History Center News

Belle Creek Volume 51 No. 2 Summer 2017 Newsletter of the Goodhue County Historical Society
Belvidere

Cannon Falls
Hitch a Ride on the Historic
Goodhue County Wheat Trail
Central Point
By Loren A. Evenrud
Cherry Grove
In the 1850s, a ride on an ox-drawn wheat wagon or cart would have certainly
Featherstone
provided a unique window into early Goodhue County history. A traveler in
Florence what is today the Cannon River Valley would have encountered very rugged
Goodhue terrain punctuated with narrow, rutted trails that the wheat farmer shared with
local tribal residents, a growing number of immigrant settlers, and land
Hay Creek
speculators from the East. Small hamlets slowly materialized as settlers laid
Holden claim to new land parcels. As time passed, fields of wheat dotted the country
Kenyon side and the flour milling industry emerged.
Lake City
(Continued on page 3)
Leon

Minneola

Pine Island

Red Wing

Roscoe

Stanton

Vasa

Wacouta

Wanamingo

Warsaw

Welch

Zumbrota

A team of oxen pulling a cart with a barrel of apple juice on it, circa 1870.
The mission of the Goodhue County
Historical Society is to serve as the steward
for county history by collecting, preserving,
and promoting the natural and cultural
history of Goodhue County through
education and outreach.
Goodhue County History Center
1166 Oak Street
Red Wing, Minnesota, 55066
651-388-6024
Website: www.goodhuecountyhistory.org
General information via email:
info@goodhistory.org
Winter Hours (November through April)
Open Tuesday through Friday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Summer Hours (May through October)
Open Tuesday through Saturday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Staff
Dustin Heckman, Executive Director
Casey Mathern, Curator of Objects & Exhibits
Afton Esson, Archives & Library Manager
Lindsey Rindo, Education & Outreach
Coordinator
Board of Directors
Roger Hand, Red Wing, Chair
Dennis Schultz, Vasa Township, Vice-Chair
Loren Evenrud, Cannon Falls Township,
Secretary
Marilyn Lawrence, Red Wing, Treasurer
Ron Allen, Red Wing, County Commissioner
Ruth Nerhaugen, Red Wing
Don Olson, Red Wing
Lars Romo, Wanamingo Township
Ken Roufs, Red Wing
Richard Samuelson, Cannon Falls Township
Sarah Erickson, Red Wing
Roseanne Grosso, Red Wing
Amy Nelson, Hay Creek Township
History Center News is produced quarterly by the
Goodhue County Historical Society. Opinions
expressed by authors or in quotations do not
necessarily represent those of the Society, its
Directors or staff. The Society welcomes your
comments and suggestions. Except otherwise
noted, all photos are from the Goodhue County
Historical Societys Photograph Collection.
Executive Directors Column By Dustin Heckman
As you can imagine, we always have some sort of project going on
here at the History Center. Sometimes the public can see
something we are working on and other times, its a project that is
going on behind-the-scenes. I thought that our members would be
particularly interested in a few of these.
Inventory of our Three-Dimensional Collection
On January 30, we began work on a 16 month project to inventory
our entire three-dimensional collection. With grant funding from
the Minnesota Historical Society, via the Arts & Cultural Heritage
Fund of the Legacy Amendment, we hired two inventory assistants
and purchased some necessary equipment to carry out this project.
At its completion, all of the three-dimensional items will be
entered into our collections software with descriptions, home
locations, photos, and condition reports. This allows us to better
manage and understand the collection at the History Center. If you
follow us on Facebook and Instagram, you have seen that each
week we have featured an object in our weekly W hat is it
Wednesday post. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to see the
cool things we discover!
However, our grant did not cover rehousing supplies. Thanks to a
large number of memorial donations, we now have the funding to
cover the next 10 months worth of supplies. To fully fund the
rehousing for all 16 months, we need an additional $1,000. If
youd like to donate to this project, please mail a check to the
History Center or donate via our website. Include in the memo or
notes section Collection Rehousing Project so that we allocate it
to this project.
Maintenance of Signs Marking Ghost Towns in Goodhue
County
This spring, I set out to conduct a comprehensive inventory of all
of the ghost town or former site signs throughout the county. It
took approximately three days and a few hundred miles to
complete. We now have a spreadsheet documenting the exact
location of each sign (85 in total) and its condition. We discovered
that approximately one third of those signs need immediate
replacement, another third will need replacement within the next
five years, and the final third may last well beyond another five
years.
The Board of Directors identified seven signs that will be replaced
this year, based on condition and funds available. That leaves 24
signs in the first category that need immediate replacement.
Options are being reviewed for how we can sustain this program in
the future. Each sign will cost $235 to print, but that does not
include installation. Some signs need to be moved to locations off
of the highway, which may cost significantly more. If youd like
to donate to this project, use the memo or note Ghost Town
Signs when making a donation.
Have a great summer!
2
(Continued from page 1) the mill was abandoned. The Oxford Mill
By 1872, King site is on the National List of Historic
Wheat became Places.
the economic
driver for rural The hamlet of Oxford Mills was typical of
communities the emerging small mill-town
communities along the Cannon River as it
throughout the
consisted of a cluster of houses, a school,
Cannon River
and a Methodist church. The destiny of each
Valley.
hamlet and little town was cast into the
According to
shadow of a rapidly growing railroad
local historian,
industry as well as new stage routes in
Fredrick L.
Goodhue County. Like the towns of
Johnson,
Faribault and Northfield to the west on the
Goodhue
County was Cannon River, Cannon Falls prospered
destined to be This is an old wagon trail that went
while the small communities of Aspelund,
the top wheat through Hay Creek Township taken Featherstone, Belle Creek, Hay Creek, and
around 1900. White Rock were relegated to ghost town
producer in the
status (Meyer, Ghost Towns, 2003). Once
U.S. and Red Wing became a key link to the
well-traveled crossroads and social centers,
primary world wheat market. While wheat
each small town was lucky to salvage a post
was the lucrative cash crop of the day,
office, school, livery, blacksmith,
farmers also raised corn and garden produce
mercantile, and maybe a church as the
to be bartered or sold locally. Wheat grown
railroads and stage routes defined progress.
locally was either transported to a mill for
grinding or it was sold on the open market
via the port of Red Wing.
In what has become known as the Mill
Town Era, the Cannon River powered
some thirty flour mills from Faribault to
Red Wing. For the modern day traveler, the
Oxford Mill near Cannon Falls provides a
glimpse into the construction of an early
water-powered flour mill.
Local entrepreneur, C. N. Wilcox, built the
four-story 42 by 54 stone structure in
1878. It utilized four runs and an engine
house containing a steam boiler that could
Oxford Mill Ruins, listed on the National Register of Historic
be used when the water level was low. The Places. Photo by Loren A. Evenrud.
Oxford Mill operated until 1908 when a
flood undermined part of the stone wall and (Continued on page 4)

