It probably wouldn’t happen in the 21st century, with GPS and cell phones. But it was common for motorists to stop and ask for directions during the 20th century – but usually not by someone driving two secret service agents – and the president of the United States! On September 12, 1938, about three weeks before his 75th birthday, Fred. C. Sandte, clad in his farm-work … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Did a U.S. President Ever Visit Houston County?
Did a United States president ever visit Houston County? The answer depends on the interpretation of the word “president.” Ulysses S. Grant visited Houston County several times, but it was before he led the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War (1861-1865) and go on to become the 18th president, elected both in 1868 and 1872. It is thought no sitting president ever … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Vinegar on a Cold Winter Night and a Hot Summer Afternoon
Part two of a two-part series He was quickly recognizable by his “burly mustache that turned to a ruggedly silver color as he aged.” But his nickname was “Shakes,” reflecting his medical condition which caused tremors in his arm and hand. He did not mind, since the moniker provided not only notoriety but likely, also popularity for his business, the South Ridge Country Store, … [Read more...]
Kingsland’s Cameron Miner, Spring Grove Team Excel on National Stage
Cameron Miner of Kingsland placed 32nd among 1,770 individual shooters (top 1.8%) at the 2025 national championships conducted last weekend by the USA High School Clay Target League at Mason, Mich. Meanwhile in the separate team competition, Spring Grove continued its exceptional postseason success by finishing 59th among 264 teams (top 22%). All teams and individuals had to … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: Sugar Sacks, Ugly Brown Stockings and Thursday-Evening Ice Cream
Part one of a series Ice cream attracted a crowd. When store owner Reinhold “Rein” Albert Wolter made his weekly Thursday trip from Houston County to La Crosse for merchandise, the last stop would be at the ice cream supplier. The summer best seller was packed into a metal cylinder two feet high and 10 inches in diameter, then encased in a thick insulated container with an … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – New Families, New Homes for “Take-In” Kids
“Well, we were all in the same boat,” was a common reply when asked about living in Houston County’s Winnebago Creek Valley during the Great Depression of the 1930s. “There was no one nearby with which to compare their circumstances. We had plenty (of) food to eat, and the rest didn’t matter.” Unlike city dwellers, mostly self-sufficient farm folks did not need to earn money to … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – The First Worship Service and the Most Famous Person to Live and Die in Houston County
Part five of a five-part series The Swedes who settled the area still known as Swede Bottom, were the first and probably the only group of Swedish Baptists to leave their homeland solely for religious freedom. In 1853, they were led to North America by F. O. Nilsson, who in September 1848, had organized the first Baptist congregation, the first successful “free church” in … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Trap is State Runner-Up; Miner Excels for Kingsland
Correction: In last week’s coverage, it should have stated that Spring Grove placed third at the Class 4A state championships. Spring Grove brought home the (all classes) state runner-up trophy from the 2025 MSHSL State Clay Target Championships at Prior Lake on June 20, the nation’s only clay target tournament recognized by a state high school athletic association. With five … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Shooters Advance to MSHSL State Tournament
Spring Grove, among the 11 Journal-area trap teams, had the most successful trip to the state championships conducted by the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League (MSHSCTL) at Alexandria. Every member of every team, regardless of their regular season standing, is eligible to compete against all teams in their class as each of nine classes (1A through 9A) crowns a state … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Ben’s Mother Had Been Baptized
Part four of a series Indians, in the 1850s, did not live around the village of Houston but were downstream toward the Mississippi, noted Ben Benson. “They often came up the Root River in their canoes on hunting trips.” As a senior citizen, Benson wrote about his childhood as one of the earliest white settlers in Swede Bottom. Although for completely different reasons, all … [Read more...]