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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-11-10 PACKET 08.A.r HISTORICAL _ WHISPERINGS - .r.�... —Washington County Historical Society , r' � �•.. VVV� G`s Volume 46, Issue 3 Washington County, Minnesota October 2020 Electrifying Washington County It Took 60 Years for Modern Living to Reach All Parts of Washington County Excerpted from A History of Washington County by Robert J. Goodman Minnesota became "electrified" in the late 1800s, at least in the bigger cities, but rural people had to wait many years to get power lines installed. Washington County fared rather better than many parts of the state, having access to hydro power at an early date. Gas and Electricity Light Up Stillwater The Stillwater Gas Light Company was organized on May 12, 1874, by Isaac Staples, John McKusick, Dwight Sabin, David Bronson, L. E. Torinus, and others. Their plant on Nelson Street distributed gas through about three miles of 4 -inch diameter wood- en gas main. Soon gas lamps lit the downtown streets and had been installed in business places and some of the larger homes. Three gaslights on lamp posts lit the state prison compound on the north end of Main Street, and lights were placed in several prison build- ings. A few years later, in November of 1881, essentially the same board of directors organized the Stillwater Electric Light Company. The plant was in a North Main Street sawmill, where the steam boilers powered the generators supplying DC power to downtown In This Issue. . . ... you will find out how gas mains and electric lights came to Washington County, learn the history of the Odd Fellows and of the Washington County Historical Society. Organization News p. 3 Rev. Ernst and WCHS p. 5 Odd Fellows History p. 6 New donations to WCHS pp. 2 & 11 Power crews installing electrical wires at the Wisconsin end of the causeway to the Stillwater lift bridge, c. 1930. commercial sites. In January 1888 the Prison Mirror re- ported, "After long waiting and eager expectancy, the electric light was turned on in the cell block Monday night ... There are also 22 lights in the warden's house." The company brought out a small electric are lighting company in South Stillwater (Bayport) in 1887. Are lights were ideal for street lighting as the high intensity light is very brilliant. In 1890 all the city gas street lights were removed and electric arc lights installed in their place. About this time the Electric Company produced the first alternating current machine, which supplied incandescent lighting downtown. ELECTRICITY—Continued on page 8 Brent Peterson Executive Director Position Open Warden's House Manager Katie Hutton— `- --- - - Hay Lake Museum Manager Chairs Position Open Endowment Fund Chair Nancy Goodman Newsletter Editor Historical Whisperings is published quarterly by the Washington County Historical Society, PO Box 167, Stillwater, MN 55082-0167. Website: www.wchsmn.org Phone. 651-439-5956 For information about stories and newsletter articles, contact editor@wchsmn.org For information about events and collections, oar to purchase a book phone 651-438-5956 or email tnformation@wchsmn.org The museums are closed for the rest of the year. 2 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS work, which will begin sometime this fall or winter. When the new Heritage Center opens will depend on the amount of donations we can receive. Some upcoming events for the WCHS include an outdoor movie at Hay Lake School Saturday, October 10, shown at dusk. On Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, we will hold a "History Sale" at the Heritage Center building on Greeley Street. Times will be 10 AM to 4 PM. Items include many of our fantastic history books, maps, two beautiful dollhouses, and LeRoy Swan prints from all across Wash- ington County. Our "pop-up" history location will again be at 120 South Main Street the two weekends after Thanksgiving. The Washington County Historical Society cannot exist without members like you. Remember, your membership is due at the end of the year. Please renew your membership and include a donation if you can. A gift membership is also a great Holi- day present — you can mail in your membership or renew online at www.wchsmn.org. Brent T. Peterson, WCHS Executive Director Wh t'5 ffi%p ®ming at VVC HS o ® . `grade Carol Donaffon Another historical society donated a wonderful trade card for the North-Western Manufacturing & Car Company of Stillwater, Minnesota. On the front