HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09-08 PACKET 06.B.Cottage
Grove
here Pride and Prp5?erity Meet
TO: Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation
FROM: John M. Burbank, Senior Planner
DATE: September 4, 2020
RE: 10524 Kimbro Avenue - Nessel School
Introduction
During the course of this year the ACHP have been discussing the fate of the Nessel
School located at 10524 Kimbro Avenue due to rumors of demolition. In July, the
rumors were put to rest.
Discussion
The new owners of the property stopped into City Hall and were very interested to
get information on the school because they confirmed that it was still standing on
their property and they wanted to be informed good stewards of the historic structure.
The attached information was shared with them.
Recommendation
Review and discuss possible registration on the City Register of Historic Sites and
Landmarks.
Local historian finds school from 1800s I SWC Bulletin
16
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Comprehignswe Den --M Care '
Acal historian fi
By Judy Spooner on Oct 6, 2010 at 7:58 a.m.
Dr. Tim Brook
and the Smile
for Life Team
I from
Page 1 of 4
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APPOINT
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115
Several years ago local historian Bev Gross discovered something many people thought
no longer existed, and she's been chronicling its history ever since.
She found the Nessel School, built in 1869 on Kimbro Avenue in Cottage Grove.
Gross was told by Kip Sundgaard, that there was an old school she should investigate.
She and her husband, Bud, who shares most of her historical adventures, set out to find it
several years ago. The duo photographed their find after trudging through snow and
underbrush.
http://www. swcbulletin. com/content/Iocal-historian-finds-school-1800s 1/4/2017
Local historian finds school from 1800s I SWC Bulletin
Page 2 of 4
BF �/, NAtUo h, s bF.on '"erg: sted in local history as long as she can remember, said she
recalls her parents talking about small schools in the area before District 833
consolidation closed them in the 1954.
A member of the Cottage Grove Historic Preservation Commission and a charter member
of the South Washington Heritage Society, Gross grew up in Old Cottage Grove and
attended Cottage Grove School, a two -room school near her home that no longer exists.
Cottage Grove Elementary, in District 31, was first located in 1851 in the home of James
Norris on Lamar Avenue. He was one of the first Washington County and Cottage Grove
residents, according to local history and Gross's research. Senior living facility Norris
Square is named after him
"Most of the early schools began in people's homes," Gross said in an interview at the
Nessel School.
In 1950, Gross graduated from eighth grade at Cottage Grove School, which closed the
same year, and went to St. Paul Park High School.
"My teacher was worried about us going to that school," she said. "I think she thought it
would have too much of a 'big -city' influence on us."
In Gross's research on the Nessel School, she found that it started in 1855 in the home of
William Altenburg.
In 1869, the school was built and named for Andrew Nessel, a member of the District 32
School Board who also donated the school's land.
"He was a respected pioneer," Gross said.
The Nessel School Record of Annual School Meetings chronicles the years from 1870 to
1875.
In 1872, the winter session was four months long with 16 boys and 22 girls enrolled. The
school was open in the summer for three months with 22 boys and 28 girls enrolled. The
salary for the male teacher was $50, according to the record book for Langdon School.
http://www. swcbulletin. com/content/Iocal-historian-finds-school-1800s 1/4/2017
Local historian finds school from 1800s I SWC Bulletin
Page 3 of 4
In 1.901. Nc�-sel 1ch-al, �ocated on private land and not open to the public, closed and
children were transported to Hastings schools in a covered wagon.
Langdon School, which still exists in Cottage Grove south of the city's public works
facilities, opened in 1923. Nessel School merged with Langdon when it opened and its
history is contained in Langdon's records.
The records were donated to the heritage society by the estate of Peter Thompson,
whose parents attended Nessel School.
The records are kept at St. Paul Park City Hall where the society meets on the second
Saturday of the month in the DeForth Room.
Thompson, who was active in the community and owned substantial land in Cottage
Grove, has a park named after him. Peter Thompson Family Park is located in the
Highland Hills Addition off of 65th Street.
Some of the people who attended Nessel School include: Edie C. Whitbred, Herbert
Hazelton, Irving Morey, Mrs. Charles Kemp, Dell Wilkins, Carrie Egan, Mrs. John McLain,
Mrs. James McLaughlin, Mrs. Jake Simons, Lucy Morley, Charles Kemp, Laura Allen,
Louis Nessel, John Kemp, Holland Morey, Lydia Tucker, Charles Daulton, Mrs. Charles
Gilmore, Mrs. Charles Daulton and Charles Gilmore.
i, r'.y s a 0 .� r
Judy Spooner is the longest -serving staff writer at the South Washington County Bulletin. Spooner,
who covers education and features in addition to writing a weekly column, has been with the
newspaper for over 30 years.
jspooner@swcbulletin.com
(651) 459-7600
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Local historian finds school from 1800s I SWC Bulletin
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STILLWATER, MINN., WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1899.
