Third of a series The Mississippi River, the superhighway of the mid-1800s when settlers sought new homes in Minnesota Territory, was valuable for traveling north and south but an impediment to traveling east and west. It was easier to cross the river during winter. But when there was no river ice, the earliest crossings from Hokah to La Crosse, Wis. were by canoe, rowboat or … [Read more...]
McHugh, Hammel honored by SEC cage coaches
Spring Grove senior Addyson McHugh was named Second Team All-Conference by the Southeast Conference girls basketball coaches. Freshman Kylie Hammel received Honorable Mention. McHugh, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, was honored again as a senior after receiving Honorable Mention the previous winter as a junior. In her final season in a Lion uniform, the four-year letter … [Read more...]
Boys Basketball: Spring Grove Grinds, Surges into Section Finals
The Spring Grove boys (2-seed, 26-1) advanced into the Section 1A basketball championship game with a 39-24 low-scoring quarterfinal win versus Randolph (7-seed, 16-10), followed by a 57-46 semifinal decision over two-time defending state champion Hayfield (3-seed, 23-6). The quarterfinal was a grind with no offensive rhythm as the Lions and Rockets combined to score only 63 … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Winslows on the water – from Cape Horn to Houston County
By Lee Epps Second of a series Before there were bridges, there was a great variety of boats on the Mississippi River, including steam-powered vessels. As early as 1855, Job Brown, the founder of Brownsville and Riceford, owned the “H. M. Rice“ (like Riceford, named for early Minnesota politician Henry Mower Rice.) By 1863, there was a need for packet boat service to … [Read more...]
Much better ball-handling, more wins for Spring Grove girls
The 2023 Spring Grove girls, with the fewest turnovers in 11 years, won a dozen basketball games, their most in six years. Under first-year head coach and former Lion standout Taylor Elton, the Lions continued to hold their own against similar Class A competition. At 12-15 overall, the girls were 12-12 versus other Minnesota Class A squads and Iowa small-school Lansing Kee, … [Read more...]
Threes and “D” send Spring Grove boys into section finals
Superior ball-handling, great defense, steady free-throw shooting and hot 3-point shooting propelled the Spring Grove boys into the Section 1A Tournament championship game. On March 11 at Rochester, the 57-46 semi-final decision over two-time defending state champion Hayfield was not only a clash between the No. 2 and No. 3 section seeds was also a high-level state-ranked … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Back and forth across the water
First of a series The Mississippi River and other navigable streams were the superhighways of the 1800s when the nation expanded west. After settlements had been established (five along the Mississippi in what became Houston County), all sorts of watercraft were used to cross the river back and forth, including canoes, poleboats, rowboats, excursion boats, show boats, … [Read more...]
Grove guys grind past Randolph into semi-finals
The Spring Grove boys, with the No. 2 section seed, eliminated No. 7 Randolph, 39-24, in a low-scoring March 7 quarterfinal at Rochester. The defenses were stout and stingy as each offense was limited to the fewest points of the season. The two cold-shooting squads combined for only 63 points, the fewest in a Spring Grove boys’ game in 73 years. Nevertheless, the state-ranked … [Read more...]
Spring Grove boys cage Cougars quickly at section
The Spring Grove boys, with the No. 2 section seed, took quick control of the March 2 section clash with No. 15 Mabel-Canton. The 71-33 decision began with a 26-2 opening Spring Grove salvo on the way to a 45-21 halftime count. Jaxon Strinmoen scored 16 points before halftime on the way to his 18-point, 10-rebound double along with 4 steals, 2 blocked shots and 5 assists … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Fires, fatalities, 50 years and leap year festivities
Part ten of a series It became associated with Sadie Hawkins, a 1937 cartoon character. But 57 years earlier, a similar social event occurred in 1880 Caledonia. The 1882 History of Houston County recounted notable events year by year. THE YEAR 1878 (continued) In December, Mr. John Knock, a German living in the township of Brownsville, was killed by the fall of a large limb … [Read more...]