S
NORTHFIELD
HISTORICAL S O C I E T Y Winter 2006/07
THE
CRIVER SCRIBBLER
A quarterly publication of the Northfield Historical Society 408 Division Street • Northfield, MN 55057 • 507/645-9268 www.northfieldhistory.org • nhsmuseum@rconnect.com
Holiday Events Enliven Hometown History The Northfield Historical Society’s winter lineup of events promises to make being “home for the holidays” a heartwarming experience indeed! Scheduled for Thursday, December 7, Winter Walk – one of Northfield’s most charming traditions – transforms our picturesque town into an animated Currier and Ives print, complete with holiday lights, carolers, entertainment and refreshments. As in the past, the Northfield Historical Society is offering FREE PHOTOS taken with the worldrenowned James-Younger Gang. The Defeat of Jesse James Day Committee will do the honors from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., providing your complimentary photo on the spot. Prior to the photo sessions, the NHS will offer free tours of the Museum from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Also during Winter Walk we’ll have author John J. Koblas on hand to sign copies of Faithful Unto Death, considered the most authoritative book to date on the history of the attempted Bank Raid. In addition, fifteen-year-old author Victoria Kasten, creator of the remarkable Mighty Stallion book series for elementary schoolchildren, will be available to discuss her stories. Artist Derk Hansen, who has captured key aspects of Northfield history in his series of nine prints, will also be on hand in the Museum Store to sign his work.
From the Interim Director.....................................Page 2
With so much happening at the Society during Winter Walk, be sure to stop at the Scriver Building on Bridge Square! Highlighting the evening will be free cider, coffee and Gloria Powell’s famous home-made cookies.
Editor’s Perspective: Taking Stock .........................Page 3
NEW! Winter Stories with Ann North and Friends
Inside this issue… Looking for Committee Members.........................Page 3 Holiday Shopping...................................................Page 4 Cemetery Stories......................................................Page5 NHS Auction Wrap-up ..........................................Page 6 New Member Benefits ............................................Page 7
If you and your family enjoyed the NHS’s Cemetery Stories in October, make plans now to attend our first annual fireside chat with historic Northfielders. Scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Thursday, January 18 at Millstream Commons, it features two of our favorite townspeople, Ann North (Marion Hvistendahl) and H. T. Ytterboe (Jeff Sauve), who reminisce about their colorful lives in early Holiday Events to back page
THE SCRIVER SCRIBBLER NORTHFIELD
HISTORICAL S O C I E T Y
S
THE
CRIVER SCRIBBLER A quarterly publication of the Northfield Historical Society
Mission Statement To be the primary community resource that honors, preserves, and interprets Northfield’s unique place in history, building a bridge from our past to our future. Vision Statement A Northfield whose vibrant heritage frames its exciting future. Editor: Gail Jones-Hansen Writers: Joy Riggs Dick Waters Gail Jones Hansen Photography: Griff Wigley Northfield Historical Society Board of Directors Scott Elmer, President Pat Murtha, Treasurer Debby Larsen, Secretary Ray Coudret Chip DeMann Chris Ellison Rich Falck Dan Freeman Eric Fure-Slocum Gail Jones Hansen Deanna Kuennen Michelle Millenacker Susannah Ottaway Mary Titus Earl Weinmann Rob Schanilec, Past President Hayes Scriven, Interim Executive Director Northfield Historical Society 408 Division Street Northfield, MN 55057 507-645-9268 nhsmuseum@rconnect.com www.northfieldhistory.org Production and Printing By All Means Graphics 18 Bridge Square, Northfield 507-663-7937
From the Interim Director… Thanks to all loyal Scribbler readers for your continued support! We are very appreciative of your involvement in the Historical Society. This is my first official message to the entire membership. Since the last Scribbler was published, our previous Executive Hayes Scriven Director resigned. I would like to wish Mark Fagerwick the best and thank him for all he has taught me. Shortly after Mark’s departure – in fact, the day the last Scribbler came out – I was appointed Interim Executive Director. So I would like to take a minute to explain a little about who I am, where I came from, and how I got to this point. I was born in Minneapolis, but grew up in Nerstrand, and my earliest memories were of coming to Northfield for everything! One of my favorite things was being in the kiddy parade during the Defeat of Jesse James Days. So I grew up surrounded