covered by a opening event for the pub- $160,000 grant, $16,000 lic will likely take place in in donations and approxi- June. mately $220,000 from the city's community invest- Jessica Harper is at jessica. ment fund. harper@ecm-inc.com or Donations are being facebook. com/sunthisweek. sought to cover the cost of on that details their plans to tersection of Dodd Road and Est Airlines property the team stadium, if needed, in later phases of the project, said Steve Poppen, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Vikings. The location of the headquarters site has changed considerably compared with earlier plans, which placed it farther north. The team moved the proposed sta- dium further south to a lower elevation on the site due to concerns voiced by Mendota Heights resi- dents, Poppen said. The Vikings' three-story head- quarters and adjoined in- door practice facility will tower above the stadium and provide a sound and light barrier to homes on the other side of the high- way. The latest plans also switch the location of the proposed residential area with the office space, which will enable office tenants to access current parking on the eastern side of the property and protect green spaces on the western side, Poppen said. Those plans are in- cluded in later phases of the project. If the project gains nec- essary approvals, it could break ground as early as June. Vikings officials say they expect the first phase would be completed in March 2018 at the earli- est. The team will need City Council approval for changes to the land uses before work can begin. In the meantime, the team will continue to oc- cupy its outdated Winter Park facility in Eden Prai- rie. Jessica Harper is at jessica. harper@ecm-inc.com or facebook. comisunthisweek. like to see more indepen- - dent restaurants and rec- reational opportunities in the city; an African -Amer- ican man who commends the Eagan Police Depart- ment for its positive work with minorities but would like to see more minor- ity officers on the force; a recent immigrant from In- dia who would like to see more cultural influence in the community; and a newly retired woman who wonders if Eagan has See CITY, 11A www.HogueVein.com Free Vein Screening , Best choice for professional varicose vein treatment 550 Burnsville Parkway W, #201, Burnsville • 763.447.2500 Grace Seventh Day Baptist Church A Baptist Church With a Difference EPk&ci TOwN Arct.l. 8agan llistorical Societij Opal J-iouse eves aillpse into the Past Siinday, Septenther 21 lla.m. - 2 p.m. The Eagan Historical Society will hold its Annual Open House at the 1914 Town Hall this Sunday, September 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 1914 Town Hall is located at the southwest corner of Pilot Knob and Wescott Roads. Take the opportunity to tour the Town Hall, view photo collections and news clippings of days gone by. Visit with Historical Society volunteers about Eagan history and what the community was like in the days it operated as a township. Families, Scout Troops, Church groups and other community organizations interested in Eagan's history are encouraged to attend. For more informa- tion visit the City Web Site at wwwcityofeagan.com. N2 • DAKOTA COUNTY • STAR TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2014 (DC) POLICE BLOTTER TOWN BRIEFS APPLE VALLEY OCT. 7 Drug activity. An adult was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia on the 200 block of Elm Drive. OCT. 11 Assault. An adult was arrested for as- saulting a police officer, obstructing the legal process, DWI, underage al- cohol consumption and no Minnesota driver's license on the 900 block of Cor- tland Avenue S. BURNSVILLE OCT. 9 Kidnapping. A 25-year-old man was er- rested for kidnapping, false imprison- ment, domestic assault and a predato- ry offender registration violation. OCT. 12 Invasion of privacy. A 31-year-old St. Louis Park man was arrested for inva- sion of privacy. OCT. 14 Disorderly conduct. A 21-year-old Farmington woman was arrested for disorderly conduct on the 14600 block of Portland Avenue S. Drug activity. A 26-year-old Burnsville woman was arrested for possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle on the 12600 block of Parkwood Drive. Traffic violation. A 30-year-old Owaton- na, Minn., man was arrested for drop- ping an object on a vehicle on the high- way near the intersection of I-35E and Pilot Knob Road. OCT. 15 Weapons violation. A 47-year-old Burnsville man was arrested for pro- hibited use of firearms and reckless discharge of a firearm in a municipality on the 12900 block of Nicollet Avenue S. OCT.17 DWI. A 29-year-old Apple Valley man was arrested for DWI, refusal to submit to a chemical test on the 2900 block of W. Hwy. 13. OCT.19 DWI. A 24-year-old Owatonna, Minn. man was arrested for DWI near the in- tersection of Burnsville Parkway W. and I-35W. OCT. 20 Drug activity. A 27-year-old Lakev- ille man and 26-year-old Farmington man were arrested fort possession of 25 grams or more of narcotics and a 21-year-old Apple Valley woman was arrested for possession of marijuana on the 12800 block of Frontage Road W. EAGAN OCT. 15 Motor vehicle theft. A 2005 Toyota Co- rolla was reported stolen on the 1700 block of Yankee Doodle Road. OCT. 16 Warrant service. A woman was ar- rested on Dakota, Hennepin and Scott County warrants on the 4800 block of Dodd Road. OCT. 18 City of Eagan In honor of the 100th birthday of Eagan's 1914 Town Hall, local artist Larry Landis painted a commemorative oil painting titled "Old Eagan Town Hall." He has donated the original to the Eagan Historical Society. Prints sol to aid Eagan Historical Socie Sta rTr i bu ne Expanded coverage of the south metro dakotac STARTRIBUNE.COM/SOUTH • SECTION N • SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2014 GLOWING TRIBUTE, UNLIKELY SOURCE A portrait capturing the spirit of slain Mendota Heights officer Scott Patrick emerges from the studio of a former offender. By LIZ ROLFSMEIER • Special to the Star Tribune After Mendota Heights police officer Scott Patrick was gunned down during a rou- tine traffic stop on July 30, thousands attended his funeral to pay their respects. Peo- ple lined the streets with flags and handmade signs as the funeral procession went by. Since then, people have been reaching out in count- less ways. "The outpouring of support not only in Men- dota Heights but across the state and nation has been overwhelming," said Mendota Heights Police Sgt. Eric Petersen. People dropped off pies, muffins and cakes. A woman from out of state sent all of the officers handmade black stocking caps with a thin blue line, a symbol that represents a fallen officer. Michael Bellotti, a onetime Dakota County resident who now lives in Bloomington, had seen the police cars surrounding the area around the intersection of Dodd Boulevard and Smith Avenue on the day of the shooting, when he was driving to his St. Paul studio. "It happened up the road," he said. "Literally, up the road." His response to the tragedy? "I paint people," he said, "That's what I do." Dakota Co., Met Council clash over parks plan Local officials says they are best suited to meet residents' needs, not group with metro focus. By JESSIE VAN BERKEL jessie.yanberkel@startribune.com A Metropolitan Council plan that would guide the development of parks in the metro area over the next 30 years has irritated Dakota County officials, who say it would undermine the control of local leaders who know residents' needs best. In a letter to Council Chairwoman Susan Haigh last week, county com- missioners criticized several of the plan's proposals and said their input was disregarded during its creation. Met Council staff said they want to partner with agencies that run the parks and are trying to offer them a different perspective. ((THEY ARE TRYING TO TOP -DOWN DICTATE HOW WE OPERATE OUR PARKS.» County Commis- sioner Tom Egan "We want to bring a regional lens the conversation. There are oppor- ties to partner with other park ners, like the Minnesota Depart- nt of Natural Resources," said Jan Limited -edition prints commemo- rating the 100th anniversary of Eagan's Old Town Hall are being offered for sale as a benefit to the city's Histori- cal Society. The building went up in 1914. For the anniversary, artist Larry Landis created an oil painting, "Old Eagan Town Hall." The original went to the Eagan Historical Society. Through the end of the year, prints in two forms are being sold: • 200 numbered prints on canvas at $120 each; and • Paper prints for $35. Prints can be purchased at the administration/finance counter at City Hall, 3830 Pilot Knob Road, or by calling 651-675-5038. FSMEIER • Special to the Star Tribune bove: Artist Michael Bellotti ainted in his St. Paul studio. eft: Bellotti s oil portrait of endota Heights officer Scott atrick. The artist used Patrick's fficial photo as a reference. The community 1aS 1 �I�PC� roP fn to t P m Y W t 0 P it dii Di ge he pi c� AGENDA Eagan Historical Society Tuesday, February 2, 2016 2nd Floor Conference Room at City Hall 3:30 p.m. regular meeting 1. Roll Call, Agenda & Minutes II. Historical Society Business A. 1914 Town Hall Building Reconstruction i. Project Completed ii. Fundraising Progress & Potential Additional Project iii. Displays 1. Ringberg Ideas 2. Recap of meetings with potential designers 3. Work Session(s) B. Joint March 3, Meeting with Dakota County Historical Society Board C. Fire Department Appreciation D. New Historical Society Equipment Demo E. Historical Society Intern Hiring F. Attracting & Retaining New Members i. Bite -sized History ii. History Events G. DCHS Update H. Other I. Next meeting - ***Regular Meeting - Thursday, March 3, at 3:30 p.m. 3:30-4:30 Regular EHS Meeting — 4:30 -5:00 joint meeting with Dakota County Historical Society, Board Work session dates: J. Adjourn MEETING NOTES/MINUTES EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY TUESDAY January 14, 2014 3:30 p.m. — 2"d Floor Conference Room A/B Members present: Chair Mary Ellen Voracek, Vice -Chair Kim Hazel, Martin DesLauriers, Millie Gignac, Dawn Simpson, Steve Hansen. Also present was Communication Coordinator Joanna Foote. MEETING MINUTES & SECRETARY It was noted that the meeting had been cancelled for January 7, 2014 and rescheduled for January 14, 2014. No changes were recommended to the minutes from the December 3, 2013 meeting and they were accepted as presented. A motion was made by DesLauriers to approve. HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUSINESS Review Discussion with City Administrator Regarding Historical Society Priorities Presented Regarding Future Museum Space Foote indicated a summary of the Historical Society Priorities for the 1914 Town Hall and future space needs had been included in the January Packet. This information was presented to City Administrator Osberg and key City staff at a December 6 meeting. She indicated that the priorities list was well received and that staff believes it complimented what the Finance Committee had defined as options for consideration. The Historical Society priorities document will be used as a part of the information presented to the City Council at the February 11 City Council Work session on February 11. Review Discussion with Architects Foote recapped a meeting that was held with three architects who were invited to meet with staff regarding the 1914 Town Hall. The meeting was held Tuesday, December 17, 2013. • Photos were shown of the 1914 Town Hall during an Open House to show its previous uses and internal displays. Additional photos were then shown of the fire and the subsequent bracing that has been done to protect the structure. • Architects discussed and/or indicated the following: o Preservation and commemoration of original site recommended due to the structure being unique within Eagan. o If restored, would building need to meet current building codes? AGENDA Eagan Historical Society Tuesday, July 1, 2014 2nd Floor Conference Room AB at City Hall 3:30 p.m. regular meeting I. Roll Call, Agenda & Minutes II. Historical Society Business A. Larry Landis — final painting B. 1914 Town Hall Museum Update i. City Council Workshop presentation C. 1914 Town Hall 100 Recognition i. Monday, September 8, Commemorative Event 1. Sub Committee Update D. Other — E. Next meeting — Tuesday, August 5, 3:30 p.m. F. Adjourn 4;-vi VU9.is iisa./c5aetiO, AGENDA Eagan Historical Society Tuesday, July 1, 2014 2nd Floor Conference Room AB at City Hall 3:30 p.m. regular meeting I. Roll Call, Agenda & Minutes II. Historical Society Business A. Larry Landis — final painting B. 1914 Town Hall Museum Update i. City Council Workshop presentation C. 1914 Town Hall 100 Anniversary Recognition i. Monday, September 8, Commemorative Event 1. Sub Committee Update D. Other E. Next meeting — Tuesday, August 5, 3:30 p.m. F. Adjourn Special City Council Minutes June 10, 2014 Page 2 population generally align with those of City staff. Both are a lower level than those incorporated in the Metropolitan Council Thrive 2040 process. Mary Bujold gave a summary of the findings on the housing study. The Council and members of the Planning Commission discussed the housing study with Ms. Bujold and Mr. Ulfers. It was noted that Eagan is approaching full build out in its residential areas, meaning there are fewer opportunities to increase density except in some infill and redevelopment circumstances. Mr. Ulfers said that Eagan already has more diversity of housing types and values than many cities, but the City may still find opportunities for additional density if it is open to them. Mr. Ulfers also noted that the availability of resources will affect the number of future senior and workforce housing projects the CDA will be able to do in Eagan, while it invests in similar projects elsewhere in the County. Mayor Maguire thanked the Advisory Planning Commission for attending the meeting. REVIEW FUTURE OPTION FOR OLD TOWN HALL Mayor Maguire thanked members of the Eagan Historical Society for attending the meeting. City Administrator Osberg introduced Mark Hansen and Steve Oliver of Mohagen Hansen Architectural and Stewart MacDonald of MacDonald & Mack Architects. Osberg noted at the February 11, 2014 Council workshop, the Council gave direction to pursue proposals from architects seeking rough cost estimates and sketches of the following three options associated with relocating/reconstructing the Old Town Hall: build a stand-alone building on the municipal campus, reconstruct Old Town Hall as a building addition of City Hall, and to explore use of the former Fire Administration building. On April 16, 2014, the Council approved a professional services agreement with Mohagen Hansen Architectural Group, in partnership with MacDonald & Mack Architects. The Council is being asked to provide direction on how best to proceed with the Old Town Hall. Mark Hansen and Steve Oliver of Mohagen Hansen Architectural Group and Stuart MacDonald of MacDonald and Mack Architects provided a presentation to the City Council on options available for the future relocation and restoration of Old Town Hall. The City Council discussed the options and their preferences, noting their hope to restore the Old Town Hall structure. The Council directed staff to continue working with Mohagen Hansen to gather additional information on the option to relocate Old Town Hall to the Municipal Center Campus. The Council directed that no addition to City Hall be explored at this time as programming space for the Eagan Historical Society could be a consideration in the current space needs study underway for the Police Department and City Hall. The Council asked for additional research on costs to restore Old Town Hall, ranging from a structure -only with no services (seasonal use only) to a fully restored structure with HVAC, a basement foundation, etc. Mr. Hansen noted that additional information on a continuum of options for restoring Old Town Hall could be prepared. The Council also asked for limited options regarding the future of use of the current Old Town Hall site. The Council noted they support staff continuing to explore the possible use of the Fire Administration Building for municipal operations, which could include use by the EHS and arts programming, if the building does not sell on the private market. The Council also Special City Council Minutes June 10, 2014 Page 3 suggested that the relocation of Old Town Hall could happen in advance of any decisions being formalized with regard to space needs. The Council sought feedback from members of the EHS in the audience. EHS members expressed theft hope that both the outside and inside of the Old Town Hall structure could be restored. Communications Coordinator Foote noted the space needs of the EHS, particularly as it relates to programming, file storage and maintaining documents from more recent history (e.g. 1960's-1980's). The Council briefly discussed fundraising opportunities, and suggested that once an option is selected with regard to restoring Old Town Hall, the EHS could then consider fundraising for a specific aspect of the project (e.g. HVAC system, a monument on site, etc.) The Council directed that the options being prepared by Mohagen Hansen be brought back to a future City Council workshop. 2015 GENERAL FUND BUDGET CHECK IN City Administrator Osberg noted in late April, staff began the 2015 budget process. Department Directors are currently preparing 2015 budget proposals. The General Fund, Civic Arena and E-TV budget proposals were submitted on June 6`h. Osberg noted the recommended budget is scheduled to be presented to the City Council for formal and detailed review at the August 11, 2014 Special City Council meeting. OTHER BUSINESS City Administrator Osberg confirmed with the Council that the Special Workshop is scheduled for Monday, August 11 and the Canvassing Board Meeting on Thursday, August 14 at 8:45 a.m. