Part three of a series “Hello, central?” and “Number please,” were commonly heard during the first half of the 1900s as telephone callers spoke with central switchboard operators, who would connect their calls. There was a personal touch to every call. Operators were required for anything other than calling other telephones on a shared party line. Caledonia received its first … [Read more...]
Bjerke, Pieper pace C/SG boys to runner-up finish at first track meet
Junior Reid Bjerke won the 100-meter dash, ran second at 200 meters and was part of the second-place 4x100-meter relay foursome for the Caledonia/Spring Grove track and field boys, who finished as the team runner-up at the five-team GMLOKS track meet on April 16 at Grand Meadow. Chris Pieper had a personal-record 6-foot, 2-inch high jump to win that event while junior Logan … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Could you “talk German” on one of those “electric-speaking” telephones?
Part two of a series Can you imagine sharing a telephone line with 20 families – not 20 people, but 20 large farm families. No? Well, it was better if one lived in town. Telephones (most likely diaphragm string phones) had come to southeast Minnesota in the 1880s with “electric speaking” phones available in the mid-1890s. The first switchboard came to Caledonia in 1900. … [Read more...]
Spring Grove handles Houston in baseball opener, 13-2
Isaac Griffin, with both his arm and the bat, sparked Spring Grove to a soggy, season-opening 13-2 baseball win at Houston on a rainy April 9 afternoon. The Lions scored a run in the second inning, added a pair in the fourth inning and then sealed the win with back-to-back, five-run eruptions to win with the 10-run rule after six innings. Meanwhile on the mound, Griffin … [Read more...]
Leahy voted Lion MVP; Spring Grove girls honor four
Junior Jordian Leahy was voted Most Valuable Player by her 2021 Spring Grove basketball teammates. Junior Ava Olerud was honored with the Lion Attitude Award, while eighth grade guard Emerson Ingvalson was the choice for Most Improved. Freshman Katelyn Kraus was voted the Hustle Award. Leahy (MVP), a 5-foot-6 junior guard who received Honorable Mention on the … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past String phones possible before electric telephone service
First of a series The first telephones in Caledonia were probably the legal “string phones,” but could they have been prohibited versions of the patented “electric speaking telephone?” In the spring of 1883, an article in a Caledonia newspaper sought subscribers for a telephone exchange with an investment of $25 plus $10 dollars for an instrument (telephone) and the necessary … [Read more...]
Everett Silas Sollien
Everett Silas Sollien, 89, of Decorah, Iowa, passed peacefully in his home surrounded by family on the night of April 3, 2021. Everett was born in Spring Grove, Minn., to Syver and Florence (Rauk) Sollien on September 16, 1931. He graduated from Decorah High School in 1949. Everett grew up farming with his family. Outside of his enlistment in the U.S. Army from 1954 to … [Read more...]
Young baseball Lions step into varsity spotlight, open at Houston
It ranks as one of the most inexperienced and youngest Spring Grove High School baseball teams. After COVID-19 canceled baseball for every Minnesota high school last spring and American Legion last summer, every coach seeks to restore skills last polished in 2019. Coach Chris Strinmoen starts with 16 varsity candidates. All but one has played baseball since childhood (except … [Read more...]
Peterson voted Spring Grove volleyball top honor
Senior VaNessa Peterson was voted the Impact/Most Valuable Player by her 2020 Spring Grove volleyball teammates and also shared the Heart Award in a COVID-19-delayed awards presentation. Maggie Lile was the choice for the Hustle Award and for the second season voted the Heart Award, sharing that honor this year with Peterson, Addyson McHugh and Kelsey Bratland. Kenadee Gerard … [Read more...]
Grinde repeats MVP; Spring Grove gridders honor five teammates
Spring Grove senior Caden Grinde was voted both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year - both for the second straight season by his 2020 Lion football teammates. Senior Tristan Hammel was the choice for Lineman of the Year while senior Isaac Griffin was voted Outstanding Leader. Sophomore Tysen Grinde was selected Rookie of the Year, and sophomore Caleb … [Read more...]