by the story of the attempted robbery. I always thought how interesting it was to have something like that happen in a town so close to where I lived. I graduated from Kenyon-Wanamingo High School and attended the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), where I majored in history. I wrote and received a grant my senior year to work at the Richard I. Bong World War II Heritage Center, a museum in Superior, Wisconsin. There, I was part of a team that developed an exhibit entitled Holidays on the Homefront. After that experience, I knew I wanted to work in a small town historical society or museum. When I graduated from UMD, I found a job opening here. Two weeks later I was hired and have been at the NHS ever since. Much has happened during the last quarter at the Society. We had the Grand Opening of our permanent exhibit The Early Years of Northfield. Chronicling the first forty years of Northfield history, the exhibit forms the foundation for future window displays and rotating exhibits. I would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make this exhibit a reality, and I extend a special thanks to Northfield Rotary for their generous gift in support of the exhibit. We also had a very successful Defeat of Jesse James Days. The museum saw over 1,000 visitors over the four-day celebration. Once again, we could not have pulled off this event without the invaluable assistance of our hardworking volunteers. Looking forward for NHS, I can only say the sky is the limit! We are right now in the first phase of production in our online timeline of Northfield history. This website will be completely interactive; users will be able to submit their own stories to the timeline for generations to come. It will also be a place to discuss and debate Northfield’s history. In addition, there are plans for rotating exhibit/window displays and other programs on our community’s history. I encourage everyone to learn more about the Northfield Historical Society – its unique past and its bright future. I am glad to be a part of it.
Hayes Scriven, Interim Director
2
THE SCRIVER SCRIBBLER
Winter 2006/2007
Editor’s Perspective Ultimately, it’s this year-end taking stock – assessing where we are in our lives and in our community — that fuels us when it’s zero degrees (twenty below wind chill) and the car won’t start. It’s what keeps us going when one gray day stretches into another and we no longer recall what sun on skin feels like. We then think back to the golden, purposeful days of autumn, and remember.
TAKING STOCK Who doesn’t love a Northfield autumn? After warm summers that invite indolence and vacations that disrupt the ordinary rhythm of things, a north Gail Jones Hansen country fall is a time to get busy, put our physical and psychological houses in order, and take stock of our lives. Each year around Labor Day, I embark on a frenzied and (to my husband) slightly scary course of domestic productivity never witnessed in July. I retreat indoors, and do what I’ve avoided all year: clean out closets, attack the messy basement, scrub tile grout. I organize things so thoroughly that no one can find anything. I dig out untried recipes I’ve saved all year and buy exotic ingredients to make them. I stock up on staples, too, imitating the frenetic squirrels on my lawn who are burying everything in sight. I am, of course, doing in my own way what all good Minnesotans do: obeying the biological imperative to hoard, nest and dig in for the long winter. But as the year wanes, I also perform a kind of spiritual housecleaning, reflecting on where I’ve been and where I’m going, what I’ve done and what I have yet to accomplish. For as surely as spring is about rebirth, fall is about the inevitability of change. It’s about how we grapple with the passing of another year, with intimations of mortality as pungent as the scent of burning leaves. As we contemplate the ending of things, fall paradoxically gives us the opportunity to sum up and start over – to literally turn over a new leaf.
We’re Looking for a Few Good Committee Members… The NHS is seeking to fill many seats in our very active committee structure. Five of our committees need your support! No specialized experience is required; we’re looking for your enthusiasm, energy and fresh ideas. All ages are welcome. If you enjoy retail environments, we encourage you to join the Museum Store Committee, where you can order and manage inventory and help with merchandising displays. The NHS also offers opportunities to assist the Membership Committee with solicitation drives and community outreach. Those interested in communicating information about our mission and activities to local and regional audiences may want to consider becoming involved in the Marketing and PR Committee.