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Cannon Falls Historian Robert Rohl contends
that the historic Goodhue County wheat trail
that is known today coincided with the stage
route from Red Wing westward to Kenyon
(Green line on map). Further, he believes that
the wheat trail extended much farther west as
it is believed that wheat grown in Western
Minnesota, Northwestern Iowa, and the
Dakotas was moved east on the wheat trail to
the port of Red Wing.
Today, the Chandler House in Belle Creek
stands as a testament to the way stops that
Stagecoah routes in Goodhue County map created by the Goodhue
County GIS Office, March 2013.
4
provided food and lodging to haulers on the
wheat trail. Dating back to 1855, it is the
oldest standing residential structure in
Goodhue County. The stone structure features
a large stone fireplace on the lower level that
was used for heating and cooking. Rooms for
lodging were located on upper level. It is
rumored that that the house may have also
served as a brothel at one time. Samuel P.
Chandler, who was also a circuit minister, built
the house along with a frame barn to the west
of the present house. Chandlers way station
was at the heart of Belle Creek where he
provided postal service, blacksmith, and
livery services. He was also instrumental
in building the nearby Episcopal Church
which Orland Chandler, a relative,
recently refurbished.
As time marched on, commerce and
development favored the communities
that were served by railroads and stages
lines. While travel by stage and rail car
was far more advanced than travel by ox-
drawn wagon and cart, it was far from
romantic. Stage travel was dusty and
dirty with passengers crowded together in
tight quarters. The U.S. Mail and the
transport of money, including gold, took
priority. In the 1860s, a typical "stage"
was any coach, wagon, or sleigh used as a
public conveyance. The elaborate
Concord coaches made popular by Wells
Fargo were likely not a familiar sight on
the historic Goodhue County wheat trail.
Scheduled stops at hotels and rural post
offices would have been the only formal
bathroom opportunity for stage
passengers. Rail passengers did not fare
much better as priority was given to the
transport of wheat, livestock, and
manufactured goods as well as the mail
and bank deposits, including gold. The Towns theme recognizes the historic mills that
railroads provided a range of basic services for played a role in the King Wheat
passengers but the very best mode of rail travel phenomenon in Minnesota (http://
was reserved for the wealthy: land speculators, www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/mill_towns/
bankers, and outlaws such as the James/ index.html).
Younger gang.
Loren Evenrud is a board member with the
During the prelude to the First National Bank Goodhue County Historical Society and
of Northfield raid on September 7, 1876, it is resident of Cannon Falls.
known that the gang traveled by rail from St.
References:
Joseph, Missouri to St. Paul, Minnesota to lay
in place plans for their next bank robbery. Johnson, Frederick L., Goodhue County,
After researching holdings of several banks in Minnesota: A Narrative History. Goodhue
towns on the wheat trail in the Cannon River County Historical Society Press, 2000.
Valley, the gang members boarded a train in
St. Paul and arrived in Red Wing to purchase Johnson, Frederick L., When Wheat Was
fast horses and top quality riding gear. Rohl King in Minnesota, MINNPOST, September
claims that the gang members paired off in 10, 2013.
twos and threes so as to not arouse suspicion Meyer, Mary Hockenberry and Price, Susan
as they moved west through the country side Davis, Ten Plants That Changed Minnesota.
toward Northfield. Rohl documented the Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2017.
hidden history of the movement of the
mounted gang members through Goodhue Meyer, Roy W., The Ghost Towns and
County in the days prior to the failed raid of Discontinued Post Offices of Goodhue County.
First National Bank of Northfield. Goodhue County Historical Society Press,
2003.
Just as the travelers on the historic wheat trail
in the 1850s experienced a unique adventure,
hikers and bikers today can discover the
Cannon River on the new Mill Towns State
Trail that connects Faribault and Northfield. In
recognition of the historic mills that once
drove the economy of the Cannon River
Valley, a new segment has been recently
completed that connects Lake Byllesby
Regional Park and the City of Cannon Falls
trails, which in turn, connect to the nearly 20
mile Cannon Valley Trail that runs from
Cannon Falls to Red Wing. Another recently
completed segment connects Dundas and
Northfield. Plans are in place to connect to the Samuel P. Chandler House in Belle Creek Township,
Sakatah Singing Hills Trail which runs circa 1970s
between Faribault and Mankato. The Mill
5
Exhibits
on View
Check out these
exhibits from July
through October!

