1 00:00:10,443 --> 00:00:13,480 Lakeland Public Television presents Common Ground 2 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,583 brought to you by the MInnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund 3 00:00:16,583 --> 00:00:19,619 and the citizens of Minnesota. 4 00:00:19,619 --> 00:00:22,655 ♪ ♪ 5 00:00:22,655 --> 00:00:25,658 ♪ ♪ 6 00:00:25,658 --> 00:00:28,695 ♪ ♪ 7 00:00:28,695 --> 00:00:31,698 ♪ ♪ 8 00:00:31,698 --> 00:00:34,701 ♪ ♪ 9 00:00:34,701 --> 00:00:37,737 ♪ ♪ 10 00:00:37,737 --> 00:00:40,740 ♪ ♪ 11 00:00:40,740 --> 00:00:43,777 ♪ ♪ 12 00:00:43,777 --> 00:00:46,813 ♪ ♪ 13 00:00:46,813 --> 00:00:49,983 Hi! Welcome to Common Ground 14 00:00:49,983 --> 00:00:53,153 I'm your host Scott Knudson. On this episode join 15 00:00:53,153 --> 00:00:56,022 author and historian Rhonda Fochs as she takes us on a tour 16 00:00:56,022 --> 00:00:59,125 of Lincoln and Buena Vista. Two of MInnesota's 17 00:00:59,125 --> 00:01:02,228 many lost towns. 18 00:01:02,228 --> 00:01:05,231 ♪ ♪ 19 00:01:05,231 --> 00:01:08,234 ♪ ♪ 20 00:01:08,234 --> 00:01:10,870 ♪ ♪ 21 00:01:20,346 --> 00:01:23,450 As a history teacher I never cared about dates. 22 00:01:23,450 --> 00:01:26,586 I always wanted to tell the story of why 23 00:01:26,586 --> 00:01:29,522 people did this and how it affected their lives and stuff. 24 00:01:29,522 --> 00:01:32,659 And that's what I wanted to kind do with that. 25 00:01:32,659 --> 00:01:35,829 But I wanted to tell how it affected 26 00:01:35,829 --> 00:01:38,932 people lives. I wanted to tell the stories 27 00:01:38,932 --> 00:01:41,968 Today we are in the town of Lincoln, Minnesota 28 00:01:41,968 --> 00:01:45,004 which is a lost town in Morrison county. 29 00:01:45,004 --> 00:01:48,141 The town of Lincoln was actually platted in about 1893. 30 00:01:48,141 --> 00:01:51,111 It's a small town that was once 31 00:01:51,111 --> 00:01:54,080 thriving. And today we're there actually having 32 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,083 a book launch party and a community church social. 33 00:01:57,083 --> 00:02:00,220 at the old 102 year old Lincoln Community Church. 34 00:02:00,220 --> 00:02:03,289 Hi. Nice to see 35 00:02:03,289 --> 00:02:06,392 you guys again. Sure we heard you had this wonderful book. 36 00:02:06,392 --> 00:02:09,696 of our town. Actually it really turned out really well. 37 00:02:09,696 --> 00:02:12,799 So I think they have a lot of nice mixPPof pictures and stuff. Wouldppyou like to 38 00:02:12,799 --> 00:02:15,735 copy. I certainly would. Well let me get you one to sign back here. 39 00:02:15,735 --> 00:02:18,771 My book is called Minnesota's Lost Towns and it's the northern 40 00:02:18,771 --> 00:02:21,908 edition. It covers about the top 40 counties. 41 00:02:21,908 --> 00:02:25,078 of Minnesota. All the way from about Morrison county 42 00:02:25,078 --> 00:02:28,014 north to the Canadian border. East to west borders. 43 00:02:28,014 --> 00:02:31,050 It covers nearly 150 44 00:02:31,050 --> 00:02:34,187 but more like about 135 45 00:02:34,187 --> 00:02:37,290 lost towns. They're fun to read 46 00:02:37,290 --> 00:02:40,126 narratives. I focused on the stories on the people and the places 47 00:02:40,126 --> 00:02:43,229 rather than the academic history. The book is based 48 00:02:43,229 --> 00:02:46,466 on solid research. Everything in the book was in the 49 00:02:46,466 --> 00:02:49,169 records. Some towns left a great deal of information behind 50 00:02:49,169 --> 00:02:52,572 some towns not so much. Everything in the book I wanted 51 00:02:52,572 --> 00:02:55,542 it to be historically accurate. Covers it 52 00:02:55,542 --> 00:02:58,511 county by county. A couple of towns in each county. 53 00:02:58,511 --> 00:03:01,748 at least. But again it tells the story of the people and the places. 54 00:03:01,748 --> 00:03:04,751 of northern Minnesota. Towns that were once 55 00:03:04,751 --> 00:03:07,887 thriving had a post office, a retail center, 56 00:03:07,887 --> 00:03:10,723 a real community feel and now pretty much 57 00:03:10,723 --> 00:03:13,960 are non existent as a town. 58 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,996 Some of the towns survived in the area names. 59 00:03:16,996 --> 00:03:19,933 Many of them left behind school buildings, town halls, cemeteries. 60 00:03:19,933 --> 00:03:23,203 and a rural population. And some buildings 61 00:03:23,203 --> 00:03:26,206 foundations, barren land. But basically it tells the story 62 00:03:26,206 --> 00:03:29,409 of the long ago towns that were once thriving and now are just memories 63 00:03:29,409 --> 00:03:32,345 in people's minds and hearts. That was one of the harder parts 64 00:03:32,345 --> 00:03:35,415 of the book is to determine exactly what a lost town was. 65 00:03:35,415 --> 00:03:38,284 Because Minnesota's lost towns are different. 