Sherburne History Center Blog

News reports published in the Sherburne County Star News on May 5, 1901 noted the sale of the Merchants Hotel in Elk River.  Mrs. V. S. Rubeck sold the property to M. Blanchett for approximately $10,000.  A quick search of the internet for conversion charts, suggested the hotel sold for $269,000 in 2015 money.       Not a bad price for the time, but that led me to question: What was life like, what was the state of the economy in 1901?  What were the average wages in the United States?  I came to the conclusion that poverty was rampant and life was pretty miserable.   Research presented at the 1901 Pan American Exposition held in Buffalo, New York, revealed the average annual income was $449.80.  Most workers put in 9 hour work days, six days each week.  Doing some quick math, workers put in 2808 per year on the job.  That averages 16 cents per hour!  In the factories, there were no health benefits.  There w...

Coming out of Blue Hill Township gossip columns in the Sherburne County Star News , the correspondent outdid themselves in writing this creative birth announcement:  A very young man arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Kahlier last week.  He will remain indefinitely, presumably until he is twenty one years of age should he live.  Published in the March 7, 1901 issue of the newspaper, this announcement covers the full range of emotions.  From birth to death, from joy to sorrow, this brief message suggests so many possibilities in a young man’s life.