Second of a series Hiram Knox, a great lover of horses, bought several trotters and laid out a race track for training on the east edge of the village of Sheldon. He, assisted by his three sons, won many races at the Houston County Fair as well as other venues in the area, including Iowa. Trotters are horses used in harness racing in which the horses race at a specific gait, … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage – Out in the Garden
Memories can come at any time. But today as I have been out in the garden, memories invaded my thoughts. As I picked each buttery-colored wax bean, I thought of my mother. Even when she lived with me at the age of 94, she helped me snip beans. Along with the beans, I brought in a fine bouquet of gladiolas to please her and to perk up the scenery in the house. Though … [Read more...]
Last Winter had Been Peaked, Puny and Downsized
The air carried the scent of a dirty athletic sock that had been microwaved. The fair had ended, and I found myself downwind from a dumpster emitting that lingering stench. It wasn’t the smell of prize-winning flowers discarded into that large garbage container. A florist, who I knew a little but not a lot, walked over. We howdied but we didn’t shake. He told me he was … [Read more...]
Steam Ahead at the 72nd Annual Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days
The Mabel Lions Club has been actively involved in the Hesper-Mabel Steam Days since the 1960s, when they served the best tasting chicken dinners in downtown Mabel during the town’s annual celebration. The 72nd annual celebration takes place from September 5-8 in Mabel, Minn. The ever-popular tractor parade kicks off the festivities on Thursday evening. Featuring Case … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Flashback Flood Vacation
By Cheryl Boyum Eaton Peterson Station Museum Growing up in Minnesota or surrounding states in the 1940s to 1960s, every school child remembers the thrill of hearing on the radio or television, “No school” due to heavy snows. This meant a day of sledding, making snowmen, throwing snowballs or simply sleeping in. But, children that lived in or went to school at a river … [Read more...]
Real Hope and Change!
By Pastor Marke Geselle Valley Christian Center We’re having the Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge Choir in our morning service this Sunday! I’m always blessed to hear the stories of those going through this life changing, drug and alcohol program. In those months in the program, lives and eternal destinies are changed. Those with life controlling substance abuse, … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Sheldon, Beside Beaver Creek Between the Bluffs
First of a series An abundance of wood and water, especially water power, brought about the birth of many commun-ities, such as Sheldon in Houston County, Minnesota. The village was named for Julius Sheldon who came from Suffield, Conn., and impressed with the excellent water power, purchased land. In 1853, John Brown a native of Scotland built the first dwelling and took … [Read more...]
Fresh off the Farm – Surprising Key to Learning
What does your student need? It’s not what you think. New plan… Next summer, I’ll just tape my eyelids open so I can’t blink and maybe summer will last a little longer. I’ve heard many moms say their kids need to get “back into a routine” this fall, but I’d like to suggest (and research supports) that we need to intentionally keep a little summer in our fall in order for our … [Read more...]
Let the Good Times Roll — Toilet Paper Day is August 26
It’s time for back-to-cool sales. Pick up a parka. And back-to-school sales. It’s an August sublime. I’m still eating sweet corn and the Minnesota Twins are still in the running. I recall a Luther League trip to Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington to watch the Twins during my first childhood. We sat in the cheap seats far from home plate. The only people seated farther … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Market – Day and Meeting the 8 O’clock Evening Train
Moist air was good for wool is what wool buyer John Redding told teenager Cliff Orr, who had asked why there were so many pails of water in the shed near the railroad stockyards. It was May or June, about 1909, and “market day” in Houston, Minn. About 15 years old, Cliff had the job of driving the “two-seater” horse-drawn buggy that transported five women, including his sister, … [Read more...]