66 00:03:38,284 --> 00:03:41,354 There not the wild west images of dusty tumbleweeds. 67 00:03:41,354 --> 00:03:44,290 strewn streets. We're more the 68 00:03:44,290 --> 00:03:47,427 packed up moved away kind of variety or left to fade 69 00:03:47,427 --> 00:03:50,563 to the elements. When I finally came up with the definition that I liked 70 00:03:50,563 --> 00:03:53,533 is a town that was once thriving but no longer 71 00:03:53,533 --> 00:03:56,669 exists as a viable town. It still may 72 00:03:56,669 --> 00:03:59,672 be an area name. It still l may have a rural population 73 00:03:59,672 --> 00:04:02,742 but it's a town that is once thriving with 74 00:04:02,742 --> 00:04:05,778 a thriving community that no longer exists as a town. 75 00:04:05,778 --> 00:04:08,915 The reason I got interested in 76 00:04:08,915 --> 00:04:11,951 lost towns is my grandparents had homesteaded in Montana 77 00:04:11,951 --> 00:04:15,088 in the early 1900's. In a little 78 00:04:15,088 --> 00:04:18,024 east Montana town called Purewater, MT. 79 00:04:18,024 --> 00:04:21,194 And my grandmother would tell me stories about the town and 80 00:04:21,194 --> 00:04:24,197 basically after about 10 years the town just ceased to exist. Nothing 81 00:04:24,197 --> 00:04:27,166 left. Also my aunt in Wisconsin has property 82 00:04:27,166 --> 00:04:30,303 on which the town of Emerson, WI once sat. 83 00:04:30,303 --> 00:04:33,239 And that was a logging town in the late 84 00:04:33,239 --> 00:04:36,009 1890's that was destroyed by tornado and fire 85 00:04:36,009 --> 00:04:39,279 afterwards. When we were younger we would 86 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,515 crawl around and dig through the depressions and find 87 00:04:42,515 --> 00:04:45,585 old things. As I got older 88 00:04:45,585 --> 00:04:48,621 I moved up to an area, Lincoln, MN that was once 89 00:04:48,621 --> 00:04:51,457 a thriving town. I was just fascinated with the story. 90 00:04:51,457 --> 00:04:54,827 Lincoln basically started out as a railroad town. In those days 91 00:04:54,827 --> 00:04:57,864 you had to have a town about every 8 miles because 92 00:04:57,864 --> 00:05:01,034 it was considered the ideal round trip distance 93 00:05:01,034 --> 00:05:04,103 for a farmer to bring his products to market. 94 00:05:04,103 --> 00:05:07,140 And the train depot would stop here and bring passengers from the 95 00:05:07,140 --> 00:05:10,343 Twin Cities or points away from here. They would 96 00:05:10,343 --> 00:05:13,379 come here for the weekend to fish and enjoy the lakes. 97 00:05:13,379 --> 00:05:16,316 Also another one on the North Shore of Minnesota, Tacconite Harbor. 98 00:05:16,316 --> 00:05:19,485 I always thought lost towns were long ago towns, 99 00:05:19,485 --> 00:05:22,555 but Tacconite Harbor was built in the 1950's 100 00:05:22,555 --> 00:05:25,591 and died in the 1990's. It lived within my lifetime 101 00:05:25,591 --> 00:05:28,528 So I was always fascinated by those stories. 102 00:05:28,528 --> 00:05:31,764 The older I got 103 00:05:31,764 --> 00:05:34,934 I thought this history is great and people today 104 00:05:34,934 --> 00:05:37,970 want that connection and we all have that connection 105 00:05:37,970 --> 00:05:41,007 to these areas that are lost to history. 106 00:05:41,007 --> 00:05:44,010 I want to share the stories of the people and the places 107 00:05:44,010 --> 00:05:46,779 of Minnesota past. 108 00:05:50,149 --> 00:05:53,286 Our church was built in 1912. 109 00:05:53,286 --> 00:05:56,489 We're a hundred years old. 110 00:05:56,489 --> 00:05:59,559 And back in 111 00:05:59,559 --> 00:06:02,628 1910 or 1911 my grandfather came to 112 00:06:02,628 --> 00:06:05,732 Lincoln in 1910. Lincoln didn't have 113 00:06:05,732 --> 00:06:08,801 a church. They used to have church services 114 00:06:08,801 --> 00:06:12,004 in the old hotel in the dinning room. And so 115 00:06:12,004 --> 00:06:14,974 if there was a minister or a rabbi or 116 00:06:14,974 --> 00:06:18,177 a priest that came through on the train. They would 117 00:06:18,177 --> 00:06:21,214 have church services whatever denomination 118 00:06:21,214 --> 00:06:24,250 in the dinning room at that old hotel. 119 00:06:24,250 --> 00:06:27,286 And that's how this came about. 120 00:06:27,286 --> 00:06:30,423 So my grandfather gave an acre. 121 00:06:30,423 --> 00:06:33,226 He owned all of this property back then. And this started out 122 00:06:33,226 --> 00:06:36,496 to be the Lutheran church. And it has been 123 00:06:36,496 --> 00:06:39,532 a Presbyterian denomination. 124 00:06:39,532 --> 00:06:42,735 and I don't know if it was any other 125 00:06:42,735 --> 00:06:45,905 or not over the years. Evangelical Free. 126 00:06:45,905 --> 00:06:48,908 Oh yeah, Evangelical Free too and then they 127 00:06:48,908 --> 00:06:52,011 wasn't enough room and they built the one that's up 128 00:06:52,011 --> 00:06:54,947 on the corner. My father was 129 00:06:54,947 --> 00:06:57,984 Joe Dubbels Sr. He came to this 130 00:06:57,984 --> 00:07:01,154 country in 1911. 