of the trade card is a whimsical sketch of four dogs catching a rat. On the reverse of the card is an advertisement for the "Stillwater Engine" produced by the Company. The card reads, "The easiest running and most economical with fuel," and "They are boss." It mentions that you can "Send for circulars." The trade card was donated by William P. Shannon IV, Curator of the St. Clair County Historical Society in Belleville, Illinois. From the Executive Director Board & Staff Thank you for being members of the Washington County Historical Society. We have Washington County faced many challenges during the past summer with the pandemic closing down the Historical Society museums and cancelling our events and fundraisers. While we have been closed, we have not just sat around. We have added more Board names on the online name index, repaired rotten boards on the Warden's House front David Lindsey President porch, fixed the shades in the Warden's House, repaired several of our fantastic arti- Ryan Collins Vice President facts, and replaced the well pump at Hay Lake School — and we have more items on Joe Otte Recording Secretary the list to complete before the end of the year. Tom Simonet Treasurer The WCHS also has been moving forward with the capital campaign for the Washington County Heritage Center. The building, located at 1862 South Greeley Myron Anderson Director Street in Stillwater, was purchased in 2013. It was leased immediately to the Minneso- Holly Fitzenberger Director to Dept. of Transportation and they were there for five years, paying rent and using the Sheila Hause Director building as their headquarters for the new bridge across the St. Croix River. WCHS Karlene McComb Director has made preparations to make the building into the finest local heritage center in the Angie Noyes Director upper Midwest. To do that — WCHS has to raise funds to make the renovations. Becky Pung Director All WCHS members have or will have received a request in the mail for a dona- Michael Wilhelmi Director tion to the project. Through foundations and some individual donations, we have raised $1.8 million. This is fantastic!! We do need another $2 million to complete the Staff renovations. The WCHS board of directors has chosen Greiner Construction to do the Brent Peterson Executive Director Position Open Warden's House Manager Katie Hutton— `- --- - - Hay Lake Museum Manager Chairs Position Open Endowment Fund Chair Nancy Goodman Newsletter Editor Historical Whisperings is published quarterly by the Washington County Historical Society, PO Box 167, Stillwater, MN 55082-0167. Website: www.wchsmn.org Phone. 651-439-5956 For information about stories and newsletter articles, contact editor@wchsmn.org For information about events and collections, oar to purchase a book phone 651-438-5956 or email tnformation@wchsmn.org The museums are closed for the rest of the year. 2 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS work, which will begin sometime this fall or winter. When the new Heritage Center opens will depend on the amount of donations we can receive. Some upcoming events for the WCHS include an outdoor movie at Hay Lake School Saturday, October 10, shown at dusk. On Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, we will hold a "History Sale" at the Heritage Center building on Greeley Street. Times will be 10 AM to 4 PM. Items include many of our fantastic history books, maps, two beautiful dollhouses, and LeRoy Swan prints from all across Wash- ington County. Our "pop-up" history location will again be at 120 South Main Street the two weekends after Thanksgiving. The Washington County Historical Society cannot exist without members like you. Remember, your membership is due at the end of the year. Please renew your membership and include a donation if you can. A gift membership is also a great Holi- day present — you can mail in your membership or renew online at www.wchsmn.org. Brent T. Peterson, WCHS Executive Director Wh t'5 ffi%p ®ming at VVC HS o ® . `grade Carol Donaffon Another historical society donated a wonderful trade card for the North-Western Manufacturing & Car Company of Stillwater, Minnesota. On the front of the trade card is a whimsical sketch of four dogs catching a rat. On the reverse of the card is an advertisement for the "Stillwater Engine" produced by the Company. The card reads, "The easiest running and most economical with fuel," and "They are boss." It mentions that you can "Send for circulars." The trade card was donated by