August-September 2018 Sailor

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August/September 2018

Your Summer Guide to Southwest Minnesota!

You can’t beat a day at the

lake

Photo by Per Peterson

Little Cason Evans’ enjoyment at Lake Sarah was written all over his face during a June outing with his father, Colin. The Evanses are from Revere.

Published by Tracy Publishing Company, Inc. • 207 4th Street • Tracy, MN 56175 • (507) 629-4300 • www.swmnsailor.com

2 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 3

Czech fest

Hundreds gather in tiny Bechyn to celebrate heritage, preserve church The ornate altar at the Church of St. Mary in Bechyn has been welcoming the faithful since 1915.

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Nestled among vast corn fields in all directions, sits the quiet and lonely unincorporated village of Bechyn.

Not much remains of the berg 10 miles northeast of Redwood Falls. But in more bustling times, Bechyn boasted two general stores, a post office, a blacksmith shop and a church.

Still visible in Bechyn, which was named after Bechyne of the Czech Republic, are one of the general stores, as well as the old blacksmith shop.

But it’s the majestic 103-year-old Church of St. Mary’s, where Sunday Masses were discontinued in 1992, that keeps Bechyn (Pop. 5) on the map, and is at the center of the town’s Czech Heritage Festival.

‘I’ve never seen a more beautiful church,” said one woman to another at last year’s event. “It brought tears to my eyes. I wish they still held services here.”

The Czech Fest has been an annual event for the past 26 summers. This year’s event is planned Sunday, August 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We get around 1,500 people attending each year,” said Gary Wertish, who has organized the Czech Fest with his wife, Jeanne, since 1992. “We want to maintain the church and its tradition. I was a parish member of the church for 40 years. My parents are both Czechs and attended the church, and so did my grandparents.”

Many help make the celebration a success.

“We’ve been volunteering since it first began,” said Caren Swoboda, whose husband Lewis’ great-grandparents

Czech fest:

See page four

8,800 Free Circulation Published by Tracy Publishing Company 207 4th Street, Tracy, MN 56175 (507) 629-4300 • FAX (507) 629-4301 www.swmnsailor.com tracypublishing@headlightherald.com per@headlightherald.com Seth Schmidt – Publisher Per Peterson – Editor April DeSchepper – Ad Composition Julie Johnston – Office Manager Kris Knott – Advertising Sales Lisa Sell – Advertising Manager Carol Strand – Bookkeeper PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR: The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement.

4 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Czech fest Continued from page three

John and Agnes Swoboda (along with Jacob and Josephine Krell) donated five acres of land for the original church to be built. “It’s such a nice church and we need to keep it going.”

A walk through the overflowing makeshift parking lot during the 2017 Chech Fest revealed license plates from nearly two-dozen states, including California, Florida, Virginia and Texas.

“A lot of them have some kind of affiliation with the church and want to support it,” said Wertish. “They might have attended the church, or their parents or other relatives might have gone to the church. But there are also a lot of people that just come for the fun and to help support us.”

Mollie B. of the Mollie B. Polka Party headlines this year’s entertainment.

Mollie B. has been named Favorite Female Vocalist numerous times by both the United States Polka Association and the International Polka Association.

The Bechyn Czech Folk dancers, as well as others, step on the constructed outdoor dance floor under a big top to showcase their talents. The Sleepy Eye Concertina Club, as well as Colton Tupy and the Sand Creek Connection, will also perform.

An outdoor dinner is served cafeteria style. Several food stands with ethnic Czech fare will also be on hand. Dishes to try include Kolache (a fruit pastry) and Knedlicky (dumplings and gravy).

Thirst-quenching ideas include root beer floats or a beverage from the beer wagon.

A silent auction, quilt raffle, benefit raffle, bake sale, gift shop, farmers market, Bingo, and children’s activities are also planned.

“I think everyone has a good time,” said Wertish. “We always draw a good crowd and we see a lot of the same people come back year after year.”

A not-so-subtle message greets visitors at the Church of St. Mary’s during the Czech heritage festival.

center, which is available for rent for family reunions and other events. Some weddings and funerals are still held in the church.

The 17-member volunteer non-profit preservation committee organizes and hosts the Czech Heritage Festival, with all the money raised being filtered back into the preservation of the church and grounds.

Proceeds from past festivals, along with other donations, have paid for a furnace

replacement, painting the church inside and out, refinishing pews, maintaining stained glass windows, installation of a tile drainage system, and new shingles.

Ornate wood designs in the altar area, stained glass windows and handsome pews make the church interior breathtaking.

Czech immigrants founded St. Mary’s parish in 1879 by Czech immigrants.

Mass was celebrated in private homes until a church could be built in 1882.

The Sleepy Eye Concertina Club performs at the Czech festival.

The parish grew. When the number of families served by the parish increased to 60, a larger and more ornate church was dedicated in 1915. The original church was moved to Henryville Township, where it still serves as a township hall.

Dancers step through a lively polka.

Beautiful church The goal of preserving the church, and its Czech Catholic heritage, are at the heart of the summer fest.

After the church closed 26 years ago, a group of parishioners requested and were granted approval by the Diocese of New Ulm to preserve the church and remember the Czech ancestors who founded the parish.

The Czech Heritage Festival was born. In 2006, a St. Mary’s Preservation Association was formed and took over ownership of the church and grounds.

The church has become a community

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 5

Liberty Pawn Coins, tokens are niches for Pipestone collectibles shop

By Shari Dalin Nelson

A sign on a wall in Liberty Pawn, Coins, and Antiques, Inc. warns of a malady known as “antique pox” and cautions that the illness is very contagious to adults. Symptoms include the “need for fresh air, sunshine and relaxation,” blank expressions, and occasional deafness, to name a few. Since no medication treats this malady effectively, alternative medical treatments such as attending auctions and visiting antique shops do ease symptoms.

For 29 years Luke Johnson has followed the trends of the time as he stocks his antique shop on the west end of the 200 block of Main Street in Pipestone. In addition to coins, he stocks an eclectic assortment of collectibles ranging from Native-American artifacts to CocaCola memorabilia to antique pictures and glassware to musical instruments and sundry items. During store hours people also stop for a while to visit about things such as the recent heavy rains and flooding in Southwest Minnesota.

A large Phillips 66 sign in the front window of the building catches an approaching shopper’s attention as do

The Phillips 66 memorabilia are from a bulk fuel delivery business in Holland.

The collecting fever is easy to catch at Liberty Pawn.

other Phillips 66 signs inside the store.

These signs are from his grandfather and great-grandfather, who ran a bulk delivery business in Holland. He has childhood memories of riding along in the bulk truck when he was a kid.

While Johnson grew up in Pequot Lakes, he became interested in coins through his uncle who dealt with coins.

Also, on his way to and from school, Johnson walked by a coin dealer’s shop and began working with coins when he was a teenager. After earning a college degree, he was unable to find a job; so

he decided to open his own business in Pipestone, where his grandparents lived.

Today the demand for breakable antiques has become soft, but buyers’ interest in coins and business tokens remains strong. Johnson stated that he is particularly interested in coins and tokens including business tokens and pictures of businesses, which were used to promote goods and services.

Of course, he buys and sells coins and currency.