131 00:07:01,154 --> 00:07:04,123 He was preceded by my Uncle John. 132 00:07:04,123 --> 00:07:07,360 And they farmed 133 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,463 together as 134 00:07:10,463 --> 00:07:13,466 like amount of farms at that time. 135 00:07:13,466 --> 00:07:16,669 And they also 136 00:07:16,669 --> 00:07:19,672 were a part and parcel of working on this 137 00:07:19,672 --> 00:07:22,809 church when it was built. 138 00:07:22,809 --> 00:07:25,912 As I've said before they were Lutheran by 139 00:07:25,912 --> 00:07:28,848 denomination, they didn't mind working 140 00:07:28,848 --> 00:07:32,018 on Presbyterian church. 141 00:07:32,018 --> 00:07:35,021 Just so they could have local services. 142 00:07:35,021 --> 00:07:38,224 When I was a kid going to school. 143 00:07:38,224 --> 00:07:41,260 all this woods that's off to left 144 00:07:41,260 --> 00:07:44,363 was just very few trees. It was quite open 145 00:07:44,363 --> 00:07:47,500 at that time. You could see the school from here. 146 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:50,636 Now it's completely 147 00:07:50,636 --> 00:07:53,673 enclosed in woods. 148 00:07:53,673 --> 00:07:56,709 And that was always the church pond. 149 00:07:56,709 --> 00:07:59,879 But since that railroad 150 00:07:59,879 --> 00:08:02,849 has drained it. So it has 151 00:08:02,849 --> 00:08:05,952 so now we don't have a church pond anymore. The school 152 00:08:05,952 --> 00:08:09,088 had a flowing well and it kept the water level 153 00:08:09,088 --> 00:08:12,158 on that right up almost to the church here. 154 00:08:12,158 --> 00:08:15,027 There were times 155 00:08:15,027 --> 00:08:18,397 when they would bring livestock 156 00:08:18,397 --> 00:08:21,400 sometimes it was livestock that was on the train 157 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,470 too long and they had to water it and feed it 158 00:08:24,470 --> 00:08:27,340 them. So they would... 159 00:08:27,340 --> 00:08:30,476 There was between the railroad and the 160 00:08:30,476 --> 00:08:33,412 old gravel road. There was 161 00:08:33,412 --> 00:08:36,716 a small stockyard where they unloaded them and 162 00:08:36,716 --> 00:08:39,318 watered them and fed them and then loaded them back up again. 163 00:08:42,555 --> 00:08:45,791 That was between the old gravel road and the railroad. 164 00:08:45,791 --> 00:08:48,928 right away. 165 00:08:48,928 --> 00:08:51,964 Straight past here is the old Jefferson Highway. The highway came 166 00:08:51,964 --> 00:08:53,633 from Staples and crossed what is now 167 00:08:53,633 --> 00:08:58,037 Highway 10 which is County Rd 7 up here. 168 00:08:58,037 --> 00:09:01,207 And continues on down across 169 00:09:01,207 --> 00:09:04,243 the railroad tracks to the south here. 170 00:09:04,243 --> 00:09:07,280 And then followed the railroad tracks on down 171 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,449 to Cushing. There was no bridge 172 00:09:10,449 --> 00:09:13,219 down south of here. 173 00:09:16,556 --> 00:09:19,458 Right about 174 00:09:19,458 --> 00:09:22,662 in this area right here there was a pool hall. 175 00:09:22,662 --> 00:09:25,798 I suppose 176 00:09:25,798 --> 00:09:28,768 somewhat of a restaurant too. 177 00:09:28,768 --> 00:09:31,904 And above it 178 00:09:31,904 --> 00:09:35,007 where it had been living quarters but it 179 00:09:35,007 --> 00:09:38,177 had been changed into where they made 180 00:09:38,177 --> 00:09:41,147 jigsaw puzzles. Next to the pool hall was 181 00:09:41,147 --> 00:09:44,216 the lumber yard, Morrison County. My dad 182 00:09:44,216 --> 00:09:47,119 called knot hole company but it was 183 00:09:47,119 --> 00:09:50,156 Morrison County Lumber Company. 184 00:09:50,156 --> 00:09:53,359 The foundation is still here. 185 00:09:53,359 --> 00:09:56,429 You can see the foundation of the 186 00:09:56,429 --> 00:09:59,498 lumberyard. 187 00:09:59,498 --> 00:10:02,501 Well my grandfather I don't know whether he was 188 00:10:02,501 --> 00:10:05,671 president of the bank or whatever but I do know 189 00:10:05,671 --> 00:10:08,808 that as a child after the bank 190 00:10:08,808 --> 00:10:11,877 was closed and they had a lot of deposit slips 191 00:10:11,877 --> 00:10:14,847 and old checks and stuff like that 192 00:10:14,847 --> 00:10:17,917 I used to play with those. 193 00:10:17,917 --> 00:10:20,953 So I don't think there is anymore of them 194 00:10:20,953 --> 00:10:23,889 around. I think I used them all up. 195 00:10:23,889 --> 00:10:26,993 Writing on them and so I'm glad. The bank has had 196 00:10:26,993 --> 00:10:30,096 several different people have bought it over the years 197 00:10:30,096 --> 00:10:33,132 Somebody bought it once and was going to make a sandwich 198 00:10:33,132 --> 00:10:36,202 shop, another was going to make an ice cream shop. 199 00:10:36,202 --> 00:10:39,171 The ice cream shop did come to fruition. 