William P. Shannon IV, Curator of the St. Clair County Historical Society in Belleville, Illinois. V�VCHS Radfides Are ��o ed wr Llhe Year The Washington County Historical Society has closed its museums and research center until further notice except for a few outdoor events. There will be some special sale weekends where social distancing can be observed. Em -911s and phone messages will still be answered. History Sale at Heritage Center October 17 & 18 On Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, the new Washington County Heritage Center at 1862 South Greeley Street in Stillwater will be open for a sale of books and gifts from 10 AM to 4 PM each day. You'll also be able to check out some preliminary exhibits and learn how the new facility is shaping up. Choose from a wide selection of history books, maps, LeRoy Swan prints, and other gifts from the WCHS store. Please be prepared to practice social distancing and wear a mask. GillLLJ at 6,Pop-lUp History" Events in Stillwater WCHS will again open a "Pop -Up" History Gift Shop in downtown Stillwater for two weekends this fall. Shop Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on Thanksgiving weekend, November 27, 28 and 29, and the following weekend, December 4, 5 and 6. The "Pop -Up" shop will be in the Lynskey & Clark Company storefront at 120 South Main Street during the hours of 10 AM to 4 PM each day. Stop in to see a special history exhibit and choose some Christmas gift books. Remember, wear a mask and practice social distancing. Stillwater residents Tony Carr, left, and Washington County Commissioner Gary Kriesel visit the grave site of Jim Carter, who escaped slavery in the South to become caretaker of the Stillwater Armory. See sto- ry on next page. Keep Up to Date ... In these times, programs are subject to change. Check the WCHS website at www.wchsmn.org/events or call 651- 439-5956 for latest updates. Ernes Outdoor Movie Alight at Hay Lake Schoo§ Ocriober 10 Get in the mood for Halloween with a free show- ing of the 1962 classic horror movie, "Carnival of Souls," at the Hay Lake Museum Saturday, Octo- ber 10. This creepy black -and -white indie film, shot in the Midwest and Salt Lake City, has be- come a Halloween favorite that features great cin- ematography and a foreboding atmosphere. The plot follows a young woman whose life is a nightmare after a car accident. She is followed by ghouls and has terrifying fantasies. Bring your friends and family (remember, it's scary) and prepare to have fun. Come get settled at sundown — the movie starts at 7 PM. There is plenty of room for social distancing on the museum grounds, but masks will be needed to use the restroom in the school. Bring your blan- ket or folding chairs (and a sweater if it becomes chilly). The movie will be shown at dusk on an outdoor screen and is Here is a photo of folks getting ready to view our September 12 outdoor movie, "The Little Shop of Horrors. " Some 25 people attended. about 75 minutes long. Poster from the 1962 film "Carnival of Souls. " OCTOBER 2020 3 Jim Cartes Geis His Headstone 2019 Intern Alix Cogan Pushed for Marker Alix Cogan is a history major at the University of St. Thomas. As her research project as a WCHS summer intern in 2019, Alix researched the history of James Carter, a former slave who came to Stillwater after the Civil War. Her biographical article was published in the October 2019 issue of Historical Whisperings. During the war, Jim Carter attached himself to a Union brigade, and returned with the brigade to Wisconsin. A freed man, Jim moved to Stillwater in 1877 and went to work in some of the 30 or more saloons in town cleaning cuspidors. Jim made a lot of friends, and, when Co. K was organized in 1883, Jim was chosen to be custodian of the Armory. Although Jim Carter was given one of the largest funerals in Stillwater history — he was escorted to burial in Fairview Cemetery by the Co. K firing squad which fired three volleys over his grave — his grave lacked a headstone. Alix thought he should be recognized. She and WCHS worked with Fairview Cemetery in Stillwater to provide a stone for Carter and his wife, Anna, whose final resting place was also unmarked. i i Alix Cogan posed with the new headstone, which was installed September 15 in Fairview Cemetery --107 years after Carter's death. Photo courtesy of St. Paul Pioneer Press. Fairview Cemetery donated the headstone and Twin City Monuments in St. Paul donated the engraving work The epitaph on the stone reads "Never had an evil thought nor did and evil deed." (Yes, the misspelling was preserved from Carter's eulogy, published in the Jan. 3, 1914, Stillwater Messenger.) 