His business card describes him as a “dealer in precious metals and antiques” who specializes “in all forms of exonumia [numismatic items (such as tokens, medals, or scrip) other than coins and paper money] including World’s Fair medals, Civil War tokens, and all ‘good

for’ merchant trade tokens.” Also, on the card one will find “always buying U. S. and foreign coins and currency, national banknotes and worldwide merchant token.”

As buyers’ shopping habits have moved from brick and mortar shops, Johnson has followed them to online sales. His sales online include more work for him because of the time of preparing items for safe shipment, but he realizes that the convenience of online buying makes his wares more attractive to his customers.

His inventory includes things he finds while traveling, things people ask him to look at, and things he acquires through

Antique store: See page six

91st Annual

Box Car Days August 31 - September 3, 2018 Tracy, Minnesota Friday • Tracy area Chamber Burger Night • Beer Pong Tournament

2018 Miss Tracy Sarita Hook (middle), first runner-up Sydney Lanoue (right), second runner-up Alecia Christian (left).

SaTurday • Kegs & Eggs • annual Labor day “400 Open” Golf Tournament • annual Softball Tournament • 4th Annual BBQ Cook-Off • “Texas Hold ‘Em” Tournament • Human Foosball - 16 yrs. & Older • Kiddie Parade – Central Park • Street dance “Hicktown Mafia” NO COVEr CHarGE!

For more information contact Tracy Area Chamber at (507) 629-4021

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SuNday • annual Softball Tournament • Mud Volleyball Tournament • Horseshoe Tournament • Human Foosball - 15 yrs. & younger • “Texas Hold ‘em” Tournament • Miss Tracy Scholarship Program • Tractor Pedal-Pull MONday • Fly-in/drive-in Breakfast • Box Car day road race • St. Mary’s arts & Crafts Fair • St. Mary’s Food Stand • Tracy Pigeon race

aLL 3 dayS (SaT. - MON.) • Bingo Stand • Beer Garden • Wheels across the Prairie Museum open • antique Tractor Show • Midwest rides & Concessions

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6 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Civil War Days takes aim in Pipestone

Surprises await browsers on every shelf at Liberty Pawn.

Antiques: A little of everything Continued from page five

private purchases.

A day trip to Pipestone to view the National Monument, the Calumet Hotel, the Water Tower, and other historic sites in the city could bring antique and coin buffs to Johnson’s Liberty Pawn, Coins, and Antiques, Inc.

Tracy revs up for Box Car Days

One of Minnesota’s longest-running community festivals rolls down the tracks again over the Labor Day weekend.

The August 31 to Sept. 3 Tracy Box Car Days festival is the town’s 91st. The first Box Car Days, which was a salute to the town’s status as a bustling Chicago & Northwestern Railroad hub, was held in 1927.

Midwest Rides & Concessions will operate a downtown carnival midway Saturday through Monday. A Labor Day parade Monday afternoon is a perennial favorite. Dozens of tractors are expected at the Wheels across the Prairie Museum

all weekend. The Tracy Chamber of Commerce’s beer gardens is a favorite gathering place.

Other highlights include: Saturday—400 Open Golf Tournament, softball tourney, BBQ cook-off, Texas Hold ‘Em tourney, Human Foosball, kiddie parade, Hicktown Mafia street dance.

Sunday—Mud volleyball, softball & horseshoe tourneys, kids’ pedal pull, Miss Tracy Scholarship program.

Monday—Fly-in breakfast at airport, 5K & 10K road races, St. Mary’s craft fair, pigeon race.

Civil War Days returns to Pipestone on Hiawatha Pageant Park grounds Saturday and Sunday, August 11-12.

The event is the only Civil War reenactment in Minnesota this year.

Grounds open at 8 a.m. each day, with soldiers’ camps open to visitors. Occasional skirmishes between the Blue & Gray may occur during the day, culminating with a battle each afternoon. The 5th Regimental Band will be performing concerts daily and at the grand ball Saturday evening; which is open to the public.

“President Lincoln” will be in attendance, to confer with “General Grant” on the progress of the war, and review the troops. At 5:30 p.m. at the Pipestone Performing Arts Center, “Abraham Lincoln”, after having been shot by an assassin, will describe his life. This event is described as an opportunity “to witness and interact with the highest quality period musicians, actors, educators, historians and individuals of the Civil War era. On Sutler’s Row, metalworkers, and others artisans demonstrate their craft to bring history to life for all who attend. Re-enactors from throughout the upper mid-west will recreate scenes of camp and daily life, portraying customs of the era, and participating in battle scenarios from the Civil War.” Programs will be ongoing, including three Civil War baseball games, and cannon demonstrations. There will be a story teller, children’s games, a magician, and a school teacher will be holding school for those not old enough to leave home to fight for their nation. At Matthew Brady’s Photography Shop, you can learn about the art of photography during the War and how it allowed this to be the first photographed war in history. The medical surgeon will demonstrate the latest techniques in medical care. Camp musicians will perform throughout the weekend.

A display of 200 authentic Civil War guns, and a visit to the Cabinet of Curiosities will reveal the specimens collected by Professor Longley, a scientist and explorer of South America in 1863. Many food vendors will be on hand, including Dr. Cranium’s root beer, served in a souvenir mug.

Firing vintage cannons is a part of Pipestone’s Civil War Days. (Photo courtesy Pipestone Chamber of Commerce, Julie Carrow)

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 7

Valhalla: Third evolution of island paradise Last in a series

advance ticket sales. The money was donated to the Tracy Reclamation Fund to repair infrastructure, parks and sidewalks.

By Janet Timmerman

Valhalla Island entered its next evolution under new management in the 1960s. Rock bands were in their heyday, new-fangled vehicles called snowmobiles were gaining popularity.

When the gas prices shot up in the 1970s, recreation close to home looked more attractive. A new look and a new vitality came to the island.

In 1967, after owning and operating the Valhalla Resort for 62 years, Oscar Beal decided to sell. Hilary Barry, owner of Barry Construction in Lake Wilson, and a group of investors purchased the island minus a few acres and the home on the southwestern tip that Beal kept for his retirement home. After living most of his life on the island, Beal wanted to spend the remainder of his days enjoying the fishing and lakeshore. He continued to be a strong advocate for water quality and environmental health. The purchase also included the long spit and a few acres of Keeley Island to the east.

One story about Valhalla Island during that time is handed down word of mouth.

In the 1920s Oscar Beal had pushed hard for building the Lake Shetek dam that raised the level of the lake almost two feet at the time. This project narrowed the spit of land that ran between Keeley and Valhalla. Where once the land could accommodate wagon traffic, it could

An aerial photo taken in 1968 of Valhalla Island. (Murray County Historical Society).

Over the next few years the old tavern, reported to be built from a portion of the old Hobert hotel, was remodeled and became the Valhalla Steakhouse.

Lakeshore lots were improved and sold.

By 1975 all of Keeley’s developed lots were sold. The Valhalla Corporation also developed the Edgewater beach area and sold lots there.

The Valhalla Campground went through extensive restorations and grew to 150 campsites. Half had water and electricity hook-ups. The campground also established one of the modern amenities for RV’s, a dump station.

Campers could take a shower in the bath house and wash their clothes in the new laundromat.

An aerial photo of Valhalla Island, looking east, in 1968, taken by Micky Walker from a helicopter. (Hilary Barry photo collection)

barely accommodate foot traffic by the 1960s and in high water, disappeared alltogether. According to a phone interview with Clarence Julien’s grand-nephew, the spit of land and the few acres attached was owned by local farmer, Julien, as part of an estate left to him by a relative.