6
 Membership Application Yes! I want to be a member of the Goodhue County
Historical Society at the following level (please check
Name______________________________________________ one):
Contact Person (Business only)___________________________
Individual $35
Address_____________________________________________ Family $50
___________________________________________________ Basic Business $50

Phone (____) ________________________________________ Supporting $100

E-mail_______________________________________________
Contributing $250
Rev. J.W. Hancock Society (life) $5,000
Would you like to receive the GCHS newsletter by email?______
Would you like to receive event and program notices by email? ____ Please make checks payable to:
New Renew Goodhue County Historical Society
My check is enclosed Please debit my credit card Mail applications to:
Goodhue County Historical Society
Card Number_________________________________________
1166 Oak Street
Red Wing, MN 55066
Expiration Date_____________ CCV/CVV # _______________

Authorized Signature____________________________________

Meeting Room is Help us with our

Available for Rent!
The Goodhue County Historical Society has
meeting space available for rent! Our lower
level meeting room can accommodate small
to medium sized groups or open house
functions. Amenities include WiFi access,
reception area directly adjacent to meeting
room, coat rack, small kitchenette, projector,
and laptop (if needed). Groups or
individuals can rent the space at a
reasonable rate. Members receive a
discount.
To check meeting space availability and
reserve your event date, contact Dustin at
(651) 388-6024 or by email:
director@goodhistory.org.
mailing list!
A number of our mailings return with incomplete
or undeliverable addresses. If you have moved, or
have a winter or summer address, please notify us.
Even if you have moved to a new apartment in the
same building/complex, please give us your new
address.
If you would like to save a tree, and help us save
on the cost of bulk mailing, you can receive the
newsletter by email. Please send an email to:
info@goodhistory.org with Paperless
Newsletter in the subject line to start receiving
the newsletter by email. If you have changed
your email address as well, please let us know
your new address. If you have notified us but
have not received the newsletter, check your bulk
mail inbox and spam filter settings in your email
program.

7
All lists are current from April 1 to June 30, 2017 - Thank Mary Ramboldt
you! Richard & JoAnne McNamara
Harland & Jane Schultz
Memorials & Dona Macauley-Bradt
Honorariums George & Barbara Vogel
Caroyln Anderson
In Memory of Jeanne Bergner
Michael Schendel Suzanne Blue
Given by Elaine Jorgensen
Jeffrey & Gretchen Lang Scott & Anne Jones
Barbara Tittle
In Memory of William & Rebekah Foot
Helen Becker John & Barbara Hanson
Given by James Ullrich
Michael Back Charles Richardson
Barbara Bayley
In Memory of Robert & Paula Kadanec
Dolores Ryan
Given by In Memory of
Kathryn Gainey John Parker
Richard L. Johnson Given by
Dennis & Shirley Schultz
In Memory of
Mary Ann Brennen Ilyz In Memory of
Given by Luverne Skip Reding
Richard L. Johnson Given by
Dennis & Shirley Schultz
In Memory of
Catherine Ullrich Deceased Members
Given by
Rebecca Stockbridge Catherine Ullrich
Hans & Margaret Anderson
Peter Ullrich We apologize if there are any errors or
Lois Klindworth omissions.
Marcy Doyle
Marjorie Frost

We are a participating Blue Star Museum in 2017!

Once again in 2017, the Goodhue County
Historical Society is participating in the Blue Star
Museums program. This program offers free
admission to the nations active duty military
personnel including National Guard and Reserve
and their families from Memorial Day to Labor
Day. Military personnel just need to show an
approved Military ID to have the admission
waived.