4 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS irden 9s House Kitty? ►use Museum kitty has the run of the )tted looking out the window for ' Check the WCHS Facebook page um artifacts he highlights. The OM ILS m plightei ° — Fred Johnson Fred Johnson was lamplighter and constable in South Stillwater c. 1907 when this picture was taken. (South Stillwater became Bayport in 1922). As lamplighter, Fred would main- tain the gas street lamps and light them each night. Even though South Stillwater had an electric lighting company as early as 1887, the gas street lights prevailed for many years. See our cover story for more about county electrification. ANNALS OF THE SOCIETY Rev. A. C. Ernst Points VIVay for dfost®rica0 Society in 1934 By Brent Peterson, WCHS Executive Director One of the most challenging parts of firming a new organization is figuring out your mission. The excitement of the new organization brings a lot of ideas and there can be "push and pull' on the direction that the group wants to go. When the Washington County Histori- cal Society was organized in 1934, it had a spiritual leader that set the course that is still being followed today. In early 1934, representatives from several local organizations got together to form the Washington County Histor- ical Society. Chester S. Wilson, a prominent local attorney, presided over the informal meeting at the Stillwater Public Library. It was decided to hold a formal organizational meeting. On Wednesday, April 11, 1934, about 75 people from throughout the county gathered at the Stillwater Public Library and officially formed the Washington County Historical Society. The Washington County Super- intendent of Schools, Edward E. Bloomquist, was elected the first president of the Society; with Mrs. William C. Masterson elected vice- president. At the first meeting of the Society, on May 14, 1934, the Rev. Albert C. Ernst of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Stillwater spoke on the subject "Objectives for the Association." Who Was A. C. Ernst? Ernst was bom at Janesville, Wis- consin, on December 26, 1869. He was the oldest child of Henry and Augustine Ernst. At the age of 15, he came with his parents to Afton, Minnesota. His father was a professor, then later president of Luther Seminary in Afton. In 1886, Ernst entered Capital Uni- versity in Columbus, Ohio, and graduat- ed from there in 1889. He then enrolled in Capital Seminary, and was a graduate in 1893. Receiving his first call from a congregation in Orting, Washington, Ernst was ordained on July 2, 1893, by his father, assisted by the Rev. William Schmidt, at Afton. Ernst served two years with the con- gregation in Washington, and then moved to a congregation in Chicago. He remained there eight years. On January 3, 1904, Ernst was in- stalled as the sixth pastor of St. Paul Lu- theran Church in Stillwater. He resigned his position in January 1947, after serv- ing 43 years of continuous service to the church. Ernst then became Pastor Emeri- tus of St. Paul Lutheran Church, a posi- tion he held until his death in 1955. "Your work is to bring the past to the future." Rev. A. C. Ernst In 1922, Ernst went to Europe as a commissioner of the National Lutheran Council to aid in supervising the distribu- tion of food and clothing from the United States. In this capacity, he served in Rus- sia six months and in Germany for one. He served on the board of St. Paul Lu- ther College and was its president for many years. In the Lutheran Mutual Aid Society, he was chair of the board and served as president and vice-president. Rev. A. C. Ernst Set a Positive Course By 1934, Rev. Ernst had the resume that would help the new history organiza- tion. In the beginning of his speech, he stressed the need to avoid having too many projects all going at once. "Choose one," he said, "and when that is well un- der way, start another. Your work is to bring the past to the future. To do that well you must keep your association compact and your projects clear. Yours is not a society for gathering antiques, nei- ther is it for your own especial amuse- ment. It is for the benefit of the future." The WCHS took Rev. Ernst's words to heart. Steadily the new organization built up its membership and purchased the Warden's House, then the Hay Lake School in Scandia. Today the direction is still for the future at the