Beal, believing he had Clarence’s permission, dug a channel through the spit between the islands to accommodate boat traffic. Relatives close to Clarence were so incensed that at one time they hung a no trespassing sign on a cable across the narrows. Though court cases were threatened the case was settled out of court. Beal bought the acreage, including the land he had dug out, and in turn sold the contested land to the Valhalla Corporation.

The buildings on the island needed restoration and updating, and the island needed a facelift. Hilary Barry quipped, “It was a short-term project that lasted ten years.” The investors named the company the Valhalla Development Corporation. Partners in the corporation, along with Barry, included Mickey Walker, John Williams of Marshall, Dr. Jean Bader, and Bob Payton. They hired

Bob and Betty Payton to manage the resort.

The corporation invested over $100,000 in restoration to the buildings and grounds. The crown jewel was a completely restored dancehall. Once the restorations were done, the grand opening for the resort was during the summer solstice in June of 1968. The new Valhalla sign was rolled out sporting its distinctive Viking ship with furled sail.

There was something for everyone that weekend. Topping the list was Elmer Scheid. Scheid was well known in southwest Minnesota for his concertina playing and his polka band. Tiny Little and his Orchestra played all the favorites from the big band era. For the younger set, Soul Express, and for the country western fans, Jack Reno of Nashville Tennessee.

Free barbeques and refreshments were given out all day Saturday until they were gone. Rollerskating was offered for only 60 cents at the roller drome!

Just a few weeks later Tracy was hit by a devastating tornado and the owners of Valhalla sponsored a benefit dance for their neighboring community. Cash donations topped $1,000 not including

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The island was becoming a year-round mecca with dances each weekend. Many big-name bands played the venue. Head East played to a sell-out crowd in the 1970s. Local and regional bands became the favorites. There is hardly a 60-yearold in the county that hasn’t got a story about the Sherwin Linton or Shaw Band.

In the winter, snowmobile races on the lake took center stage. Hundreds of spectators showed up on cold winter weekends to watch as many as 300 daredevil racers In 1979 a hotel and lodge were

Valhalla Island: See page eight

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8 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Valhalla Island Continued from page seven

constructed just southwest of the dancehall. The building had spent the first part of its life as Anderson’s Junction Motel on the corner of Hwys. 30 and 59 in Slayton where Bomgaars now stands.

Owners Terry Lingen, Doug Rupp, and Larry Darger moved the building in and added a second story to it. The Lake Shetek Lodge had 12 rooms right on the lakeshore available for rent daily, weekly, monthly or even on an annual basis.

The sundeck and lower patio offered full access to 200 feet of sand beach. Bill and Ad Phillips were the managers. (See photo).

In the 1980s Donald Fisher took over ownership of the Valhalla Steakhouse and developed it into one of the most popular restaurants in the region. His specialty was a 32-ounce prime rib cut.

In one weekend he could serve up 600 pounds of prime rib to hungry diners.

He said he sent home a lot of doggie bags but doubted that few ever made it to the family pet.

The Valhalla Corporation did not stop with the development of the island. It also developed lake lots on the small peninsula to the west called Edgewater.

The investor group eventually sold off the various portions of the island to individuals. It morphed into the island we know today with Key Largo, the Valhalla campground and the Shetek Marina as active businesses. Many homes grace the lakeshores and Facebook lights up with posts of beautiful sunsets, family gatherings and pontoon parties.

The 50 acres called Valhalla Island has changed greatly over the last 130

Long lines of vehicles parked along Valhalla Road, and out onto the lake ice, attest to the large crowds that January snowmobile races attracted on Valhalla Island during the early 1970s. (Murray County Herald photo).

years and yet still serves in the capacity of Southwest Minnesota’s playground.

Lake Shetek has evolved to become shallower and murkier than Oscar Beal’s description of a 20-25 foot lake with crystal clear water in the early 1900s. That doesn’t stop the private development or the mass of water skiers, jet skiers, fisherman, and boaters on the lake today. People can still fish, go for a boat ride, lounge near the water, and buy a cold beer on the island. It is still the “Home of Joy.” Timmerman is director of the Murray County Historical Society.

Campers at the Valhalla Campground, circa 1975. (Murray County Historical Society).

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 9

Ihlen & Split Rock Creek offer off-beaten track charm

By Shari Dalin Nelson

Traffic on State Highway 23 seven miles south of Pipestone slows down to 50 miles per hour as it hurries through Ihlen, Minnesota, population sixty some. This village sports four short east west streets bearing the names of Mabel, Jessica, Holman, and Judd and three north south streets named Bertha, Sherman, and Waldo.

Now that the Glass House restaurant has closed, only one business remains in the town which once was home to the largest railroad coaling operation of its kind west of Chicago, a post office, a

general store, a mercantile, a hardware store, a bank, three elevators, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, a barber shop, two restaurants, a meat market, a school, and a Lutheran church. The Ihlen Mercantile Company building, on the corner of Holman and Sherman, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, remains. The Zion Lutheran Church at the corner of Judd and Sherman, is also a survivor, although its stained-glass windows are protected by shutters.

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See page 14

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Pipestone Civil War Days “Learning through Living History” August 11 & 12, 2018

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Re-enactors and Public Welcome!

•Abraham Lincoln –Both Days •Daily Battles (Sat. 3 p.m. & Sun. 2 p.m.)

•Over 200 Authentic Civil War Guns •Vintage Baseball •Civil War Ball – Sat. 8:00 p.m.

•Food Vendors & Sutlers

This activity is funded, in part, by a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council through an appropriation from the MN State Legislature with money from the State's general fund.

➻ ➻ ➻ ➻

Jewelry Clothing Carvings CDs

➻ ➻ ➻ ➻

Peace Pipes Hats Books Videos

Located at the Pipestone National Monument and www.authenticpipestone.com

PO Box 727, Pipestone, MN 56164

Monument open 7 Days A Week

Monday thru Sunday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Hours subject to change (507) 825-5463 • pipestone.isa@gmail.com

New Minnetonka Moccasins & Sandals •Crafts & Craft Supplies •Rough Pipestone •Pipestone Articles •Jewelry

At the entrance to the Pipestone National Monument 104 9th St. NE, Pipestone, MN (507) 825-4474

•Pottery •Collectable •Moccasins •Souvenirs

Pipestone Summer Cruize-Ins

August 2 Pipestone Co. Fairgrounds Thursday, Sept. 6 5:00-7:30 p.m.

Historic Downtown Free • Fun • Food

Bring Your Car or TruCk!

PipestoneMinnesota.com Call the Chamber at (507) 825-3316

PiPestone Performing Arts Center September 15

SeaSon opener: Kat perKinS

nov. 30; Dec. 1-2 & 7-8-9 al oplanD SinGerS preSent

Gala 6 p.m.; Showtime 7:30 p.m.

“chriStmaS FeStival oF muSic”

oct. 12-13-14-15; oct. 19-20-21 calumet playerS

December 20

“DoublewiDe texaS”

eveninG Showtime 7:30 p.m.

SunDay matinee 2 p.m.

All dates and programs are subject to change. Check the website or box office for additional show. Vouchers can be used for many Center shows.

However, we reserve the right to withdraw any show from voucher use!

Six appeal: uGly chriStmaS Sweater party 7:30 p.m.