200 00:10:39,171 --> 00:10:42,441 Oh it did. Roy Popalinsky had a 201 00:10:42,441 --> 00:10:45,344 soda fountain and ice cream. Okay cause they lived in there too. 202 00:10:45,344 --> 00:10:48,447 That was 203 00:10:48,447 --> 00:10:51,550 in the late '40's. 204 00:10:51,550 --> 00:10:54,587 That's the last time I know that it's been 205 00:10:54,587 --> 00:10:57,423 put to any use. But it's been 206 00:10:57,423 --> 00:11:00,593 completely reconditioned - new windows 207 00:11:00,593 --> 00:11:03,629 It's all been rebuilt by my next 208 00:11:03,629 --> 00:11:06,966 door neighbor. The basement has been all fixed 209 00:11:06,966 --> 00:11:09,869 the basement windows are in good shape. ppEven planted some Arbor Vitae 210 00:11:09,869 --> 00:11:12,938 on the north side of it. It's beautiful inside. 211 00:11:12,938 --> 00:11:15,975 Next to the bank building over 212 00:11:15,975 --> 00:11:19,111 here is the Duborg's Store. 213 00:11:19,111 --> 00:11:22,148 They lived there, to begin with I think it was just the 214 00:11:22,148 --> 00:11:25,151 store and then they built on so they have living quarters. 215 00:11:25,151 --> 00:11:28,154 I don't remember exactly when that happened. 216 00:11:28,154 --> 00:11:31,390 When they moved or when they came. Yes, It's always been the way it was. 217 00:11:31,390 --> 00:11:34,193 I went to school, and I always walked 218 00:11:34,193 --> 00:11:37,496 past here on my way home. 219 00:11:37,496 --> 00:11:40,566 And of course stopped at the post office and picked up the mail. 220 00:11:40,566 --> 00:11:43,502 And would go ahead of course pick up any groceries 221 00:11:43,502 --> 00:11:46,605 or whatever. They always had everybody had 222 00:11:46,605 --> 00:11:49,508 the slip and they paid once a month. I think 223 00:11:49,508 --> 00:11:52,645 because everybody had their own slip 224 00:11:52,645 --> 00:11:55,681 that they kept track for the 225 00:11:55,681 --> 00:11:58,751 different people. Everybody's credit was good. 226 00:11:58,751 --> 00:12:01,687 There were several families 227 00:12:01,687 --> 00:12:04,790 more than half a dozen families 228 00:12:04,790 --> 00:12:07,960 in the town of Lincoln that depended on 229 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,830 the railroad for their employment. 230 00:12:10,830 --> 00:12:14,033 People lived here and over there. Well they had the section 231 00:12:14,033 --> 00:12:17,203 the Potama section crew. Oh Sure and then they 232 00:12:17,203 --> 00:12:20,406 and then it wasn't just the section crew. 233 00:12:20,406 --> 00:12:23,309 It was also they had the depot and they had depot agents. 234 00:12:23,309 --> 00:12:26,445 The old depot was over across 235 00:12:26,445 --> 00:12:29,582 beyond the machinery on the other side 236 00:12:29,582 --> 00:12:32,551 The railroad just takes up a lot more room then they used to. 237 00:12:32,551 --> 00:12:35,654 When I was a kid 238 00:12:35,654 --> 00:12:37,123 there was a man named 239 00:12:37,123 --> 00:12:39,525 Timon Olson, Yes. 240 00:12:39,525 --> 00:12:44,864 Drove her grandfather's car to meet the 241 00:12:44,864 --> 00:12:48,000 train every 242 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,903 time the train came. He'd come 243 00:12:50,903 --> 00:12:54,140 with that old Willis Knight car 244 00:12:54,140 --> 00:12:57,042 and pick up the passengers and take them to the hotel. 245 00:12:57,042 --> 00:13:00,112 Some of them 246 00:13:00,112 --> 00:13:03,315 spent most of their time at the hotel and then some of them went out 247 00:13:03,315 --> 00:13:06,418 fishing during the weekends. That was when 248 00:13:06,418 --> 00:13:09,455 the train transported people to and from 249 00:13:09,455 --> 00:13:12,424 the country. My mother used to talk about 250 00:13:12,424 --> 00:13:15,594 people that came on the train and would come 251 00:13:15,594 --> 00:13:18,697 like for the summer and they would stay at the hotel. 252 00:13:18,697 --> 00:13:21,700 My grandmother of course it was like a bed and breakfast. 253 00:13:21,700 --> 00:13:24,703 that we call nowadays. Except you did get three meals a day. 254 00:13:24,703 --> 00:13:28,007 So my grandmother spent a lot of time cooking. 255 00:13:28,007 --> 00:13:31,010 And washing. And there was no electricity. 256 00:13:31,010 --> 00:13:33,913 So everything was done by hand. Now I didn't 257 00:13:33,913 --> 00:13:36,982 stay here. I moved away after high school. 258 00:13:36,982 --> 00:13:40,186 Well I got married. 259 00:13:40,186 --> 00:13:43,189 and moved away. Later on I moved to Anoka 260 00:13:43,189 --> 00:13:46,225 and lived for about 43 years in Anoka. 