Historical Socie- ty. The organization is in the process of renovating a building on South Greeley Street for a modem Heritage Center. The work is still in the fundraising stages. To donate, go to <www.wchsmn.org>. mve to the V�v an Dy h Nove rnlbar 19, 20200 Support the Washington County Historical Society online. Gifts made on Give to the Max Day may qualify for matching grants, thus adding to your donation. You can donate on November 19, or at any time, through this giving website for Minnesota nonprofits. To donate visit our website <www.wchsmn.org> or go to: https://www.givemn.org/organizations/ U �v a PU M .Org Washington -County -Historical -Society -7/ �J OCTOBER 2020 5 Washington County communities have seen many fraternal organizations formed over the years. There is a whole zoo -full of groups, including the Elks, Lions, and Eagles. There are Knights of Columbus, Knights Templar, and Knights of Pythi- as. Others include the United Order of Foresters, Modern Woodmen, and the Grand Army of the Republic. One of the earliest organizations to form in Stillwa- ter was the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.). Minnesota Lodge No. 1 The organizational meeting of the I.O.O.F. took place on August 15, 1849, in the building constructed by William Penny on Chestnut Street in Stillwater in 1848. The petition for the charter was sent to the Grand Lodge of the United States in 1847, but it was not until April 26, 1849, after Minnesota had become a Territory, that the charter was granted. The commission was sent to John G. Potts, District Deputy Grand Master of Quincy, Illinois, to install the new lodge, but it took him until August 15, 1849, to reach Stillwater in the new Territory of Minnesota. The new Odd Fellows Lodge was Minnesota Lodge No. 1, Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows. The charter members were Henry L. Moss, Sylvanus Trask, Charles K. Smith, Bushrod W. Lott, and Lysell B. Waite. The first officers of the Lodge were Hen- ry L. Moss, Nobel Grand; Sylvanus Trask, Vice Grand; Lysell B. Waite, Sec- retary; and Bushrod W. Lott, Treasurer. 6 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS This building, still standing on Chestnut Street in Stillwater, was home to the first organizational meeting of the Stillwater Lodge No. I of the International Order of Odd Fellows, A Bunch of Odd Fellows By Brent T. Peterson, WCHS Executive Director At the next meeting two new mem- bers, Socrates Nelson and Mahlon Black, were initiated into the Lodge, they being the first two men initiated into the Order in Minnesota. In 1852, the Lodge met at the Carli building on the corner of Sec- ond and Mulberry Street. Four years later the Lodge rented a small hall from John McKusick that stood at the southeast corner of Main and Myrtle Street. By January 1, 1855, the Odd Fellows Lodge in Stillwater had 68 members. In 1857, a financial panic spread throughout the Nation. This hit organiza- tions such as the Odd Fellows hard as memberships dropped off. In November 1858 it was reported that there were "not sufficient funds in the treasury to pay the quarter's rent [which was $250 per year]." In January 1859 the lodge stopped paying salaries to the secretary and janitor. Also that year dues increased $2 per quarter. When the Civil War broke out many of the young members went into the mili- tary, leaving the lodge without much support. Although the lodge tried to stay afloat, in 1863 the Independent Order of Odd Fellows No. 1 folded in Stillwater and surrendered its charter February 25, 1864. The Odd Fellows have on their logo the letters, F, L, & T, meaning, "Friend- ship, Love and Truth." These qualities were found in many that lived in the St. Croix Valley, so a new Stillwater Lodge was organized on January 5, 1876. This Lodge, No. 51, had charter members Odd Fellows Hall No. 1 in downtown Stillwater c. 1920s. Photo by John Runk. Joseph Wilkinson, Linus Grant, M. J. Muckenhausen, A. O. Hauge, George Low, Richard Daw, and Frank D. Hall. Marine Mills Forms a Lodge On April 5, 1878, the Marine Lodge No. 63 was instituted at Marine Mills with the following charter members: George F. Sabin, Andrew Gunderson, Thomas E. Ward, and Emil Graf. Two weeks later, these men were inducted into the Order: Ole Westergren, Wilhem Schmidt, Olaf Anderson, Eugene Wel shons, Ole W. Erickson, and Peter Kles. The Marine Lodge prospered until the sawmills ceased operating, but the lodge struggled to continue until June 1933, when it was consolidated with the