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 WANTED: NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS!

Do you like to write? Do you like to research or tell local history? The Goodhue County
Historical Society invites interested individuals to submit articles for our quarterly newsletter.
Article content must pertain to Goodhue County but you can choose any topic that interests
you. Our deadline for the fall newsletter is 4 p.m. on Friday, September 15.

For more information and guidelines on how to submit an article, contact Dustin at (651) 388-
6024 or by email: director@goodhistory.org.

We will print articles as space allows and the Goodhue County Historical Society staff may
edit them to fit space constraints.

Quilters
By Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek
Coming to the State Theatre, Zumbrota, MN
September 23, 7:30 PM and September 24, 2:00 PM
A Tony Award-nominated international hit for over 30 years. This musical was inspired by real life diaries
and letters of American pioneer women, written as they braved the danger and hardships of life on the frontier.
These strong women will fill you with laughter and tears.

Tickets $20 at www.zaac.or g

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the
Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts
and Cultural Heritage Fund.

9
 Historic Home Tour
Sunday, September 24
1 to 4 p.m.
Tour some of Red Wings historic homes!
If youve always wondered what it looks like
inside some of those beautiful older homes in
Red Wings historic neighborhoods, mark
September 24 on your calendar.
The Goodhue County Historical Society will
host a Sunday afternoon tour, from 1 p.m. to 4
p.m. We have four homes lined up, and we
plan to add at least one more.
Participating homeowners include:
Steve and Melissa Sorman
457 W. Seventh St.
Winston Kaehler 905 W. Third St.
Dennis and Kathy Zolendek
1020 W. Third St.
Linda Flanders & Dorothy Halla-Poe
1121 W. Fourth St.
In addition, well be sharing the story of our guests may disembark for a short excursion
favorite historic building the Goodhue
County History Center at 1166 Oak St.
Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the
History Center or via our websites online
store. Dont miss this great opportunity!
History Cruises
Enjoy a fall color cruise on Lake Pepin while
learning about Goodhue County history!
Once again, we teamed up with the Pearl of
the Lake, docked in Lake City, to provide a
unique opportunity to discover local history!
Cruises will depart from Lake City and
historian Fred Johnson will narrate. Tickets
for each cruise are $25 per person and may
be purchased at the History Center or via our
websites online store.
Explore the Shores of Lake Pepin to Old
Frontenac
Sunday, September 17, 3:30 p.m.
Have you heard of the locations Rest Island or
Central Point? Have you ever wondered what
it would feel like to dock on the beach at Old
Frontenac, much like those who arrived at the
Lakeside Hotel in the 19th century? Come
with us for a three hour cruise on Lake Pepin
to learn about these fascinating places. We
will stop at the beach on Old Frontenac, where
onto land to see some of these historic build-
ings.
The Sea Wing Disaster
Sunday, October 1, 3:30 p.m.
The Sea Wing story continues to intrigue
generations of people living around Red Wing
and Lake City. Take part in this cruise to learn
what happened on July 13, 1890, when
disaster struck the captain, crew, and
passengers aboard the Sea Wing. Retrace the
boats route and see the approximate location
off of Central Point where the boat capsized,
sealing the fate of 98 passengers. Learn how
local river towns came together to aid in the
recovery and support each other during a time
of immense sorrow.
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 Volunteer Spotlight
By Lindsey Rindo

We feel thankful to our volunteer community

for their dedication, enthusiasm, and
contributions. The Goodhue County Historical
Society could not function effectively without
the assistance from our volunteers. This past
spring they helped us in a variety of ways.

This May our Grounds Crew helped complete

some much needed landscaping work at the
History Center. They laid new mulch around
the building exterior along with rock in some
areas, pulled weeds, and relocated plants.
Thanks to that group of volunteers our
building looks more inviting.
Bob Rohl talks with a visitor at the First Thursday Fun Fest in
Cannon Falls.
Tour Guides facilitated a fast-paced, multi-
sensory field trip experience for Goodhue
Elementary. Their understanding of the
museum, charisma, enthusiasm, and
knowledge of teaching both onsite and in the
classroom contributed to meaningful field trip.
I feel so thankful to have had this group help
me with my first field trip at the History
Center. Thank you!

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

River City Days - August 4 to 6

The new mulch has made a dramatic improvement to the look

around the Goodhue County History Center.
Outreach Volunteers engaged audiences at
First Thursday Fun Fest in Cannon Falls and
helped young citizens with contemporary
history at our very first Pop Up Museum. I
could not have set up and torn down our Pop
Up Museum without them and the experience
would not have been the same without their
expertise.
Walk into Local History - September 9
Historic Home Tour - September 24
Walk into Local History - October 7
Crescents Base Ball Festival - October 14
Red Wing Arts Festival - October 14 & 15
For more information on these opportunities,
contact Lindsey at (651) 388-6024 or visit our
website at www.goodhuecountyhistory.org/get
-involved/volunteering

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 Check out these classes through Red Wing
Community Education this fall!

