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12.39Mb Application/Pdf foreword The purpose of this publication is to create a nostalgic viewpoint regarding the history of Crookston. Limited space, time allowed, and length of period covered do not, and cannot, allow for the comprehensive history. The Polk County Historical Society's publication in 1976 provided a thorough coverage of area history including that of pioneer families in surrounding communities. In the few months allotted our committee to compile information, a concerted effort was made by a committee of five to research city records, accomplish interviews, and study a vast amount of literature. It is the hope of the Centennial Committee that sometime in the future a group could be found willing to donate at least two years of their time to compile a complete historical account of Crookston. Somehow, even though time allowed us to only tap the surface, we're convinced a follow-up team of volunteers would thoroughly enjoy their two year dedication. In order to avoid unauthorized duplication of material the Crookston Centennial Committee has requested acknowledgement for any material used from this book. For what has been accomplished in these 120 pages, we are deeply grateful to a number of people who, like ourselves, volunteered their time towards one specific goal.... a nostalgic return to the past. We hope you enjoy your journey. Co-editors: Dorothy McCulla Cathy Wright Committee: SisterMary Magdelene Maybelle Anderson Mary Vattendahl 2-8, Table of Contents Page Foreword ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 � Table of Contents and Acknowledgements .......... ............... ... ...... ....... ... .. ........ ... ....... ...... ......... .... ...... ......... .............. 2 Early Settlement ......................................................................................................................................... ............ 3 Pioneer Citizens ......................................................................................................... ............................................. 7 Home Life ................................................................................... ............. ..... ..... ........................................ ....... 13 City Government and Services .................................................................................................................................... 21 . Schools ................................................................................................................................................................. 33 . ................................ ............ 45 Transportation .......................................................................................................... Communications ..................................................................................................................................................... 50 Industry and Agriculture .......................................................................................................................................... 56 Professionals ......... .................... ............................................................................ ................................. ........... .. 74 Culture and Clubs ................................................................................... ................................................ .............. 93 Sports and Recreation ............................................................................................................................... .............. 108 "I Remember When" ............................................................................................................. ............................... 119 Acknowledgemen ts CHURCH: Sister Mary Magdalene, Dorothy McCulla, Maybelle Anderson and numerous church historians. EDUCATION: Alpha Morek, Sister Thomas, Jeanette Fournet, Sister Christine CULTURAL RECREATION: Dorothy McCulla: notes from Evelyn (Probstfield) Gesell, Louise Hiller, Cathy Wright. PROFESSIONALS: Drs. W.F. Mercil and C.D. Mitchell, John and Bertha Padden, Cathy Wright, Sister Petronilla, Nadine Carlson, Mary Vattendahl. MUSEUM: Bruno Jurchen HOME LIFE: Ann Olson, Cathy Wright, Dorothy McCulla. GOVERNMENT: Harold Thomforde, Robert Hussey, Cathy Wright, H.T. (Doc) and Loretta Welter, Harry Dillabough, Jerry Amiot, Harry Sylvestre, Vid Roy, Jerome Markel, Robert McWaters, Lois Grove and Karen Smith. COMMUNICATIONS: Bill Kiewel, Cathy Wright ADDITIONS: Ade Ness, Dr. Janet MacGregor, Dorothy McCulla, Cathy Wrieht TRANSPORTATION: Evelyn Beaudry, Rosaire and Alice Boucher, Dorothy McCulla PEOPLE: Cathy Wright, Dorothy McCulla, Mary Vattendahl SPORTS: Herschel Lysaker, Dr. Robert Baab, Roy Lindell, Joyce Reynolds, Bill Sullivan, Eleanor and Rom Ogaard, Dr. C.D. Mitchell, and Bob Strand. CLUBS: Maybelle Anderson and numberous club members. AGRICULTURE: Dr. B.E. Youngquist, Cathy Wright INDUSTRY: Harold Thomforde, Cathy Wright, Dorothv McCulla, Maybelle Anderson REMINISCING: Mrs. Isabel (Gramer) Poppenhagen, Cathy Wright ODDITIES, FILLERS, INTRODUCTIONS: Dorothy McCulla, Cathy Wright, Mary Vattendahl, Maybelle Anderson, Alpha Morek. ADVERTISING: Cathy Wright, Vicki Irwin, Judy Dragseth PHOTOGRAPHS: Ken Johnson, John Evenson. And others who contributed pictures. 