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Maguire moved, Councilmember Tilley seconded a motion to adjourn at 8:40 p.m. Aye: 5 Nay: 0 Date Mayor City Clerk AGENDA Eagan Historical Society erica er&iateiTalc.Teee* JOANNA FOOTE COMMUNICATIONS Tuesday, February 4, 2014 2nd Floor Conference Room A/B at City Hall 3:30 p.m. regular meeting I. Roll Call, Agenda & Minutes II. Historical Society Business A. Final Considerations for 1914 Town Hall Discussion at February 11, City Council Workshop B. Advisory Parks Commission Park Naming Progress C. 1914 Town Hall 100 Anniversary Recognition Ideas i. Accept/Unveil Larry Landis' Donation of Painting ii. Larger Commemorative Event iii. Other D. Work Session/Filing Assistance Needed i. Basement Filing ii. Display Assembly/Disassembly E. Other F. Next meeting — Tuesday, March 4, 3:30 p.m. G. Adjourn III II II I C,(2oSS- Ct!LCK. 1,0114 I WWO/ MS N 91c-'E''( Attendance for Eagan Historical Society 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 Bendt, Linda Blomquist, Bea Bolke, Alyce DesLauriers, Martine Ekblad, Kenneth W, Gignac, Millie 'fi,L may. Hansen, Steven, Hazel, Kim ,GiSa> Jansen, Bernie "heQ Myhre, Linda Cj Reid, Joe �- Remick -Kennedy, Joan Ringberg, Ted �, f� Simpson, Dawn 1A Tripp. Lori Voracek, Mary Ellen 1/1///44 Preferred due to staffing access • Municipal Center Campus • Community Center/Central Park Alternate location for consideration • Cedar Grove/Outlet Center area ➢ Secure Location with blend of History and modern facilities • Facade or facsimile of 1914 Town Hall utilized as entry or internal feature display • Secure location and materials/Security system • HVAC and Humidity/Climate control • Fire suppression system appropriate for historic materials • Restroom facilities • Minimum 25/30 parking spaces (shared or dedicated depending on chosen site) • Connected to internet service ➢ Single Site for Historical Society Functions that Incorporates the 1914 Town Hall Facade & Features • Configurable display area • If facade/features becomes entryway, approximately 2,000 s.f. display area • If facade/features are placed internal to display area, approximately 2,500 s.f. • Lockable Modern Office/Workroom Space (separate from display area) • Meeting/Reference/Class room • Storage and file space Also of note: The City Council Subcommittee recommended staff explore broader partnerships for creation of new historical display space; Inquire with Dakota County Historical Society about their current space needs analysis and whether they have interest in historical display space in Eagan that could incorporate the history of Eagan and the County as a whole. City Administrator Osberg will be communicating with County Administrator Richardson and DCHS staff on this item for later report and update. Rosemount Historical Society (Bruyer) RAHS does not meet in July or December. In 2014, we are not meeting in January either since the first Wednesday was New Year's Day. Our next scheduled meeting is February 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rosemount Community Center. Board Meeting Package, Page 10 of 11 Recommended Names for New Park Property from Eagan Historical Society: ...section of land that will be dedicated as new park property near the old Cedarvale Mall and the new Paragon Outlet Center "Twin Cities at Eagan." The committee reviewed the history of the early residents in that area, names of streets and businesses relationships that formed the area into what it is today. After a lengthy discussion several possible suggestions emerged: • Chief Black Dog/Wamditonka (Chief Black Dog's native pronunciation) Park, or Black Dog Village —a name that would reflect the Native American heritage and the village that was just north of this site along the Minnesota River • Blacksmith Baudette Park — (Smithy Park, Horse Shoe Heights), or something honoring Rio Baudette and his father who were Blacksmith's at their homestead on/near this park property • Beau de' Rue, which had been the name of the road that is now Cedar Grove Pkwy. Beau De' Rue was originally suggested by the Beaudette and Rueggert families that owned the properties abutting the road, as a conjunction of the two names. • Cedarvale Park, commemorating the name of the Mall • Something related to Nicols Station, the train stop and area name (closer to the MN River, but this is likely the nearest park property to that area). • Onion Fields Park, Onion Top Park — something related to the fact that Eagan was, for a time in the late 1800s-early 1900s considered the Onion Capital of the US as it shipped more onions by rail than any other location in the nation. Eagan Parks and roads do not reflect this key piece of history as of yet. Information Returned from Parks Staff Hi Joanna, FYI Last week the APrC sub-comm charged with coming up with recommendations for a name for the new park across from the mall in Cedar Grove met to discuss some options. They gave consideration to the list you had provided from the History Committee as well as natural and cultural features. In the end they came up with 3 that will be forwarded to the APrC for consideration at their March meeting: (in order of preference) • Nicols Station Park • River Valley Park • Bridgeview Park The Sub -Comm did express appreciation for the input of the History Committee. At this point they did not feel it would be necessary to attend the next History Committee meeting. Any questions or comments, please let me know. Thanks Paul 0 MEETING NOTES/MINUTES EAGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY TUESDAY January 14, 2014 3:30 p.m. — 2nd Floor Conference Room A/B Members present: Chair Mary Ellen Voracek, Vice -Chair Kim Hazel, Martin DesLauriers, Millie Gignac, Dawn Simpson, Steve Hansen. Also present was Communication Coordinator Joanna Foote. MEETING MINUTES & SECRETARY It was noted that the meeting had been cancelled for January 7, 2014 and rescheduled for January 14, 2014. No changes were recommended to the minutes from the December 3, 2013 meeting and they were accepted as presented. A motion was made by DesLauriers to approve. HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUSINESS Review Discussion with City Administrator Regarding Historical Society Priorities Presented Regarding Future Museum Space Foote indicated a summary of the Historical Society Priorities for the 1914 Town Hall and future space needs had been included in the January Packet. This information was presented to City Administrator Osberg and key City staff at a December 6 meeting. She indicated that the priorities list was well received and that staff believes it complimented what the Finance Committee had defined as options for consideration. The Historical Society priorities document will be used as a part of the information presented to the City Council at the February 11 City Council Work session on February 11. Review Discussion with Architects Foote recapped a meeting that was held with three architects who were invited to meet with staff regarding the 1914 Town Hall. The meeting was held Tuesday, December 17, 2013. • Photos were shown of the 1914 Town Hall during an Open House to show its previous uses and internal displays. Additional photos were then shown of the fire and the subsequent bracing that has been done to protect the structure. • Architects discussed and/or indicated the following: o Preservation and commemoration of original site recommended due to the structure being unique within Eagan. o If restored, would building need to meet current building codes? o Discussion regarding benefits of repairing in place are that structure and foundation would be saved. o Consider options and feasibility of preserving the building within a building in a less restored state - merging the old and new. Consider building "under glass" or encapsulated inside an existing or a new structure to provide security and protection from elements. o Discussed this as a "golden opportunity" for the City and its community to move the building to create an education center. o Rebuild 1914 structure on new site to incorporate with Municipal Center or Library with two sides open to walk through to new display space. o Concerned that if the displays are incorporated into existing City Hall or other current space, it would diminish historic worth — like putting it into a closest, people would not be able to see or celebrate it. o Incorporating building with Municipal Campus/Library made more sense to these architects than considering the ECC site. o Consider how Historical Society needs for meeting space, storage, and other activities might align with other existing City needs and align the two. o Consider potential partners and the benefits of their shared needs and resources. • Funding • Similar space needs • Similar missions • Research and collection management skills (library) not available through city staff or volunteers. Next suggested steps from architects: o Develop several options along a continuum of feasibility/scale for consideration o Begin to assign costs to various options o Consider holding a charrette process to vet ideas and generate feedback from the community Further Refine Priorities for February City Council Workshop The City Council will be holding a worksession on February 11 at 5:30 p.m. At this workshop they will be briefed on all of the meetings that have occurred and the priorities that have been developed with regard to the 1914 Town Hall. Eagan Historical Society members are welcome to attend and City Administrator Osberg has asked that a representative of the Minnesota Historical Society be present should questions regarding preservation or grants arise. Architect will have some information back to staff by this time. These worksessions typically are to discuss options and provide direction for staff. If specific actions are to be recommended, these are typically directed to a Regular City Council meeting to vote upon. Briefly Review Greenway Request Foote recapped a request received from a consultant working for Dakota County on a "River to River Greenway" project. She presented a brief description of the project nad a map of a portion of the project area that will impact Eagan from the "Dakota County Parks, Lakes, Trails and Greenway Vision 2030." The consultant indicated that historical interpretation may be included as a part of the greenway project and that they would like to meet with the Historical Society to determine what some of the significant geological, historical and other features might have shaped the areas through which the Greenway routes will pass. He would like to attend the March meeting. Foote asked the member to think about areas they thought would be significant from a historic standpoint. It is also likely the consultant will receive feedback from Dakota County Historical Society, Mn Historical Society and others. The EHS members immediately indicated an interest in informing the consultant about Native American Grave sites in Eagan, the calcariaus Fens near the Minnesota River, the ancient trees found during well drilling on Central Park land and Kenneally Sand and Gravel. OTHER DesLauriers asked about the State bonding he has been hearing about for capital building projects that the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and others are persuing. He is curious if this type of funding might be available for Eagan's Historic building project. Foote indicated that she would find out more about the bond requirements. Foote noted that all of the items from the 1914 Town Hall Museum have now been returned to the City's possession. Items have been moved to the basement of the former Fire Administration building at present. Update was given on the painting that Larry Landus is doing and donating to the Historic Society for fundraising purposes. He will have it completed in sometime in February. Foote asked that the members begin thinking about what type of event we might hold either to accep or unveil the painting and/or if there are other events EHS wishes to hold during the 100-year anniversary of the 1914 Town Hall. Questions arose and discussion followed about the outhouse at the 1914 Town Hall and whether that was original to the site. DesLauriers does not believe there was an outhouse on the site prior to the building restoration in the 1990s. He will try to locate photos to verify. He thought the Rahn daughters or Alyce Bolke could be consulted. Foote and the committee noted the passing of Helen Kennedy, Eagan's first female Justice of the Peace. She and her husband Jim were both original members of the Eagan Historical Society. The fate of the Sperry water tower is soon to be considered by the City Council. A survey is being conducted and Foote encouraged members to provide input on that survey if they have an opinion. Florence Reid passed away over Christmas. Her husband is Joe Reid's brother. A family member had inquired to Joe whther the Historical Society had a memorial program. Foote indicated that there is no such program through the Historical Society but there are a couple of options within the Parks Department. She also indicated that this may be an item the members wish to discuss and potentially develop in the future. On a related note, Foote mentioned she also received a call from Ann Watcher who is questioning whether there is still consideration for a tree to be planted in Ted's honor. Hazel mention that she saw an article in the Eagan paper regarding the Burnsville Historical Society. The event will be held at the Burnhaven Library to talk about that community's history. Foote mentioned that two gentlemen had come to the January meeting date, and were informed that the meeting was cancelled due to poor weather. One was Dick Nightingale — his original family name was Nachtegal. DesLauriers said that John Nachtegal had a little service station located at Hwy 55 and Hwy 149. He had a little farm where John and his sisters lived along with Wayne Wenzel. He also said that O'Neils lived near the area too and had a small service station and store and their house and barn still are still standing. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT DesLauriers made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Hansen seconded, all members voted to adjourn at 4:52 p.m. o Discussion regarding benefits of repairing in place are that structure and foundation would be saved. o Consider options and feasibility of preserving the building within a building in a less restored state - merging the old and new. Consider building "under glass" or encapsulated inside an existing or a new structure to provide security and protection from elements. o Discussed this as a "golden opportunity" for the City and its community to move the building to create an education center. o Rebuild 1914 structure on new site to incorporate with Municipal Center or Library with two sides open to walk through to new display space. o Concerned that if the displays are incorporated into existing City Hall or other current space, it would diminish historic worth — like putting it into a closest, people would not be able to see or celebrate it. o Incorporating building with Municipal Campus/Library made more sense to these architects than considering the ECC site. o Consider how Historical Society needs for meeting space, storage, and other activities might align with other existing City needs and align the two. o Consider potential partners and the benefits of their shared needs and resources. • Funding ■ Similar space needs • Similar missions • Research and collection management skills (library) not available through city staff or volunteers. Next suggested steps from architects: o Develop several options along a continuum of feasibility/scale for consideration o Begin to assign costs to various options o Consider holding a charrette process to vet ideas and generate feedback from the community Further Refine Priorities for February City Council Workshop The City Council will be holding a worksession on February 11 at 5:30 p.m. At this workshop they will be briefed on all of the meetings that have occurred and the priorities that have been developed with regard to the 1914 Town Hall. Eagan Historical Society members are welcome to attend and City Administrator Osberg has asked that a representative of the Minnesota Historical Society be present should questions regarding preservation or grants arise. Architect will have some information back to staff by this time. These worksessions typically are to discuss options and provide direction for staff. If specific actions are to be recommended, these are typically directed to a Regular City Council meeting to vote upon. Briefly Review Greenway Request Foote recapped a request received from a consultant working for Dakota County on a "River to River Greenway" project. She presented a brief description of the project nad a map of a portion of the project area that will impact Eagan from the "Dakota County Parks, Lakes, Trails and Greenway Vision 2030." The consultant indicated that historical interpretation may be included as a part of the greenway project and that they would like to meet with the Historical Society to determine what some of the significant geological, historical and other features might have shaped the areas through which the Greenway routes will pass. He would like to attend the March meeting. Foote asked the member to think about areas they thought would be significant from a historic standpoint. It is also likely the consultant will receive feedback from Dakota County Historical Society, Mn Historical Society and others. The EHS members immediately indicated an interest in informing the consultant about Native American Grave sites in Eagan, the calcariaus Fens near the Minnesota River, the ancient trees found during well drilling on Central Park land and Kenneally Sand and Gravel. OTHER DesLauriers asked about the State bonding he has been hearing about for capital building projects that the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and others are persuing. He is curious if this type of funding might be available for Eagan's Historic building project. Foote indicated that she would find out more about the bond requirements. Foote noted that all of the items from the 1914 Town Hall Museum have now been returned to the City's possession. Items have been moved to the basement of the former Fire Administration building at present. Update was given on the painting that Larry Landus is doing and donating to the Historic Society for fundraising purposes. He will have it completed in sometime in February. Foote asked that the members begin thinking about what type of event we might hold either to accep or unveil the painting and/or if there are other events EHS wishes to hold during the 100-year anniversary of the 1914 Town Hall. Questions arose and discussion followed about the outhouse at the 1914 Town Hall and whether that was original to the site. DesLauriers does not believe there was an outhouse on the site prior to the building restoration in the 1990s. He will try to locate photos to verify. He thought the Rahn daughters or Alyce Bolke could be consulted. Foote and the committee noted the passing of Helen Kennedy, Eagan's first female Justice of the Peace. She and her husband Jim were both original members of the Eagan Historical Society. The fate of the Sperry water tower is soon to be considered by the City Council. A survey is being conducted and Foote encouraged members to provide input on that survey if they have an opinion. Florence Reid passed away over Christmas. Her husband is Joe Reid's brother. A family member had inquired to Joe whther the Historical Society had a memorial program. Foote indicated that there is no such program through the Historical Society but there are a couple of options within the Parks Department. She also indicated that this may be an item the members wish to discuss and potentially develop in the future. On a related note, Foote mentioned she also received a call from Ann Watcher who is questioning whether there is still consideration for a tree to be planted in Ted's honor. Hazel mention that she saw an article in the Eagan paper regarding the Burnsville Historical Society. The event will be held at the Burnhaven Library to talk about that community's history. Foote mentioned that two gentlemen had come to the January meeting date, and were informed that the meeting was cancelled due to poor weather. One was Dick Nightingale — his original family name was Nachtegal. DesLauriers said that John Nachtegal had a little service station located at Hwy 55 and Hwy 149. He had a little farm where John and his sisters lived along with Wayne Wenzel. He also said that O'Neils lived near the area too and had a small service station and store and their house and barn still are still standing. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT DesLauriers made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Hansen seconded, all members voted to adjourn at 4:52 p.m. Recommended Names for New Park Property from Eagan Historical Society: ...section of land that will be dedicated as new park property near the old Cedarvale Mall and the new Paragon Outlet Center "Twin Cities at Eagan." The committee reviewed the history of the early residents in that area, names of streets and businesses relationships that formed the area into what it is today. After a lengthy discussion several possible suggestions emerged: • Chief Black Dog/Wamditonka (Chief Black Dog's native pronunciation) Park. or Black Dog Village —a name that would reflect the Native American heritage and the village that was just north of this site along the Minnesota River • Blacksmith Baudette Park — (Smithy Park, Horse Shoe Heights), or something honoring Rio Baudette and his father who were Blacksmith's at their homestead on/near this park property • Beau de' Rue, which had been the name of the road that is now Cedar Grove Pkwy. Beau De' Rue was originally suggested by the Beaudette and Rueggert families that owned the properties abutting the road, as a conjunction of the two names. • Cedarvale Park, commemorating the name of the Mall • Something related to Nicols Station, the train stop and area name (closer to the MN River, but this is likely the nearest park property to that area). • Onion Fields Park, Onion Top Park — something related to the fact that Eagan was, for a time in the late 1800s-early 1900s considered the Onion Capital of the US as it shipped more onions by rail than any other location in the nation. Eagan Parks and roads do not reflect this key piece of history as of yet. Information Returned from Parks Staff Hi Joanna, FYI Last week the APrC sub-comm charged with coming up with recommendations for a name for the new park across from the mall in Cedar Grove met to discuss some options. They gave consideration to the list you had provided from the History Committee as well as natural and cultural features. In the end they came up with 3 that will be forwarded to the APrC for consideration at their March meeting: (in order of preference) • Nicols Station Park • River Valley Park • Bridgeview Park The Sub -Comm did express appreciation for the input of the History Committee. At this point they did not feel it would be necessary to attend the next History Committee meeting. Any questions or comments, please let me know. Thanks Paul 0 In Eagan old town hall arson, police seek info on bicycle - TwinCities.com Page 1 of 1 In Eagan old town hall arson, police seek info on bicycle By Marino Eccher meccher@pioneerpress.com Twin Cities. com-Pioneer Press Posted: TwinCities.com Eagan police are looking for the public's help identifying the owner of a bicycle who may be tied to the suspected arson of the city's historic town hall. The 99-year-old building was badly damaged during an early morning Sept. 8 fire, but most of it remains. Investigators found the bicycle a short distance away and believe it might have been used by an adult suspect to flee the scene. The 21-speed mountain bike is blue and white, manufactured by K2 and possibly purchased from Sports Authority. Anyone with information is asked to call Eagan police at 651-675- 5700. Marino Eccher can be reached at 651-228-5421. Follow him at twitter.com/marinoeccher. http://www.twincities.com/crime/ci_24450186/eagan-old-town-hall-arson-police-seek-info 11/5/2013 The Eagan Historical Society Proudly Invites You to a -/UitY e((!' 