This fall, we will offer a great lineup of classes in conjunction

with Red Wing Community Education! To register for any of
these classes, please call Community Education at (651) 385-
4565 or visit their online registration site at https://
redwing.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/home. All classes will take
place at the Goodhue County History Center.

The Architecture of Red Wing Houses

Tuesday, September 19, 6 p.m.

Cost is $14 per person

Carrie Becker, local architectural historian will lead a detailed

overview of the architectural styles of the houses of Red Wing,
from the 1850s to the 1950s. Learn how to identify the styles
and details visible on Red Wings historic homes, from the
simplest vernacular and carpenter built cottages, to more
elaborate Victorian, Classical, Revival, and Modern styles
houses designed by both regional and national acclaimed The classes on September 19 and
architects. Participants may bring photographs of their own 26 are made possible with support
homes during the Q&A session. from the Wings Fund, a donor
advised fund administered by the
Southern Minnesota Initiative
Exploring your Homes History Foundation.
Tuesday, September 26, 6 p.m.

Cost is $24 per person with a limit of 15 people

Restoring your Red Wing home and curious about what historic details remain? Curious about
who lived within the walls now occupied by your family? Join local architectural historian
Carrie Becker for a class on how to uncover the details of your homes history using the
resources of the Goodhue County Historical Society. The class will cover searching for visual
clues from your homes architecture, analyzing deed abstracts, early maps, directories,
newspapers, and historical photographs for information about your homes past.

How to Use Ancestry.com

Monday, November 13, 1 p.m.

Cost is $10 per person with a limit of 12 people

Have you ever wanted to start a genealogy project, but felt unsure of how to begin?
Learn how with help from the Goodhue County Historical Societys staff. This beginners
class will introduce the basics of genealogy research and provide the tools needed to get your
own project started utilizing Ancestry.com.
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 Get outside and learn about the history
around you with our Walk into Local
History series!

To register for Walk into Local History

events, contact the History Center at (651)
388-6024 or via our online store.

$7 for members per tour

$10 for non-members per tour

Discover the Jordan Creek

Saturday, September 9, 10 a.m. & 1 p.m.

Did you know a river used to bisect downtown Red Wing? Or

that the same river continues to flow beneath the town?

This guided walking tour leads participants along the historic

route of the Jordan Creek, with a collection of anecdotes and
historical photographs. The group will journey to the basement
of a downtown business to see the Jordan firsthand. Tours will
depart from City Hall in Red Wing and end at Levee Park.

Exploring Oakwood Cemetery

Saturday, October 7, 10 a.m. & 1 p.m.

Cemeteries are many thingstranquil, solemn, beautiful, peacefulbut they also hold unique
historical information about an area. By journeying through cemeteries, we learn about an
areas population and development, beliefs and customs, trials and tribulations, its growth and
renewal. Explore Red Wings Oakwood Cemetery on Saturday, October 7, and learn more
about Red Wings textured past.
Walk through one of the cemeterys most historic
sections as you visit the final resting places of
some of Red Wings most notable names,
including: Reverend Joseph Hancock, Abraham E.
Welch, T.B. Sheldon, and more. Learn the
difference between male and female Victorian
mourning customs, the meanings behind
tombstone symbolism, and what life was like for a
19th century Red Wing resident.

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 The Historical Society invites you toHistory Break, a lunchtime learning program series.
Every third Wednesday of the month at noon, bring your lunch to the Historical Society for a
FREE hour long program on national, state, and local history.

Wednesday, July 19
Sheldons Gift Revisited
featuring Tom Olson, author of Sheldons Gift

Olson returns to provide a fresh look at the

themes explored in his book, Sheldons Gift:
Music, Movies, and Melodrama in the Desirable
City. He will explain how the early financial Photo courtesy of the Sheldon Theater
struggles of the Sheldon were attributed to the
separation of highbrow and lowbrow culture and entertainment in the late 19 th century before
moving to the 1940s and 1950s issues based on federal court cases and the differences in taste
between rural and urban moviegoers.

Wednesday, August 16
Rationing Fashion
featuring Ruth Nerhaugen

World War II had a profound effect on the life in

countries around the world. One of the areas that
saw dramatic change in the United States was
fashion. Although what people wore was not in
itself a critical factor, the wars effect on the fashion industry and everyday wardrobes was
a reflection of the changes our society was undergoing. How did women cope with rationing,
restrictions, and shortages? How did the clothes women wore reflect the way their roles

14
changed, especially in the workplace? How did they compensate for the limitations on fabric
and accessories? These and related topics are explored in this History Break program.

Wednesday, September 20
Barn Bluff: History of Community Conservation
featuring Red Wing park naturalists Erin Aadalen & Anna
Sills

The Red Wing park naturalists invite you to learn why Barn
Bluff is considered an essential component of Red Wing.
Who helped to save this landmark from destructive
quarrying? What steps are being taken today to maintain
Barn Bluffs iconic status? How can future generations carry
on this tradition? These topics and more will be discussed at
this months history Break. Join them and discover the
incredible impact of community conservation.

