Part two of a two-part series As commercial traffic on the Mississippi River followed settlement north into Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, thieves were attracted as well as honest merchants. A band of river pirates, thought to consist of 10 to 12 men, operated out of the southeast corner of Houston County. Their base, known as Robbers Roost, was located in Minnesota Slough, … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Flashback Peterson’s Blind School Teacher
By Cheryl Boyum Eaton Fillmore County Historical Society Roy Maynard Johnson was born January 11, 1935, to Jens and Hazel Johnson at Moorhead, Iowa. He had two older brothers and a younger sister. His father was a farmer and the family moved to Belmond, Iowa, when Roy was in eighth grade. He took part in band, choir, and FFA. As a young child, he was diagnosed with … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage- Jack’s Story
Howdy there, folks! I am glad to meet you. My name is Jack. I am a German Shepherd. I came from Northern Wisconsin. I was invited to live in southern Wisconsin, and I adopted a boy. He comes with a mom and dad, so they are mine, too. I grew up there, and I learned my new territory well. I am the king. My boy brings me water when I need it, and food when I want it. … [Read more...]
Every Car I’ve Owned Has Had a Steering Wheel
When one door closes, another door opens. I had a Chevy pickup like that. Other than that minor failing, it was a trusty steed. Of course, it went nowhere without jumper cables, and the pickup was equipped with an engine block heater to fool the motor into thinking it was parked in Miami on a below-zero day here. By that time in my life, I’d owned two kinds of automobiles: … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – A Christian Century
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger The Christian Century, a Protestant periodical, began as The Christian Oracle, then in 1900 became The Christian Century, with hope “genuine Christian faith could live in mutual harmony with the modern developments in science, technology, immigration, communication and … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Beware of Robbers on the River
First of a two-part series Surely praiseworthy were the pioneer settlers of southeast Minnesota, immigrants from Europe or those moving west from previously settled areas of the United States. Hard-working farm families and merchants established communities, built churches and schools and were even willing to leave their families to serve far from home as Civil War soldiers. … [Read more...]
Fresh Off the Farm – “I’m Sick of Being Sick!” You too?
“It feels like we’ve been sick most of the cold and flu season,” she sighed. Forced to skip two of their favorite weekly activities, she stayed home with sick kiddos while being sick herself. Personally, I vote that moms shouldn’t be allowed to take care of sick kids while being sick themselves, but colds don’t care to listen to me. Seems like everyone needs mom even … [Read more...]
Singing with Tom Petty While in Winter’s Icy Grip
We’ve all had brushes with fame. Maybe you’ve met a teacher or a nurse, or shook hands with a firefighter or a police officer. I sang with Tom Petty once. It’s a golden memory I’ve pressed into my little black book of golden memories. It was just the one song—”Runnin’ Down a Dream.” That was enough. Tom Petty was on the radio, and I was backing my car out of … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Any Little Gopher Hole Might Start a Washout
Part two of a two-part series “Any little gopher hole could and did start washouts,” wrote Houston area historian Ingrid Julsrud. Washouts of train tracks were expensive mishaps for the railroads and inconvenient interruptions for the daily lives of residents. During the first two decades of the 1900s, the tracks around Mound Prairie were especially susceptible to washouts … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – “Lift Up Your Eyes Round About, and See”
Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Herod was troubled at the news of the Christ Child’s birth, as were the religious leaders and all of Jerusalem. But the magi rejoiced and worshipped the Infant King, even as had the shepherds before them. God grant us the faith to join the magi and the shepherds! “For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep … [Read more...]