2 In The Beginning. • • • • • • • People come and go, but the town At first the Valley was mainly stock Poor drainage in the area often inter­ remains. Cowing Avenue becomes country because of the natural condi­ rupted the farmer's trip to town because Holly and Oak is later called Broad­ tions. Transportation was the crudest he got stuck in the mire every forty rods way, but the geography stays the kind, mostly by ox teams over poor for a distance of more than six miles. A same. The serpentine river con­ roads and across unbridged streams. drainage convention was soon called for tinues to wind around itself, separ­ The early settler lived snugly along the and held in Crookston in 1880 at which ating addition from addition, much river bank, well sheltered by tall timber, J.J. Hill, representing the railroad, to the confusion of newcomers. A in which he had a cluster of log build­ pledged one-third of the cost of a drain­ few old buildings remind one of the ings used for dwelling and stables. He age survey. At the next legislative ses­ past, but that thing called progress had a large herd of fat cattle fed exclu­ sion, drainage appropriation was made, has come in and applied the wreck­ sively on prairie hay which had been and in due time a system was installed ing ball to many others. Stil more gathered with a hand scythe and pitch­ which produced incalculable benefits to have died by fire or time. Yet, fork. the area. baSically, Crookston is the same - railroad tracks as they were in the Unrestricted freedom was enjoyed by 1870's, streets running north, and the pioneer. There was no encroach­ south, east and west, houses built ment by near neighbors, and he had along the river banks, roads leading unlimited range for his cattle in out in all directions to farms and summer, with plenty of timber to choose other towns, except that these are from for building and for firewood in no longer rutty trails but paved winter. highways. Yet probably Ed Walsh and Tom Morris could still find their Then a change came. The prairie be­ way around. gan to be settled, and opportunities for raising stock began to diminish. Claim shanties appeared on former meadows and pasture lands. Soon men were driv­ Early ing two ox teams abreast before a breaking plow, turning down the green grass and turning up the black soU. In Settleme nts time the vast open prairie became dotted with shacks and was well­ In the early 1870's the influx of set­ covered by fenced fields. tlers was rather slow due to the ravages of grasshoppers and the unsettled con­ Farmers began producing large dition of railroad building. The settle­ wheat crops which were hauled into ment of the surrounding areas was Crookston by ox drawn wagons at the mainly along the streams, the Red Ri­ speed of two miles an hour. Grain eleva­ ver, Sand Hill, and Red Lake rivers as tots sprang up to take care of the huge far as a few miles above Crookston. The crops appearing at railroad loading sta­ Waiting for the stage. Note the muddy unoccupied prairie was still in the wild tions. streets. The setting is the Scandia stage of nature's development. Hotel. Lands were not surveyed until 1874. Up until that time settlers were merely squatters. It soon became known where they were "at", and from that time on government regulations followed. The railroad company had a grant of every odd section for twenty miles from the Red River East, extending from the March River to the Canadian line. Dur­ ing a dispute on the validity of the grant, applications to purchase land were duly acknowledged on post cards informing squatters thattheirs would be the firstcon sidered. With the end of the dispute, railroad land went on the market at 55 per acre, rebated at rate of 52.50 per acre for breaking three-fourths of it, with an The Joseph O. Sargents. He was a Civil War veteran who lived near Northfield before additional rebate of fifty cents per acre moving to Crookston in 1893 to farm and was one of the posse' who trailed and captured for cropping it. Therefore a quarter sec­ the James and Younger brothers. He exchanged farming for building contracting and tion
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