Tour Featherstone Pottery

Saturday, September 30
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

$25 for members

$30 for non-members
Have you ever wondered why pottery has played a central
role in Goodhue Countys history? Do you like to tour cool
places to see how artisans make their art? Then join the
Goodhue County Historical Society for this unique event!

The trip will begin at the Goodhue County History Center

with a boxed lunch and presentation by Curator of Objects
& Exhibits Casey Mathern on the history of the Claybank
area in rural Goodhue Township. From there, board a bus
for a trip to Featherstone Pottery, owned by the Larkin
family. Tour the spaces where pottery is made and learn
how Featherstone Farm became a local hotspot for making
pottery. Attendees will have the opportunity to stop in the
store and purchase pottery pieces as well. This experience
is held in conjunction with the temporary exhibit on
Goodhue Township.

Reserve your spot today! There is a limit of 22 tickets

available for this tour!
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 Enjoy free
admission and
family activities
each month on Free
Family Fun Day!

River City Days

Sunday, August 6, 12-4 p.m.

Explore our exhibits and escape the August heat with our air
conditioning! Check out the exhibit on Goodhue Township, opening
on August 5. Enjoy free admission at the History Center all
afternoon with your entire family.
Model Railroad Day
Sunday, September 3, 12-4 p.m.

The Gandy Dancer Model Railroad Club of Red Wing

will return to the History Center! Visit the Goodhue
County History Center on this day to engage with hands-
on model railroad sets, and to check out the intricate
and fascinating model railroads from the Red Wing
Gandy Dancers. ArtReach will have a railroad-themed
craft for visitors of all ages to enjoy as well.

Myths, Legends, & Folklore

Sunday, October 1, 12-4 p.m.

Several myths and legends have emerged from or

have been brought to Minnesota, from Pepie the
Lake Pepin Monster to Scandinavian gnome
stories. This state has no shortage of fantastic
stories. Visit the History Center on Sunday,
October 1 to learn about several local myths,
legends, and folklore. Enjoy a dynamic reading of
several of these stories, make your own Pepie
Monster, express yourself through an art project
with ArtReach, and experience the exhibits at the
History Center.

Free Family Fun Day is sponsored in part by

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 Bluffs & Brews

Bluffs & Brews is a collaborative program between the Red

Wing Environmental Learning Center and the Goodhue
County Historical Society. Embark on an outdoor adventure
and learn local history in a unique way. Each event offers the
opportunity to win a prize from Vasque Footwear!
Price per program: Members: $15 | Non-members: $25
Program cost includes equipment rental. Each program will
last about 3 1/2 hours, including the social hour.

Kayak Lake Pepin

Wednesday, July 12, 2 p.m.
Three spots remain for this program!

In July, we will have the opportunity to kayak on

Lake Pepin. Discover how the areas earliest
explorers and American Indians utilized Lake
Pepin and the surrounding area. Immediately
after the outdoor adventure, the group will
convene at Maries Underground & Tap House Group picture after a Bluffs & Brews outing
in Red Wing for a social hour to reflect on the
experience.

Canoe the Vermillion River

Wednesday, August 9, 2 p.m.
Only one spot left for this program date!

Saturday, August 26, 2 p.m.

In August, we will canoe the Vermillion River.

Prior to embarking on the river adventure, the
group will hear about the history of human
interaction with the river including industrial
pollution, fishing, and recent attempts to clean
the river. A social hour will follow on the 9th at
the Red Wing Brewery and on the 26th at Andys
Sports Bar & Grill. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service

Bluffs & Brews is proudly sponsored by Vasque Footwear

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 Evening Presentations at the History Center
Looking for something to fill your evenings this summer and fall? Come to the
History Center for engaging presentations on local, state, and national history.
All of these presentations begin at 6 p.m. Admission is free for members or
students and $5 for non-members. Arrive early to view our exhibits including the
traveling exhibit, Coming of Age: The 1968 Generation.

Wednesday, July 19
Thats Entertainment: An Introduction to Minnesotas
Theater, Music, and Motion Picture History
featuring Tom Olson, author of Sheldons Gift

Join us for a dynamic examination of the history of entertainment

in Minnesota. From the 1820s when soldiers at Fort Snelling
presented Shakespearean plays for one another, entertainment
theater, music, variety entertainers, radio, and the movies has
played an important part in the lives of Minnesotans. Historian
Tom Olson explores how business in Minnesota from lyceum halls
and ubiquitous opera houses to motion picture nickelodeons,
palaces and multiplexes as well as live theater, symphony, and
opera during the evening program.

Thursday, July 20
Dylans Direction Home
featuring Jamie Lorentzen

Local Bob Dylan junkie Jamie Lorentzen will consider Minnesota

native Bob Dylans influence on the 1960s popular culture and
beyond, apocryphal links to Red Wing, and thoughts about
Minnesota that the singer-songwriter has offered over the years.
Based upon Dylans vast body of work and career, the remainder
of the discussion will consider where Dylan might locate the place
and meaning of his own home against the backdrop of the most
iconic and central question he poses amid his 600+ song list
How does it feel/To be without a home/Like a complete
unknown/Like a rolling stone?