And it’s in the autumn that secular and religious holidays loom large, demanding our good cheer. To survive all that celebrating, we need to know what we’re happy about. How have we evolved over the past year as business professionals, parents, humanitarians? Have we made the right choices? Are we on a path to becoming our truest selves, or have we veered off course? Autumn, in particular, is a time to live mindfully. This means developing better self-awareness and greater skill in meeting the needs of our families and our community. Engaging with the community informs our understanding of our place within it. Becoming involved in the Historical Society helps us interpret our lives in Northfield in terms of the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the people who preceded us. Discovering similarities between ourselves and those individuals gives us a feeling of connectedness, a sense of home.
Our Education Committee needs your help in developing innovative ways to inform people of all ages about Northfield’s unique history. We also are looking for Archives Committee members to explore and document our fascinating collections. If you’d like to make new friends, give back to the community and help Northfield preserve its past, join a committee today! 3
THE SCRIVER SCRIBBLER
Winter 2006/2007
Do Your Holiday Shopping at the Museum Store! I have really enjoyed my work as museum store manager these past two months. It has been a pleasure to work with Hayes Scriven and Gloria Powell and all the wonderful volunteers who make the store and museum an exciting place to be.
games, and much other merchandise. New items for the holiday shopping season are geared to all budgets and include magnets, spoons, shot glasses, and cribbage boards (all with a Northfield or James Gang logo), as well as a terrific new video about the famous bank raid that I know you and others will enjoy. All these items make great gifts for your family and friends—and for you, too!
If you haven’t been into the museum for awhile, I urge you to stop by for a visit some time soon. The results of the remodeling and reorganization of the store, and the outstanding new Early Years of Northfield exhibit, are truly exciting. Please come see for yourself!
We also have a section of used, rare, and out-of-print books in the museum store. We need your help. If you have any books about Northfield or Minnesota history or related subjects, please consider donating them to the museum. If we do not have the book, we would like to add it to our archive collection. If it is a duplicate, we will sell it in the museum shop. Of course, all money raised in the shop goes to support the Historical Society. Any books or artifacts of local or regional interest would be most appreciated! Just drop them off at the museum store (with your name, address, and phone number) or call me at 645-9268 and I will make arrangements. Any donations will be appraised and you will receive an itemized tax deduction.
Dick Waters
We have added new merchandise to the museum store, and we are analyzing the current inventory and making decisions about future items to sell. Our goal is to have less “generic” and more “specific” merchandise for sale. By this I mean more items related to Northfield and the James-Younger bank raid, and fewer items that could be purchased in any book store or gift shop in Minnesota. We are working with some local artists and craft people to create more of these unique items. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please call the museum (6459268) and speak with either me or Gloria.
Please keep us in mind as you plan your holiday shopping. We hope to see you soon in our newly remodeled, reorganized, and re-merchandised store!
Our inventory includes books, clothing, toys and
DECEMBER SPECIALS! Northfield Founders John & Ann North T-Shirts 10%
OFF
Northfield Stationery Charming 1873 Street Scene 10%
OFF
Please view our selection of rare and out-of-print books.
PLUS CLEARANCE MERCHANDISE
20% - 50% OFF! 4
THE SCRIVER SCRIBBLER
Winter 2006/2007
Cemetery Stories – Haunted History at Its Best also was elected to Congress four times. His wife, Gertrude, was an Archibald of Dundas milling fame. “It was the first time Northfield and Dundas were brought together, and we’ve been struggling to do it ever since,” Freeman joked during the presentation.
By Joy Riggs Ten Northfield historical figures appeared at their gravesites on a moonlit Oct. 7 evening to regale visitors with stories of tragedy, courage, honor and ordinary life. “Under the Full Moon Cemetery Stories,” sponsored by the Northfield Historical Society, drew about 300 people to Oak Lawn Cemetery on Wall Street Road. Dressed in period costumes and standing near gravestones illuminated by torches, actors explained the roles their characters played in Northfield’s past. Several of the historical figures were acquainted with each other during their lifetimes, and the actors highlighted those connections during their performances.