These activities are made possible in part and by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the SW MN Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund”

PipestoneMinnesota.com/performingartscenter 2018 GRANT GUIDELINES (507) 825-3316 • PipestoneMinnesota.com/cwd For tourism marketing

104 East Main strEEt • PiPEstonE, Mn Box office (507) 825-2020 or Toll free (877) 722-2787

10 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Lucan preserves John Zwach Congressional aura

By Seth Schmidt

The executive’s office stands ready.

A high-backed leather chair—pulled up to a jumbo-sized hardwood desk— is set to welcome the boss back to work. The desk pad is poised for new reports. A family portrait and personal mementoes grace the desktop. Plaques, awards, and photos covering the walls leave no doubt that this is the office of someone important.

Only a massive manual typewriter, and vintage black & white-framed photos, reveal the space as a half-century-old time capsule, not a working office.

Congressman John Zwach’s reconstituted Washington, D.C. office in Lucan recalls a popular Minnesota political figure, and perhaps a less partisan era of American government.

“He was open to friendship with everyone,” remembers Alice Thull, a volunteer with the Lucan Historical Society, which maintains the Zwach office. “I don’t think he had a hostile bone in his body. Everyone liked John.”

Zwach was elected to four terms in the U.S. House, serving from January of 1967 to January of 1975. The Congressional tenure capped four-decades of elected office for Zwach, who served in the

A photo of Senator and Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Congressman John Zwach (center) includes a personal note from Humphrey.

Minnesota House from 1935-47, and the Minnesota Senate from 1947-67.

“In 40 years, John never lost an election,” Thull said of the 1926 Milroy High School graduate, who for 14 years was a teacher and Milroy’s school superintendent. He farmed in the Milroy area during much of his tenure in the state legislature.

Zwach was part of the Minnesota legislature conservative caucus, and the

Zwach:

See page 19

Pipestone Paranormal Weekend

October 12 & 13 Activities include: •Popular Ghost Hunt

Fill ‘er up? A vintage gas pump on Lucan museum grounds dates from the automobile’s earliest days in Minnesota.

a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate

Lake Shetek Lots For Sale!

with EMF/EVP equipment provided.

• Psychic Gallery Reading •Cemetery tours and more!

Reservations Required.

Contact the Pipestone County Museum for more details.

(507) 825-2563 pipctymu@iw.net pipestoneminnesota.com/museum

Autum Blaze – 4 Lots available

Edgewater – 2 Lots available

Dylan’s Lookout – 8 Lots available

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Call the Archbold TeAm for details! bill – (507) 829-5407 molly – (507) 530-6036

Molly & Bill Archbold

Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 11

Balaton

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Stella House Bed & Breakfast

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Friendly & understanding staff Front from Left: Lisa Landsman, Sophie Jenniges Back: Jodi Thooft, Brenda Rolling, Peggy Tutt, Elaine Tholen, Dr. Richard Brown

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12 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Landmark in Canby 1892 Victorian is on-going labor of love

By Scott Thoma

An enormous 127-year-old Linden tree seemingly stands as a backyard protector in the back yard of the historic Lund-Hoel House Museum in Canby.

The tree, with its large branches and heart-shaped leaves, serves as a 100-foot umbrella for the John G. Lund house’s many visitors each summer.

“It is the only tree remaining of the 400 that Lund planted in Canby,” explained Betty Hanna, one of the MECCA board members that own and operate the house.

Lund came to Canby in 1876 with his parents. He eventually became one of Minnesota’s most recognizable real estate Flora (Miller) Lund magnates, enticing many settlers and businesses into the area. The wheeling and dealing allowed Lund to become a selfmade millionaire.

Outside of Lund-Hoel House.

In 1889, John was 20 years old when he married 22-year-old Flora Miller. Three years later their elaborate home was built in only 49 days.

As the Lund Land Agency grew and prospered, the Lunds were able to afford additions to their already eye-catching home. In 1900, the decorative balconies outside each second-floor room, the turret, and the unique “gingerbread” trimwork were added.

The original house section is still referred to as the “49-Day House”.

Lund also became mayor of Canby in 1898, as well as being elected to the state legislature in 1903. He had been mentioned as a candidate for governor.

The entire block of land that Lund owned at the time

was surrounded by a fence of “hardheads” with iron gates in the summer of 1900. Although other homes have been built on the block, the historic fence of field stones remains intact, thanks to a 1999 restoration.

The Victorian dark green and white 15-room mansion/museum, complete with Carriage House Interpretive Center, is open to the public in the summer.

The Lund-Hoel House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

In 1894, Lund, his sister Mollie (Lund) Eaton and her husband Frank Eaton, planted nearly 400 trees in Canby.

But as the town began to prosper over the years and more buildings were erected and streets were widened, the trees were all removed.

Still standing, though, is the tree and the home the Lunds owned until 1903 when Lund’s sister, Mary (Lund) Hoel, and her husband, Rev. Olaf Hoel, took over residency in the home.

The Lunds then moved to Minneapolis where the main office of John’s extensive land business was located.

The Hoels owned the home for 25 years when their daughter, Nella, then became owner. Olaf and Mary lived in the house until their deaths in 1930. Their funerals, three months apart, were held inside the home.

When Nella married Andrew Berg in 1931, the couple

Rev. Olaf Hoel

Mary (Lund) Hoel

Canby landmark: See page 13

A large linden tree adorns the back yard of the Lund-Hoel House.

Canby Drug & Gifts “A Store Full of Treasures”

Located at the junction of highways 68 & 75

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CaMping or Cabin rentals Weddings • family reunions

Jewels of the Prairie

Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 13

Canby landmark Continued from page 12

moved to Minneapolis and took all the family furnishings with them. The Bergs maintained ownership of the house in Canby for 30 years, but turned it into an apartment complex once they moved out.

In all, the Lund-Hoel-Berg family connection maintained ownership for a total of 67 years.

In 1958, the home was put up for sale and purchased by Minnie Richter, who used it as a Board and Care Home for senior citizens.

Richter also used a portion of the house as the Women’s Relief Corps in which members met on the second Tuesday of each month. Minnie Richter served as secretary-treasurer. The Women’s Relief Corps was a mainstay in Canby for over 50 years, sending relief packages to soldiers during World War II. The relief corps, unable to entice new and younger members, disbanded in June of 1974.

The senior-care housing was also living on borrowed time. State regulations in regards to food preparation and nutritional guidelines served to the elderly changed often, making it much more difficult for Minnie to keep up. So she decided to close the senior living facility and put the house up for sale.

Located on the corner of Highway 75 and Fourth Street, the Lund-Hoel House was purchased by MECCA (Museum Encompassing the Canby Community Area) in 1975.

Through photographs, writings and other means, MECCA has meticulously restored the house as historically accurate as possible.

When asked when the refurbishing was completed, Hanna jokingly responded “Today”.

“It’s an ongoing project,” she explained. “We’re getting donated items all the time Andrea Berg from someone to put in the home.

Actually, it took us several years to get the house back to its original settings. Because there were so many different owners, the rooms were all changed.”

Nella (Hoel) Berg Tr a n s f o r m i n g the rooms back to the way the Lunds had designed it was no easy task.

“We even had the many layers of wallpaper removed that were put up over the years so we could determine the original layer,” explained Hanna. “I would take a hunk of the layers of paper and soak them in warm water so I could get them apart and locate the original design. We then sent samples into a company and had them duplicated.”