,c,c OUR COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SERFS. 94'
DISTRICT No. 32 COTTAGE GROVE.
r.
The school house of district No. I
house, situated about forty rods
the school site.
Kemp, Andrew Nessel, Robert
WilkinsAEdw�arGilmare,ItC John
32 is located in the southeastern
of Cottage Grbve, about two
north oto present
The school was carried on at that Morey,
The more and William Mackintosh.
miles Routheast of Langdon and
time partly by contribution.
of scholars were 16,of which
Former teachers: AnnLavery,
about five miles northwest of Hast-
I
number
number 14 were iu the Primer. The
J
Josiah Thompson, Y ,
McHattie,
Ings.
Opinions differ as to the date of
following year school was held in
where
Henry Briggs, Emma
Mary J. Daulton, Lizzle Van Slyke,
the organization of the district. On
the board of county
the John Inky house. near
Henry Gil or 'Miss residencenow
Davis
Lydia Van SethFArn Fanny
Rog ;. Q.
May 3, 1853,
commissioners grranted the petition
standing, as teach
For later
Latischa
Nackintosh.
for tibeorganization of aer and ten her citi-
fordistrict
tb
er. several
was held in a carpenters op owneears
d
Laura B. WrightaBlanc et Staples,
Alice J. Pringle and Edith Kemp.
zof eas
zeas
the southeast quarter of
by John Bassett, on what. is now
Mrs. Burnsides's farm. Mics Kate
The school house is of the typical
Cottage Grove. The organization
was probably effected by the Citi-
Califf of Nininger was teacher fol-
bySalyMiss Nixon, then
order and has been tion.changed but
menL sinceupilseCis efifteen.
zens subsequent to this action of the
as four years later,
Vaned
. Later s boos
about
Free books were provided for sev-
eommissioners,
Oct. 16, 1867, a similar petition was
to the couuty hoard with
was taught one summer
iD the William eD
of the freevious to the enact -
text book law. The
presented
the result that the citizebs of the
Grove
house, now the Derby place. The
school building was erected
ment
bell in the belfry was the first fire
southeast quarter,of Cottage
authorized to organize a school
present,
iBne1863ab by sonars, u[ at Paul,�was
T globe nand
J±;rq shedss bell used s with Pmaps,
were
district.
and met at
the first teacher. in<the new bund-
y, was purchased
nietionar A flag
A meeting was called
the home of Jacob Mosher. The
ing. The -school room was not
first The
during the past ,year.
The teacher, Miss Blanche Clark,
following school officers were
Jacob Mosher, director;
plastered the year.
school board at that time was
of Stillwater, h s graduate of the
Stillwater high school and of the
elected:
John Rhodes, clerk; James O.
Andrew Nessel, Beckman Winaut
O. hemp. Among the
Winona Normal.
Kemp, treasurer.
The first school was taught in
and James
John
prominent d a ffic� s Mosher,
Mackintosh.
Trutees: 7. well, director and
clerk;sWillis Burare
1858 by Miss Katie Jones, in what
James Patten
Rhodes,
I Beckman Winaut, James O.
Irving T. Morey, treasurer.
was then called the
Yom\
Community
Life,,
Promoting the interests of St. Paul Park. Newport, Langdon.. Cottage Grove, Grey Cloud Island, Woodbury, Afton, and Dcmasrk.
Volume I. Number 32. NEWPORT, MINNESOTA, JULY 31, 1930.
§ Our Album §
THE NESSEL SCHOOL RE -UNION ON
OCT. 5,. 1924
The torrid w e that has visited this
ection fors nal weeks has driven many
of
our peoples ander .. nae
gaentiy, to get a individual story afar
Our Album has b en nest to impossible.
Hawever, thravgh the kindness and e -
te.y of Mrs. Louis Neasel, of Lang
erepro-
of
don,
able to prc..nt herewith a rep o
d tion of photograph taken O.-
tabor 5, 1924, that many will r cognize
as the ... taken on the event of a re-
union
of former pupils of old School Dia
trict No. 32., better known as the Newel
School.
?ages and pages, ney perhaps a vol-
ould be written of r
center ng around the group pi cured here$
with. They c c to the old ,choolhousc
n a hill along Highway No. 3 and about
two miles southeast of Langdon, even then
abandoned, to again live over
old days
when they w all c re-freeboys and
girls, to have a camp fire and picnic lunch,
sad to have their "picture. took..
