Sherburne History Center Blog

Victory Gardens seemed forever present beginning in 1942 and continuing into 1946 as World War Two impacted the civilian population of the United States. As a federal campaign declaring “food is fighting” the war, residents throughout Sherburne County took up the appeal to grow more food, and preserve more food, to help the war effort. Pamphlets distributed by private companies and the Federal govt. promoted the victory garden program  “Every member of a well-fed farm family consumes $25 to $30 worth of vegetables and fruits every year,” Department of Agriculture agents claimed.   “A half to three-quarter acre garden will supply the needs of a family of six.”   The remaining produce grown on farms and small gardens throughout the county, and throughout the country, could be used in large cities and communities lacking the acreage to garden. The surplus garden produce allowed the federal government to utilize commercially grown and canned vegetables for th...

As World War Two entered the fifth year of battles and bloodshed, a little-known event of some pride to the citizen of Sherburne County unfolded in the naval yards of California.   Although unreported in Sherburne County newspapers, on July 10, 1944, the Navy officially launched the cargo ship the USS Sherburne, (APA 250) named for Sherburne County, Minnesota.   The N avy designed the Sherburne as a Haskell class transport ship, built to haul 1500 troops and their combat equipment to areas of the Pacific Theatre.   After its launching and shakedown exercises, the Sherburne sailed from California to Hawaii, and destinations throughout the Pacific. Her crew sailed to Guam and the Philippines before taking part in the Battle of Okinawa in May and June 1945.   The Sherburne ended the war in Yokohama, witnessing the surrender of Japan.   As a Haskell class ship, the Sherburne was designed to move rapidly through ocean waters, relying on speed to avoid subma...

The 1915 Bank of Elk River Building located on Jackson Street.  Although not visible, a side entrance to  the bank led to the basement lounge for farm families and ladies Recent efforts to map the Elk River business district provided some interesting results, not the least of these is the development of a ladies’ lounge in the Bank of Elk River basement.   Researching the lounge, shows the businessmen of Elk River very attuned to early 1900s marketing and customer service ideas.   Their efforts to recruit entire families shows an appreciation for a close-knit community. Fire destroyed the business district of Elk River in April 1915.   The Bank of Elk River immediately developed plans for a new bank building. With the new construction on Jackson Street, the bank also introduced the idea of providing a “rest room for farmers wives and families.”   The idea being to provide “a place for farmers wives and families a place to rest and visit with one a...

Daylight Savings Times becomes effective, this year (2019), in slightly more than one week.   Reviewing DST and the history seems appropriate to appreciate the experiment.   The idea originated more than 200 years ago, yet, came into common use with the beginning of World War One.   Even today it remains a confusing experiment in time. Benjamin Franklin proposed a form of daylight savings time in 1784.   While touring France, he wrote an essay, “An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light,” proposing Parisians could save the cost of candles if they were to rise from bed an hour earlier each day. Using natural light to start the work day would lead to significant savings.   Many readers regarded his suggestion as an attempt at humor and was not taken seriously.       The start of World War One, Germany and her allies adopted a form of daylight savings time to save on the short supplies of coal and other fuels necessary for ...

Citizens may celebrate the birthday of Sherburne County, 163 years strong, on Monday 25 February.   Looking back on the original promotion and emigrant recruitment for the county reveals a very proud group of settlers.    The Saint Paul Pioneer Press newspaper published an unsigned letter from an early settler of Sherburne County.   Pierre Bottineau's cabin, one of the first structures built in Sherburne County. In later years the cabin abutted the  Riverside Hotel “At Elk River Station,” an 1868 letter writer suggested, “prosperity is at this time manifest.   A steam saw mill with the usual attachments for furnishing building material, is being built and will soon be in operation.   A new school house to cost two thousand dollars, is to be erected the present season.”   The letter went on to describe a “people free from all bigotry and have no great partiality for any particular sect.”   The residents of Sherburne County suppor...

Recently we published information concerning Elk River men stationed at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.   We noted the newspaper’s lack of information about Charles Nogle, reportedly stationed at Guam, possibly captured or killed.   New information, with help from Nogle’s descendant Sandra Koppendrayer, allows us to provide an update:   Actually stationed at Ewa Field, near Pearl Harbor, Marine Air Corps mechanic Charles Nogle witnessed and survived the attack on Hawaii.   A 1989 newspaper article published Nogle reminiscences about the day.   “At the time of the attack, I was a crew member on a DC-5 that out on the field.   We had two of them, and on December 7, one of the was in the overhaul hanger at Ford Island,” he said.   “Ironically, it was the only hanger building on Ford Island that was not hit, and that old bird never got a scratch on it.” Nogle explained at the time of the attack he was caught wearing nothing but a towel, preparing...

A recent facebook post from the Stearns County History Center noted a variety of explanations for round barn architecture.   Although I am not too thoughtful, the article caused me to wonder the different why’s of barn construction.   Why are they round?   Why paint a barn red, or white?   What are the motives of a house barn?   According to the Stearns County post, folklore suggested round barns were built so the devil could not hide in the corners.   More practically, round barns better withstood high winds, tornadoes, and other natural disasters.   In the end, technology eroded the popularity of round barns.   Loading silos and feeding cattle in a round barn proved more difficult than using a rectangular barn.   And, the expense of construction also discouraged the unique architecture of a round barn.   Round barn located on the Perry Garner farm, near Elk River, circa 1916 Economics also determined the color of a bar...