MECCA members then re-papered each room to its original design after damaged walls were repaired and replastered.

The restoration project also included

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Betty Hanna, one of the MECCA board members, and tour guide Jack Nemitz discuss features of the Lund-Hoel House.

insulating, repairing and refurbishing floors in all the rooms, installing the original stained glass window on the front door, refinishing and repainting radiators the original gold and black

Rev. Olaf Hoel’s robe is on display in the Lund-Hoel House.

colors, refinishing all wood moldings and trim, installing cedar shingles, repairing and refinishing all the oil lamps, window repairs and much more.

“We found the original bathtub outside and filled with dirt,” said Hanna. “It was being used as a container for flowers.

We cleaned it all up and repainted it with birds and flowers to look like it did originally. Then we matched the design and color of the original bathroom linoleum.”

The outside of the house was painted to the original dark green with white trim. The porches, balconies and railings were all rebuilt and repainted.

A replica barn and carriage shed were constructed per the original plan and placed on the site where they once stood. They were each repainted to their

Restoration: See page 17

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14 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Ihlen Continued from page nine

Railroad brought its line from Willmar to Sioux City, County Surveyor Alfred Tee platted the future town of Ihlen on land owned by Carl C. Ihlen for whom the town was named. The town continued to grow slowly with the addition of railroad and agriculture related businesses. In 1916, the Great Northern Railroad decided to move its division point from Garretson, South Dakota, to Ihlen much to the consternation of nearby Pipestone city fathers who wanted it located in their town.

The railroad built a dam on Split Rock Creek which runs south of the village to form a reservoir for water for steam engines; and in the village Great Northern employees constructed a depot, the Beanery restaurant for the convenience of railroad employees and passengers, a tenstall roundhouse, a turn table, a machine shop capable of both major engine repair and regular maintenance, a water treatment plant, a water tower, a coal shute, five sets of

Split Rock Creek: See page 18

The reservoir behind the Split Rock Creek dam is the only lake in Pipestone County.

Currie Welcome to

The Gateway to Lake Shetek

Schreier’S On Shetek Campground, Inc.

Bait & tackle

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Check with u abou s latest t the fish gossip ing !

RuppeRt Oil CO. intersection Hwy 30 & Co. Rd. 38

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email us at schremks@frontiernet.net or call (507) 763-3817 • Dock System with seating, 62’ from shore • Enclosed picnic shelter (seats 90) • Handicapped accessible restrooms/showers with soft water • Handicap accessible Bathrooms/Shower House for our Tenting & Popup Sites on the Peninsula Free • Office/ministore with bait & ice • Fish Cleaning Facility Wi-Fi • Private Swimming Area with Raft • 120 campsites from tents to full hook-ups Seasonal, Monthly, & Weekly, Nightly Rates Available

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 15

‘Touch the Sky’

Magnificent beauty of prairie showcased

By Shari Dalin Nelson

Tens of thousands of years ago, gigantic glaciers crossed what is now known as Southwestern Minnesota carrying with them humongous rock formations and, as they moved, dropped them in some locations while they crushed and removed rock formations in other places.

As the glaciers moved along what would become the prairieland of Rock and Pipestone Counties, they left behind rock formations which additional tens of thousands of years later made it nearly impossible for farmers to raise row crops yet possible for them to graze animals.

Before Northern European settlers came to this part of the country, bison and Native Americans wandered upon and lived off the land.

Recently, historically speaking, settlers followed trails farther and farther west and broke the prairie land where they built their homesteads and planted their row crops. Thus, in the upper Midwest, the Northern Tall Grass Prairie, which was once the largest North American ecosystem became fragmented, and unplowed land became rare and exists today in small parcels totaling less than one percent of its former size of 240 million acres.

One of the remnants of the prairie still exists in the nearly 1,000 acre Touch the Sky Prairie north of Luverne, where visitors may find approximately 40 native plants and 1200 species of grasses and forbs, many of which are endangered.

In addition, mainly from April through October, hikers and runners and their leashed dogs may follow any or all of the three trails to view waterfalls in Split Rock Creek where river otters live, a mile-long ridge of Sioux quartzite, the beauty of the tall grass prairie, and smooth quartzite outcroppings which bison rubbed to a glassy finish. Rare plants including Western Prairie Fringed Orchid and Water Starwort and the endangered Topeka Shiner minnow live in Touch the Sky Prairie. The site is high enough that visitors may enjoy a 360-degree view which extends as far as 20 miles away. According to the Dakota Sioux, part of the prairie was used as a Native American vision quest site.

Well-known National Geographic wildlife photographer Jim Brandenburg was born one mile from the prairie, and his ancestors broke the sod two miles

Duane’s Body Shop

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Prairie beauty: See page 16

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Milkweed is a native prairie plant that provides food for butterflies.

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www.greenwoodnurserymn.com

16 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Prairie beauty Continued from page 15

from there. In 1999 Brandenburg and his wife Judy formed the Brandenburg Prairie Foundation (BPF) and joined with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to preserve the unplowed acres and to expand Southwest Minnesota’s native prairie. BPF owns the Brandenburg Gallery at 211 East Main Street in Luverne, and all proceeds are used for prairie preservation projects.

Some of the land in the prairie had been grazed and row-cropped, so the USFWS began combining only a small portion of the prairie to get flower and grass seeds to reseed those parts of the prairie. Reseeding practices along with controlled burns have increased the number of species living in Touch the

Sky Prairie and are assisting in restoring and preserving the dwindling tall grass prairie.

To find Touch the Sky Prairie, drive three miles north of Luverne on Highway 75, east (left) three miles on Rock County 20 blacktop, and north (right) on 100th Avenue one mile to a “T” intersection where visitors may get their first view of the prairie. To the west (left) at the top of the hill is one of the three parking areas with an informational kiosk.

From that kiosk a trail leads north, and visitors may enjoy the quiet of the prairie, search for and identify grasses and forbs, notice bison rubbed rock formations, and enjoy the beautiful wild flowers. While they travel along the trail, hikers may see

Valhalla & Keeley Islands on Beautiful lake Shetek

Prairie flowers add rich colors to the prairie landscape.

or hear birds and see pocket gophers or deer.

Further to the west from the “T” intersection is another parking area and kiosk on the south. A trail along Split Rock Creek leads to a secluded series

of waterfalls, and hikers may enjoy the sound and beauty of small waterfalls in other sections of the creek.

Further to the east to 90th Avenue and

Luverne:

See page 19

PETE’S CORNER

Lake Sarah Baptist Church

FReSh, LIVe BAIT

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And There’s More…

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Valhalla Island Campground Service

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Store Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Except Mondays, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Beautiful setting for outdoor aCtivities from Cross-Country skiing to swimming & Boating.

Contact us for information and availability or check our website.

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Dianne’s Dockside

Valhalla Island, Lake Shetek (507) 763-3999

• • • • • • • • • • • •

•

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Sewer, Soft Water, Electricity Rainbow Playground Choose from 3 different size sites Group sites available Air Conditioned Game Room Direct TV Marina Boat Slips Gas on Dock Electricity on Dock Slip Rentals Mooring & Electricity for up to 44 ft. long Boats Sewer Pump Outs Available for House Boat Dock & Lift Sales & Rentals

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Summer Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 6 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 7 a.m. -9 p.m.