'Oef 4regf((' J/ Eagan's 1914 Town Hall Monday, September 8 4 to 7 p.m. Free Root Beer Floats Old Fashioned Games & Music Eagan History Displays Food for Purchase Purchase History Books, Cards & Art Prints Artist Larry Landis will formally present his commemorative oil painting of the 1914 Town Hall to the Eagan Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. Prints of the painting will he available to order at the event. Come celebrate Eagan History on the at the 1914 Town Hall Lawn 3805 Pilot Knob Rd. - Parking is available across the street LOCAL BRIEFING 2B D TwinCities.com St. Paul Pioneer Press Minnesota Sunday 3-9-2014 Church's list of alleged abusers has 10 who worked in state By Raya Zimmerman and Will Ashenmacher Pioneer Press Ten men who worked at Minnesota churches and religious organiza- tions are on a list that an interna- tional Roman Catholic community released of members facing child sex abuse allegations. Crosier Province, which has a com- munity of brothers and priests in Onamia, Minn., voluntarily released the list Friday, according to St. Paul - based law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates. The list includes eight members previously disclosed after a third- investi ation in 2002 and 11 party g Crosiers work in education, chap- lain service, pastoral ministry, cam- pus ministry, jail ministry, immigra- tion services and elder care, according to Crosier Province. Anderson & Associates has won settlements from Catholic archdio- ceses nationwide for victims of cler- gy sexual abuse. "The voluntary release of names is a positive step forward in child pro- tection, and abuse survivors, who are suffering in secrecy, silence and shame, now know they can come forward to get help, and that they are not alone," attorney Jeff Ander- son said in a statement. The accused served in several states, including Arizona Indiana, with Minnesota ties are: • Michael Paquet, who served in various roles at St. Odilia Parish in Shoreview and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from 1977 to 2002. He lives in Canada. • Cornelius DeVenster, who attend- ed Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minn., from 1947 to 1960 and provid- ed "weekend assistance" to the Arch- diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from 1983 until his death in 1988. • Wendell Mohs, who was a mem- ber of the Crosier Seminary from 1974 to 1980, served with Epiphany Parish in Coon Rapids from 1980 to 1982 and was a member of the Cro- sier Community of Onamia for a time in 1982 before he left the order. Church in Shoreview from 1970 to 1973, a teacher at Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1979 to 1980, a teach- er at Cathedral High School in St. Cloud from 1980 to 1982 and a parochial vicar at St. Stephen in Anoka from 1985 to 1986. He lives in Missouri. • Ron Melancon, who attended the Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1972 to 1975 and was a member of the Crosier community there from 1978 to 1980. He lives in Louisiana. • Urban Schmitt, a pastor at Holy Family in Barnum and Holy Trinity in Moose Lake from 1964 to 1966 and a parochial vicar at St. Odilia in Shoreview from 1966 to 1973. He died in 1999. Minnesota TEC Program from 1979 to 1984 and a parochial vicar at St. Peter in St. Cloud from 1980 to 1984. He lives in New York. • Eugene Hambrock, who belonged to the Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1964 to 1967 and was a member of the Crosier community there from 1985 to 1987. He died in 1999. • Joseph Lendacky, who attended the Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1946 to 1948 and was a member of the Crosier community there from 1950 until his death in 1989. • Anton Schik, who was a member of the Crosier Seminary and Com- munity from 1932 to 1948. He died in 1971. LOCAL St. Paul Pioneer Press', TwinCities com SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2014 Eagan 6 months after arson, town hail's future unknown Council has ruled out vintage restoration for 1914 building By Nick Ferraro nferroro@pioneerpress.com The future of a highly visible symbol of Eagan's past remains up in the air. Six months after the former town hall was set ablaze by an arsonist, city officials con- tinue to consider what to do with the century -old building, which in recent years has served as a small museum with exhibits. The city council has ruled out some ideas, including restoring the building entirely with vintage materials, or moving it to the Community Center/Central Park land. One thing is clear: The town hall, built in June 1914 for about $1,000, is now a shell of its former shelf. Situated across the street from Eagan's sprawling municipal campus, the 26-by- 40-foot wooden structure was heavily damaged by the Sept. 8 arson fire. Nearly all the century -old glass windows and some historical displays were destroyed, and the fire left a large hole in the roof and compromised the build- ing's structural integrity. It came as society members and city staff had just began planning for the building's centennial celebration. "It was a very emotional thing to see," Kim Hazel, vice chair of the Eagan Historical Society, said of the fire, which she rushed to after seeing a report on the TV news. "I was trying to figure out why it would have happened. It was just sad. We were all crying." The double -whammy, she said, came when the fire department ruled it arson. Hazel said she now prefers to recall the building's better days and look to its future. "We had a lot of kids come in, classrooms and Boy Scouts, and they would look at all the pictures and comment about how there is no phone and only three light bulbs in the place," she said. "They would be in awe." Despite the town hall's pop- ularity, Joanna Foote, the city's communications coordi- nator and historical society liaison, told the city council last month at a workshop that its current site has several drawbacks, such as no bath- room, office area or storage space. The 1,000-square-foot TOWN HALL, 3B > Sunday 3-9-2014 o 3B PIONEER PRESS FILE PHOTO The century -old town hall in Eagan was heavily damaged by arson in September. Six months later, city officials continue to consider what to do with the building. CONTINUED FROM 18 > Town hall building, she added, "was full to the gills." One option before the coun- cil is rebuilding at the munic- ipal campus with a mix of new and salvaged materials, such as the facade. The idea is that the site would capture more walk-up traffic and offer better security and amenities. The cost, however, is not known, the city says. Rebuilding on its current site with only new materials would cost about $131,000, while using all vintage mate- rials would be two to three times higher, according to city estimates. The city would receive about $86,000 from the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust after paying its $25,000 deductible. Bob Herskovitz of the Min- nesota Historical Society told the city council the building is not eligible for certain federal funds because it was not on the National Register of Historic Places. "Unfortunately, with this process we've learned a lot more about what the bene- fits would have been had we been on the National Regis- ter, as far as grants and as far as those sorts of eligibili- ties," Foote told the council. Tom Garrison, communica- tions director for Eagan, later explained that the city did not pursue the historic designation for the building before the fire because the thought was that it was ineli- gible because it had been modified. Meanwhile, council mem- ber Paul Bakken suggested the city look into reusing the former fire administration building in partnership with arts, culture and/or history groups. The building, located kitty-corner from City Hall, has been vacant and for sale for several years. "I'm just becoming less confident about the pros- pects of turning that facility on the private market at a price that makes sense for our taxpayers," Bakken said. "And if we have a need for program space and there are other partners who might come in and use some of that space and pay rent to the city, it might be easier to reuse a facility we already have than to build a brand- new one." Nick Ferraro can be reached at 651-228-2173. Follow him at twitter.com/NFerraroPiPress. 4B M TwinCities.com St. Paul Pioneer Press Education notes DAKOTA COUNTY •Grant Jackson, a Rosemount High School senior, was appointed to the class of 2018 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He was nominated by U.S. Rep. John Kline, R-Burnsville. •The Best Buddies Club at Century Middle School in Lakeville gave presentations to students Feb. 14 as part of "Spread the Word to End the Word Day." The day is an effort by the Special Olympics and other groups to end the use of derogatory language about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. •Nominations for the Burnsville High School Hall of Fame are being accepted through April 30 on the district website at isd191.org. The hall recognizes individuals who made exceptional achievements or contributions to the high school. •Erica Power of Apple Valley High School, Raissa Hansen of Eagan High School, Kellie McGahn of Eastview High School in Apple Valley and Hannah Grim of Rosemount High School are 2014 Athena Award recipients. Students from more than 50 St. Paul and other east -metro high schools are picked for the award each year for excellenc in individual or team sports. •Staff of the Farmington High School yearbook were recognized for design and coverage in the 2014 Jostens Look Book. The book is a collection of yearbooks' creative themes, covers and designs. RAMSEY COUNTY •Three students from Roseville Area High School took top honors at a national screen -printing competition 1-shirt creations by Kennedy Hill, Drew Herther and Mitchell Morgan won three of the top six awards at the Annual Specialty Graphic Imaging Association Convention in Orlando, Fla. •A Teen Tech Camp for students in grades six through 12 will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. March 12 and 13 at Maplewood Library. During the two days, students will design and print objects usin a 3D printer, build apps for iPads, shoot and edit movies, build computer games and create a portfolio of digital Donate Your Vehicle DLM 1)Iti.T131..I Li A111 Pi Department of Minnesota Proceeds help local veterans of Minnesota Accepting all vehicles including boats and RVs 100% Tax Deductible - Free pick-up, ANYWHERE (651) 255-3382 Eagan's Town Hall will stay put after all EAGAN from Ni to show people our history is a great disappointment and a feeling of failure to my com- munity," Society members argued that the hall should be more accessible, though they were split on which location would work best. Last year's fire left the build- ing with smoke damage and a hole in the roof. Some artifacts were destroyed, though fire- fighters salvaged many items, including town maps, news clippings and photos. Sizing up costs At a previous city discus- sion of repairs in Septem- ber, council members mused that it will never be the same building. But they agreed that restoring the historical feel of it is important. "Now we have to put a dol- lar value on feelings. That's where it gets difficult," said Council Member Paul Bakken. He has pushed for minimal spending on the project. "Our community has other capital needs that are much more urgent," Bakken said. Mohagen Hansen Archi- tectural Group presented detailed cost breakdowns last week of the city's various options. The firm estimated that repairing the building at its current location would cost $289,631, and relocating it to the municipal campus brings the total to $463,066. The additional enhance- ments, like heat, spike the price to $877,179. The insurance coverage for the hall has been used up pre- serving the building over the winter, Mayor Mike Maguire said. Maguire and Council Mem- ber Meg Tilley supported changing the location. "I think moving it over to the main campus would be an enhancement to the campus," Tilley said. "I think it would have more use and more vis- ibility." The town hall previously got few visitors. The Historical Society hosts two open houses there each year and will open it up for scout troops and schools. The society also used it as a seasonal workspace and hoped to get more mileage from the building with the addition of air conditioning, heat, lighting and water. n Ha!! Museum OpenHouseeach $preru, Pail or tours by appointment � e ltisior tSeciayconr • ;s511675.s038 Star Tribune file photo The century -old Eagan Town Hall was severely damaged by an arson fire on Sept. 8, 2013. City officials told Histori- cal Society members they will consider their needs along with other groups' during a space assessment discussion next month. Maguire suggested that moving the old town hall across the street to the munici- pal campus, where there is a police station, could prevent arson. "I'd hate to see it go up in smoke again," he said. The part of the campus where it would be relocated would not be much safer, Bakken said. He noted that if it remains where it is, "A deer hunting camera and some motion lights would probably go a long way." Moving the hall across the street would free up the cur- rent site for other uses, like off -site parking to go with the fire administration building, which the city is trying to sell, Maguire said. People in the office man- agement industry said the additional parking would not greatly increase the value of the property, Bakken said. In a survey of 400 city resi- dents, 48 percent said they wanted the city to leave the hall at its original location and 46 percent supported moving it. Forty-five percent of survey participants supported a fun- draising campaign to cover the cost, 25 percent opposed funding anything beyond basic repairs and 24 percent wanted to use city money for improve- ments. The design of the project, and possibly private fundrais- ing, would occur over the win- ter. Construction is likely to begin in April and repairs should be completed by the middle of next summer, said Stephen Oliver, an architect with Mohagen Hansen. Jessie Van Berkel • 952-746-3280 Old Town Hall prints sold as a fundraiser Local artist Larry Landis painted a commemorative image called "Old Eagan Town Hall" for the build- ing's centennial. The city is selling 200 of the prints on canvas for $120 each and paper prints for $35. The profits benefit the Eagan Historical Society. Eagan began selling the art in September and has sold more than 20 copies of each type of print, city spokeswoman Joanna Foote said. With many copies still left, she encouraged shop- pers to consider the piece. "I think it makes a great holiday gift for someone with an interest in history," Foote said. Prints can be purchased at the Eagan City Hall administration/finance counter, 3830 Pilot Knob Road, or by calling 651-675- 5038. Landis' painting can be seen on page NI. dakOtacounty STARTRIBUNE.COM/SOUTH • SECTION N • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014 Eagan's Town Hall stays put, only better The City Council decided to restore the fire -damaged historic building, but not to move it to the municipal campus. By JESSIE VAN BERKEL jessie.vanberkel@startribune.com The 100-year-old Eagan Town Hall, a wooden box of a building that was damaged by arson last year, will be restored to its original condition by next summer and remain at its current location. City officials considered two options last week: leav- ing the building at the corner of Wescott and Pilot Knob roads, where it has sat for a century, or moving the hall to the municipal campus across the street. The city has been grappling with the structure's future since the September 2013 fire. On Wednesday, a majority of council members decided that moving it across the street is not worth an additional $173,435. They supported cov- ering the $289,631 needed for a "bare bones" renovation and will ask civic groups to fund - raise for additional enhance- ments, like landscaping and air-conditioning. The tiny hall served as the city's central meeting place until 1965. In recent years, it has been a museum and stor- age facility. For many residents, includ- ing members of the Eagan His- torical Society who used the town hall for their operations, the white building with green shutters is a beloved piece of the city's heritage. "I personally have had great experiences making presen- tations about the history of Eagan to scout troops and indi- viduals," Ted Ringberg, a His- torical Society member, wrote in a letter to the City Council. "These people both young and old are just fascinated to learn what Eagan was like in the past and how it became what it is today. Not having the facilities See EAGAN on N4 ► History for sale An oil painting by Larry Landis commemo- rates the 100th anniversary of the 1914 Eagan Town Hall. Prints are being sold, with pro- ceeds benefiting the Eagan His- torical Society. Page N4. City of Eagan % 2 3 TetikoLd "4#O . 446Lmob ,' e1 sue. -Thurs .