lodge at Stillwater. On Halloween 1883, Stillwater's Lodge No. 51 entertained a "large dele- gation" from St. Paul with a banquet and dancing. The event took place at their room in the McKusick Block in down- town Stillwater. A special train came with the guests, who were met at the de- pot and escorted to the event. After the customary speeches and welcomes, they all had a delightful dinner. Then the mu- sic of Schilling's orchestra started play- ing and the crowd could "trip the light fantastic" on the dance floor. The St. Paul group departed on their special train at 2 AM to go back home. On December 1, 1883, the old, origi- nal Lodge No. 1 in Stillwater was re- vived. It was thought it was not neces- sary to have two I.O.O.F. Lodges in Stillwater, so Lodge No. 51 consolidated with Lodge No. 1 in January 1887. At the end of 1887, there were 130 members in good standing. L W Above: A button with the L 0.O.F logo on it. Left: The second floor of this building housed Marine Mills Lodge No. 63. Auxiliaries Started In 1851, the National Lodge started a woman's group called "Daughters of Rebekah." This was the idea of Schuyler Colfax, who would later become Vice President of the United States under. President U. S. Grant. On February 24, 1890, the charter for the Colfax Rebekah Lodge No. 47, I.O.O.F, was granted in Stillwater. The charter members were Ellen Muller, Annie Connors, Nellie Robbins, May M. Carli, Lena Schaffer, Lena Jarchow, Alice Johnson, Emma Duel, U. S. Emerson, Johanna Westing, Eliza Stout, Rhoda Sherrard, Christine Walters, and Clara Mosier. The Marvin Lodge No. 62 of the Rebekahs was started in Marine on May 15, 189 1. They turned in their charter on March 22, 1910. In 1892, the Park Lodge, No. 137, was organized in St. Paul Park. The Lodge's brick meeting house burned in Fairview Cemetery in Stillwater, Memorial Day 1927. Mayor George Shiels (center) at the dedication of the Odd Fellows Monument. 1906, and the next year group bought an old rooming house on Third Street near Broadway and converted the second floor into a lodge hall. On March 23, 1893, the Northern Light Rebekah Lodge No. 94 held their first meeting in St. Paul Park. In 1982, the Lodge building burned and the Park Lodge No. 137 disbanded. The Rebekah Northern Light Lodge No. 94 continued until they turned in their charter on September 19, 1992. The Grand Lodge of Minnesota held its annual session in Stillwater three times: June 1879; June 1934; and August 1949 to celebrate the centennial of the first lodge in Minnesota. The Stillwater Lodge ended up folding, and the "Friendship, Love and Truth" that those "Odd Fellows" passed along is no more. St. Paul Park Lodge No. 137, date unknown. Today — Besides the Grand Lodge in Bloomington, there are fifteen IOOF Lodges in Minnesota. Arden Hills ♦ St. Paul #2 Hopkins e Hopkins #17 Winona o Humboldt #24 Winnebago e Winnebago City #30 Northfield e Friendship #50 Pine Island ♦ Pine Island #84 Mapleton ♦ Mapleton #101 Excelsior ♦ Minnetonka #102 Detroit Lakes ♦ Lakeside #105 Windom ♦ Windom #108 Hutchinson ♦ Hassan Valley #109 Flour City ® St. Paul #118 Hinckley ♦ Hinckley #154 And six Rebekah Assemblies Aitkin ♦ Aitkin #164 Winnebago a Starlight #11 Excelsior ♦ Lakeside #26 Hinckley ♦ Zenith #122 Paynesville ♦ Unity #129 Aitkin ♦ Aitkin #151 Pine Island ♦ Happv Home #161 OCTOBER 2020 7 ELECTRICITY—Continued from page 1 Trolleys and Telephones In June 1889, the first electric street railway in Minnesota be- came operational in Stillwater. Streetcars, or trolleys, pulled on rails by a horse or team of horses, had been in use for several years in the St. Croix Valley, but the steep grades were diffi- cult for the animals. On opening day of the Stillwater Street Railway Company service, hundreds of people jammed into line to ride the streetcar from Oak Park to downtown Stillwa- ter. The cars were new, "comfortable and lighted by five in- candescent lamps." They could move up grades of 480 feet to the mile and could attain a speed of 20 miles per hour. Unfor- tunately, after a few years, patronage of the trolley line fell off. The electric streetcar line was sold at a sheriff's sale in 1894 to pay off the bondholders. The tracks were torn up, the wires taken down, and everything else was sold. Stillwater was one of the first cities in the state outside of Minneapolis and St. Paul to obtain phone service. In the sum- mer of 1879 a direct line telephone system linked business offices, stores, lumber companies, and the boom site. Early telephones