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not to mention…

• • • •

Tiki Bar with “Chill Chamber” Sand Volleyball Court Pool Tables New Off-Sale Room

Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 17

Harkin Store offers glimpse of 1870s life

The original “49-day house” that was erected in 1891.

Canby landmark: Restoration is on-going Continued from page 13

original rust color. The original cupola was repaired and repainted and placed on the replica barn.

“One of the interesting things here are the stepping stones,” said tour guide Jack Nemitz. “There is one up by the house and another by the carriage shed. They were used to step up on the carriage, or to get off.”

There are many of the items owned by the Lund and Hoel families in the house.

“They were donated to us by Nella Berg,” said Hanna. “The original furniture and items are marked with a red ribbon.”

One of those items is John Lund’s top hat that is now carefully tucked away in his hat box. Another is Rev. Hoel’s Bible.

In 1907, Flora Lund passed away following an illness at age 41. Close friends of John Lund said that he was mired in depression after his wife’s passing. In 1908, John took his own life in his Minneapolis office. He was 40 years old. The Lunds had no children.

Each step you take in the tour of the

Betty Hanna shows a hat once worn

by John G. Lund.

Lund-Hoel House is like taking a step back in time. And the walk is well worth it.

The Lund-Hoel House Museum and Interpretive Center is open Wednesday through Sunday (closes Monday and Tuesday) from 2-4 p.m. throughout the summer months. Special tours are available by arrangement in the summer.

Betty Hanna, one of the MECCA board members, shows a sample of the original wallpaper in the home that was duplicated for the parlor room.

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Wonder what every day life was like in small Minnesota towns a century and a half ago?

Special August programs at the Harkin Store near New Ulm offer an idea.

A Sunday, August 12 program, promises a sampling of what families did in their leisure time. Popular craft activities included tatting, hardanger, knitting, and various woodcrafts.

Individuals who do these types of crafts have a special invitation to show off their work.

The Harkin store was a part of the village of West Newton in the 1870s. The Nicollet County Historical Society site has 40% of its original merchandise on its shelves. The store is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 to 4 p.m. with programs on Sunday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission to the program is included with admission to the store. The gift shop is open the same hours as the store and has books, toys, unique and hand crafted items, also 10cent candy.

Other programs during August include: Bees & Honey—Sunday August 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. Honey was used as a sweetener instead of sugar. It could be found out on the prairie and could be made by the pioneers. Crystal Bock from Nicollet, will have equipment and information that she uses for making her honey.

One-room school— Sunday, August 26, 1 to 4 p.m. Artifacts from the Robinson school, which was in the Robinson house in the village of West Newton, will be on display.

The store is located nine miles northwest of New Ulm on Nicollet County Road 21, or the bottom road, or nine miles east of Fort Ridgely. Nicollet County Road 21 is under construction so follow the detour signs or call the store when open for directions at 507354-8666, or Nicollet County Historical Society at 507-934-2160.

Murray fair promises jam-packed schedule

The county fair season continues with the Murray County Fair in Slayton, August 15-18.

A cornucopia of entertainment, livestock shows, 4-H displays, delicious food, and carnival thrills are planned.

Grandstand shows include: Wednesday Backseat Driver Competition; Thursday - Great Plains Tractor Pull; Friday - Stock car races; Saturday - Enduro Car Race.

A Friday, August 17 street dance will feature the five-piece band “IV Play.”

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18 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Split Rock Creek Continued from page 14

tracks, and a two -mile long siding. Four passenger trains traveled through the town each day with two going south and two going north. Mail delivery took place both morning and night, and lots of freight moved in and out of Ihlen.

New job openings came about, and railroad employees either lived in Ihlen or boarded with private families in town.

When the railroads replaced steam locomotives with diesel-powered engines, small towns like Ihlen declined rapidly economically and in population.

Today Ihlen has its historic buildings, old pictures on the walls of the community center, many memories, historical importance to the railroad, and Split Rock Creek State Park immediately south of the town.

• • • A turn off Hwy. 23 to the east onto the most southerly street (Judd Street) will eventually lead to County Road 54 and the entrance to Split Rock Creek State Park. Down the hill from the park entrance on the blacktop is a bridge with historical significance because in 1938 people who had been out of work during the Great Depression completed this project through employment with the Works Progress Administration.

This bridge has the largest stone-arch span of any active highway bridge in the state of Minnesota and is valuable because of its highly artistic qualities and as an example of an ornamental park bridge. This single-span masonry arch bridge was made of local Sioux quartzite laid in a random-ashlar pattern that includes a defined arch ring and stepped wingwalls. In the near future, the bridge will undergo tuckpointing and updating as part of ongoing preservation practices to save this piece of history which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Immediately to the east of the bridge is Split Rock Creek Dam, which holds back water to form the only lake in Pipestone County. The Works Progress Administration completed this dam in 1938 using local Sioux quartzite and created a water-based recreation area now known as Split Rock Creek State Park. Once a treeless prairie, this 238-acred park now is home to thousands of trees which were planted soon after completion of the dam and Prairie Hill, a small piece of prairie which was never

The New Deal’s Works Progress Administration built the Split Rock Bridge in 1938.

Ihlen was once an important railroad center.

plowed.

Both the dam and the bridge have continued to stand firm as tributes to those whose lives were turned around through their employment with the WPA during the Great Depression. The lake, however, has challenged them both.

Construction of the dam began in January of 1936. About 60 formerly unemployed men worked nine hours a day five days week for $16 a week. They prepared for anchoring the dam, dug gravel and sand, mixed concrete by hand, quarried and hand cut quartzite for the spillway, and filled in the embankments.

Then in April of 1937 spring floodwater flowed over the embankments and washed out a large part of them. In 1938, workers installed a core of steel sheeting and then built the embankments two to three feet higher, and the dam continued to hold the water of Split Rock Lake successfully.

Then came 1993, a year often spoken

of recently because of the heavy rainfall and flooding Southwest Minnesota has experienced this spring and summer, and heavy rains caused the earthen embankments by the dam to fail to hold the lake water back for a second time. Before dawn on May 8, 1993, the combination of an unusually wet spring and a seven-inch rainfall in the previous 48 hours caused floodwaters to flow over the embankments and to allow Split Rock Lake to again empty itself as it carried large parts of the spillway and mature trees through Split Rock Creek Bridge. Once again, both WPA structures withstood the deluge of water.

Reconstruction of the embankment began in the summer of 1993 and was completed by the spring of 1994. The dam again held water and recreated Split Rock Lake so that today Split Rock Creek State Park remains a water-based recreational area located along the shores of that lake.

According to Park Ranger Mavis Fey, the 1,000-acre park offers 2 ½ miles of hiking trails including passing over the top of the dam; 34 campsites; a group camp which can accommodate up to 75 people; picnic grounds; boat landing; a shelter; swimming beach; 7 ½ miles of horse trails; a 90 acre no wake lake; allyear-around fishing; and rental of canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, paddleboats, or rowboats with or without trolling motors.

Visitors to Ihlen and Split Rock State Park may wish to continue their journey north about seven miles on Hwy. 23 to Pipestone to enjoy time in a historically rich community which offers many recreational and artistic opportunities along with some interesting ghost stories and excellent places to eat. Pipestone National Monument, historic downtown, the water tower around which the community focuses a festival, Pipestone Performing Arts Center, and Civil War Reenactments are a few of things of interest to visitors.