- c .k6td-Uci • rvn55 • o r- o ret r• - too ic Eagan's Town Hall will stay put after all • EAGAN from N1 to show people our history is a great disappointment and a feeling of failure to my com- munity," Society members argued that the hall should be more accessible, though they were split on which location would work best. Last year's fire left the build- ing with smoke damage and a hole in the roof. Some artifacts were destroyed, though fire- fighters salvaged many items, including town maps, news clippings and photos. Sizing up costs At a previous city discus- sion of repairs in Septem- ber, council members mused that it will never be the same building. But they agreed that restoring the historical feel of it is important. "Now we have to put a dol- lar value on feelings. That's where it gets difficult," said Council Member Paul Bakken. He has pushed for minimal spending on the project. "Our community has other capital needs that are much more urgent," Bakken said. Mohagen Hansen Archi- tectural Group presented { detailed cost breakdowns last week of the city's various options. The firm estimated that repairing the building at its current location would cost $289,631, and relocating it to the municipal campus brings the total to $463,066. The additional enhance- ments, like heat, spike the price to $877,179. The insurance coverage for the hall has been used up pre- serving the building over the winter, Mayor Mike Maguire said. Maguire and Council Mem- ber Meg Tilley supported changing the location. "I think moving it over to the main campus would be an enhancement to the campus," Tilley said. "I think it would have more use and more vis- ibility." The town hall previously got few visitors. The Historical Society hosts two open houses there each year and will open it up for scout troops and schools. The society also used it as a seasonal workspace and hoped to get more mileage from the building with the addition of air conditioning, heat, lighting and water. town Haff B USRUM Opru,'House each Sari>g & Fait or tours by appaentmettt v".nv t+•storuatSvoety.can •{fi51g675.5038 Star Tribune file photo The century -old Eagan Town Hall was severely damaged by an arson fire on Sept. 8, 2013. City officials told Histori- cal Society members they will consider their needs along with other groups' during a space assessment discussion next month. Maguire suggested that moving the old town hall across the street to the munici- pal campus, where there is a police station, could prevent arson. "I'd hate to see it go up in smoke again," he said. The part of the campus where it would be relocated would not be much safer, Bakken said. He noted that if it remains where it is, "A deer hunting camera and some motion lights would probably go a long way." Moving the hall across the street would free up the cur- rent site for other uses, like off -site parking to go with the fire administration building, which the city is trying to sell, Maguire said. People in the office man- agement industry said the additional parking would not greatly increase the value of the property, Bakken said. In a survey of 400 city resi- dents, 48 percent said they wanted the city to leave the hall at its original location and 46 percent supported moving it. Forty-five percent of survey participants supported a fun- draising campaign to cover the cost, 25 percent opposed funding anything beyond basic repairs and 24 percent wanted to use city money for improve- ments. The design of the project, and possibly private fundrais- ing, would occur over the win- ter. Construction is likely to begin in April and repairs should be completed by the middle of next summer, said Stephen Oliver, an architect with Mohagen Hansen. Jessie Van Berkel • 95i-746-3280 Old Town Hall prints sold as a fundraiser Local artist Larry Landis painted a commemorative image called "Old Eagan Town Hall" for the build- ing's centennial. The city is selling 200 of the prints on canvas for $120 each and paper prints for $35. The profits benefit the Eagan Historical Society. Eagan began selling the art in September and has sold more than 20 copies of each type of print, city spokeswoman Joanna Foote said. With many copies still left, she encouraged shop- pers to consider the piece. "I think it makes a great holiday gift for someone with an interest in history," Foote said. Prints can be purchased at the Eagan City Hall administration/finance counter, 3830 Pilot Knob Road, or by calling 651-675- 5038. Landis' painting can be seen on page Nl. • TT owner and conspiracy t eo- rist, who is miffed because the Three Pigs built a building that blocked the sign to his store. watches over the proceedings. Even though the bailiff rushes people along, the- atergoers should make sure ARTS BRIEFS in Hastings, said the building was the second courthouse in the state, after Stillwater's. Like the LeDuc estate, the County libraries serve up a feast of activities A series of sessions devoted to the holiday season, and another series devoted to that frequent holiday gift — the digital gizmo — are com- ing up in the next few days at Dakota County libraries. Where registration is required, visit the library system's site to sign up: www co.dakota.mn.us/libraries/. Here's a partial rundown of events: Over the River: A Thanksgiv- ing Storytime:Thursday, Nov 20, 10:30 a.m., Inver Grove Heights. Thanksgiving story time with songs and crafts, aimed at everyone from babes in arms to age 6. Thanksgiving Art Attack: Friday, Nov. 21,10 a.m., Inver Grove Heights. Make Thanks- giving decorations, in a pro- gram meant for kids aged 4-12. Deck Your Halls: Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m., Lakeville. Jackie Overum, from Pahl's Market, Apple Valley, shares tips for seasonal decor for the holidays. Embroidered Snowflakes: Monday, Nov. 17, 6 p.m., South St. Paul. Learn simple stitches to create your own snow- flakes, sparkling ornaments or gift tags. Presented by The Textile Center. Registra- tion required; arrive at least 5 minutes early, as late arrivals can lose registration spot. Sessions planned for users of various digital devices: Drop -in E-book Sessions: Tuesday, Nov 18, 11:30 a.m., Burnsville. Drop in and get help downloading e-books to your device for free. App Tuesday: Tuesday, Nov 18,3:30 p.m., Farmington. Kids 10 to 16 can bring a device to the library and explore a new free app every month. Free Apps for Android and iPad: Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m., lower level, Eagan. Free software for iOS and Android devices help you organize your life and tablet or just have fun. You need to have experience using a tab- let or smartphone. Registra- tion required; arrive at least 5 minutes early as late arrivals can lose spots. Examples of other upcom- ing sessions: Archaeology in Dakota County: Monday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m., Lakeville. Jeremy Nie- now, professor of archaeol- ogy, Inver Hills Community College, describes modern archaeological methods and how they are used in Dakota County. Presented by Dakota County Historical Society. Make & Take: Glass Bubble Magnets: Wednesday, Nov.19, 3 p.m., Inver Grove Heights. For ages 10 to 16, learn to use magazines and comics to make glass bubble magnets. STAFF REPORTS an t e 1.. upreme ourt building. Langenfeld said the build- ing was created from salmon - CALENDAR PAT MCGAULEY: "The Last Moran." 1-3 p.m. next Sun. Barnes & Noble Eagan. 1291 Promenade Place, Eagan. 651- 683-1955. FOOD AND WINE DELISH FOODS WAREHOUSE SALE: Free tasting samples and discounts on spe- cialty foods items. No credit cards ac- cepted. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today. Delish Foods Warehouse, 1157 S. Valley Park Dr., Shakopee. HOME AND HOBBIES BIRD WATCHING AT WILKIE UNIT: Call Craig Mandel at 952.240.7647 to reg- ister. 8 a.m. Sat. Wilkie Unit, 7701 E. County Rd. 101, Savage. BRASS PEACOCK: Antique and new fur- niture, estate and consignment, per- sonal and home decor. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. today. Brass Peacock, 4740 W. 124th St., Savage. 952-905-9852. HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Church of St. George Long Lake, 133 N. Brown Rd., Long Lake. 952.473.1247. HOW QUAINT: Antique, vintage and primitive home furnishings. 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. today. How Quaint, 714 1st Av. E. (Hwy. 101), Shakopee. 952-465-3887. RUSTY RABBITIQUES: Repurposed, gar- den iron, vintage, fresh green arrange- ments and more. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri. -Sat.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. next Sun. Rusty Rabbi- tiques, 23590 Cedar Av. S., Farmington. 952-469-2754. VINTAGE MARKETPLACE: Antiques, vintage finds, home decor and sea - used in many of the city's early buildings. In 1978, the building, which sits on a square block near sonal treasures. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thu.; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri. -Sat.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. next Sun. Vintage Marketplace, 302 Oak St., Farmington. 651-463-3401. MUSIC DAUGHTRY: 8 p.m. Sat. $59-$69. Mys- tic Lake Hotel and Casino, 2400 Mys- tic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake. 952-445-9000. HIGHWAYMEN: 3 p.m. next Sun. $50- $70. Ames Center, 12600 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville. 952-895-4685. THEATER ANDREW SCHULZ: 7 p.m. today. $13- $20. Rick Bronson's House of Come- dy, 8100 24th Av. S., Bloomington. 952- 858-8558. THE ANTICHRIST COMETH AND BRIL- LIANT TRACES: A double feature of short plays. 2 p.m. today, next Sun.; 7:30 p.m. Thu. -Sat. $19-$22. Ames Cen- ter, 12600 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville. 952-232-0814. FOUR BITCHIN' BABES: HORMONAL IM- BALANCE ... A MOOD SWINGING MU- SICAL REVUE: 7:30 p.m. Fri. $30-$40. Ames Center, 12600 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville. 952-895-4685. JOSH WOLF: 7:30 p.m. Thu.; 7:30 & 9:45 p.m. Fri.; 7 & 9:30 p.m. Sat. $25.95. Rick Bronson's House of Comedy, 8100 24th Av. S., Bloomington. 952-858-8558. MOON OVER BUFFALO: Two traveling actors find out that a well-known direc- tor is coming to see their show. 2 p.m. today, next Sun.; 7:30 p.m. Fri. -Sat. $13. Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holy - Places. Liz Rolfsmeier is a Twin Cities -based freelance journalist. oke Av., Lakeville. 952-985-4640. SLEEPING BEAUTY: 7 p.m. Thu. $13-$25. Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington. 952-563-8561. ART MINNESOTA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY FALL EXHIBITION: Ends Nov. 30. Ames Center, 12600 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville. 952-895-4685. A VETERAN'S EXHIBITION: Ends Fri. In- ver Hills Community College, 2500 E. 80th St., Inver Grove Heights. 651-450- 8500. PETS BASSET BUDDIES RESCUE: Dogs. 1-3 p.m. today. Chuck & Don's Pet Food Outlet Lakeville, 7397 179th St. W., Lakeville. 952-432-0026. HOLIDAY PET PORTRAITS BY PATRICK NAU: Call the store to schedule your appointment or visit www.PatrickNau. com. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. today. $60. Chuck & Don's Pet Food Outlet Shakopee, 1270 Vierling Dr. E., Shakopee. 952-445-2487. DIVEi1SWNS THE BARBIE DREAMHOUSE EXPERI- ENCE: Become a part of the iconic doll's lifestyle through interactive ac- tivities inside a replica of Barbie's Mal- ibu Dreamhouse. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. to- day, next Sun.; noon-8 p.m. Mon. -Thu.; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri. -Sat. $16.99-$23.99. Mall of America, 60 E. Broadway, Bloomington. 952-883-8810. ti N2 • DAKOTA COUNTY • STAR TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014 (DC) II TOWN BRIEFS StarTribune of!;ttphatrdetuo=r dakatacaunty STARTRIBUNE.COM/SOUTH • SECTION N • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2014 Eagan's Town Hall stays put, only better The City Council decided to restore the fire -damaged historic building, but not to move it to the municipal campus. By JESSIE VAN BERKEL jessie.vanberkel@startribune.com The 100-year-old Eagan Town Hall, a wooden box of a building that was damaged by arson last year, will be restored to its original condition by next summer and remain at its current location. City officials considered two options last week: leav- ing the building at the corner of Wescott and Pilot Knob roads, where it has sat for a century, or moving the hall to the municipal campus across the street. The city has been grappling with the structure's future since the September 2013 fire. On Wednesday, a majority of council members decided that moving it across the street is not worth an additional $173,435. They supported cov- ering the $289,631 needed for a "bare bones" renovation and will ask civic groups to fund - raise for additional enhance- ments, like landscaping and air-conditioning. The tiny hall served as the city's central meeting place until 1965. In recent years, it has been a museum and stor- age facility. For many residents, includ- ing members of the Eagan His- torical Society who used the town hall for their operations, the white building with green shutters is a beloved piece of the city's heritage. "I personally have had great experiences making presen- tations about the history of Eagan to scout troops and indi- viduals," Ted Ringberg, a His- torical Society member, wrote in a letter to the City Council. "These people both young and old are just fascinated to learn what Eagan was like in the past and how it became what it is today. Not having the facilities See EAGAN on N4 ► History for sale An oil painting by Larry Landis commemo- rates the 100th anniversary of the 1914 Eagan Town Hall. Prints are being sold, with pro- ceeds benefiting the Eagan His- torical Society. Page N4. City of Eagan LOCAL BRIEFING 2B D TwinCities.com St. Paul Pioneer Press Minnesota Sunday 3-9-2014 Church's list of alleged abusers has 10 who worked in state By Raya Zimmerman and Will Ashenmacher Pioneer Press Ten men who worked at Minnesota churches and religious organiza- tions are on a list that an interna- tional Roman Catholic community released of members facing child sex abuse allegations. Crosier Province, which has a com- munity of brothers and priests in Onamia, Minn., voluntarily released the list Friday, according to St. Paul - based law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates. The list includes eight members previously disclosed after a third- 9,rty investigation in 2002 and 11 oont, former and deceased mem- have allegations against Crosiers work in education, chap- lain service, pastoral ministry, cam- pus ministry, jail ministry, immigra- tion services and elder care, according to Crosier Province. Anderson & Associates has won settlements from Catholic archdio- ceses nationwide for victims of cler- gy sexual abuse. "The voluntary release of names is a positive step forward in child pro- tection, and abuse survivors, who are suffering in secrecy, silence and shame, now know they can come forward to get help, and that they are not alone," attorney Jeff Ander- son said in a statement. The accused served in several states, including Arizona, Indiana, Michigan and New York. There also is a Crosier community in Phoenix. accused brothers and •riests with Minnesota ties are: • Michael Paquet, who served in various roles at St. Odilia Parish in Shoreview and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from 1977 to 2002. He lives in Canada. • Cornelius DeVenster, who attend- ed Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minn., from 1947 to 1960 and provid- ed "weekend assistance" to the Arch- diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from 1983 until his death in 1988. • Wendell Mohs, who was a mem- ber of the Crosier Seminary from 1974 to 1980, served with Epiphany Parish in Coon Rapids from 1980 to 1982 and was a member of the Cro- sier Community of Onamia for a time in 1982 before he left the order. He lives in Minnesota. • Gerald Funcheon, an assistant astor and t Church in Shoreview from 1970 to 1973, a teacher at Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1979 to 1980, a teach- er at Cathedral High School in St. Cloud from 1980 to 1982 and a parochial vicar at St. Stephen in Anoka from 1985 to 1986. He lives in Missouri. • Ron Melancon, who attended the Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1972 to 1975 and was a member of the Crosier community there from 1978 to 1980. He lives in Louisiana. • Urban Schmitt, a pastor at Holy Family in Barnum and Holy Trinity in Moose Lake from 1964 to 1966 and a parochial vicar at St. Odilia in Shoreview from 1966 to 1973. He died in 1999. • Roger Vaughn, a member of the Crosier Seminary from 1977 to 1980, Minnesota TEC Program from 1979 to 1984 and a parochial vicar at St. Peter in St. Cloud from 1980 to 1984. He lives in New York. • Eugene Hambrock, who belonged to the Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1964 to 1967 and was a member of the Crosier community there from 1985 to 1987. He died in 1999. • Joseph Lendacky, who attended the Crosier Seminary in Onamia from 1946 to 1948 and was a member of the Crosier community there from 1950 until his death in 1989. • Anton Schik, who was a member of the Crosier Seminary and Com munity from 1932 to 1948. He died in 1971. Raya Zimmerman can be reached at 651-228-5524. Follow her at Twitter.com/ LOCAL Pioneer Pre TwinCities com SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2014 Eagan 6 months after arson, town hail's future unknown Council has ruled out vintage restoration for 1914 building By Nick Ferraro nferroro@pioneerpress.com The future of a highly visible symbol of Eagan's past remains up in the air. Six months after the former town hall was set ablaze by an arsonist, city officials con- tinue to consider what to do with the century -old building, which in recent years has served as a small museum with exhibits. The city council has ruled out some ideas, including restoring the building entirely with vintage materials, or moving it to the Community Center/Central Park land. One thing is clear: The town hall, built in June 1914 for about $1,000, is now a shell of its former shelf. Situated across the street from Eagan's sprawling municipal campus, the 26-by- 40-foot wooden structure was heavily damaged by the Sept. 8 arson fire. Nearly all the century -old glass windows and some historical displays were destroyed, and the fire left a large hole in the roof and compromised the build- ing's structural integrity. It came as society members and city staff had just began planning for the building's centennial celebration. "It was a very emotional thing to see," Kim Hazel, vice chair of the Eagan Historical Society, said of the fire, which she rushed to after seeing a report on the TV news. "I was trying to figure out why it would have happened. It was just sad. We were all crying." The double -whammy, she said, came when the fire department ruled it arson. Hazel said she now prefers to recall the building's better days and look to its future. "We had a lot of kids come in, classrooms and Boy Scouts, and they would look at all the pictures and comment about how there is no phone and only three light bulbs in the place," she said. "They would be in awe." Despite the town hall's pop- ularity, Joanna Foote, the city's communications coordi- nator and historical society liaison, told the city council last month at a workshop that its current site has several drawbacks, such as no bath- room, office area or storage space. The 1,000-square-foot TOWN HALL, ?" agan may move !Town Hall to municipal by Jessica Harper SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE Eagan officials are looking to potentially re- store and move the city's century -old Town Hall, which was damaged by fire, to the city's municipal campus. There are no final plans yet. The historic building served as Eagan's official Town Hall until 1965. For the past several decades, it has functioned as a mu- seum with displays and ar- tifacts from the city's his- tory. Last September, the building was severely dam- aged by arson and with- stood this year's winter campus shrink-wrapped in plastic while the city considered preservation options. Officials considered renovating the Town Hall in a way that would add space for the Eagan His- torical Society for addi- tional displays, hosting groups and events as well as offices. Upon reviewing their options at a recent work- shop with costs ranging from $586,000 to $2.3 mil- lion, the council decided against attempting to fix the building on its pres- ent site or moving it to the vacant fire administration building. It also chose not to pur- See TOWN HALL, 21A We know how to help At St. John's Northwestern Military Acad understand boys — how they learn, what and what they need to succeed. Our appr • Challenging, project -based academics • A structured and disciplined environmen • Lots of physical activity • Leadership development • Focus on strong values and character Call or visit us online and discover t the right school can make in your s 4D v1 *a ►i TOWN HALL, from lA sue either the most or least expensive option of taking the building apart or sal- vaging only portions. Council members agreed that not only are the objects within the Town Hall historically valuable but so too is the building itself. "I believe the 'icoii bf the old Town Hall is more important than artifacts on display somewhere else in the city," Mayor Mike Maguire said. Officials said residents have been adamant that the building remain intact. The council approved on July 1 extending a con- tract with Mohagen Han- sen Architectural Group to work on additional cost estimates and design work for restoring and relocat- ing the building. The architects will cre- ate two designs — one with a basement and one without. Restoring the building and making it a free-stand- ing structure near city hall is estimated to cost $1.5 million. If it moves for- ward, the project will be funded by abopt $86,009 of insurance funds from the League of Minnesota Cities after a $25,000 de- ductible. The source of the remaining funds has not been determined but officials are looking to the Town Hall's 100th an- niversary as a potential fundraising opportunity. The discussion of the Town Hall's preservation included a broader look at 4the on- cerns. "We are getting chal- lenged at city hall with limited space," Maguire said, adding that several departments are in need of additional space. The city's former fire administration building has been up for sale for a number of years but hasn't drawn interest from buy- ers. An analysis by com- mercial broker Cassidy Turley noted the building's lack of traditional office layout and its Location in a residential area as poten- tial challenges. The fire administra- tion building has been used to store many of the items that were saved and cleaned after the Town Hall fire. Jessica Harper is at jessica. , harper@ecm-inc.com or facebook. comisunthisweek. 