went to businesses because most families could not afford the cost of phone service in their homes. Social use of the telephone was not yet a priority. In many smaller towns, the only telephone was in the railroad company depot or office. It would take another decade for phone service to be extended to rural areas. Northwestern Telephone Company, Minnesota's Bell licensee, owned the early phone lines and exchanges. Hydro Dams Bring Electricity to the County Electrification of Washington County was helped by the build- ing of two major transmission lines across the county. The Western Gas and Improvement Company, which controlled the Stillwater electric utility, built the Apple River hydro plant near Somerset, Wisconsin, in 1899. St. Paul Gas Light Com- Electric streetcars made an early appearance in Stillwater. They got power from overhead wires. pany purchased the property and built a transmission line across Washington County to a substation on Cedar Street in St. Paul. Construction of the 60 -foot hydroelectric dam at St. Croix Falls began in 1905. Stone and Webster, the builders, had bought out the old Minneapolis General Electric Company. To build the dam, they bought the two companies that controlled the St. Croix Boom and the Nevers Dam. By 1907 power was being sent to Minneapolis over a 40 -mile wood -pole line cross- ing the northern part of Washington County. In 1902 Henry Byllesby began buying a scattering of small electric companies in the Midwest. He organized the Washing- ton County Light and Power Company in 1909. The principal asset was the Stillwater electric and gas utility, which he bought out of receivership. The company had about 500 gas customers, 770 electric customers, 11 miles of gas lines, and 29 miles of poles. The Stillwater company, renamed Consum- ers' Power, merged in other small utilities. Among them was the White Bear Electric Company, acquired in 1910, and soon connected with the Stillwater system. Lines were ex- 8 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS tended to St. Paul Park in 1911. Under Byllesby, the power company was modern- ized and the system expanded. A new steam plant was built on Stillwater's South Main Street in 1910. A sub- sidiary gas company extended gas service through Oak Park and Bayport to Hudson. As the sawmills shut down, gas for cooking replaced the nearly free slabs, leftovers from the lumber mills, that people had been burning in their ranges. The electric line was extended to Lake Elmo, connecting some of the farms on the route. A line was also built to South Stillwater after that The St. Croix Falls dam and powerhouse under con- struction c. 1906 Northern Washington County received power from this dam. The transmission lines crossed the northern part of the county.. village's municipal plant burned. In 1912 Consumers' Power bought the properties of the Minneapolis General Electric Company, and in 1916 it became the Northern States Power Company. The buildings of Stillwater Gas and Electric and Consumers Power on South Main Street in Stillwater became the home of NSP. The buildings were remodeled into the Brick Alley. New Appliances and Local Telephone Service The use of electric appliances in the home proceeded by jumps and starts. Electric fans came out in the 1880s, the electric irons in the 1890s, and the vacuum cleaner in the early 1900s. All were expensive, heavy, and unreliable. Two important technological developments led to appliances approaching the .modern ones in appearance and operation. In 1906 the light- weight fractional horsepower electric motor appeared. Electric washers and ranges were on the market after 1910. A refrigera- tor built into the old icebox case was brought out in 1914, but there were few sales of electric refrigerators until the 1920s. The local telephone system in Cottage Grove was up and working in June of 1902, but not yet connected to Northwest- ern Bell for long distance. The charge for local calls was five cents; calls to Stillwater were 25 cents. Phone service came to Forest Lake in 1904, with a switchboard installed in the rear of the Simmons Dry Goods Store. Business was not so brisk; the operator could wait on customers and do other work between calls. The Stillwater area phone directory had 750 names in 1905, 50 more than the previous year. In the neighborhood of Square Lake, the local telephone system that year had 16 phones. Nine residents of Lakeland organized the St. Croix Rural Telephone Company in 1908. Local telephone compa- nies