Sherburne History Center Blog

Today, as many people reflect on the wars of the twentieth century, “rationing” seems to serve as a great buzz word of the World War Two era.   In spite of a practice so common and mundane, many people do not fully appreciate the challenges and difficulties connected with this part of daily life.   Reading the pages of the Sherburne County Star News, the burden of rationing and the pressure to maintain a semblance of normalcy becomes apparent.   Ration book issued in Sherburne County, 1942 In Sherburne County, the greatest rationing challenge impacted farmers and the agriculture industry even before the war began.   As the winter of 1941 set in, advocates of the federal government urged farmers to keep their machines in good repair.   “New equipment in many instances will not be available” next year, the paper reported.    The war machine first rationed automobiles and tires, later sugar, gasoline, and pharmaceuticals joined the list. 1942 ma...

“Bake” Anderson, legally known as Clarence Anchor Anderson, remains a little known and unreferenced businessman and contributor to Elk River history.  Clarence Anderson gained the nickname “Bake” early.  He attended the Dunwoody Baker’s School in the 1920s with the goal of owning his own bakery. Advertisement for Anderson's Bakery, 1940 Beginning in about 1932, Bake Anderson opened Anderson’s Bakery in downtown Elk River.  38 years he operated, apparently, the only bakery in town. At times, he claimed the title of Sherburne County’s only bakery.  Regardless of the claims, he produced a wonderful array of pastries and breads for Elk River consumption.  Throughout the 1930s he sold ice box cookies, pies, cakes, donuts, and a variety of breads.  At Christmas he sold a number of fruitcakes and breads.  Jula Kaga, a Swedish Christmas bread, remained a specialty unique to his bakery.  He also continuously updated his bakery, guaranteeing a qual...

The lyrics from a Perry Como Christmas song keep running through my head, “Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.”   My thoughts turn to schools in Sherburne County; the large consolidated schools such as Handke School in Elk River; and the many small, one-roomed school houses in the county.   Although the larger communities of Elk River and Big Lake offered large well-established schools.   The majority of students in early Sherburne County attended one-roomed school houses.   Until the 1960s, one-roomed schools served an important role in education in Sherburne County.   In fact, from 1854 to 1969, more than 50 one-roomed schools taught children in Sherburne County.   Many of these schools educated 25 students each year, grades one through eight.   How they operated and functioned is a story better told in volumes.   Some of the memories, however, are worth recording here.   Haven Township school circa 1905 Many of...

Unfortunately, the holidays are over, yet, the joy of the season remains with me.  So, I want to share this small artifact from the collections of the Sherburne History Center. This commemorative plate comes from the Frank Henkemeyer General Store in Clear Lake.  Probably dated around 1905 to 1910, Henkemeyer's store was a fixture on Clear Lake main street until around 1920. I wanted to use this additional artifact to wish everyone a belated Happy Holidays, especially a Happy and Prosperous New Year.