1 _ NI A T — SUNDAY, JULY 20, 9AM-4PM Flying Cloud Airport • Eden Prairie Adults $15 . 8-12 years old $5 . 7 years old and under - FREE Advanced sale discounts available at www.airexpo-mn.org More than 40 aircraft includic.g,tfi the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-25 Mitchell Tuskegee Airmen P-51C Mustang and the full innesota cot is & Highland Games, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 12, Faithful Shepherd Catholic School, 3355 Columbia Drive, Eagan. Information: www.mn- scottishfair.org. International Festival of Burnsville, 3-9 p.m. Satur- day, July 12, Nicollet Com- mons Park, Burnsville. Free. Information: http://intlfest- burnsville.org/. Middle Eastern Festival, formation: caponiartpark.org. July 18-20, St. Ge dox Church, 12 Ave., West St. Paul. 'fif tion: www.mideastfest.com. air p Zoo as part of Subway Mu- sic in the Zoo. Tickets: $47, $59.50 VIP box seat. Informa- tion: http://mnzoo.org/plan- your-visit/music-zoo/. Dakota Valley Summer Pops Orchestra and Cho- rale, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 20, Caponi Art Park's Theater in the Woods, Eagan. Sug- gested donation of $5 per person. Rain date: July 27. In- 4tRrthern Winds Band, 'ni'phlbnic band; 7 p.m. July 0 as part of Sunday Night Music in the Park at Nicollet us wor s c 00 0 Art Burnsville offers fine art education through draw- ing and painting. Classes for adults and teens. Informa- tion: Patricia Schwartz, www. Brush W orksSchoolofArt. com, 651-214-4732. Summer Theatre Camps, ages 4-16, week-long camps June -August, In the Company of Kids Creative Arts Center, 13710 Nicollet Ave., Burns- ville, www.cokartscenter.com, 952-736-3644. Soy candle making classes held weekly in Eagan near 55 and Yankee Doodle. FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014 • STAR TRIBUNE • METRO • B3 on the beat Star Tribune metro reporters open up their notebooks Eagan is weighing future of Town Hall SUSAN FEYDER DAKOTA COUNTY Officials in Eagan may soon chart the future of the city's century -old Town Hall, which was heavily damaged last fall by an arson fire. The building, which con- tained displays and artifacts, was a popular destination for school and scout groups as well as residents interested in learn- ing more about Eagan's history, said Tom Garrison, the city's communications director. Some items managed to be saved and have been cleaned up and stored in a vacant fire administration building. he said. B4 • METRO • STAR TRIBUNE • FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014 " " I II guest k •Express your condolences and share memories of your loved one on our interactive guest book. •Sign up for email alerts. For more information on items listed above, go to startribune.com/ obituaries. Do not stand at my grave and weep Mayor Mike Maguire called the fire "one of those unexpected challenges" in his recent State of the City address and praised the fast response by fire and police departments, which saved the historic building from being a total loss. The fire remains under investigation. The structure, which sits across the street from Eagan's municipal campus, was shrink- wrapped in plastic to maintain surviving portions during the winter while the city considered options for preserving it. Earlier this year, the city began seeking proposals from architects on the cost and time- line. The suggested options include constructing a stand- alone building on the city's campus, reconstructing it as an addition to the existing City Hall or installing elements of it in the vacant fire administration building in partnership with other area arts, culture or his- tory groups. The city will receive about $86,000 in insurance from the League of Minnesota Cities after paying a $25,000 deductible. The city already has determined it would cost about $131,000 to rebuild the hall on its current site using new materials. The council rejected the idea of using vintage materials, because that would cost two to three times more. However, the city has asked architects to find ways to use salvaged materials. Garrison said the city is seek- ing "concept ideas, not finished designs." The process doesn't preclude the council from choosing some other option, he said. "This is simply gathering more and better information so [the council] can begin to iden- I tify preferred ... steps going for- ward," he said. not sleep I am the thousand winds that blow I am the diamond's glints upon the snow I am the sunlight on ripened grain I am the gentle autumn rain When you awaken in the morning's hush I am the swift uplifting rush Of birds in circling flight I am the soft star that shines at night Do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there, I did not die —Unknown Di Go Su 65 (To Da gra Ste gra nie Bat wh fa mo Ma nit Arl ap chi He a Ye co eli s P B K t N 0 s ---.-—,.....,......mommem.....7 • STAR TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2015 Restoration planned for Old Town Hall Repairs to the historic Eagan building damaged by arson could begin in June. By TODD NELSON Special to the Star Tribune Visitors to Eagan's historic Old Town Hall may once again stand in the booths where voters cast bal- lots in the early 1900s and touch the potbelly stove that heated the building during town board meet- ings. Work to repair the city's Old Town Hall is expected to begin in June and be done by the end of Sep- tember, two years after an arson fire damaged the building, which has been shuttered since. The city has estimated that restoring the century -old struc- ture will cost $290,000. Officials will have a better idea of the price May 7 after opening general con- tractors' bids for the project. City staff spent three months developing plans for the Old Town Hall with project manager Moha- gen Hansen Architectural Group of Wayzata, which is consulting with MacDonald & Mack Archi- tects, a Minneapolis firm that spe- cializes in preservation and resto- ration of historic properties. The City Council in March approved the plans and authorized advertis- ing for bids. The project will include repairs to the roof, windows and walls, and restoration of interior and exterior to s smumy. nn auwi was di exnu w possession of marijuana in a motor ve- hicle near the intersection of W. 195th Street and Kenrick Avenue. Drug activity. An adult was arrested for possession of marijuana near the inter- section of W. 160th Street and Flagstaff Avenue. ROSEMOUNT APRIL 21 Drug activity. A 48-year-old Eagan man was arrested for possession of marijua- na and drug paraphernalia, driving with a revoked license and unregistered ve- hicle registration near the intersection of Blaine Avenue and E. 145th Street. APRIL 23 Obstructing the legal process. A 23-year-old Rosemount man was arrest- ed for obstructing the legal process on the 2700 Upper 138th Street W. DWI. A 61-year-old Rosemount man was arrested for DWI, possession of an open bottle, a driver's license restric- tion violation and failure to obtain a new driver's license after changing an address after a traffic stop for care- less driving on the 13800 block of Rob- ert Trail S. APRIL 24 DWI. A 26-year-old Hastings man was arrested for DWI after a traffic stop for speeding near the intersection of W. 150th Street and Biscayne Avenue W. APRIL 26 DWI. A 55-year-old Rosemount woman was arrested for DWI after a traffic stop for a inoperable brake light on the 3400 block of W. 150th Street. An arrest or citation means that po- lice suspect a crime has occurred: al- legations still must go before a judge. Items are from reports made to police and are not a full picture of crime. dakota county HELPFUL NUMBERS Star flibune Fax: 612-673-4359 Delivery questions: 612-673-4343 CONTACT THE STAFF Katie Humphrey, team leader 952-746-3285, katie.humphrey@startribune.com Erin Adler, education 952-746-3283, erin.adler@startribune.com e m fa nl Submitted photo The Eagan Historical Society is holding an open house at the city's 1914 Town Hall on Sunday. 1925 All Have Low Miles, V6, Auto, PW, PL, Tilt, and Cruise. Most 91,925$ are 72 mo.OAG eofBurnsville • CZNFJ+ Moving Eagan Forward Forward — Illuminating the Future You've written your thoughts in chalk. Ideas have been shared in focus groups and one-on-one. Eagan visions have been captured on Facebook, Twitter and the Web. So now what happens? Let's launch the plan. Rebecca Ryan has been called one of the most dynamic and progressive thought leaders in America, by the Municipal Research and Services Center. Rebecca Ryan, a futur- ist and economist with Next Generation Consulting, the firm hired by the City to con- duct the Eagan Forward visioning project, has been charged with cre- ating the strategic plan. She's taken our dreams, visions and concerns for Eagan's future and trans- lated them into specific strategies for implementa- tion. As a dynamic, TED Talk -style speaker, Rebecca brings passion, and enthusiasm to her presentations and to everything she does. She will be at the center of an exciting evening designed to inform, engage and illuminate the community about how Eagan can move from the top-notch community of today, toward an even brighter future. And what better way to roll out a plan for the future than to gather the community, toast our successes and begin dreaming up ways to put our plan in motion. Come take a look into Eagan's future, as we celebrate together and move Eagan Forward, forward: Thursday, January 28 Eagan Community Center 1 6:3o p.m. Social 1 7:00 — 8:0o p.m. Presentation 1 8:oo - 8:3o p.m. A very special toasting to the future (you won't want to miss it!) If you've been a part of this process, wish you'd been, or simply like a good party and want to get fired up about the plan, register at www.cityofea- gan.com/Forward and don't miss the fun. Airport Questions? On January i4, from 7 to 8:3o p.m. at the Eagan Community Center, Eagan's Airport Relations Advisory Commission will host an Airport Town Hall meeting. The meeting will include a panel of experts from the FAA, MAC and the airlines. Residents can come and learn about why the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport operates as it does, ask ques- tions or share concerns about aircraft noise. All are welcome. January/February 2016 EPD's Fifth Decade Puts Technology Forward, Strong Values Above All In the final installment of Experience Eagan's five -part series on the history of the Eagan Police Department, we take a Zook at the term of current Police Chief Jim McDonald as the Department wraps up its 5oth Anniversary. Back in 1988, when James (Jim) McDonald considered Eagan for his first Police position, he drove around the com- munity and immediately knew it was a place poised for great growth and opportunity. He clearly remem- bers the roads. "Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle were narrow and hilly and jammed with traffic. You could tell this place was just bulging at the seams on the verge of expansion," he said. "I knew right away this was going to be a vibrant place to be." At the time, all new Eagan Police hires started as community service officers (CSO) then, typically spending about six months learning the community, and training. McDonald recalls, "I was only a CSO about three weeks before they handed me the keys to a squad. We were just that busy." McDonald was one of the last hires made by Eagan's second chief Jay Berthe, and the former chief is pretty proud of that, noting, "We always found good people to hire... but I didn't know then that I was hir- ing a [future] chief. That's one of my better accom- plishments," he chuckles. Through 5o years and five chiefs, hiring good people has remained a top priority. Chief McDonald points to the strong foundation set by Eagan's first chief. "What we look for [when hiring] is strong values... someone who will do the right thing even when no one's looking —that hasn't changed since Martin's time," says McDonald. "In the beginning, Martin didn't have a manual, but what he had was a strong moral compass and I think it still guides this depart- ment. He's the cornerstone." When McDonald was selected as chief in 2006, he says he was honored to be sworn in by "his mentor," retired Police Chief and Mayor, Pat Geagan. One of his priorities as chief, he said at the time, was to con- tinue to build the geo-policing program, one begun under his predecessor, Chief Kent Therkelsen. Geo- policing relies on the use of technology, tools such as crime mapping and data trends, to assist officers in identifying crime and quality of life issues in their patrol areas. McDonald, true to his word, grew that program greatly and expanded the department's use of tech- nology overall. In zoo8, he created the Computer Forensic Unit. "There is so much crime now that can be tracked on computers, cell phones, Xboxes, Eagan's Police Chief's, past and present, are (L to R) Jim McDonald, Kent Therkelsen, Pat Geagan, Jay Berthe and Martin DesLauriers. The men had a chance to catch up and compare notes about their time leading the department at the Police Department's 50th Anniversary celebration in May you name it," McDonald says. "The success in the recent arrests in the Town Hall arson case would not have happened without solid police investiga- tion augmented by tracking activities of the sus- pects through a variety of technology." "When I started, I carried a notepad, we had a 5 channel radio, a map, mace and a revolver," he said. "Today our squads are equipped with comput- ers with internet capabilities; they connect to local, state and national databases. Officers have cell phones and all of the best technology available." The Computer Forensic Unit goes well beyond that. They process crime scenes and uncover digital evi- dence in the first critical moments of an investiga- tion. The unit has uncovered text messages, GPS data, audio and video evidence, hidden files, com- munications, documents, social media posts, user files, IP addresses and much more to help track down criminals. It's the team we need to beat the criminals of today," says McDonald. "The City Council has always been very supportive of what we do and has invested in training and equipment. What we have is some of the best around and we're very appreciative they continue to invest in us," says McDonald. But above all he credits the residents of Eagan. "I want people who live here to feel safe and for those who interact with this department to leave with the feeling that we are an asset and not a detriment to this community," says McDonald. "We enjoy very positive ratings in surveys and in national rankings... but I never want to take that for granted." Chief McDonald and his department make it a priority to interact with as many residents as possible during the annual National Night Out. Last year, a record 180 neighborhoods participated. Experience Eagan • January/February 2016. 1 Commissions Help Connect Community During the Eagan Forward project, many resi- dents indicated they would like to feel more con- nected with their community. One great way to connect is to serve on one of the City Council's advisory groups. The four commissions and a watershed management organization each focus on a specific topic area or function within the community to advise the City Council on related issues impacting Eagan. Residents interested in being considered for a commission appointment should apply by March 18 for these commissions: 1 Advisory Planning Commission 1 Advisory Parks and Recreation Commission 1 Airport Relations Advisory Commission 1 Energy and Environment Advisory Commission The City Council also appoints members to the Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization. Most commissions have six to eight members serving staggered two-year terms, and an alter- nate. Applications are accepted throughout the year; however, a majority of appointments are made annually in April. Approximately 15 appointments will be made. Candidate interviews will be sched- uled in mid -April. Commissions meet every one to two months, depending on the commission. Descriptions, gen- eral meeting schedules and applications are avail- able at www.cityofeagan.com/Commissions. Spotlight on Streetlights Whether a streetlight is blinking or completely out, it can become a nuisance. Streetlights allow us to get around in the dark and are also a safety precaution against crime and accidents. But what should you do about a burned out street light? If the street light is out in your neighborhood, a good rule of thumb is to call the company that manages your electricity — Dakota Electric, (651) 463-6287 or Xcel Energy,1-8o0-960-6235• You can also make a report to the Eagan Maintenance Facility at (651) 675-5300 or at www.cityofeagan.comf CitizenSupport. In turn, the City contacts Dakota Electric or Xcel Energy to make the repairs. Within Eagan, Dakota Electric owns over 3,000 of the streetlights, the City owns about 400 (not including lights within parks), and Xcel Energy owns about 250. For more information or to see a map of which areas Dakota Electric and Xcel Energy generally own, visit www.cityofeagan.com/Streetlights. Budget Up Slightly; Still Below 1O-Year Average How much does it cost to run a city of the size and caliber of Eagan? Eagan's 2016 budget (General Fund) was set at $32.1 million, by the City Council on November 30, following a public hearing. That aver- ages out to about $2.59 per day in City taxes for the owner of an average value Eagan home. This funds all City services including police, fire, snow plowing, grass mowing, administration, etc. The overall spending increase of 2.75% is below Eagan's 10-year-average. Driving the increase is the costs of holding elections every two years (approxi- mately $90,000) and a pilot program of maintaining standby firefighters at the ready at stations during daytime hours for response when paid -on -call fire- fighters are not as available (about $24,000). City taxes on the average value home ($258,272) in 2016 are going up about $50 a year. That's a 5.6% increase, even with no staff additions. OK, enough numbers. What is the City of Eagan actually trying to accomplish this year, besides keeping streets plowed, providing public safety, and parks programs? 1 The Police Department has added a patrol officer position for increased enforcement. 1 The 4o-year-old Central Maintenance facility will receive its first significant upgrade in 22 years to more efficiently access and repair needed equipment, and resupply salt trucks. 1 In certain parts of the city, fire response times need improvement. Three outdated fire sta- tions will be dosed and one new centrally located station built for better access and quicker call response. 1 To help guide City Council decision making, an independent random sample survey of resi- dents will be conducted to measure how well City services are being delivered and what residents want. 1 Work is beginning on a legislatively mandated Comprehensive Guide Plan update to guide future land use needs and decisions. Then there is the stuff that cities have to do that City Portion of Property Taxes few of us ever consider: On a $258,272 Home West St. Paul South St. Paul Hastings Brooklyn Park Inver Grove Heights Apple Valley Burnsville Bloomington 18-City Average Coon Rapids Rosemount Maple Grove Lakeville $1,746 $1,581 $1,552 $1,474 $1,212 $1,143 $1,140 $1,131 $1,122 $1,102 $1,054 $955 $954 Mendota Heights Minnetonka Woodbury Eden Prairie Plymouth $910 $910 $880 $812 $694 1 242 miles of streets, nearly 35o miles of water main and 13o miles of trails still have to be maintained. 