The founder of the city of Houston, William George McSpadden, Jr., was one of the most influential early settlers in what became Houston County. Often on the move, he came west after one war, led Houston County soldiers throughout another war and later served in the state legislature. He was born in 1825 or 1826 in Ireland, during his Scottish parents’ two-year stopover on … [Read more...]
Cal/SG gymnasts sweep top four All-Around scores
The Caledonia/Spring Grove gymnasts claimed the top four all-around places and closed the regular season with its best team score of the season, 117.725, while host Stewartville/Chatfield won with 123.550 on Saturday, March 13. Warrior freshman Braelyn Lange took top all-around honors with a score of 31.00, followed in order by teammates seventh grader Macy Kraus 29.800, … [Read more...]
Spring Grove boys outshot by R-P, coast past Kingsland, receive No. 5 seed
The Spring Grove boys opened the week with a cold-shooting, home non-conference setback against Rushford-Peterson in a 46-40 tight defensive struggle on Feb. 8 before coasting past visiting Kingsland, 60-24, four nights later to cap their tenth conference crown in 11 years. It was the sixth straight Lion loss to the Trojans and the sixth consecutive win versus the … [Read more...]
Lion girls fall to both league leaders, receive No. 15 seed
The Spring Grove girls had to close the regular season on the road against both of the conference division champions. There were a pair of 41-point decisions by almost the same scores, 67-26 at Houston on March 11 and 68-27 the next night at Spring Valley versus Kingsland. It did not help that leading scorer Jordian Leahy remained on the injured list all week. The next day, … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Presidents, Mexican War heroes had Houston County namesakes
Presidents, founding fathers and especially military heroes were memorialized in Houston County with village namesakes, such as Hamilton, Jefferson, Reno, Houston, Winfield and San Jacinto. Only Houston, Reno, and with a name change, Hamilton survived. Although Mexican War heroes figured most prominently when choosing village names, two founding fathers were also remembered. … [Read more...]
Spring Grove girls prevail over L/P, overwhelmed by ‘Canes, Rebels
The Spring Grove girls, within four nights, faced three opponents with widely varied win-loss records. A losing streak against Lyle/Pacelli ended as the week began with a 56-49 home victory over the one-win Athletics on March 2. Two days later, it was a decisive 63-23 home loss to undefeated, 11-win Houston. The next night, it was a similar score, 68-24, at Adams against … [Read more...]
Team scores consistent for Cal/SG gymnasts
Braelyn Lange earned the highest score on the balance beam and the Caledonia/Spring Grove gymnasts (2-8) posted their second-best team score of the season, 114.575, during a March 2 home gymnastics dual meet ,with Stewartville, which earned a team score of 126.500. Then on Friday, March 5, the Warriors logged a team total of 113.975 while home team La Crescent-Hokah posted a … [Read more...]
Lion boys win the East, help decide the West
The Spring Grove boys (12-2, 11-2 SEC) nailed down the SEC East Division basketball championship and then went a long way in deciding the West Division title. There were two matchups between the top three teams in the league. The Lions began the week with a 68-47 home non-conference win over Fillmore Central before facing both co-leaders of the SEC West. SG first fell at … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Houston County “Old Fuss and Feathers” mystery solved
Part five of a Civil War series It was not a mystery in 1861, but the lack of clarity in an 1882 history of Houston County made it a mystery to me in 2021. One name – Winfield Scott – all but jumped off the page. Winfield Scott was the era’s most famous army general and a major 1852 presidential candidate. Known as Old Fuss and Feathers for his insistence on military … [Read more...]
Lion girls’ winning streak versus L-O ends at 25
Spring Grove freshman center Katelyn Kraus posted career highs with 18 points and 5 steals while matching another personal-best 12 rebounds, but it was not enough as the visiting Lion girls lost a game they once led by 12 points. With the 65-47 decision, LeRoy-Ostrander broke a 25-game losing streak against the Lions, who had won 36 of the previous 37 games in the series. Both … [Read more...]