261 00:13:46,225 --> 00:13:49,094 of which I went to school. Lived in the Twin City area. 262 00:13:49,094 --> 00:13:52,298 I became an RN. 263 00:13:52,298 --> 00:13:55,334 I came back and there were very few people that I knew. 264 00:13:55,334 --> 00:13:58,437 It was like coming back to a ghost town practically. 265 00:13:58,437 --> 00:14:01,407 Because the people that lived here, they were gone. 266 00:14:01,407 --> 00:14:04,610 Except for the grandchildren. 267 00:14:04,610 --> 00:14:07,346 Joe is one of the few old timers 268 00:14:07,346 --> 00:14:10,616 Laughter He wasn't that 269 00:14:10,616 --> 00:14:13,786 but it is now. I guess I'm becoming 270 00:14:13,786 --> 00:14:16,622 an old timer. 271 00:14:16,622 --> 00:14:19,792 I took my tour of duty was the military 272 00:14:19,792 --> 00:14:23,062 toward the end of World War II. 273 00:14:23,062 --> 00:14:25,998 When I came back, I looked elsewhere 274 00:14:25,998 --> 00:14:29,001 I went to school elsewhere for a while 275 00:14:29,001 --> 00:14:32,204 but 276 00:14:32,204 --> 00:14:35,307 there was something about this area, not 277 00:14:35,307 --> 00:14:38,310 just Lincoln but the area. The lakes 278 00:14:38,310 --> 00:14:41,380 the woods, the people. I found nothing 279 00:14:41,380 --> 00:14:44,516 else that really compared. I love it here. 280 00:14:44,516 --> 00:14:47,586 I always have. And I never 281 00:14:47,586 --> 00:14:50,756 ventured very far away since I came back in 282 00:14:50,756 --> 00:14:53,659 1947. I've stayed 283 00:14:53,659 --> 00:14:56,662 here til now. I raised my family here. 284 00:14:56,662 --> 00:14:59,765 That's something you don't see with 285 00:14:59,765 --> 00:15:02,701 people in big cities don't get that attached 286 00:15:02,701 --> 00:15:05,971 to their neighbors and close friends. 287 00:15:05,971 --> 00:15:08,941 It kinda hurts 288 00:15:08,941 --> 00:15:12,011 to see a community like this 289 00:15:12,011 --> 00:15:14,713 not exactly die but just kind of fade away. 290 00:15:18,350 --> 00:15:21,020 There are several factors that lead to the demise or the abandonment 291 00:15:21,020 --> 00:15:24,290 of lost towns. Many of them were based along the railroads 292 00:15:24,290 --> 00:15:27,293 every 8 miles. But as transportation improved and automobiles 293 00:15:27,293 --> 00:15:30,329 became more the norm. People could travel longer distance 294 00:15:30,329 --> 00:15:33,365 to get supplies. Another big factor 295 00:15:33,365 --> 00:15:36,468 in the demise of some of these lost towns was 296 00:15:36,468 --> 00:15:39,471 rural free delivery. At one point the post office 297 00:15:39,471 --> 00:15:42,441 decided that it was better for one mail 298 00:15:42,441 --> 00:15:45,444 person to take the mail to people rather than to have 299 00:15:45,444 --> 00:15:48,614 50 people in the area come to the town. And when those people 300 00:15:48,614 --> 00:15:51,583 stopped coming to the town. The town couldn't exist any longer. 301 00:15:51,583 --> 00:15:54,687 Another reason was the railroad. A lot of 302 00:15:54,687 --> 00:15:57,756 towns were built on the hope that the railroad would come there. 303 00:15:57,756 --> 00:16:00,726 through the town providing a station there. And when railroads 304 00:16:00,726 --> 00:16:04,029 changed routes or highways changed routes 305 00:16:04,029 --> 00:16:06,699 the town just couldn't survive anymore. People just bypassed the local community. 306 00:16:16,041 --> 00:16:19,111 Hi! Today we're in Buena Vista 307 00:16:19,111 --> 00:16:22,247 located in Beltrami County about 12 miles 308 00:16:22,247 --> 00:16:25,284 north of Bemidji. This area has always been a very 309 00:16:25,284 --> 00:16:28,320 historical area. As early as 1738 the English 310 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,223 topographer David Thompson had been here. 311 00:16:31,223 --> 00:16:34,293 And in 1823 early 1800's 312 00:16:34,293 --> 00:16:37,229 Count Beltrami had been here. He was looking for the true source of the Mississippi 313 00:16:37,229 --> 00:16:40,432 River and he saw Lake Julia which 314 00:16:40,432 --> 00:16:43,669 is in the background of this town and claimed 315 00:16:43,669 --> 00:16:46,605 that as the true source of the Mississippi River. But as we know 316 00:16:46,605 --> 00:16:49,441 later it was Lake Itasca that is really the true source. 317 00:16:49,441 --> 00:16:52,578 But from that time on in about 1896 this became a 318 00:16:52,578 --> 00:16:55,581 town dependent upon the logging in the area. 319 00:16:55,581 --> 00:16:58,717 And the town's peak was from about 1896 to 320 00:16:58,717 --> 00:17:01,720 1912. By World War I it's heyday was over. 321 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:04,857 This building here 322 00:17:04,857 --> 00:17:07,693 is the Turtle Lake Township Hall built in 1898. 