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Thursday, September 14
Everybodys Heard About the Bird: The True Story of
1960s Rock n Roll in Minnesota
featuring author Rick Shefchik

Learn about the behind-the-scenes, up-close-and personal

account of how a handful of Minnesota bands erupted out of a
small Midwest market and made it big. Interviews with many
of the key musicians, combined with extensive research and a
phenomenal cache of rare photographs, reveal how this
monumental era of Minnesota rock music evolved. The
chronicle begins with musicians from the 1950s and early
1960s, including Augie Garcia, Bobby Vee, the Fendermen,
and Mike Waggoner and the Bops. Shefchik looks at how a
local recording studio and record label, along with Minnesota
radio stations, helped make their achievements possible and
prepared the way for later bands to break out nationally.

Thursday, September 21
Poems on the Legacy of the Civil War
featuring Christopher Kempf, an artist resident from The Anderson Center at Tower View

Christopher Kempf will read from a new collection of poems, Graceland, a manuscript which
explores how aestheticized public spectacles the Indianapolis 500, Graceland, Hoover Damn,
the Pledge of Allegiance contribute to the production of nationalist identity. Revolving, large
part, around his time living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the collection uses the legacy of the
Civil War as a means by which to think through, from multiple angles, ongoing racial, cultural,
and economic strife in this country. On a theoretical level, the collection documents the
relationship between aesthetic production and forms of economic, social, and political
violence in which its often embedded.

Thursday, October 12
Juvenile Justice: The Rise and Fall of
Juvenile Justice in Minnesota
featuring Jerry ORourke, former Superintendent
of the State Training School in Red Wing

Jerry ORourke will trace four major phases of

the history of the juvenile system. He will use the
State Training School as a case study and explore
how the juvenile system has changed over time in Red Wing as well as in the nation.
ORourke worked at the State Training School in 1968 and returned in 1976 as
Superintendent. He will reflect on his experiences throughout the presentation.

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 Visit us at the Goodhue County Fair!
The Goodhue County Historical Society will be stationed in and around the one
room schoolhouse at the Goodhue County Fair August 9th through the 12th!

Wednesday, August 9
With Love to All: The World War I Letters and Photographs of
Two Minnesota Brothers Marland & Stanley Williams
featuring Elizabeth Williams Gomoll
6 p.m.

In the aftermath of Americas April 1917 declaration of war, the two

patriotic brothers, seventeen-year-old Marland Williams and his
older brother Stanley, volunteered for duty. Marland signed on with
what became the 125th Field Artillery of the 34th Sandstorm
Division, among the first Minnesota units sent to Camp Cody, New
Mexico, for training. Marlands granddaughter, Elizabeth Williams
Gomoll, will discuss the experiences of the brothers using their own
words and personal items! After the talk, Gomoll will be available
to sign copies of her latest book about Marland and Stanley.

Thursday, August 10
Kite Building Workshop
4 to 6 p.m.

Dave Herzog from the Minnesota Kite Society will lead a kite building workshop for families
at the one room schoolhouse at the Goodhue County Fair. Learn the history of kites while you
and your family build a mini sled kite, which you can fly indoors and outdoors!

Patriot Hearts: World War I Passion & Prejudice in a Minnesota County

featuring author and historian Fred Johnson
6:30 p.m.

Minnesotas turbulent World War I years produced bloody conflict

abroad and divisive ethnic and political tensions at home. Famed
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis in comments on a Red
Wing case, noted Minnesotas policy of repression that resulted in
the nations most serious cases of civil right suppression. In his
carefully researched study, historian Fred Johnson retells this largely
forgotten 1917 1918 Minnesota story in microcosm, using the
example of Goodhue, the states most ethnically and politically
polarized county. Johnson will discuss his latest book which
includes a wide range of primary sourced reports that detail verbal
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and physical attacks on German Americans and political rivals, nine indictments with four
convictions for treason, courtroom improprieties, coercive Liberty Bound sales, and the use of
martial law. After the talk, Johnson will be available to sign copies of his latest book.

Friday, August 11
Traditional Soap Making Demonstration
3 p.m.

Nancy Brooks will demonstrate traditional methods and

ingredients for making soap. She will highlight what
has stayed the same over the years (basic ingredients)
and what has changed (better measuring tools,
commercially available lye, electricity, etc). Nancy will
make a batch of cold process soap, cut bars of soap, and
explain the use of herbs, flowers, and other additives
that were used for cleaning 100 150 years ago. Her
soap will be available for sale throughout the day at the
rural school house.

History of the Wheat Trail and Flour Making in Goodhue County

featuring Loren Evenrud and Robert Rohl
6 p.m.