Other historical figures portrayed during the tour were: • A.R. Manning (Bob Phelps), the hardware store owner who fought back against the James-Younger Gang. He explained that his first wife had died during childbirth, and that his two daughters went on to graduate from Carleton College. • Professor Halvor T. Ytterboe (Jeff Sauve), who saved St. Olaf College twice, once by traveling the countryside to raise money for the school during an economic depression, and once by personally disinfecting a dormitory with formaldehyde after a scarlet fever epidemic. Ytterboe died from formaldehyde poisoning. His wife, Elise, was the niece of Thorbjorn and Anna Mohn. • Thorbjorn Mohn (Glenn Switzer), the first president of St. Olaf College and the pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church. His wife, Anna (Michelle Millenacker) told of shopping downtown for meat on Sept. 8, 1876, the day after the attempted bank raid. She took a shortcut down an alleyway and saw people setting up the bodies of the two dead robbers to be photographed. “I went right home, and we did not have meat that night,” Millenacker said. • Carleton professor George Huntington (Herman Transberg), who wrote Robber and Hero, and his second wife, Margaret Evans Huntington (Mary Tulp), a Carleton professor who worked for women’s suffrage. Tulp noted that her character was 78 years old when she got the right to vote. • Felicity, a fictional child created to represent all the children who lived at the Odd Fellows Home, which closed in 1957. Portrayed by Angela Elmer, Felicity explained that many of the children at the home weren’t orphans, but were placed there by single parents who couldn’t care for them.
Northfield Historical Society Interim Executive Director Hayes Scriven was pleasantly surprised with the turnout. “We were planning for 200, and 300 came; I was just amazed,” he said. “Everyone had fun. There were a lot of kids, and I was happy to see that.” The NHS Junior Curators did the research for the presentations, but the actors wrote their own scripts to suit their acting styles and their characters’ personalities. Four tours originally were scheduled for the evening, but because of the large number of attendees, two tours were added. The last group consisted mostly of local Girl Scouts and their families. “I thought it was amazing because it brought history to life for the girls,” commented Kelly Lynn Stanton-Nutt, leader of Troop 2642. “I wanted to do the tour as a steppingstone to our local lore badge, to foster a relationship between the girls and the history of the town. The next step will be to go to the museum itself and tour it.” Stanton-Nutt, who grew up in Northfield, said she recognized names like Ytterboe because of their connection to Northfield buildings, but she didn’t know the stories behind the names. Stanton-Nutt’s 10-year-old daughter, Alexa Nutt, said she had never been to a cemetery before, and she expected it to be spookier. Her favorite part of the tour was hearing the story of Henry Wheeler, the medical student who killed a robber during the James-Younger Gang’s attempted bank raid.
This was the second year that the Historical Society has hosted the Cemetery Tours. Scriven commented that the event will return in 2007. “When you get 300 people, you can’t not do it again. It will definitely happen next year.”
“He was a really good storyteller, and he was funny,” she said of Matt Hagen, who portrayed Wheeler. Girl Scout Greta Hughes said her favorite presentation was that of Joel and Gertrude Heatwole, portrayed by Dan Freeman and Marie Gery. Shortly after Joel Heatwole arrived in Northfield in 1884, he purchased the Northfield News and made it the leading weekly paper in the state. He
Joy Riggs is a freelance writer based in Northfield. You can read more of her work at www.joyriggs.net. 5
THE SCRIVER SCRIBBLER
Winter 2006/2007
Magical History Tour is One Groovy Trip For those of us who experienced the 60’s the first time around – and those of us who didn’t – the Northfield Historical Society revived this lost era in swinging style at our sixth annual fundraising auction, held on Saturday, November 4 at the Grand Event Center. The lively Magical History Tour encouraged spirited attire, and attendees responded enthusiastically, sporting psychedelic tee shirts and dresses, love beads, peace signs and go-go boots. Unlike their 60’s counterparts, however, these latter-day hippies pulled full wallets out of their embroidered jeans and emptied them on behalf of NHS. Nearly 100 people pattended the event, which raised more than $11,000. As our largest fundraiser of the year, this auction helps to fund educational programs for hundreds of students annually, and supports the general operations of the Society including the exhibit program, Museum Store, and special events. Generous – and often quirky – donations of auction items from the community made for an entertaining “FUNdraiser.” Where else can you bid on a night of bowling with a local bank president, “magic” brownies, and snow shoveling courtesy of the Society’s interim executive director? With the help of many volunteers, this event enabled loyal NHS supporters to dust off their mini-skirts and bell-bottoms and bid on new and vintage items, one-of-a-kind services, and gift cards for dining and entertainment. The silent auction began at 6:30 p.m., followed by a costume contest