1 The Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive spe- cies attacking ash trees in Dakota County, has been detected in Eagan and the City is obligated to help deter its spread. 1 Animal Control costs about $81,000 annually to respond to domestic and wild animal com- plaints, pick up strays, handle licensing, etc. Residents wanting to know more about budget priorities are encouraged to watch three informa- tional videos prepared for Eagan's virtual budget open house in November. In the one -hour Budget & Beyond program, more than 20 resident -submit- ted questions were answered and other budget and service topics were discussed. To see this pro- gram, selected video segments or the November 30, budget presentation, visit cityofeagan.comf AskUs. Editor's note: The videos contain a $2.55 estimated daily cost of government service delivery because final tax rate information had not yet been set by Dakota County. 79/month for City Services for $258,272 home (Eagan average) Public Safety (Police/Fire) General Government Parks & Recreation Public Works (Street/Trail Maintenance) Major Street Construction Major Capital Equipment Community Center Bonds Government Buildings Maintenance Parks System Development & Renewal/Replacement Facilities Renewal/Replacement 2016 Capital Improvement Plan Bonds Parking Ramp Maintenance Total $29.80 14.14 9.36 7.60 6.70 3.92 3.19 1.53 1.15 . 83 .45 . 15 $ 78.82 Experience Eagan • January/February 2016.2 Get Hooked on Ice Great Skate Debate Fishing on January 16 Got a kid? Like to fish? Bring that kid ice fishing in Eagan during the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources annual Take -A -Kid Fishing weekend on January 16 at Blackhawk Park from too to 3:0o p.m. Minnesota residents fish for free when accompa- nied by a child age 15 or under. No experience nec- essary. The City of Eagan provides ice fishing equipment and bait, while supplies last, or you can bring your own. Event features include: ✓ pre -drilled holes on the ice for easy fishing ✓ experienced staff and fisherman volunteers to show ice fishing techniques ✓ a bonfire with s'mores and hot cocoa Attendees are encouraged to bring a bucket or lawn chair to sit on, wear layered winter clothes, espe- cially a hat and scarf, gloves and insulated or water- proof boots with thick socks to stay warm. For more information or to register contact Eagan Parks & Recreation at (651) 675-550o. The event is free but pre -registration is required as there are a limited number of fishing poles for families to share. 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 With November and December's higher -than - average temperatures, it's possible the 2016 skating season may not be typical. Visit the City of Eagan Web site for rink opening and condition updates. Crews will strive to maintain as many rinks as possible. If weather conditions remain challenging for ice, the Class A rinks at Goat Hill, Bridle Ridge, Quarry, Rahn and Skyhill Parks will be given maintenance priority. Information and rink schedules are posted at each location. Typical hours are Monday -Friday, 4:0o p.m. to 8:0o p.m., Saturdays from 10:0o a.m. to 8:oo p.m. and Sundays from noon to 8:oo p.m. Call the Recreation Hotline at (651) 675-5511, option #3 for Outdoor Rink information. The hotline is normally updated one hour prior to opening times and updat- ed throughout the day. Take it Inside If conditions are not favorable for outdoor ice, or if you want to opt for indoor skating, visit www. eagancivicarena.com for a schedule of Open Skating and Club Sk8 events offered weekly. Yes! Fresh Produce at Eagan's Winter Market To answer one of the most asked winter market questions, yes, farm fresh produce is available at the Eagan Market Fest's Winter Indoor Market. In its third year, the indoor market is open twice a month through February from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside the Eagan Community Center. Remaining 2016 Market dates are: January 16 & 3o and February 13 & 27. Produce includes apples, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, winter squash, golden beets and more. You'll find much more than produce, too, like honey, jam, handmade greeting cards, baked items, spices, sauces, soaps, meat and the list goes on. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/ MarketFest for a more complete list of offerings and information. New Youth Camp Teaches Healthy Eating School is out on Friday, January 22, for ISD 196 students so the City of Eagan is offering a half day health and wellness camp for children ages 8 to 12. Partnering with a local organization called Health is Love, the camp combines nutrition education with hands-on learning activities. Youth will explore nutritional con- cepts, in cooking demos, sample healthy recipes, and go to create a few healthy recipes of their own. For more information or to register, contact Eagan Parks & Recreation at (651) 675-5500. The deadline to register is January 15. £rfterieeeI8Tll? Page 1 Moving Eagan Forward Forward — Illuminating the Future EPD's Fifth Decade Puts Technology Forward; Strong Values Above All Airport Questions? Page 2 Connect with Community as Commission Member Spotlight on Streetlights Budget Up Slightly; Still Below 10-Year Average Page 3 Arsonists Charged in Town Hall Fire Keep Eagan's Lakes Clean, Starting in Your Garden Eagan Civic Arena & Dakota Valley Recycling Shoot for Zero Waste Snow Season Reminders Page 4 Get Hooked on Ice Fishing on January 16 Great Skate Debate Yes! Fresh Produce at Eagan's Winter Market New Youth Camp Teaches Healthy Eating Jobs at Cascade Bay Youth Represent Eagan in Ambassador Program 41P City of Ekan Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Gary Hansen Cyndee Fields Meg Tilley City Administrator Dave Osberg (651) 675-5000 • (651) 454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com facebook.com/CityofEagan @CityofEagan Jobs at Cascade Bay Though it's winter, it's time to start making plans for a great summer job. Cascade Bay, one of Minnesota's best water parks, is look- ing to hire a solid team of 14o great people this summer. Candidates must be at least 16 years old. Applications are being accept- ed through February 29. Positions include Lifeguards, Pool Attendants and Coordinator/ Supervisors. Apply online at www.cascadebay.com. FunFest Ambassador Program for Youth Do you have a young person in your life who enjoys doing community service projects, likes meeting other people, wants to build confidence and could use an academic scholarship for future school plans? Then encourage them to become an ambas- sador for Eagan. Eagan's July 4th Funfest is seeking local boys and girls ages 10-19 as candidates for the Funfest Ambassador Program. The program starts in May and culminates with the coronation of the new Funfest Ambassadors in July. Visit www.eaganfunfest.org/ambassadors/. ISM Save the Date! South of the River & LEISURE SHOW Eagan Civic Arena March 11 & 12, 2016 EaganCivicArena.com Arsonists Charged in Town Hall Fire Building Reconstruction Completed to 1914 Style Following two years of intensive work by the Eagan Police Department and especially its detectives and computer forensic specialists, two adult brothers have been charged with arson at the Historic-1914 Town Hall. One of the men was already in custody on an unrelated crime. The other man was arrested and is being held on bail until the trial, expected later this year. "The Eagan Historical Society members are so thankful for the hard work done by the Police Department in investigating this crime," says Historical Society Chair, Mary Ellen Voracek. "Saving this important piece of Eagan's history is primary but finding the people responsible for this damage brings some relief, too." Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald commented: "This arson of one of our City's historic landmarks was a significant crime in our community and we are pleased that these criminal charges have now been filed." Repairs Substantially Complete, Recreating Displays Continues Repairs from the arson fire at Eagan's Historic 1914 Town Hall are nearing completion, at a cost of $340,000. Insurance covered only $86,000, but because of donations from community organiza- tions and a historical grant totalling $i17,000, the City has been able to restore the Town Hall to its 1914 condition. Substantial repairs of both structural damage and smoke remediation were required. During repairs, by uncovering the deepest paint layers, the original 1914 paint tones have been redis- covered. New site landscaping will also reflect the plantings and materials used in that era. Additions for security, climate control and acces- sibility were also made to improve the long-term preservation and use of this important landmark. More work remains, since most all the furnishings and displays were damaged or destroyed in the fire. "We're looking forward to getting back into the Town Hall to begin the work to reassemble displays and make the building welcoming again," says Voracek. "We hope this building can continue to tell the stories of Eagan for another ioo years." The Eagan Historical Society hopes to be ready to invite the public back to the Town Hall to view the transformation and its collection, in spring 2oi6. Anyone wishing to donate to the ongoing restora- tion efforts may do so by writing a check to the City of Eagan being sure to put the words "Town Hall Project" in the memo line. Donations may be dropped off or sent to: City of Eagan, 383o Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, MN 55122 Keep Eagan's Lakes Clean, Starting in Your Garden Tired of being on your yard's schedule during the summer? Want to help prevent nearby water bodies from turning green? Register today to attend a free introductory workshop called Landscaping for Clean Water and learn about low -maintenance native gar- dens, raingardens and native shoreline stabilization projects that can help keep Eagan's waters clean. During the workshop you will see dozens of afford- able designs that transform conventional urban yards into beautiful and beneficial landscapes. You'll also learn about financial incentives that are avail- able. After the introductory workshop, you can sign up for a $25 advanced session, where you will receive help designing a plan for your property. In the past eight years, more than 300 of your Eagan neighbors have attended workshops like this one, hosted in conjunction with the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District. These sessions provide an overview of water quality challenges in Dakota County and demonstrate beautiful, practical ways of reducing runoff pollutants. Attendance at the introductory course is free and open to all Dakota County residents, but registra- tion is required. The free March 7 workshop will be held from 6:i5 to 8:0o p.m. in the Eagan Room at City Hall, 383o Pilot Knob Road. Other sessions are available throughout Dakota County. Register now or find out more by visiting www.dakotacoun- tyswcd.org or by calling (65i) 48o-7777. Eagan Civic Arena & Dakota Valley Recycling Shoot for Zero Waste The Eagan Civic Arena, along with several other area arenas has a game plan to shoot for a zero waste goal. New waste con- tainers can now be found at the spec- tating areas, concessions, and locker rooms at the Civic Arena, many of which include a green organics bin. An Environmental Assistance Grant was awarded to Dakota County from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to implement organics collection at public sporting venues including the Eagan Civic Arena. This grant covers the cost for the new con- tainers and communication efforts. The concession stand now uses serving items that are either recyclable or compostable. For example, nachos are served in paper trays, and all fountain drink cups, cutlery, and straws are made from com- postable corn -based plastic. Photos displayed on the bins make disposal quick and easy so you can get right back to the game. Snow Season Reminders Strategic Clearing Can Reduce the Amount of Snow Piled in Driveway Plows are angled to the right for plowing from the centerline of the street toward the outside street edge. A certain amount of snow is bound to be deposited into driveways abutting curb lines, CLEAR THIS AREA (Make pocket for plow to drop snow) Snow from pavement CLEARED ROAM\'A'r AREA Snow from pairemertt CLEAR THIS AREA (Make pocket for plow to drop snow) but this diagram shows how property owners can reduce the snow that piles up at the end of the driveway by clearing a spot ahead of time. Garbage & Recycling Placement Keeping garbage and recycling containers clear of the plow's path helps too. By placing them at least 3 feet behind the curb as designated by City code, containers can still be reached by the automated arm of garbage vehicles. This keeps them safe from being struck by plows and leaves room for the plows to clear streets well. Each winter, the City of Eagan's snowplow fleet is out in force keeping our roadways safe. Allowing more space between the plow and your vehicle can prevent accidents. Stay Back and Stay Alive! To get a first-hand view of what a snow plow driver sees, watch "A View from a Plow" at www.cityofeagan. corn/plow. Experience Eagan • January/February 2016.3 Citizens Get Glimpse Behind the Badge Have you ever wondered how Police Officers locate bad guys, or what it's like to have a K-9 co-worker? Are you curious about how officers can spot intoxi- cated drivers or how they determine when to use force in an arrest? Now is your chance to see the inner operations of the Eagan Police Department at the l9th Annual Eagan Citizen Academy. The eight -week academy will begin on March 6, and meets on Thursday evenings from 6:3o to 9:3o p.m. at the Eagan Police Department. The program began in 1996 as a way to teach the public more about Police operations. Past graduates say things like: "amazing experience," or "I would recommend it to everyone," and "It makes you realize everything the Police Department does for its citizens." Citizen Academy offers insight into modern day policing through hands-on training conducted by Eagan Police Officers. Training includes information on department history, a tour of the Police facil- ity, a K-9 demonstration, a review of typical police calls, DUI demonstration, narcotics presentation, laws of arrest, search and seizure, self-defense and use of force simulations. At the completion of the program, citizens are given an opportunity to ride - along with an officer for four hours during a shift. The Citizen Academy program is open to those who live or work in Eagan. Because of the sensitive nature of some of the training, applicants must be over 18 years old and agree to a criminal background check. There are 25 openings. Applications will be available after the first of the year at the Eagan Police Department. For more information regarding the program, contact Crime Prevention Specialist, Jill Ondrey at the Eagan Police Department, (65i) 675-5700. Future of 1914 Town Hall Uncertain In the early morning hours on Sunday, September 8, someone set fire to Eagan's nearly ioo-year-old Town Hall Museum. The flames crawled up the old wooden siding and ignited the roof causing signifi- cant damage. An Eagan Police Officer, leaving duty that morning, looked across Pilot Knob Road and spotted smoke and flames. The Fire Department responded quickly from four Eagan stations with some forty firefight- ers. They contained the fire, identified remaining hot spots in the roof and rafters and then began removing as many artifacts, displays and historical furniture item as possible. "In most fire incidents we work to cover and protect furniture and belongings in a home or office once a fire is extinguished," says Fire Chief Mike Scott. "Firefighters just see that as part of their job for the community. But this fire, in a place that held so many of the objects that remind us of our history — of the entire community's history— it was a special cause and our firefighters really dug in." The contents of the building are now being dried, treated to prevent mold, and cleaned by a local fire damage restoration company. "Some items we lost are simply irreplaceable, but many others are salvageable," says Mary Ellen Voracek, Chair of the Eagan Historical Society. "The question now is whether the building itself can be saved or if these displays and historical items need to find a new home." From the front of the building, damage does not look significant. Inside it is a different story, as the roof and rafters were severely compromised. Temporary structural supports are in place to keep the roof from collapsing. Discussions regarding the options for the building and future of the Historical Society museum will continue over the next few months. The roof structure and interior of the 1914 Town Hall sustained sig- nificant damage during the September 8 arson. Historical items retrieved from the building are being dried, cleaned and treated, to be preserved for future use and display. "One way or another we hope to recognize the -ooth Anniversary of the 1914 Town Hall next year," says Voracek. "We just aren't sure yet what form that recognition may take. All we can say right now is... stay tuned." Updates about the building and available informa- tion can be found at www.cityofeagan.com/history. Anyone with information that might pertain to the ongoing arson investigation is asked to call the Arson Hotline at 1-800-723-2020. A $2,50o reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest. Eagan Police Twin Cities Leads Nation in Retail Construction Department Is Taking Thanks to Eagan Development It to the Tweets Is social media a part of your routine? Then join the Eagan Police Department on Twitter. To better serve and com- municate with the pub- lic, the Eagan Police Department has created a Twitter account, @EaganPolice. "Twitter allows us another option for sharing information with the public," says Chief Jim McDonald. Twitter will be used in conjunction with the City Web site, Facebook page, media releases and other communications tools. Tweets include information on major police activity, safety tips, crime alerts, media releases, fun facts, investiga- tion updates or arrests, requests for public assis- tance and other police information. Follow @EaganPolice on Twitter. Find updates, photos and fun facts from all City departments by liking us at www.facebook.com/cityofeagan. According to a national report released by Colliers International in September, the Twin Cities leads the nation in new retail construction, thanks to the much anticipated, $ioo million Paragon Outlets mall called Twin Cities at Eagan. Construction is well underway with an opening expected next August. In related news, Twin Cities at Eagan has added another i9 retailers to its growing list of mall mer- chants. New retailers include Adidas, American Eagle Outfitters, Asics, Calphalon, Chico's Outlet, The Children's Place, Converse, Cole Haan, Crabtree & Evelyn, Destination Maternity, Famous Footwear, Fossil, Helzberg Diamonds Outlet, Jockey, Samsonite, Skechers, PacSun, Watch Station and White House/Black Market. For a complete list of stores announced previously and to keep up on area news, visit the City Web page at www.cityofeagan.com/CedarGroveRedevelopment. Additional Retail Developments CSM Corporation has submitted a Comprehensive Guide Plan Amendment application and preliminary development plans for the former Lockheed Martin property. The proposal for the 51 acres at the north - The $100 million, 409,000-square-foot upscale outlet center under construction near Cedar Avenue and Hwy 13 is slated to open in August west corner of Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Roads consists of 405,00o square feet of retail/ restaurant and 50,00o square feet of office space. The proposal was presented at the October 22, Advisory Planning Commission meeting and will be reviewed and considered at a City Council meeting in November. To find information about upcoming City Council and Commission agendas, visit www.cityofeagan.com/Agendas. Experience Eagan • November/December 2013.2 Preliminary 2014 Budget & Levy Set by City Council On Tuesday, December 3, the City Council will hold a public hearing before it considers final adoption of the 2014 budget and levy. Even before that date, residents have an opportunity to ask their budget questions and get them answered. In September, the Council adopted a preliminary budget and levy. Eagan's General Fund bud- get is proposed to increase 3.7%. Much of the increase—$25o,000—is for inspection services related to significant development and construction projects in the city. For instance, the City is tempo- rarily adding inspectors on a contractual basis for projects like Paragon's 440,00o square foot/$ioo million outlet mall, to maintain the City's expecta- tion of timely inspections and facilitate the mall's planned opening in August 2014. It is important to note that all additional inspection costs will be recovered by building permit fees paid by the devel- The 2014 budget calls for one new position. A crime analyst/computer forensic examiner within the Police Department would help identify locations and types of criminal activity, allowing Police to better target resources. This civilian position will also free up sworn officers from the time -intensive duties of computer crime examination. The budget also addresses staffing challenges in the Fire Department during peak call hours of mid- day to late -afternoon. That's when the availability of volunteer firefighters is typically the lowest, but adding dollars for more duty -crew hours, addresses In a report recently published by the League of Minnesota Cities, Eagan's 2013 total average property tax rate was the lowest among Minnesota's thirty cities with population of 30,000 or more. this need. No other staffing increases are in the General Fund budget. Under the z014 proposal, Eagan's full-time staff count is still 10 below the 2009 level. Headlines earlier this year year spoke of the State increasing Local Government Aid (LGA) to cities, thus driving property taxes down. Eagan, how- ever, does not benefit from the changes to LGA. Eagan did not receive LGA under the old legislation, and will continue to receive no aid under the new formula. Under the budget and levy proposal, the City's tax rate will remain substantially unchanged. The preliminary levy is up 2.7% from the prior year to maintain service levels, but that is well under the 3.5% levy limit set by the State. With property values generally ticking up for the first time in several years, the value of the average homestead in Eagan is up 2.3% from a year ago. The City por- THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS. PUBLIC AND PRI% ATE tion of taxes on that average home is estimated to increase about 2.5% over last year. In addition to the December 3 public hearing, look for a special live evening edition of "Inside Eagan" on cable channel zo and via Webstream, in late November. Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire, City Administrator David Osberg and key Finance staff will answer questions from the public during the taping of the show. Send questions now to web- master@cityofeagan.com or look for details soon on how to ask your questions via text, email or Facebook on the night of the taping. It's just one more way we are connecting with the people we serve. Parks/Rec 12c Public Works 10c L1118091 6 G Things to Know When Hiring a Home Repair Pro Spring and summer wind and hail storms left many homeowners in need of exterior repairs to roofs, siding and windows. The City of Eagan's Building Permit and Inspections staff, in conjunction with the Department of Labor and Industry, want to help ensure the job is done safely and correctly. Permits and inspections are required for repairs and replacement of roofs, siding and windows. Residential permits for many types of projects are available on the City Web site at www.cityofeagan. com/ePermits. ePermits may be used to search Experience Eagan • November/December 2013.1 permit and inspection records for your home and to search permit records of contractors that have worked within Eagan. Staff recommends that the contractor, instead of the homeowner, obtain the permit for any work done to the home. Before hiring, ask the following questions: 1 Ask for the contractor's license number and contact the Department of Labor and Industry at (651) 284-5069 to verify licensure and to find out if they have disciplinary history continued on page 3 Enjoy the Spirit of Holidays Past at Holz Farm Bundle up the family and come out to Holz Farm on Sunday, December 1, from Noon to 3:3o p.m. for some old fashioned fun on the farm. Live reindeer and Santa visits are becoming an Eagan tradition at Holz Farm. Kids are invited to write a letter or draw a picture for Santa and bring it to the farm. Enjoy creating a holiday craft, make s'mores at the bonfire, listen to holiday music performances, take a hayride or try some hot cider and sugar cook- ies. You can even get up close to live reindeer! All activities are free. Bring your camera for many photo opportunities and dress for the weather as many activities take place outdoors. Download a flyer at www.cityofeagan.com/holzfarm Santa Spotted at ECC Visit with Santa and his merry elves! This free event is sponsored by the Eagan 55 plus/seniors on Saturday, December 7, from 10:0o a.m. to noon at the Eagan Community Center. Not only will Santa be posing for pictures with kids and adults, and collecting holiday wish lists, but the seniors will be serving up cookies and cider too! Everyone is welcome to this fun annual event. Don't forget to bring your camera. Rocket Eve PartyWhataYear Get ready to blast into 2014 at the Eagan Comrt unity Center's New Year's Rocket Eve Party! This family event takes place Tuesday, December 31, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and includes games, prizes, admission to The Blast indoor playground, and, of course, the final Birthday cake to celebrate the ECC loth Anniversary. Stick around for the 8:3o p.m. countdown and balloon drop, then ring in the new year ECC-style as we look forward to the next 10 years. Check out www.EaganCommunityCenter.com for updates as new activities are announced. Z N 44 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 E * O * Cl) CA v CC ci) C..7 O W • CID • * n) • cc J;flij?fl I8pfl Page 1 Preliminary 2014 Budget & Levy Set by City Council Things to Know Before Hiring a Home Repair Pro Page 2 Citizens Get Glimpse Behind the Badge Eagan Police Department Is Taking It to the Tweets Future of 1914 Town Hall Uncertain Twin Cities Leads Nation in Retail Construction Thanks to Eagan Development Page 3 Sports Leagues, Not Just Kids' Stuff Don't Treat Milk Cartons Like Trash Save the Date: Recycle your Pumpkin Nov. 2 Will Your Mailbox Stand Up to Winter? Page 4 Enjoy the Spirit of Holidays Past at Holz Farm Santa Spotted at ECC New Year's Rocket Eve Party Got Opinions About Local Media? Page 1 Masthead photos Sledding, Robyn Lingen, Sleigh Ride, Greg Q. Minor 40' City of Ea�all Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley City Administrator Dave Osberg City Hall (651) 675-5000 • (651) 454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com The Eagan Community Center loth Birthday celebra- tion comes to an end soon, but not without one last hurrah, and a few more surprises. Thank you to our members, guests and the entire Eagan community who selflessly donated blood, school supplies, items, birthday gifts and more. Thank you also to those who celebrated with us at the Zumbathon, Streets Alive, and Open House. And a huge thank you to the amazing ECC staff who make it all happen. Join us for the final birthday celebration, New Year's Rocket Eve, on December 3ist. Got Opinions About Local Media? Visioning Our Community Future When you turn on the tele- vision or pick up your tab- let, do you wish there was a "virtual public square" where you could find out about issues important to Eagan? Are you a part of an organization that feels like a small fish in the Twin Cities media pond when trying to get your mes- sages out? Do you have concerns about current cable and are able to help think constructively about the customer service standards the community wants and needs? If so, you're invited to join the discussion and help shape the future of community media at one of several focus groups being held November 12 through 14. Focus group participants will provide ideas through brainstorming activities and a ques- tionnaire. Eagan's cable franchise agreement is set to expire in 2o15, so now is the time to do a community needs assessment to determine what Eagan wants when it comes to community media. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/MoreThanCable for focus group times, locations and to register to attend. Focus groups are in various locations throughout Eagan and are targeted toward a variety of community interests, but participants are welcome to attend any session that is most convenient. Sports Leagues, Not Just Kids' Stuff Playing organized sports is not just for kids, it's a fun healthy way for adults to stay active, fit and meet people who like to be active too. Eagan Parks & Recreation offers a wide variety of adult sports opportunities for residents and those who work in Eagan. Programs are provided through safe, fun, competitive recreational leagues during winter, summer and fall. Throughout these seasons, many sports are available including: basketball, boot hockey, broomball, flag football, golf, pickleball, sand volleyball, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball and wiffleball. No matter what the season there is always some- thing to be a part of in Eagan. Teams can sign up for leagues, or individuals can be added to an avail- able players list, depending on the sport. The list is a great way to play if you are new to the area and want to get involved in the adult sports leagues. Winter Sports 2014 Interested in registering a team for winter basket- ball, boot hockey, broomball or volleyball? Submit a complete registration and roster form along with full payment during the appropriate registra- tion period. New team registration will take place November i8-22, 2013. Information can be found on the adult sports page at www.cityofeagan.com/ adultsports or by calling Eagan Parks & Recreation at (651) 675-5500. Leagues will begin after the first of the year. Broomball is just one of the several adult sports offered each winter in Eagan. Summer Softball 2014 It's never too early to think softball. Start gather- ing your friends and co-workers to form a team. League information will be available the end of January with registration in March. Collect your gear and join the Two Game Tune-up to hit off the season in April. Look for more details on www.cityofeagan.com/adultsports in January. Want To Play? Don't Have a Team? If you don't have a team but would like to find one, visit www.cityofeagan.com/citizensupport- center, select "Ask a Question or Make a Request" then "Adult Sports Available Player" and submit a request to connect with a team. Your information is then distributed to the upcoming season league managers. Although the City will distribute your contact information, this does not guarantee that a team will make contact. Will Your Mailbox Stand Up to Winter? Last year's snow accumulations proved that many mailboxes could not withstand the amount of snow that fell or was propelled off of plow blades and pushed up against posts. Be sure your mailbox is ready to withstand whatever winter 2013-14 has in store, by checking it out now. Q: Is your mailbox tall enough? Mailboxes must have a 48-inch CLEAR ZONE between the bottom front corner of the mailbox structure/paper boxes and the valley of the curb. Q: Is your mailbox set back far enough? Structures and support posts must also be located io-inches BEHIND the back of the concrete curbing. Newspaper boxes or any other attachment cannot extend beyond the front face of the post. Q: Is your mailbox in good condition? An aging or deteriorating mailbox post or structure may not withstand the impact of snow coming off of the plow, or snow accumulating around its base. Check to be sure it is not worn, cracked or unstable and fortify the structure if needed. Hiring Home Repair Pro...from page 1 1 Ask the contractor how long they have been in business 1 Ask for references and check with former cus- tomers about work satisfaction 1 Ask for a local phone number where the con- tractor can be reached during business hours You may wish to avoid contractors that: 1 Arrive at you door unsolicited, or in an unmarked truck Check your mailbox height, setback, and sturdiness to make sure it can withstand the snowplowing season. A detailed diagram of City mailbox maintenance requirements called "Standard Plate 6io" can be found on the City Web site at www.cityofeagan. com/MailboxCheck or contact Transportation Operations at (651) 675-530o. Not a do-it-yourself type? Local home improvement/ hardware stores and contractors have mailbox kits and information and are generally knowledgeable about installation requirements. Ask you to sign anything before you have decid- ed to hire them Offer to do the job at an unusually low price or offer other compensation for hiring them 1 Provide only a post office box for their address 1 Require payment before work begins 1 Refuse to provide a written estimate 1 Refuse to provide you with a license number issued by the state of Minnesota Don't Treat Milk Cartons Like Trash Did you know that milk cartons, juice boxes, and soup cartons are now recyclable if you live in Eagan? Cartons are made mostly from paper, with a thin layer of plastic or aluminum. New technology allows recy- clers to separate these materials for recycling. To recycle your cartons, simply rinse them to ensure they're empty, and place them in your recycling cart. The paper fibers from milk cartons and juice boxes are a valuable resource for making new paper products and even building materials. By recycling, your cartons are put back in business as items you use every day! To learn more about carton recycling and the other items that can be placed in your recycling bin, go to the City of Eagan recycling department's Web site, www.DakotaValleyRecycling.org. GANI Low Fat IL "IILKF Save the Date: Recycle your Pumpkin Nov. 2! After Halloween has come and gone, what can you do with that old Jack-o-lantern? Instead of throwing it in the garbage, bring it to Dakota Valley Recycling's free pumpkin drop-off on November 2. Pumpkins brought to this drop-off event will be brought to a special organics recycling facility. Remove candle wax, no painted pumpkins please. Kids that accom- pany their parents to recycle a pumpkin will get a free treat for "greening their Halloween." Eagan Community Center (southwest parking lot) 1501 Central Parkway, Eagan, MN 55121 Saturday, November end 9:0o a.m. to 12:00 noon For more information, call Dakota Valley Recycling (Eagan's recycling department) at (651) 675-5011 or visit www.DakotaValleyRecycling.org. Before signing contract, make sure it includes the following: 1 A detailed summary of the work to be done 1 A description of materials 1 The total contract price 1 Specific timelines and provisions that address what will happen if the contractor fails to meet the contractual deadlines if you have questions, call (651) 675-5675, or visit www.cityofeagan.com/buildinginspections Experience Eagan • November/December 2013.3 The Fire Inside Celebrating 100 Years— Eagan's 1914 Town Hall In the yeari914, Henry Ford introduced the first assembly line to roll out the Model T; the Panama Canal opened; the first stones were set for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC; Babe Ruth played his first professional ball game; and World War I began in Europe. Here in Eagan —a quiet township of about i,000 farmers— the Town Board and the members of the community voted to build a Town Hall on land donated by local farmer Michael Englert in the geo- graphic center of Eagan township. Celebrate 100 Years Monday, September 8, from 4 to 1 p.m. The Eagan Historical Society invites the community to help celebrate the Old Town Hall's history at a party on that same lawn, at the corner of Wescott and Pilot Knob Roads. View historic photos and displays, listen to music, and enjoy root beer floats, courtesy of the Eagan Historical Society. Food will also be available to pur- chase. At 6 p.m., artist Larry Landis will present his com- memorative painting of the 1914 Town Hall to the Eagan Historical Society. So come enjoy some old fashioned fun, chat with neighbors and Historical Society members, enjoy tasty treats and consider all that has happened here in Eagan over the past too years. Sirens...from page 1 sirens are designed to warn people who are outside, to seek shelter and gather additional information. Stay Alert When Severe Weather is Forecast Always be aware of changing weather conditions when severe weather is in the forecast and use mul- tiple sources for warning information. The City encourages residents to use NOAA weather radios for receiving warnings inside their homes and overnight. Weather radios with Specific Alert Message Encoding (SAME) can be programmed to only activate for warnings in Dakota County. The Dakota County SAME code is 027037. Information about weather radios, and also links to helpful smart phone apps can be found at www. cityofeagan.com/EmergencyPrep. The hours are unpredictable, the training is hard, but most of Eagan's 8o-plus firefighters would tell you they have a passion for assisting their neigh- bors in a time of need and that is what stokes the fire inside each one of them. Dr. Tony P. — 25-year Eagan firefighter Without question, what makes it worthwhile is the feeling of accomplishment when we are able to take a terrible event such as house fire and be able to salvage something as simple as a photo album and return it to the owner. The look of relief they have, when they thought everything was lost, is some- thing that words cannot describe. It confirms that your actions do make a difference. Tim B. — 22-year Eagan firefighter It really feels good when we are able to work as a team to address almost any kind of emer- gency the city might face. We are able to respond when emergencies happen and help make someone else's bad day a little better. We provide a service to our neighbors and it creates a great sense of pride. The Eagan Fire Department is one of the largest volunteer departments in the state. But even here, as with most other communities, the department is currently experiencing diminishing personnel numbers. Many long-time volunteers are retiring; some have relocated for new jobs or family rea- sons; still others simply can't keep up with the Fire Department's demanding time commitment and balance their regular jobs and family life too. Dan B. — 6-year Eagan firefighter Many people are surprised at the number of ways I serve, besides the Fire Department, and that I am a lawyer too. Our family life is very busy, but my wife and I have been able to make the Fire Department work despite the time commitment. It is great to be able to help our community by serving. Not every- one can do it, and we need people who can. Erica 0. — 4-year Eagan firefighter I enjoy helping people and like the interaction within the community. I also like that my kids think it's cool. Eagan firefighters come from virtually every profes- sion, gender and background, but they all share a passion for service. The reasons they became fire- fighters are as varied as the department make-up. Tom S. — 24-year Eagan firefighter I saw a major accident on the freeway and helped pull two young girls out. One was very badly hurt and I wasn't able to help because I didn't have any medical training. It was that accident that really set me on this path... I'm just a simple guy. I love being a firefighter Experience Eagan • July/August 2014.2 and the people I work with. They are an incredible group of dedicated people. Veronica S. — 6.5-year Eagan firefighter My Mom was the one who introduced me to the idea of becoming a firefighter. She said to me, "I could see you doing this," and she was right. I love being challenged and I love the adrenaline I get coming up to a big fire or just the pleasure of helping somebody in need. Outside of being a volunteer firefighter, I am an ophthalmic