About 1861, at the depth of 40 feet, water flowed into a drilled well and froze, filling it with solid ice to within a few feet of the top. Summer ice was still found in it many decades later. Eventually, the opening filled in naturally. That was the most amazing well in far southeast Houston County, but not the only remarkable one. Early white settlers lived near springs or … [Read more...]

In the southeast corner of Houston County, the southeastern-most county in Minnesota, proximity to the Mississippi River and Winnebago Creek allowed some of the earliest white settlers to make a living from fishing, trapping and hunting. But like elsewhere in the county, agriculture provided a living for most. Land records indicate that there were more land renters than … [Read more...]

A southeastern Houston County resident told of his grandfather walking home with about three miles remaining, when wolves began to chase him. There were haystacks in the farm field, and he climbed on top of one and lit the hay on fire all night to fend off the wolves until morning. Large wolves and cougars were a threat, according to reports from the earliest white settlers in … [Read more...]

Quarters would turn into silver dollars; dollar bills turned into $100 bills. Thimbles, coins and plastic balls would disappear. A diner seated at a restaurant might have a quarter pulled out of his ear by another diner walking by the table. Orv Wagner, of Caledonia, was always prepared to perform a little magic, always carrying in his pocket a thimble, coins, a rubber thumb, a … [Read more...]

Part two of a series Since 2002, a pair of life-sized, bronze sculptures appear unperturbed by the Highway 44/Main Street traffic passing just a few feet from their prominent position in Viking Memorial Park in Spring Grove. From 1918 to 1942, these two Norwegian-speaking cartoon characters Ola and Per (pronounced “pair”) appeared in the Norwegian-language Decorah-Posten … [Read more...]

First of a series There is no better portrayal of the assimilation of early Houston County Norwegian emigrants into American culture and society than the brilliant, whimsical newspaper cartoon series of Peter Rosendahl of Spring Grove. The cartoon series was called “Han Ola og han Per,” which translates into English as “Him Ola and him Per,” or “He Ola and he Per” and … [Read more...]

The girl would sing all the songs she knew, as loud as she could, hoping to frighten away “whatever evil might be lurking in the thick bushes and trees” as she walked through the “back 40” to bring home the cattle when they had wandered to the far reaches of the family farm. Although the youngster loved that family farm, she dreaded that particular cattle-fetching chore because … [Read more...]

Part two of a two-part series Were there too many circuses passing through town? There were likely quite a few peddlers. Were there problems to be solved or was there revenue to be raised – maybe both? But someone could not just show up and conduct business in Houston, Minnesota. In 1889, it became unlawful for any owner, manager or agent “of any circus, menagerie, concert, … [Read more...]

It was unlawful to drive cattle to and from pasture or water through village streets of Houston, Minn., in 1890. Both two-legged and four-legged residents were subjects of ordinances passed by the Village Council. Fines imposed over 130 years ago may sound minimal, but $1 in 1890 had the approximate purchasing of $34 in 2024. In addition to fines, there was also the cost of … [Read more...]

Part two of a series Settlers were attracted to the future site of Hokah by the excellent water power, plenty of good timber, rich soil and the navigable Root River, so convenient to the Mississippi River. Local historian A. J. Langen described Hokah as “bounded on the west by Mount Hope and on the east by Mount Tom. To the south, we see forest-covered hills while on the … [Read more...]

First of a series “My brother Edward and myself were probably the first white men, after the government surveyor, that looked upon the townsite on Hokah,” wrote John Thompson. The pioneer settlement of Hokah in eastern Houston County was also the site of an Indian village, whose chief was Wecheschatope Hokah, translated into English as “garfish.” It is the only town in the … [Read more...]

It was likely the only mail received in Eitzen, Minn., from the King and Queen of England. Surely, it was appreciated by Edmund Freiberg (pronounced with a long “I” sound, fry -berg), however it was a condolence card that came with the death certificate for his son. It arrived in 1943, the year following Ralph Freiberg being declared missing after his combat plane did not … [Read more...]

Second of a two-part series Roy Hanke was said to have traveled the equivalent of 19 trips around the world, about 450,000 miles, but all not far from home. He delivered rural mail two months short of 44 years from the Brownsville Post Office before retiring in 1963. He began September 10, 1918, as substitute for Matt Roster and took over a permanent appointment when Roster … [Read more...]