and live auction with veteran auctioneer Ed Kuhlman, who made a spectacular entrance in his own Magic Bus. Live auction items included at-home dinners hosted by the presidents of St. Olaf and Carleton, an open cockpit airplane ride, a tugboat excursion, 40 gallons of black paint (which could be purchased for delivery to a “friend’s” address) and other unusual offerings. New this year were “Fund-A-Need” items, which gave the audience an opportunity to target their dollars to support specific NHS causes. The evening ended with dancing and karaoke. We thank everyone who donated items, services and time to this important event. We also extend our appreciation to the generous people who bid on and purchased goods to show their support for the NHS. Next year, you’ll have an opportunity to “Bond” with other history buffs at our 007 Casino Royale Fundraiser. Start saving those donation items now!
A New Way to Give…
WELCOME Members!
FUND-A-NEED!
Welcome to all of our new members, and a big THANK YOU to our old friends for renewing their NHS memberships! Should you wish to make an additional donation, please consider upgrading your membership (see article facing page). If you have any questions about your membership status, or to notify us of changes in your address or contact information, please call the NHS at 507-645-9268.
Fund-A-Need raises money for critical items needed by the Historical Society that are often overlooked due to budget limitations. It’s a convenient way to earmark your contribution for specific items and programs that further our mission. Consider giving today! Please pick one or more items below and send your check to the NHS with your contact information.
Renewing Members Anne Bretts and Wendell Ellis Ann & Brendon Etter Gilbert Felton T. Willard Hunter Myrna Johnson Joan Kark Allyn & Deanna Kuennen Edward Klinkhammer Patrick and Dana Murtha Katharine Peterson Mike & Edie Piper Paul Scott
Frame for Rotating Exhibit .........................................$50 Office Chair ..................................................................$70 New Edition of Museum Catalog ...............................$70 Digital Image Storage System......................................$30 Archival Supplies – Film/Sleeves.................................$35 Flat Files, Oversized Documents.................................$50 Archive Shelving...........................................................$80 Digital Camera ...........................................................$400 Photo Printer..............................................................$350 Program Sponsorship ..................................................$50 6
Mary Titus James & Martha Waddell
New Members Marjorie Best Alfred Broz Mary Casey Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee Marjorie Bingham & Thomas Egan Craig Hall Hayes & Jenny Scriven
THE SCRIVER SCRIBBLER
Winter 2006/2007
Check Out Our New Member Benefits Recently, our Membership Committee slightly revised the benefits that correspond to the various membership levels. We still have the standard six annual membership levels, as well as our Lifetime Membership. Each membership level now has different “perks,” as described below. Fixed Income (65+) $35 • Scriver Scribbler mailed to your home quarterly • 10% discount in Museum Store • Invitation to special events and programs • Free admission to museum & events Family $50 • Scriver Scribbler mailed to your home quarterly • 10% discount in Museum Store • Invitation to special events and programs • Free admission to museum & events
Lifetime $1000 • Scriver Scribbler mailed to your home quarterly • 15% discount in Museum Store
Building $100 • Scriver Scribbler mailed to your home quarterly • 15% discount in Museum Store • Invitation to special events and programs • Free admission to museum & events • Reduced fee for access to research room
Business $250 • Scriver Scribbler mailed to your business quarterly • Free admission to museum & events for your employees, at designated times • Free advice on preserving documents & researching history of business • Business name on our website
Patron $250 • Scriver Scribbler mailed to your home quarterly • 15% discount in Museum Store • Invitation to special events and programs • Free admission to museum & events • Free access to research room • Reduced fee for research assistance
Sustaining $500 • Scriver Scribbler mailed to your home quarterly • 15% discount in Museum Store • Invitation to special events and programs • Free admission to museum & events • Free access to research room • Five free hours of research assistance
• Invitation to special events and programs • Free admission to museum & events • Free access to research room
• Free research assistance • Special Lifetime Membership meetings • Special membership card
Become a member of the Northfield Historical Society today
Help “Make History” in Northfield! ❏ YES! I’d like to help “make history” in Northfield!
