By Alleen Erchoff-Costet
Spring Grove is a small town located in southeast Minnesota and is home to over 1,200 people. Being a close-knit community, Spring Grove has many oppor-tunities for everyone, lots to do, and lots to see! Do you want to go on a walk with beautiful scenery? Try the bird trail! How about eating out for dinner? The Mexican restaurant, Fiesta Rosita is sure to have what you’d like! The newest movie just came out, and Spring Grove Cinema is sure to have it! There is lots to do in this small community, but have you ever wondered how everything came to be? How long has Spring Grove been a town, and how have we managed to keep it all over the years? As the Minnesota legislators issued an official proclamation that named Spring Grove as the first permanent Norwegian settlement in the Minnesota territory, you may come to wonder as I did, how did the Norwegian settlers establish this town?
Before Minnesota even was an official state, a small spring and grove of hardwood trees drew a group of Norwegian settlers to the bluffs of what is now Houston County. Norwegian immigrants began arriving in the 1850s due to limited farmland and a high birth rate in their homeland. Torger Tendeland was the first to claim land, followed by Hakkon Narveson, Knut Kieland, and Fingal Flatin, which led to the area being named “Norwegian Ridge.” In 1852, those settlers built what would eventually become Spring Grove. In the early community, the first Norwegian Lutheran church was established in 1855, with a post office functioning in the area from the same year. Key figures in Spring Grove’s development include Mons Fladager, the “Father of Spring Grove,” whose efforts brought the railroad in 1879. The town, surrounded by Norwegian heritage, maintains a cultural identity reflected in events like Syttende Mai and Uffda Fest. The new settlers in the area faced numerous challenges during their settlement. Harsh living conditions included shelters like sod houses, and prioritized crop cultivation over proper housing. The lack of resources forced settlers to transport water from distant sources until deep well drilling became feasible. Many immigrants coming from Norway lived in poverty and had a poor pay range. Environmental challenges such as severe winters, droughts and storms affected agriculture.
Have you ever wondered about the history of the high school? I sure have! I think being inside of the same building every day for over 11 years that has so much history is very intriguing. Think of all of the people who have walked through the halls just as you do or did? What are those people doing now? There are so many questions that run through my mind as I think of this. Spring Grove school started out as several classes conducted in various homes around town, but in 1857 the people of the town decided to build a schoolhouse and it was built in 1872 with two stories. As the population of the school grew, in 1899 they realized that they needed to increase the size of the building. In 1922, a modern brick building was built at the cost of $90,000, although in 1924 the school was destroyed by a fire and eventually a new school building was built on the foundation for $120,000. The first classes brought to Spring Grove High School consisted of English, algebra, Latin, and physics. Starting out, some years they did not have graduating classes, such as 1904, 1905, and 1911, but since May 1903 (the first graduating class) there have been more than 530 students who have graduated from Spring Grove High School. At the time, the largest class was in 1931, which had 44 graduates. Starting in 1923, there was a teacher training department established and there have been 157 students who have graduated from it.
Spring Grove, Minn., has come quite a long way from the days of its first Norwegian settlers. What started with just a few families looking for a fresh start has grown into a lively community filled with local restaurants, a great cinema, and a school shaped by years of tradition. Every generation adds something new, which builds on the hard work and determination of the people who came before us!
Alleen Erchoff-Costet is a Spring Grove High School student, one of 10 area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 27th year.
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