Sources include Arthur P. Rose’s Illustrated History of Rock and Pipestone Counties, Ihlen Memiors 188-1988, Jim Vatne, Park Ranger Mavis Fey, https://www.stateparks.com/split_ rock_creek_state_park_in_minnesota.html, http://www.wildlifeviewingareas.com/wv-app/ ParkDetail.aspx?ParkID=555

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 19

Zwach Continued from page 10

legislature conservative caucus, and the Senate Majority leader from 1959-1966.

“John was a very personal man,” Thull remembers, who had a knack for remembering names, and giving constituents his undivided attention.

Being an unabashed conservative didn’t prevent Zwach from having friendships on the other side of the aisle, Thull reflects.

Among the framed photos in Zwach’s restored Congressional office, is a shot of Zwach with former Senator and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, a Democrat with a far more liberal outlook. The photo is inscribed with a personal note to Zwach from Humphrey.

A picture of Zwach with President Richard Nixon also adorns the office.

Zwach was a steadfast supporter of Nixon during the Watergate scandal until evidence on tape recordings forced the president’s resignation in 1974.

“John was so honest himself, he could not believe that Nixon could have done all of those things,” Thull recalls.

The recreated office of Congressman Zwach was dedicated by the Lucan historical group in 1989, after the Zwach family donated all of the furnishings and memorabilia to the museum. The congressman, who died the following year at age 83, spoke at the dedication.

The John M. Zwach Building is one of two museums operated by Lucan history buffs. Both are along old railroad rightof-way.

To the east, is the restored Lucan railroad depot, which was moved a block from its original location in 1976, and opened in time for Lucan’s Diamond Jubilee celebration in 1977.

The depot’s original function remains visible on its west half, where wooden chairs flank a coal-burning stove, and a customer service window beckons.

The depot’s freight room has become

Congressman John Zwach was once a staunch supporter of President Richard Nixon.

Congressman John Zwach once helped manage the nation’s affairs from this desk.

donated by the Lyle Kramer family.

License plates from dozens of states are displayed as well.

The vehicles that these license plates once adorned would be a diverse group.

a storehouse of Lucan history. Family history gets plenty of space, thanks to broadsheet-sized flip panels that local people assembled. Skoblik, Kramer, Scharfe, Wurscher, Zwach, Zeug, Zick, Dolan, Macht, Norcutt, Jensen, Brau, Hansen, Plaetz and Prokasky are among the family names that can be found.

The Zwach building is a stone’s throw away. The Zwach Congressional office is one room. An open display area, accessible from an overhead door, features large exhibits, such as a vintage fire truck and early mailboxes from the Lucan Post Office. A large array of wood and metal household appliances and tools, accompanied by notes as to how each article was used, provide a glimpse of life before the development of plastics.

Ever wonder how leather horse collars were fashioned, when Old Dobbin was essential for both farm work and fourlegged transportation? A bowling-pin shaped shop bench provides an answer.

A photo of Joe Brau’s harness shop from more than a century ago shows the same “stitching horse.”

A vehicle license plate collection, complete set of Minnesota plates, was

“Whistling posts” were once common along railroad right-of-ways.

Most have disappeared, with some seen occasionally in backyard gardens.

Lucan’s railroad pillar has stood along the town’s former railroad right-of-way for as long as anyone can remember.

The branch line came to Lucan in 1902, and provided service to Marshall on the west and Sleepy Eye on the east. The rail line was abandoned in the early 1970s.

The “stitching horse” that Joe Brau once used to make horse collars, is visible in a vintage photo (below) and is on display at the museum (above).

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Luverne Continued from page 16

then north to 171st Street and east on 171st Street, visitors will find a 2.4 mile trail which ends at Township Road 68.

All trails in the prairie are categorized as good for all skill levels.

The beauty and tranquility of the trails through the prairie relax and amaze the interlopers who may walk more leisurely and breathe more deeply or hurry to the next bend in the trail to experience what lies beyond.

Other places to visit in or near Luverne include Blue Mounds State Park a few miles north and east of Luverne on Highway 75 where bison live and the Blue Mound Wayside Chapel also on Highway 75. In Luverne the military

Many volunteers have rolled up their sleeves through the years to support the Lucan museums, Mrs. Thull stresses.

Many have generously supported the museums financially as well.

But she acknowledges that there are challenges. Some long-time volunteers have passed on, and new workers in a busy world are in scarce supply. Some older historical society members can’t do the work they once did.

Maintenance needs are on-going.

Some trade-offs have had to be made between preserving the past and adapting to modern times.

For example, when the depot was moved and restored in 1975-76, the building was rigorously scraped and painted, to preserve the original wood siding and windows. But by 2012, the building “was beyond painting and scraping,” Thull relates.

“We put on steel siding and new windows. It was either that, or we weren’t going to have a depot.”

• • • The grounds around the museum buildings are park-like, with blooming flower beds, winding pathways, yesteryear wagon wheels and weathered machinery. An above-ground gas pump dates from the Model-T era. A bell-tower chimes with the same ring that once welcomed students to County School District 79.

A weathered concrete post with the letter “W” is a reminder of Lucan’s days as a Chicago & Northwestern branch line.

The “whistling post” told the train engineer when to sound the whistle when approaching the depot and highway crossing.

A weathered concrete pillar with the letter “W” has stood along Lucan’s railroad rightof-way for decades.

Rock outcroppings are part of the prairie landscape in Rock County.

tribute on the courthouse lawn, the Herried Military Museum, the Hinkley House, and the Rock County Historical Society Museum are other places of interest. Staff at Luverne’s Chamber of Commerce, which is located in the Brandenburg Gallery, will provide additional information about things to see and do.

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20 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

A well-prepared hunter is a happy hunter Get ready for what’s ahead

Tim Spielman

A friend of mine, just the other day (it was late July), told me about how he’d recently seen a tree whose leaves seemed to be turning a shade of color more associated with fall. We were standing on the tee box of the fourth hole of a local golf course – a par-three that ran adjacent to a highway.

“Like that one?” I asked, pointing to a small tree next to the box that, too, was seemingly getting ahead of itself.

“Right!” he said.

I’ll admit the thought of fall made me more than a little giddy. I envisioned the autumn woods in its orange and gold glory, sniffed in my mind the odor of burnt gunpowder and musty slough, and could swear I heard the cackle of a bursting rooster pheasant.

I proceeded to slice my little, white, misdirected ball across the highway and into the parking lot of a restaurant on the opposite side. Thoughts of hunting seasons to come were now full in my mind.

My friend John’s statement also made me realize that every year, it seems, the hunting seasons – doves, ducks, pheasants, deer topping the list – arrive to find one particular hunter ill-prepared – even though that hunter had once again vowed to have his proverbial ducks in a row before the shooting began.

As someone who’s been down this particular road many times now, I feel

Outdoors

hunting season dates: Sept. 1: Mourning dove season begins, as does the early Canada goose season.

Sept. 8: Waterfowl Youth Day. Sept. 15: The archery deer season begins, along with the grouse season, rabbit season, squirrel season, and Hungarian partridge season.

Sept. 22: Waterfowl season opens, as does the woodcock season.

Sept. 29: The fall turkey season begins.

Oct. 13: Pheasant season opens.

Oct. 20: Fox, badger, opossum, and raccoon seasons begin.

Oct. 27: Mink, muskrat, otter, and beaver seasons open.

Nov. 3: Firearms deer season begins.