technician. Jeff B. — 24-year firefighter My Father was an Eagan Firefighter. When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time at the Fire Station helping my Dad. This is something I enjoyed. The reason I joined the department was the excitement of responding on calls and helping people in the community. After 24 years with the department, I still want to keep Eagan a safe place to live and be a role model for the community. Volunteers are paid a stipend per call and can earn a quality pension, but many members of the depart- ment would say one of the greatest benefits they gain is the bond they build with other firefight- ers —most will describe the department as a second family. Marie S. — 5-year Eagan firefighter I was a stay at home Mom and heard they needed help in the days. I love the connection the department brings between my family and the community. Being a firefighter makes Eagan feel like a small community. You really get to know the people and the neighbor- hoods. I also love the camaraderie between firefighters and the relationships we build. Robert I. — 3-year Eagan firefighter It's rewarding to help people, and working with a group of firefighters is a lot of fun, it's like a big family. Join the Team The Eagan Fire Department is currently recruit- ing firefighters to begin training this summer and is hoping to attract 20 committed volunteers. But making the decision to become a volunteer firefighter should not be taken lightly, warns Fire Chief Mike Scott. "It requires intense training and a strong commitment to service. We provide a high level of training to be sure our firefighters are safe and can handle most any situation," he says. "In turn, we need volunteers who are serious about joining this great team." Recruitment requirements and additional informa- tion is available at www.cityofeagan.com/Fire, and select Join the Department. Are You Ready What to Know Before the New Mall Opens When the Siren Sounds? With severe weather season in full swing, it's a good idea to remember and practice your plans so every family member knows what it means when the sirens sound in Eagan. The cities of Dakota County, including Eagan, use outdoor warning sirens for National Weather Service tornado and sever thunder storm warnings, as well as other emergencies. When residents hear the sirens, they are urged to seek shelter and then turn on a radio or TV for emergency information and appropriate safety actions. Eagan's 12 warning sirens are activated through the Dakota Communications Center (DCC). Sirens will sound for three minutes - not for the duration of the threat. Keep in mind that sirens can be reactivat- ed if a new threat enters the area following the ini- tial warning, and outdoor warning sirens are NEVER used to announce an "all clear." This announcement is made only over radio or TV. Outdoor sirens are tested at i:oo p.m., on the first Wednesday of each month. The outdoor warning continued page 2 Twin Cities Premium Outlets in the Cedar Grove Redevelopment District is on pace for its Grand Opening on August 14-17, 2014. Even as the outside of the center's buildings are being completed, work has begun on the over ioo stores that will open at that time. The mix of stores, many of them unique to the region, is expected to attract large numbers of shoppers to the development. While the road system and available parking are expected to meet the needs of shoppers visiting the center the vast majority of the time, the City and Simon Properties, the operators of the center, are working together on plans to manage traffic and parking for the opening and for major sale dates, like Black Friday. While it will be very busy at those times, the City and Simon will be installing directional signage and have traffic control staff on site to move shoppers in and out of the area as effi- ciently as possible. As a major retail property owner and manager at multiple locations around the country, Simon has experience with events like this. One of their strate- gies is to provide off -site parking for employees and shuttle them to the site at opening and the other busiest times. With up to i,000 employees working at the property during the grand opening, having employees park elsewhere and use shuttles will provide up to that many parking spaces for visitors during that time. In addition, the City is coordinat- ing with MnDOT, Dakota County, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Metro Transit to maximize the options for people moving to and through the area during these times. One of the main messages for shoppers accord- ing to transportation managers is to think of the opening in the same way as we do the State Fair. Get Connected: Be the Neighbor in the Know In any given week, the City of Eagan is likely host- ing events, holding City Council or Commission meetings, coordinating sports team play, providing public safety updates, responding to maintenance needs and so much more. How are you as a resident supposed to keep up on all of this and be sure not to miss what's important to you and your family? To help you out, we've created a variety of ways for you to connect with information the City of Eagan provides, in the ways that we hope are convenient to you. In addition to reading this newsletter, check out the options below and see which ones might help you be the neighbor in the know or the com- mittee member with connections. City Web site - Nearly 1,400 folks visit www. cityofeagan.com daily, even more when Cascade Bay is in full swing. You'll find information about City programs, services, answers to your questions and a calendar of City events. You can stream video of meetings and events. Register for recreation programs, apply for some types of building permits, report a lost pet and soon pay your utility bill from this site too. The best part? It's available 24/7. Subscriptions - Sign up to get specific information sent automatically to your e-mail inbox. Categories available include: meeting agendas, field & game status, publications, news, police notifications, jobs, road construction and more. Visit www.cityofea- gan.com/subscribe and pick the items you want to receive. Citizen Support Center - Find answers, ask a question or report a problem online at www.cityofeagan.com/citizensupport. Facebook - If Facebook is somewhere you visit often, like www.facebook.com/cityofeagan. The City posts tips, reminders, photos and status of City programs, events and services. Twitter - Our newest way to connect is by follow- ing @CityofEagan or @EaganPolice on Twitter. Ask us questions, share your photos, tag when July/August 2014 i Twin Cities Premium Outlets Opening Weekend August 14-17 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information visit: www.cityofeagan.com/abouttheroute www.eaganoutletmall.com Plan ahead and use different options to get there. Consider taking a bus from the Eagan transit station or riding with your shopping friends to make it a safe and efficient opening. About the Route Maps and information continue to be generated and several meetings have been held with neighbors and businesses that operate near the new mall. This is in an effort to ensure that those most highly impacted by mall traffic and operations will know what to expect on opening weekend and on the busiest traditional shopping days. Whether you are a shopper looking forward to checking out the new mall, a resident of the area trying to determine your access in and out of the neighborhood or a busi- ness person coordinating employees and deliveries, resources are available at www.cityofeagan.com/abouttheroute www.eaganoutletmall.com GET CONNECTED you're having fun in Eagan, get short updates, tips, video clips and more. E-TV - You can always tune to E-TV channel 16 for government meetings and programs. Channels 15 and 20 have programs specific to the community. Channels 18 and 19 focus on schools. Council Listening Sessions - If you really want to speak with the City Council face-to-face, Listening Sessions might be the right place. If you have an idea or concern that is not already on that night's City Council agenda and you've already spoken with City staff, you may want to attend a Listening Session held prior to regular City Council meetings (typically the first & third Tuesday of each month) at 6:0o p.m. in the Eagan Room at City Hall. Call (651) 675-500o for more information. How do you want to connect? Send your ideas through any of these options. We're always happy to get connected. Experience Eagan • July/August 2014.1 Puppet Wagon Blasts Off for Fun -Filled Season About 5o wide-eyed kids sit in front of a small white wagon in Quarry Park on a sunny Tuesday morning in June, watching as their three new puppet friends decide to break up a boring day by building a card- board -box rocket ship to fly to the moon. The space- ship, powered by the kids' chanting of 3... 2...1... BLAST OFF! is soon headed back to earth when the puppets realize that there is not a lot to do on the moon either, and they miss being home. Now in the 12th summer, the puppet program visits a variety of Eagan Parks each weekday, plus Monday nights, from June until August i5. The wagon has a new look this season but continues to provide fun, entertaining and interactive shows with singing and dancing for the whole family to enjoy. Eagan daycare teacher, Lynn Paquette from a center nearby says they have the puppet shows on their class schedules every Tuesday. "It's always a fun show. The kids just love it," she says. "The crafts are always very creative too and they work well for a variety of ages. We wouldn't miss it." After the show, the Puppet Wagon staff hands out a craft project. For Space Week, the project included clay for molding an alien, and a CD with a bubble - drink lid on top to create a space ship primed for decorating with the stickers provided. Kids flock to the tables on site to begin crafting their creations. Four -year -old Sara has molded a heart - shaped alien she's named Braka (she didn't discuss alien spelling), while DecIan, age six, is trying to reposition his alien inside his sticker -swathed space 4 4 3830 Pilot Knob Road Eagan, Minnesota 55122 a) E * O * y C/J V) V CC y C.) O W Q� CC * cc pod. Both agree they liked the puppet wagon a lot. Following the craft, kids often play on the play- ground nearby and meet new friends and other families. Kids regularly bring "puppet mail" which is read aloud each day. Puppet shows are free of charge and last 15-25 min- utes. All shows are planned around a theme and lesson that is used for the entire week. The themes and shows incorporate dancing, movement and crowd participation. Puppet shows start promptly at the scheduled time. In the event of inclement weather, shows will be cancelled and not rescheduled, call the Recreation Hotline at (651) 675-5511 for up to date information and see the scheduled shows list at www.cityofeagan.com/puppets. Bring the Puppet Wagon Home The Puppet Wagon is available to rent outside of the scheduled show times, for a fee of $150 plus tax, and can come to your loca- tion if available. Call Holly at (651) 675-5520 for more information. Page 1 What to Know Before the New Mall Opens Get Connected: Be the Neighbor in the Know Are You Ready When the Siren Sounds? Page 2 Celebrating 100 Years—Eagan's 1914 Town Hall The Fire Inside Page 3 Too Many Containers to Contain? Eagan's Funfest Celebrates Stars and Stripes! Be Water Smart Page 4 Puppet Wagon Blasts Off for Fun -Filled Season Market Fest Highlights for July -August New Event Brings Food on 4 Wheels City of Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley City Administrator Dave Osberg City Hall (651) 675-5000 • (651) 454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com Market Fest Highlights for July -August Market Fest, Eagan's extremely popular farmers market and weekly entertainment venue continues to draw thousands of fans each summer Wednesday afternoon from 4 to 8 p.m. Some of the highest attended theme nights and some highly anticipated produce options are yet to come this year. July 2 Retro Soul 5 Eagan Funfest Carnival rides July 9 Randy Mcallister & Band July 16 Classic Car Show Night: Elvis Experience, Steve & Tommy Marcio The Rockin' Hollywoods July 23 Reggae Music: Pan Dimension Socaholix July 30 Latino Night Celebration: Ticket to Brasil Tropical Zone Band Aug. 6 Tim Sparks Kevin Bowe & The Okemah Prophets Aug. 13 Health & Wellness Night: Sandy & The Hitmen Aug. 20 Celtic Music: Lehto & Wright 40 Shades of Green with Rince na Chroi Irish Dancers Aug. 27 The Jolly Huntsmen Eagan Theater Company "Back To School Blues" Variety Show The market continues through September 24, for autumn produce such as apples, pumpkins, cauli- flower, raspberries and more. Visit www.cityofeagan.comfmarketfest to learn about which vendors and products at the market, concert schedule with band times and bios, special promotions, seasonal produce calendar and sign up to receive market updates and recipes. Follow us on www.facebook.com, cityofeagan.com and @cityofeagan on Twitter for up to the minute specials, promotions and weather updates affecting the market. FESTIVAL New Event Brings Food on 4 Wheels Be sure to save the date to roll on over to the Eagan Festival Grounds at Central Park on Saturday, September 6, from 3 to 7 p.m. for Eagan's first Food on 4 Wheels , food truck festival. At least 14 Twin Cities food trucks will bring the tastiest gourmet food on wheels for an evening of food, music and fun. Watch for more information in the next Experience Eagan and online at www. cityofeagan.com/foodtruck. Do you run out of room in your recycling cart before your recycling day? You're not alone --due to the fact that more of your waste is recyclable than ever before - including often forgotten plastics like yogurt cups, cottage cheese tubs, margarine tubs, berry and deli containers, empty medicine bottles, clear plastic clamshell to -go boxes, container lids and more - many Eagan families find their recycling carts are overflowing before recycling day. Luckily, there are easy steps you can take to ease those recy- cling woes. Most garbage companies will automatically give you a 65-gallon recycling cart, which gets picked up every other week. If that system doesn't work for your household, try the following: Call your hauler and ask to upgrade to a 95 gallon recycling cart. Most companies will switch out the bin at no charge. Still not enough room? Consider asking for a second recycling cart. Some haulers will provide this for free; other may charge a small monthly fee. The Upside to Downsizing Trash If you are recycling more, you may also be able to downsize your garbage service. By law, garbage haulers are required to charge less for a smaller - sized garbage cart. You could save $i to $3 per month, not to mention space in your garage! Resist the Crush When your recycling cart is overflowing, it may be tempting to crush all the recyclables down to make them fit. However, this can be trouble down the line. The machines at the recycling facility sort recy- clables based on their dimensions --cans and bottles are three-dimensional and paper and cardboard are two-dimensional. So, DON'T flatten pop cans or plastic containers, but DO flatten your cardboard boxes. Visit www.DakotaValleyRecycling.org/curbside/bins for more information, or call Eagan's shared City recycling department, Dakota Valley Recycling, at (651) 675-5011. Be Water Smart and Protect the Watershed There are more than 1,300 lakes and wetlands in our community, so everyone in Eagan lives in a watershed and con- tributes to the quality of the city's sur- face water resources. So make sure you are water smart when planning, planting and working in your yard. 1 Use water wisely; it's a precious resource 1 inch of water per week (from rain or irrigation) is enough. Measure rain with an accurate gauge; measure irrigation with a small container (like a tuna can which is an inch tall). 1 Avoid watering between ti a.m. and 4 p.m. and on windy days to reduce evaporation loss. 1 Check the soil moisture before watering with a simple moisture meter to avoid over -watering. Too much water causes shallow roots, lawn disease and stress. 1 Adjust spray heads to water your lawn and not the street, driveway or sidewalk. 1 Build good soil to allow water to soak in fully, promoting lawn/plant health Tight soil limits deep root growth and prevents water from soaking into the ground. To determine .`; ne pick up Aeeplowta waste off the Dump no waste Dun 1.usewauafor waste disposal. wrne.cityofeayan.coin if your lawn needs aeration, push a wire stake flag or medium gauge wire into the ground when moist. If you can push in 12" or more, you don't have a com- paction problem. If you can only push 1" - 2", your lawn needs aeration. 1 You can contact the Eagan Maintenance Facility for a free flag. 1 Fall is the best time for aeration. Remember, locate buried wires and irrigation heads before aeration. 1 During aeration, top -dress your lawn with Y" of well -aged compost. This builds healthy soil by adding organic matter. Select proper plants for your yard's conditions 1 Each plant has specific needs for soil moisture and sunlight. Match the right plants to the specific situation so your plants will thrive. 1 Your yard can have a lot of variation, so identify characteristics of each area where ou're selecting plants. 1 Mulch around plants to keep soil moist, provide nutrients, and pre- vent weeds. More Water Smart tips and guides can be found at on the city Web site at www.cityofeagan.com/watersmart. Polling places are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day. Absentee voting for the Primary Election begins June 27. Offices on the primary ballot will include US Senator, US Representative District 2, Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, Attorney General, State Representative District 51A and Eagan City Council. For more information on the upcoming elections and to find your polling place, visit www.cityofeagan.com/elections. Experience Eagan • July/August 2014.3 Funfest Celebrates Stars and Stripes! Put on your dancing shoes, practice that parade wave and prepare to save the perfect spot for fire- works viewing because Eagan's July 4th Funfest is almost here! Eagan's largest annual celebration will be held on July 3 and 4. Schedule highlights* are included below; unless otherwise noted, all events are held at the Eagan Festival Grounds, 1501 Central Parkway. Visit www.EaganFunfest.org for more information and find Eagan July 4th Funfest on Facebook and Twitter. Wednesday, July 2 1 Carnival and Market Fest, 4 - 8 p.m. 1 Bloodmobile, 4 - 8 p.m. Thursday, July 3 1 Blood Mobile. 2 - 7 D.m. Carnival and Vendors open, 4 p.m. - midnight Children's Bike Parade, 5:3o p.m. Texas Hold 'Em Tournament, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. -- FREE Entry Funfest concert featuring The Dweebs for their 8th consecutive year, 8 p.m. - midnight 1 "Stars and Stripes" Parade, io a.m. (see Web site for parade route details) 1 Carnival and Vendors open noon - midnight 1 7th Annual Brain Freeze Contest, i p.m. 1 Bingo (in the Texas Hold 'Em tent), i - 4 p.m. 1 Car Show, i p.m. - 5 p.m. 1 Texas Hold 'Em Tournament, 6 p.m. -io p.m. - FREE Entry 1 Funfest concert featuring Rock Godz, 8 p.m. - midnight 1 Fireworks Display, io p.m. Monday, July 1 1 Eagan Funfest Ambassador Coronation 1 Eagan Community Center, 7 p.m. Visit www.EaganFunfest.org for button/coupon books, carnival tickets, to volunteer and for addi- tional events and details. *Scheduled events are subject to change; please check the Web site for the most up -to - i. mation. SCOTT THEISEN • SUN NEWSPAPERS Mike Nelson (right) of Eagan talks to Joanna Foote (left), communications coordinator for Eagan and historical soci- ety member, about the differences between townships, villages, cities and their governments during a Sunday visit to Eagan's historic town hall. At rear is Kim Hazel of Eagan. The town hall was open for visitors to tour Sept. 21 and Sept. 24. (For more photos, visit our online Photo Gallery at www.mnSun.com.) 22nd 1h4w Saturday September 30th SAVE MOND RINGS, DIAMOND EARRINGS, OND IS INCLUDED IN THIS SALE! GET A BETTER DIAMOND AT A BETTER PRICE LL HAVE OVER datecvris/ I N diamandisi R THIS EVENT! 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