323 00:17:07,693 --> 00:17:10,929 It originally began it's life as the Buena Vista 324 00:17:10,929 --> 00:17:13,966 school. Everything is pretty much exactly as it 325 00:17:13,966 --> 00:17:17,036 was except for the siding now that's there. 326 00:17:17,036 --> 00:17:19,972 Buena Vista is just to my right that way a little bit to the south. 327 00:17:19,972 --> 00:17:22,975 And after the town faded 328 00:17:22,975 --> 00:17:26,245 the actual school building was moved here to 329 00:17:26,245 --> 00:17:29,181 serve as the town hall. The building was just a one room school 330 00:17:29,181 --> 00:17:32,284 house. Serviced people from about 1st grade through 8th 331 00:17:32,284 --> 00:17:35,354 grade, one teacher. Located right in the town. 332 00:17:35,354 --> 00:17:38,157 One of the interesting things I noticed when I was doing this research. 333 00:17:38,157 --> 00:17:41,460 The very first things that people built in a town where 334 00:17:41,460 --> 00:17:44,530 the schools and the church. I think it's 335 00:17:44,530 --> 00:17:47,433 fantastic to see how important religion and educating 336 00:17:47,433 --> 00:17:50,602 their young were. 337 00:17:50,602 --> 00:17:53,739 If you look at older pictures of the school you'll see the windows 338 00:17:53,739 --> 00:17:56,909 are exactly in the same spot that they used to be. 339 00:17:56,909 --> 00:17:59,611 The building foundation was moved shortly after Buena Vista faded. 340 00:17:59,611 --> 00:18:02,915 Even has the original outhouse. 341 00:18:02,915 --> 00:18:05,918 which has been resided on the side. It is one of the only 342 00:18:05,918 --> 00:18:08,887 remaining original building from Buena Vista left. 343 00:18:08,887 --> 00:18:11,924 Today were in 344 00:18:11,924 --> 00:18:14,927 Buena Vista and I have Suzanne Thomas here. 345 00:18:14,927 --> 00:18:16,495 Suzanne's family has been in Buena Vista and preserving it's history for nearly 346 00:18:16,495 --> 00:18:21,100 5 generations, going on the 5th generation. 347 00:18:21,100 --> 00:18:24,236 Today we're standing in front of the Buena Vista school, the original school building 348 00:18:24,236 --> 00:18:26,972 from the town of Buena Vista. Do you have 349 00:18:26,972 --> 00:18:30,375 any memories or did your families of this school? 350 00:18:30,375 --> 00:18:33,245 Yes they did. My dad and my 351 00:18:33,245 --> 00:18:36,415 two aunts and my uncle all went to school here. 352 00:18:36,415 --> 00:18:39,351 It's a one room schoolhouse and it had a huge 353 00:18:39,351 --> 00:18:42,554 stove indoor stove. It's now 354 00:18:42,554 --> 00:18:45,424 used as the Turtle Lake Town Hall. 355 00:18:45,424 --> 00:18:48,494 It's really nice to be utilizing the building. It's still 356 00:18:48,494 --> 00:18:51,563 in it's original foundation. This is where it sat in the town. 357 00:18:51,563 --> 00:18:54,533 Yes. Back in the late 358 00:18:54,533 --> 00:18:57,569 1800's it was white. 359 00:18:57,569 --> 00:19:00,672 There was a little picket fence out front here and 360 00:19:00,672 --> 00:19:03,775 another storage room. So basically it's at the same location 361 00:19:03,775 --> 00:19:06,712 and it just looked a lot different back then. Just the siding 362 00:19:06,712 --> 00:19:09,681 different. 363 00:19:09,681 --> 00:19:12,951 Today Suzanne is going to show us 364 00:19:12,951 --> 00:19:15,988 the old town site of Buena Vista right down to the south of us here. 365 00:19:15,988 --> 00:19:19,091 Highway 15 used to be the main street. 366 00:19:19,091 --> 00:19:22,161 Here we are at the entrance to the town of Buena Vista 367 00:19:22,161 --> 00:19:25,164 This is the town site here. Suzanne you said there was a church 368 00:19:25,164 --> 00:19:28,167 on the right. Yes, the First Presbyterian church 369 00:19:28,167 --> 00:19:31,136 was located right here. There are foundations still 370 00:19:31,136 --> 00:19:34,039 in here. Probably right about in this area. And I 371 00:19:34,039 --> 00:19:37,342 remember some of the ancestors talking about 372 00:19:37,342 --> 00:19:40,445 Frank Higgin, the preacher. 373 00:19:40,445 --> 00:19:43,448 He was a sky pilot. Some of the ancestors 374 00:19:43,448 --> 00:19:46,451 from some of the preachers were her a PPnumber of years ago and wantedppto see 375 00:19:46,451 --> 00:19:49,655 where their ancestors did preach years ago. I've heard of a 376 00:19:49,655 --> 00:19:52,524 sky pilot. Then as we 377 00:19:52,524 --> 00:19:55,627 we're walking into town now. You have ppthis actually a mown pathway 378 00:19:55,627 --> 00:19:58,864 here with little markers detailing were each building 379 00:19:58,864 --> 00:20:01,800 stood. Yes we do. And when you had a picture you 380 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,836 have pictures on those makers also. To the left 381 00:20:04,836 --> 00:20:07,906 of us is the town site correct? It is. 382 00:20:07,906 --> 00:20:10,909 Don't you have a cross country ski trail through this 383 00:20:10,909 --> 00:20:14,179 town also. We do we have the trail that goes 384 00:20:14,179 --> 00:20:17,282 right through part of the town sites right down here. 385 00:20:17,282 --> 00:20:20,419 to the north. It goes 386 00:20:20,419 --> 00:20:23,255 probably about 12 kilometers through 387 00:20:23,255 --> 00:20:26,558 the western trails here. A lot of 388 00:20:26,558 --> 00:20:29,561 skiers can see where the old town site was. It's very interesting 389 00:20:29,561 --> 00:20:32,598 to them. Now up ahead is Summit Lake you said. 390 00:20:32,598 --> 00:20:35,634 Yep Lake Summit. Now you said you grandfather 391 00:20:35,634 --> 00:20:38,704 used to have a nice garden here right above the lake. 392 00:20:38,704 --> 00:20:41,673 Right below the hill he had planted 393 00:20:41,673 --> 00:20:44,743 a lot of asparagus and 394 00:20:44,743 --> 00:20:47,746 J W Speelman and the Summit Hotel, they would serve 395 00:20:47,746 --> 00:20:50,849 chicken the best chicken around. 396 00:20:50,849 --> 00:20:54,019 And we would always here about the stories 397 00:20:54,019 --> 00:20:56,922 of the chickens and the beautiful gardens right PPjust below the hill where we'reppwalking. 398 00:20:56,922 --> 00:20:59,891 In the 70's there used to be a horse arena 399 00:20:59,891 --> 00:21:02,894 back there too right? Yes we had horse 400 00:21:02,894 --> 00:21:05,998 shows set up and we had a beautiful ampitheater 401 00:21:05,998 --> 00:21:09,067 setting for everything, with Grandpa Leonard being the judge of course. 402 00:21:09,067 --> 00:21:12,170 And this is where the actual garden was 403 00:21:12,170 --> 00:21:15,274 and there is still is asparagus in therePPthat you family eats today.ppYep. 404 00:21:15,274 --> 00:21:18,110 Right down through here. Beautiful shot ppNow if we go further into town 405 00:21:18,110 --> 00:21:21,113 you have some markers from like the hotels in town 406 00:21:21,113 --> 00:21:24,149 and some of the other buildings. Lake Summit was located 407 00:21:24,149 --> 00:21:27,319 right in this area. They're are actually 408 00:21:27,319 --> 00:21:30,455 Summit Hotel? Yes Summit Hotel and the first hotel 409 00:21:30,455 --> 00:21:33,392 burnt down. But it was within days that I think great grandfather 410 00:21:33,392 --> 00:21:36,561 started building the new hotel. So this 411 00:21:36,561 --> 00:21:39,464 was sitting in this location right here.ppAnd look at the beautiful trees 412 00:21:39,464 --> 00:21:42,634 They've got to be 125 years old 413 00:21:42,634 --> 00:21:45,637 or so. Original to the town. John Speelman had 414 00:21:45,637 --> 00:21:48,974 had a unique advertising because of the continental divide. 415 00:21:48,974 --> 00:21:52,044 Yes he did use the top of the world. 416 00:21:52,044 --> 00:21:55,147 I know was brought up being here with the hills 417 00:21:55,147 --> 00:21:58,250 and beautiful lakes. And of course he actually 418 00:21:58,250 --> 00:22:01,286 brought the name Buena Vista from Oregon which means 419 00:22:01,286 --> 00:22:04,356 beautiful views in Spanish. 420 00:22:04,356 --> 00:22:07,459 Now the continental divide 421 00:22:07,459 --> 00:22:10,562 would mean the rain would fall 422 00:22:10,562 --> 00:22:13,565 either to the north Hudson Bay or 423 00:22:13,565 --> 00:22:15,133 south to the Gulf of Mexico. That's correct. 424 00:22:15,133 --> 00:22:19,638 We're kind of right here in the parting of the waters. 425 00:22:19,638 --> 00:22:22,774 Now to the right here it also says there was a hotel 426 00:22:22,774 --> 00:22:25,844 here. Yeah the Scandia Hotel was just south 427 00:22:25,844 --> 00:22:28,814 of here. And probably right in this area. 428 00:22:28,814 --> 00:22:31,817 as our marker says it was the 429 00:22:31,817 --> 00:22:34,953 Stanlin's Bargain Store. So a little 430 00:22:34,953 --> 00:22:37,856 mini mall of it's day. Absolutely it probably PPsold a little bit ofppeverything. 431 00:22:37,856 --> 00:22:40,959 Yep I guess so. 432 00:22:40,959 --> 00:22:43,995 No you mentioned the Hudson Bay Company 433 00:22:43,995 --> 00:22:47,032 the waters flow to the Hudson Bay. Wasn't there a fur trading 434 00:22:47,032 --> 00:22:50,135 post here in the early days? Yes actually if we 435 00:22:50,135 --> 00:22:53,205 would keep walking I would say another 436 00:22:53,205 --> 00:22:56,174 maybe 3 blocks to the south 437 00:22:56,174 --> 00:22:59,277 We would find the location where the Hudson Bay trading post 438 00:22:59,277 --> 00:23:02,314 was. And our township which is the Turtle 439 00:23:02,314 --> 00:23:05,484 Lake Township just was awarded a grant to do 440 00:23:05,484 --> 00:23:08,520 some archeology digs to try and find relics. 441 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,523 How fun. Now up here there are some remains. 