The first railroad in southeast Minnesota went up the Root River Valley, bypassing two county seats – Caledonia and Preston. That omission would soon be solved by entrepreneurs in Caledonia. Railroads began to cross Houston County in the 1860s, shortly after the Civil War. The railroad era in southeast Minnesota lasted more than a century before ending in 1976. In 1880, the … [Read more...]
You, too, can be a machinist in your own home
Are you looking for a hobby to take your mind off COVID-19? Relieve stress? Create an additional source of income? Hobbies not only relieve stress, but they can also promote good stress, known as eustress. “Eustress is a positive type of stress that makes you excited about what you’re doing. The excitement you feel translates to your life in general.” Check out … [Read more...]
Noticing more
Kristi Danielson-Vreeman notices more and sees more than she used to — not because of glasses or surgery — but because she’s a photographer! Small details that might have previously gone unnoticed now become subjects of her photographs; close-ups of spiderwebs become crystal creations. Kristi’s dad bought her a 110 flash camera when she was 12 years old, thus nurturing a … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Arts presents Annual Juried High School Art Show January 16 – February 7
Lanesboro Arts is proud to present the Annual Juried High School Art Show, showcasing artworks by 9-12th grade students from Chatfield, Fillmore Central, Lanesboro, and Rushford-Peterson High Schools. The show opens on January 16 and runs through February 7. Always free and open to the public, gallery hours are Thursday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The show features a variety … [Read more...]
Dan Chouinard and local Lanesboro talent bring beloved annual Holiday Sing Along to Facebook live on Friday, December 18
Lanesboro, Mn - Twin Cities-based accompanist, writer and vocalist Dan Chouinard is leading the 14th annual Old-Fashioned Holiday Sing Along on Friday, December 18, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. in the COVID-19 friendly format of Facebook Live. Chouinard will host the virtual evening on the Lanesboro Arts Facebook page in a new format but with the same charm as the annual Lanesboro … [Read more...]
More than $3.5 million in historical and cultural heritage large grants awarded to organizations statewide
The Minnesota Historical Society is pleased to announce the newest recipients of 38 historical and cultural heritage large grants (over $10,000) in 25 counties, totaling $3,578,731 in FY2021. The grants, awarded once each fiscal year, are made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. Grant applications were recommended … [Read more...]
Spring Valley woman crafts through pandemic
Linda Kruegel has enjoyed sewing and crafting for most of her life. As a child, she and her family lived with her grandma who was a quilter and a sewer. “I remember a good many days of sitting underneath the quilts while she and her sisters and friends were quilting,” she said. During Linda’s junior year of high school, she made her own wedding dress as a school home-ec project … [Read more...]
Historic memories of Fillmore County: The Daniel Dayton family – The Ravine House… A pioneer life in Big Spring, Minn., Part IV
The Daniel Dayton saga by “Flip” (Brian) Huggenvik continues and – to recap: The 1890s found both Dayton boys, Zara and Aaron hard working farmers. They raised beef cows, pigs, chicken, and even had some sheep. The crops were wheat, oats, barley, flax, and corn. And of course lots of hay... 60 tons a summer. They would sell their grain in Harmony, but hold back enough to get … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: If women on board – then no boozing, no smoking, no cussing
It was surely more pleasant watching the ride from a theatre seat than experiencing an actual ride on a stagecoach. Made famous by mid-20th century movies and television about life in the American West of the late 1800s, horse-drawn coach travel dates back to England in the early 1600s and came to North America during colonization. While stagecoaches contributed to the lore of … [Read more...]
Making the most of murals
Have you ever seen a mural larger than life and wondered how the artist was able to paint it? The enormity of mural painting is fascinating and you don’t have to go all the way to some big city to appreciate it because there is a mural artist close by. Meet Wanda Scheevel, age 46, from Harmony, Minn. Wanda has lived in Harmony most of her life. She moved here in 2nd … [Read more...]