This old school site, we understand, s
donateabout three -score y go by
Law aa Neasel, e.pected Washington
Countypioneer. , torr a the youth of
those days therudiments of education—
readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmet r. When the
finenew casolid tcd school 6vilding was
erected inLangd n a year pr,vi to
as
this - the Nesa,l School usw
ergs' with tit -
From .old n paper files a learn that
the first school board of the Neasel School
J�silted of Jahn Morey, A. Neasel, and
O. Kemp. The first schoolma'amw
Batina Basmon. Among others who sub-
sequently took p eha rain. of school gav-
ment in this, historic at,,ct,,, included:
Mrs. A. M. Lsvey (later Mrs.W . Lee),
Miss M ggi Jack (latter Mrs. H. P. F.1
lowa). Miss Letitia Roger. (later Mrs. John
Van Slyck), Miss Fannie Pitts (later prin-
cipal of tho Monad. Park School, St.
Paul), Mrs. Ch ,. Kemp (then Mrs. Frank
Moahar), Miss Emma McHattie (later Mrs.
Henry Brig, ), Mia May Daulton (later
Mrs. Geo. L,as,man), M!ss Lydia Van
Sly,k (later Mrs. Geo. Barbara., J..iah
Thompson, john Q. Mackivtosb, Mia.
Chas. Gilmore, Miss Edith Kemp (later
Mr.. Sever Vesledahl).
Could this old Izndmark talk, it could
tell u of the many perpla,ing problems
that originated on and migrated from
scratching slates to re ealing blackboard,,
of the gay time. of both the scholars and
their parents—for it was more or less of a
cal center in those old days of the gay
hearts that later w e dipped in rrow
and earn, of whom now sleep beneath the
d, and of the joyous voic singing
"Yankee Doodle" till the very rafters
echoed the not,,.
fa the picture are, left to right: Front
—"Eddie" C. Whitbre$ St. Paul Park;
H-6- Hazelton, Cottage Grove (Hast-
ings); Irving T Morey, deeeed; M.
ChKemp, Lo Mo , lina CO.; and
"Doll" Wilkins, dc.—.ed. Second r. --
Mr..
Mrs. Peter Thompson, Cottage Grove;
Mrs. Carrie Egan, deceased; Mrs. John W.
McLein, St. Paul Park; Mrs. James Me -
Laughlin, Hastings; Mrs. Jake Simons, de -
This picnic e- m,a, it appears, was
n the as o of a sit of two forme
pupils who e her visit; they w
Mrs. Lydia Tucker, P ovidence, R. L, and
her brother, A. D. ("Dell") ii;lkias, Laa.-
bert. Mont. Those present attended the
ate
hool in the se e,bes. Others who
attended at the same time but who were
of present included: Mrs. Thos. Maguire
( ee Gabriel), Highwood; Mrs. James
Mattimore (nee Clark), St Paul; Eddie
and John Clark, who a out West,"
Laurence Neasel, SL Paul; and Clarence M_
Kemp, Highwood.
Community Life would welcome school
'day stories from any who are still able
to impart them;we are sure that
they
would 6o most interestingaad 6eacficial
to the younger o
—`h—
LOCAL GIRLS RESERVE HONORS AT
4-H ACHIEVEMENT DAY
The 4-H Girls dt Washington unty
bad their "Achievement Day" at Stillwater
n July 14th. Some very splendid r
ordsns��rh
made, adof the ...
went tos
the girls of this
locality; among
them are;
Miss Lucille Mahle, 16, of Woodbury
acclaimed the champon garment
maker,
Price: Se a Copy; $1.00 a Year
used; Mrs. Lucy Morley, deceased;
Charles Kemp, deceased; and Mrs. Laura
Allen, deceased. Back row—Legis Na .cl
Langdon; John Kemp, St. Paul Park;.
Holland Morey, Hastings; Mrs. Lydia
Tucker, then of Providence, R. I.; Charles
Daulton, deceased; Mrs. Chas. Gilmore,
Loa Molina% Cal.; Mrs. Chas. Daulton,
Langdon; and Charles Gilmore, Los
Molinos, Cal.
Miss Alice Blakeley, of Sc Paul Park,
carried offcc ad honors .n she bread
makingontesc
In. the B s g division, Miss Louise
Pieper, of "'..'bury, -.a
first pleec; aad
Miss Rae Marre Roberts, of Cottage Grove,
was -..ad. la the A divsiom Mia. Lu-
cille Mehle, of Woodbury, ec 'ved first
honor and Mi- Lorrayne V,elker, Ha,t-
n The 4-H Girinme af onunty a e dcn.on-
strating that they are
etraining themselves
to be useful a wellor ental—com-
ent on the modern flapper notwithstaad-
mg. —4—
FORTY YEARS' SERVICE
Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Sperry p ... ed the
fortieth milestone of their residence here
in St. Paul Park on July I Ith. Mr. Sperry
has also been freight agent and former
ticket agent for the Burlington Route dur-
g the last I.ete.n year, hila located
here. They have seen St. Paul Park when
an activebusiness town with many m
facto ng planta slowly retire to qu et
weid... c suburb of the Twin Cities. They
They have lived in their home on Summit
Avenue for y years. Thcy arc cajoy-
ing good health and are quite active. We
wish many more happy yens.