442 00:23:11,523 --> 00:23:14,626 What is that? That is kinda of 443 00:23:14,626 --> 00:23:17,796 a frame of the bull pen from 444 00:23:17,796 --> 00:23:20,732 back in the early 1900's. The original 445 00:23:20,732 --> 00:23:23,902 boards are there. Now a bull pen was like a stock yard? 446 00:23:23,902 --> 00:23:26,838 It's kind of a holding place for the bulls. 447 00:23:26,838 --> 00:23:29,908 There are some old chains still attached to some of that wood. 448 00:23:29,908 --> 00:23:33,044 And some relics. You said the township 449 00:23:33,044 --> 00:23:36,114 was going to be doing some archaeological research and digging 450 00:23:36,114 --> 00:23:39,117 and stuff. What is the hope of that. 451 00:23:39,117 --> 00:23:42,187 They are quite interested in seeing what's out there. 452 00:23:42,187 --> 00:23:45,290 Pretty much you have to have the professionals come in 453 00:23:45,290 --> 00:23:48,326 and do the digging and concentrating on certain areas such as 454 00:23:48,326 --> 00:23:51,430 the Hudson Bay Trading Post. They know just where that was 455 00:23:51,430 --> 00:23:54,599 and they are kind of knowing what they may find. 456 00:23:54,599 --> 00:23:57,569 That is just something of interest for all of us. I think people 457 00:23:57,569 --> 00:24:00,672 sometimes forget that history can be in their own backyards. 458 00:24:00,672 --> 00:24:03,575 I mean the history of our nation to have to make 459 00:24:03,575 --> 00:24:06,812 Bay Company is part of that but still it's our history. 460 00:24:06,812 --> 00:24:09,915 And we do what to preserve it and we want 461 00:24:09,915 --> 00:24:12,918 to share it and let it go on for generations to come. 462 00:24:12,918 --> 00:24:15,720 Once it's gone nature reclaims very quickly. 463 00:24:19,090 --> 00:24:21,993 Now is that an old homestead across the way there? 464 00:24:21,993 --> 00:24:25,130 Yes that's where Ralph Dickinson lived and more recently 465 00:24:25,130 --> 00:24:28,166 my grandfather Leonard and Agnes 466 00:24:28,166 --> 00:24:31,269 Dickinson lived their all their lives. 467 00:24:31,269 --> 00:24:34,272 And what is that old stone formation there? 468 00:24:34,272 --> 00:24:37,375 Looks like a barbecue grill or something. It is it's an outdoor 469 00:24:37,375 --> 00:24:40,378 fire area. But it was part of the original building? 470 00:24:40,378 --> 00:24:43,482 Fireplace in the house. It was actually just a 471 00:24:43,482 --> 00:24:46,485 free standing. That's where it was on the lawn. All the picnics 472 00:24:46,485 --> 00:24:49,688 are held there. 473 00:24:49,688 --> 00:24:52,624 Well Suzanne, thank you for showing me thePPtown. It's amazing how thispphistory 474 00:24:52,624 --> 00:24:55,727 is right here on the side of the road. I think it's great that your f family for 5 generations 475 00:24:55,727 --> 00:24:58,797 is preserving it. 476 00:24:58,797 --> 00:25:01,833 I think the reason that they love the book so much is it's their personal history. 477 00:25:01,833 --> 00:25:04,936 You can read about presidents and wars 478 00:25:04,936 --> 00:25:08,039 and all that national history but this is personal to them. 479 00:25:08,039 --> 00:25:11,076 It's places they know, places they live. 480 00:25:11,076 --> 00:25:14,212 People they know live there. It's just a real personal history and it makes 481 00:25:14,212 --> 00:25:17,282 a lot of connections with people. Sometimes I go to a 482 00:25:17,282 --> 00:25:20,352 presentation and when I show a slide of their town 483 00:25:20,352 --> 00:25:23,522 they go that's my hometown. And the proceed to tell me the greatest 484 00:25:23,522 --> 00:25:26,491 story about how they came to that town and what that town meant 485 00:25:26,491 --> 00:25:29,361 to them. They are just so excited to be able to share that with me. 486 00:25:29,361 --> 00:25:32,230 But also to see they're history in a book. 487 00:25:35,534 --> 00:25:38,503 Thanks so much for watching 488 00:25:38,503 --> 00:25:41,606 Join us again on Common Ground. 489 00:25:41,606 --> 00:25:44,543 If you have an idea for a Common Ground piece that pertains to 490 00:25:44,543 --> 00:25:47,746 north central Minnesota email us at legacy@lptv.org 491 00:25:47,746 --> 00:25:50,782 or call us at 492 00:25:50,782 --> 00:25:53,818 218-333-3014 493 00:25:53,818 --> 00:25:56,955 To view any episode of Common Ground 494 00:25:56,955 --> 00:25:59,958 online visit us at lptv.org 495 00:25:59,958 --> 00:26:02,961 ♪ ♪ 496 00:26:02,961 --> 00:26:05,964 ♪ ♪ 497 00:26:05,964 --> 00:26:08,967 ♪ ♪ 498 00:26:08,967 --> 00:26:12,037 ♪ ♪ 499 00:26:12,037 --> 00:26:15,140 ♪ ♪ 500 00:26:15,140 --> 00:26:17,943 To order episodes or segments of Common Ground 501 00:26:17,943 --> 00:26:20,912 call 218-333-3020. 502 00:26:24,182 --> 00:26:27,385 Common Ground is brought to you by the Minnesota 503 00:26:27,385 --> 00:26:30,255 Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money from the vote of the 504 00:26:30,255 --> 00:26:33,124 people November 4, 2008.