Nov. 24: Muzzleloader deer season kicks off.

it my duty to offer up some suggestions regarding preparation for the seasons ahead, some of which are just a few weeks away.

Do as I say, not as I do …

Get yourself in shape Easier said than done, I’ve seldom heeded my own good advice when it comes to be physically up to the rigors of hunting. Not this year; I’ve been exercising.

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Rather than wait until deer get even more suspicious of your activities in their backyards, now’s a good time to hang stands and trail cameras. This buck didn’t show up until November, but you’ll get some good shots this time of year, too.

If you’re young and still filled with spit and vinegar, then getting fit isn’t the biggest of deals. Get a little older, and it certainly is. I’ve taken to running, biking (nonmotorized) and – OMG! – eating better. Lost some weight and, thankfully, haven’t yet found it again. If hunting mirrors other activities, then I do declare that walking miles of grasslands, slogging through muck to find a duck, dragging a deer, and all other huntingassociated physical challenges will be

considerably more pleasant this season.

Develop your own exercise regimen, and stick to it.

Get your dog in shape Canines, like us, find it easy to get lazy during the summertime. They might seem the same finely-conditioned machines they were last fall, but chances are, they’ve gained a little weight and probably are a bit out of shape.

Hunting:

See page 21

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 21

Hunting season Continued from page 20

Shape them up.

If you’ve got water nearby, it’s an excellent option for dog training, as we’re bound to be in for some more sweltering weather. You don’t want to overheat your hound, and water provides a cool means for Fido to get some amazing exercise.

Further, you can work on obedience and retrieval training that your four-legged hunter may have conveniently forgotten.

On cool days, find a grassy field and see if he or she can sniff up that pheasant dummy to which you’ve applied pheasant scent and stealthily hidden.

Get in shot shape Perhaps you’ve been taking part in a bow or trap league this summer. If so, kudos to you. If not, it’s time you begin scraping the rust off your marksmanship skills, whether it be with bow, shotgun, or even rifle.

Honing your bow skills is easy: Buy a target and shoot regularly. It’s been my experience that the more convenient shooting a bow is, the more it will be done. Keep bow, arrows, and target handy. It only takes minutes to plant a few arrows in a target.

If you want to get more creative, hang a treestand and shoot from there. Or get yourself a 3D target for some added realism. If you want to get really creative, put on your hunting gear and shoot a few arrows. Hey, just have fun with it!

To work on your shot-gunning, you might need to grab a friend or a couple of them. Pick up a box of clays and a thrower (hand or otherwise). Head to the local gun range or an open, safe spot on

Duck hunters know that one of the best aspects of waterfowling is watching a good retriever work. Its attentiveness in a blind can be an amazing thing to behold.

the back 40 or in the old cattle pasture.

Shoot up a box of target loads. That gun’s likely been in storage for a few months, so you’ll have to familiarize yourself with it once again. If you use different guns for shooting ducks and pheasants, shoot ’em both.

Yes, I’ve been the one who’s used one shotgun for so long that when I pulled out another one and drew on a bird, my thumb went for a trigger safety in a location where it didn’t exist.

Sight-in your slug gun or rifle. Nobody likes to do it, typically in haste, two days before the firearms deer season begins.

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22 – Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018

Season opener Continued from page 21

Tune ’em up It’s infrequent that guns and bows need a lot of maintenance in the summer/ early fall, especially if – as you should’ve – stored them after a thorough cleansing last fall.

But, take a look at the vital parts of both weapons. Does your bow need a new string? Is the plug in your shotgun (required if you’re waterfowl hunting)?

Yeah, I’ve been there, too … on opening morning of duck season, when a chunk of wood or some other material needed to be fashioned into a shotgun plug.

Now’s also a good time to make any alterations to your bow or gun – new bow sight, shortened gun stock – that you considered last fall, but didn’t take the time to accomplish.

Or, what the heck, buy yourself a new gun or bow. You deserve it!

Gear prep The more hunting gear you have, the better, right? I think so. But when late summer rolls around, it’s time to find it. And when you do, you’ll need to thoroughly inspect it.

I’ve got goose decoys stored above my garage, duck decoys and layout blind in another shed, hunting clothes in the basement. Ammo and calls and boots and who knows what else in another location. Hey! At least I seem to know where all this stuff is stored!

Well, it’s time to pull it all from storage.

Then it’s time to check it out, inventory things such as shotgun shells, and make a list of needs. Then, go shopping. (It’s really the only kind of shopping this guy enjoys.)

In no particular order: Make sure your waders haven’t any holes; make sure your knives are sharp; see if your duck decoys still look real and either add new ones or paint your old ones. Also make sure the weights aren’t going to detach from the decoys and float away.

See if your hunting clothing still fits you just right and buy some new stuff.

Clothing technology – like most other technology – advances at leaps and bounds each year. Get yourself a warmer parka or some scent-free deer-hunting apparel.

Oft-overlooked is footwear. It shouldn’t be. Happy is the hunter whose feet are properly cared for. Make certain your boots are in topnotch condition.

If you’re a deer hunter, check on your

stands – hang-ons, ladders, climbers, etc.

Don’t take a spill this fall and become an ugly statistic.

(Note: If you haven’t already, consider getting your stands hung. That way, you won’t bother deer when they become even more suspicious of human activity in what they thought was exclusively their domain. Hang your trail cameras while you’re at it.)

Etc. If you’re taking a youth hunting, consider all of the above for not only yourself, but also for the gal or guy who depends on you for guidance. Kids can be a little scatter-brained (understatement), so you’ll at times need to act as their brains.

Remember, too, that the little things that make the hunt more enjoyable for you will make it enjoyable for them, too.

Someday, it will all pay off. There’s a little fella who I used to take duck hunting.

A couple of years ago, he built a duck blind that can accommodate up to four hunters. And he’s usually got the decoys in place by the time I arrive at the duck pond. Good kid. Wasn’t sure I’d ever say

Think you don’t need to work on your archery skills? Think again. When your heart races as a buck approaches, shooting a straight arrow better be second nature.

Gregg Bunting of Heron Lake, hit this buck perfectly.

Getting youth involved in hunting is vitally important in Minnesota and elsewhere.

Whether you’re a parent or just an adult who happens to be hunting with a youth, provide wise guidance and make it fun. It took Levi Bunting, of Windom, till day’s end to get his limit of pheasants a few years ago. But when he did, how sweet it was.

that …

Also, check the regs. Especially for duck hunting and deer hunting, they can change a bit each year. If they’re not already, they’ll be available soon.

You needn’t read the entire 130-page DNR user’s manual, but take the time to

read the rules that apply to your type of hunting.

If the colorful leaves on the tiny tree near the No. 4 tee box hadn’t excited me enough about Hunting Season 2018, this tip sheet certainly has.

Have fun, be safe, and good luck!

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336 Morgan Street • Tracy, MN • (507) 629-5528 www.tracymn.org Hunting pheasants can at first seem like walk in the park. But the wise hunter is aware that sometimes a full day of hiking up hills, down hills, across creeks, and more can be in store. It’s best to be in top condition for such an endeavor. Exercise now!

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Southwest Sailor, August/September 2018 – 23

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141 Mill St–Currie (507) 763-3262 117 S. Minnesota Ave– Okabena (507) 853-4421 “You Know Us...We Know You” Independent Home Owned www.curriestatebank.com

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