With your NHS membership, you also receive benefits at affiliated organizations in Rice County: Rice County Historical Society (RCHS), 3 R Landmark Society (Lonsdale), Dundas Historical Society, Morristown Historical Society. These benefits include 10% off at the RCHS museum store, half-price admission to all facilities, half-price research at the RCHS, membership rates extended to all affiliated/chapter members for events at all institutions, invitations to the RCHS annual meeting mailed to all affiliated/chapter members.
❏ Senior (65+) $35 ❏ Patron – $250
If you have any questions or concerns about these new benefits, please contact the Northfield Historical Society at 507-645-9268. Become a member today – fill out this coupon or join online at www.northfieldhistory.org.
Email _________________________________________ Please enclose this form with your check made out to the Northfield Historical Society and mail to the NHS at 408 Division Street, Northfield MN 55057. Or come visit us – we’re in the Scriver Building on Bridge Square!
Enclosed is my check for a one-year members in the NHS. (Check one) ❏ Family – $50 ❏ Sustaining – $500
❏ Building – $100 ❏ Life – $1,000
Name_________________________________________ Address _______________________________________ Telephone _____________________________________
7
THE SCRIVER SCRIBBLER Holiday Events continued from front page Northfield. Winter Stories with Ann North and Friends concludes with Mrs. North’s recollections of her first winter in Northfield with her husband, Northfield founder John North. Space will be limited, so reserve your place early for this sure-to-be-popular event. Make a Date for the Sweetheart Dance!
Mark your calendar now to attend our new Sweetheart Dance on February 22 at the Grand Event Center . . . a nostalgic, post-Valentine’s-Day tribute to the romance of the dressed-up Evening Out. You’ll dance to swing, country and pop from a live band, and enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the vintage ambiance of the Grand. More
Winter 2006/2007 details on this exciting event will be available after the first of the year. “Way Back! It’s Off the Wall . . .” Baseball Tales
It’s the great American past-time and our country’s most elegant contribution to sports . . . baseball! Master storyteller Will Healy of “Over and Back” fame emcees an allstar line-up of the best (and mostly true) Northfield baseball stories. Local folks with strong ties to Northfield baseball will tell their humorous, historical, and poignant tales . . . ideal entertainment for the whole family. Scheduled for April 12, “Way Back! It’s Off the Wall . . .” promises to kick off spring baseball season in unique fashion. Watch upcoming Scriver Scribblers for details!
Northfield Historical Society Calendar of Upcoming Events Join us for a heartwarming holiday season! Thursday, December 7 – Winter Walk
Thursday, February 22 – Sweetheart Dance!
Free Museum Tours: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Photos: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Scriver Building, Bridge Square Holiday lights, carolers, entertainment, refreshments, FREE PHOTOS with the James-Younger Gang. Author John J. Koblas will sign copies of Faithful Unto Death.
Grand Event Center A nostalgic, post-Valentine’s-Day tribute to the romance of the dressed-up Evening Out. Live music, dancing, drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
Thursday, January 18 – Winter Stories with Ann North and Friends
7:00 p.m. Millstream Commons Fireside chat with historic Northfielders.
Thursday, April 12 – “Way Back! It’s Off the Wall . . .”
Master storyteller Will Healy of “Over and Back” fame emcees an all-star line-up of the best (and mostly true) Northfield baseball stories. Museum Store/Self-Guided Tours
Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. • Closed Monday
www.northfieldhistory.org 408 Division Street Northfield, MN 55057 S
HISTORICAL O C I E T Y
NORTHFIELD
Standard A Permit No. 166 Northfield, MN 55057
PAID U.S. Postage Non-Profit Organization