Robert Rohl and Loren Evenrud will give an illustrated presentation that will highlight the
wheat trail and flour milling industry that served Goodhue County settler and farmers in the
mid-1800s. The wheat trail followed an established stage route that passed through the
communities of Oxford Mills, Aspelund, Featherstone, White Rock, Bell Creek, Hay Creek,
and terminated at the Port of Red Wing. In the 1860s, there were some twenty-seven flour and
grist mills in the Cannon River Valley. Ironically, the wheat trail and stage routes provided
convenient passages for the members of the James/Younger Gang in the days leading up to the
Northfield Bank Raid in 1876.

Saturday, August 12
Dairy Day at the Goodhue County Fair
12 to 8 p.m.

Stop into the rural school house for dairy related activities
which includes the creation of your very own bovine (cow
and bull) puppets. Create abstract paintings using nothing
but milk, dish soap, q-tips, and food coloring from 12:30 to
1:30 p.m. and from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Did you know you can make your own butter at home
with only a few ingredients? Learn how from 2 to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Learn the
history and science behind butter as you make it yourself then, try it out on some crackers.

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 The History Center in the Community
Cant make it to the History Center? Come visit us at community events to engage
with Goodhue Countys history!

Friday, July 28 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Pop Up Museum: Movement
Corner of Old West Main and Jackson Street in Red Wing

The Goodhue County Historical Society is teaming up with Live Healthy Red Wing to
celebrate the activity and movement present in Red Wings contemporary culture with a Pop
Up Museum. The Historical Society wants to know how you move: Do you have a job that
keeps you active? Do you have a favorite mode of transportation? Do you have a hobby
centered around movement? Bring a personal object (hiking shoes, hula hoop, bike helmet,
soccer jersey, etc.) related to movement or a picture of you in motion (during a marathon, on a
ski jump, jumping rope, playing on a jungle gym, swimming on vacation, etc.). Everyone has a
story to share and we want to hear yours!

August 4 to 6
River City Days
Bay Point Park in Red Wing

Come check us out at River City Days! Well have a booth

in Bay Point Park starting Friday afternoon until Sunday
evening. On Friday and Sunday, we will bring our
Facebook Engagement What is it Wednesday? to life. We
will feature a few items from the Education Collection and
you can use your senses to guess what the objects are, who
may have used them, and when. Stop by our booth to get
your hands on local history!

Saturday, August 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pop Up Museum: Coming of Age
Bay Point Park in Red Wing

Celebrate your awkward phase with the Goodhue County Historical Society at River City
Days! We will be down at Red Wings River City Days all weekend but, on Saturday we will
do something extra special. You are invited to participate in one of our Pop Up Museums,
bring in an object, photo, or story related to the years you came of age your tween, teen, and
young adult years.

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You can bring in your old retainer case, that CD or album that got you through middle school,
your favorite band t-shirt, etc. We want to hear your stories about those years you tried new
things and discovered the real you.

Thursday, September 7 from 5 to 8 p.m.

First Thursday Fun Fest
Mill Street in Cannon Falls

Meet us in Cannon Falls for First Thursday Fun

Fest! We will explore native cultures through 3D
objects and learn about all the different cultures
that emerged in Native America in different
geographic regions. Audiences are invited to
handle different tools, examine maps, and
participate in a corn grinding activity. Bring your
ground corn and our recipe back home with you Photo courtesy of the Cannon Falls Chamber of
for snack later. Commerce

Saturday, September 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Minnesota Childrens Book Festival
The Anderson Center at Tower View, 163 Tower View Drive in Red
Wing

Meet us at the Anderson Center during the Minnesota Childrens

Book Festival and dig into natural history with our archaeology dig
boxes. Through this program, participants of all ages can uncover
artifacts from our teaching collection and make guesses about how
past cultures used these objects.

October 14 & 15
Red Wing Festival of the Arts
Third & Bush Streets in downtown Red Wing

Celebrate arts and culture in downtown Red Wing this October! On Saturday, stop by our
booth to see 3D maps of the local area and learn more about this Historical Society. On
Sunday, bring an object and participate in a Pop Up Museum. The Goodhue County Historical
Society wants to know how you express yourself. Visit our booth anytime between 11 a.m. to
3 p.m. and bring an object, photo, or story related to expression. Do you create art, music,
poetry, or short stories? Do you doodle, capture moments on film, or dance? We want to see
your work and hear your stories. Bring in something that represents how you express yourself
and share it with your community.

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 Goodhue County
Historical Society Nonprofit
1166 Oak Street Organization
Red Wing, MN 55066 U.S. Postage
PAID
Summer 2017 Permit No. 305
Red Wing, MN
Minnesotas first county historical society, est. 1869

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Check out the Crescents Base Ball Club of

Red Wing this summer and fall!
Our team plays by 1860s rules and is fun for the whole family!

Saturday, July 15 Saturday, October 14

Wakondiota Park in Old Frontenac Anderson Center in Red Wing
Doubleheader beginning at Noon Full day festival beginning at 10 a.m.

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