Sherburne History Center Blog

The first snow of each year generates discussion about the multitude of blizzards and snowstorms in Minnesota History.   We have the Armistice Day blizzard in 1940, the Easter blizzard in 1968, the Halloween blizzard of 1991.   And now we have the Super Bowl blizzard on 1975.   The wet snow of January contributed to the challenges of the Supper Bowl blizzard of 1975 Beginning January 9, and continuing for three days, rain, then freezing rain, then snow blanketed Minnesota.   Minnesota football fans christened the storm the Super Bowl Blizzard.   As the three-day deluge began to subside the Minnesota Vikings faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl IX.   Locally, the Vikings loss went unmentioned as local reporters documented the snow storm.   Elk River reported a total of 13 inches of snow and wind up to 40 miles an hour after the three-day storm.   “The first indications of real trouble came when heavy sleet and ice ...

Immigrant ship approaching Ellis Island 1906 With the discussions about a “wall” to prevent immigration, it seemed appropriate to explore the histories of Sherburne County residents.   These memories, collected from oral histories at the Sherburne History Center, show immigrants desperate to live in the United States.   Immigrants, one hundred years ago, sought the freedoms in the United States as desperately as immigrants today.   The poem on the Statue of Liberty rings true both today and one hundred years ago: “Give me you tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”  Here are the memories of two Sherburne County residents, Ella Kringlund and Astrid Moores.   Ella Kringlund: I will just briefly say that my father’s parents came across from Germany---they eloped when they were 18 years of age.   They did not have money to pay their transportation across, somehow they got on board ship, they were stowaways and when the...

Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 After the attack at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, the country suffered a level of crisis not experienced in eons.   For many, the original concern arose from not knowing of the survival of family members serving and stationed in Hawaii.   Some families in Sherburne County experienced this anxiety.   The survival of Orville Burandt and Charles Nogle, both residents near Elk River, remained unknown for some time in 1941.   Their families and friends remained in limbo for several weeks after the initial attacks. Orville Burandt, serving in the navy since early in 1941 sent information to the Sherburne County Star News about his service.   He arrived in Peral Harbor in August 1941.   According to the newspaper report Burandt served in the communications office of the Flag of Patrol Wing 2.   His duties included forwarding communications to and from patrol planes.   Two weeks after the attack on ...