Part six of a series The Mohawks, a dance band from the Mabel, Minn., and Hesper , Iowa, area, played for 655 dances during the 1930s and 1940s. One of their longer road trips was a 1935 all-afternoon, all-night drive to Lake City. The nearly 200-mile round trip traversed mostly gravel and dirt roads. Returning home, they stopped for a sandwich at an all-night café. They were … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Small schoolhouse blossoms into large opera house
Part five of a series Internationally acclaimed stage actress Ethel Barrymore appeared in a play at the Opera House in Spring Grove in 1918. A small town could attract touring entertainment if there was an appropriate venue for the performance. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, entrepreneurs in southeast Minnesota invested in some combination of traveling stage companies, … [Read more...]
Area high school athletes excel at national clay target tournament
By Lee Epps Colton Tollefsrud of Mabel-Canton was in the top 4% of trap shooters at the USA High School Clay Target National Championships at Mason, Michigan on July 8-10. He hit 195 out of 200 flying clay targets to place 71st among 1,716 competitors. Spring Grove’s Taylor Reinhardt placed ninth among all 262 girls and 109th among all shooters (boys and girls). She and SG … [Read more...]
Girls softball program coming back to Spring Grove School
By Charlene Corson Selbee The Spring Grove School Board heard the girls and approved their request for a girls softball team. “It is very exciting. I also really like the way the process went about. Our students talked about and advocated.” Superintendent Rachel Udstuen continued, “What I really like about it, is our girls thought about it in exactly the right way and … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past From roller skating to Duke Ellington
Part four of a series Thirteen of the nation’s most famous band leaders and their musicians thrilled audiences and dancers in Caledonia, starting with the 1952 appearance of “Duke Ellington and his World Famous Orchestra” and closed with the 1954 performance of “Harry James and His Music Makers, starring Buddy Rich at the drums.” In between were Lionel Hampton, Ray Anthony, … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton shooters among the state’s top five; Spring Grove, Kingsland teams also excel
By Lee Epps The Mabel-Canton trap team finished fifth in the state and Spring Grove 29th as the 2022 high school clay target season ended on June 25 at Prior Lake. Later in the day, there was a separate competition for the 100 All-State shooters to compete for individual honors, where Spring Grove seniors Camron Kraus and Carson Gerard both hit 98 of 100 flying clay … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Whoopee John, Wee Willie and Six Fat Dutchmen
Part three of a series Versatility was valuable for many dance bands that played in southeast Minnesota during the 1930s and 1940s. Local newspapers frequently advertised upcoming dances, emphasizing both “Old Time and New Time Music” or “Modern and Old Time Music.” “Old Time Music” included dances brought by European immigrants – waltzes, polkas, schottisches – the latter … [Read more...]
Always leave them with hope
Many years ago, I was in the audience when the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the legendary civil rights activist and election mobilizer, gave a speech. He often used the catchphrase, “Keep hope alive!” when he spoke, and he did so that time. The audience picked it up as a chant. “Keep hope alive!” they called. “Keep hope alive!” It was a memorable bit of political showmanship. A few … [Read more...]
Strinmoen voted SG baseball MVP, among four Lions honored
Jaxon Strinmoen was voted the Todd Oakes Most Valuable Player by his 2022 Spring Grove baseball teammates, one of four awards he received at the July 12 awards presentation. For the second season, the coaches honored him with the Willie Mays Gold Glove award for defense, and he earned a statistics award as the Ted Williams Batting Champion. His teammates also voted him the Lou … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Waltzing on Washington’s, Roosevelt’s birthdays
Part two of a series Dancing and dance bands provided both some physical and mental relief throughout some of the toughest, times of the 20th century. From 1929 to 1941 was the economic travail of the Great Depression, followed by The United States fighting in World War II (1941-1945). A Caledonia weekly newspaper published advertisements for 30 public dances during 1938 … [Read more...]