sprang up everywhere in the county. The Scandia-Marine Telephone Company switchboard was housed in a small room behind a barber shop in 1914. There was a small bedroom next to the switchboard room for the benefit of the night shift operator— Scandia had 24/7 ser- vice. The phone system also operated as a fire alarm for sub- scribers; eight short rings alerted everyone. The March of the Electric Poles By 1916 the Consumers' Power Company had connected its separate acquisitions into an integrated electrical power system from St. Croix Falls to St. James, Minnesota. In 1916 it be- came the Northern States Power Company (NSP). NSP bought out its principal competition, the St. Paul Gas Light Company, in 1925. Also in that year it extended a 4000 -volt line to the expanding Andersen Corporation in Bayport. Electric service rates declined after World War I and con- sumption increased. Before the war, electric appliances in the home were usually irons, toaster, fans, and some crude wash- ing machines and vacuum cleaners. Electric ranges were rare, and refrigerators rarer. By August of 1923 Simonet Furniture in Stillwater was having a clearance sale on refrigerators. Au- tomatic washers were $92.50 and the Eureka vacuum cleaner sold for $45. Radios appeared after 1920. Around 1924 NSP began experimenting with rural power lines, something that was thought profitless by most utilities. The two electric lines crossing the county from Wisconsin contributed to the rapid electrification of the county. In 1914 NSP extended lines to South Stillwater and Lake Elmo and in 1915 to Forest Lake. The next year it added Cottage Grove, Hastings, and Langdon. By 1917 lines reached Newport, and 15 farm families in Woodbury were connected in 1919. Lines were run to Marine Mills, Scandia, and Copas in 1922. The usual method of getting service extended was to get a list of enough prospective users to convince an electric utility to build the lines. That is how the Newport council got service to the area in 1917. The St. Paul Gas Light Company was the original supplier. Newport endured frequent blackouts and the company's practice of turning off the power at 11 PM until 1929, when NSP took over. Hugo was hooked up in 1924 when lines were extended from White Bear Lake. Rural Electrification Washington County Power and Light Association was orga- nized under the Rural Electrification Act on December 7, 1935, by 357 farmers and rural residents. Denmark Township had 106 members, Forest Lake, 72. The central part of the county was well covered by the existing electric grid. Coopera- tive members voted to work with Anoka and Dakota Counties on the rest. Two years later construction was beginning in the north part of Denmark Township and parts of Afton and Woodbury. Farmers were busy putting up poles for yard lights and getting their buildings wired, while Northern States Power was un- loading poles at Hastings to bring in power from Dakota Coun- ty for the main line. The Power and Light Association hooked up 125 families in less than three years. Anoka Co-operative Power built the service lines in the northern part of Washing- ton County. OCTOBER 2020 9 ❑noon❑n000❑uau❑❑❑ou❑no❑onn❑on❑❑❑no El 11 11 n ®o You Remember the Plantation dight Club in ❑ ❑ White Bear Lake? ❑ 11 Story and photo from the White Bear Lake El Area Historical Society ❑ "Federal agents from Minneapolis visited White Bear on Saturday and unearthed two whiskey stills and a quantity of mash." White Bear Press, 1930 O n n❑ n n n n❑❑ n n n❑❑❑❑❑ n n❑❑❑❑ n n n❑❑❑❑ n Q The Plantation Night Club was once located on the land that is now Lion's Park on the shore of White Bear Lake. At the height of Prohibition in 1925 the Ramaley Boat Works, which had occupied the site, closed its shop and transitioned the building into a dance hall. The concept was so successful, the boat works building was razed to make way for a new structure designed to be a true dance hall that would come to be called the Plantation. A HISTORY �dn or. _ G..—y 10 _. M.n.ata Hl,wy ws+mcro� couNl�' xirroucas«acrr Historian Robert Goodman did most of the research and writing, with Marc Huganin supplying knowledge of the suburbanization of the past century. Soft Cover $25.00 Hard Cover $40.00 Tax is included. Add $5 shipping or pick up curbside. order online at wchsmn.org/store or call 651-439-5956. 10 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS By the early 1930s the venue was a well-known hangout for bootleggers and other criminals who made their way from St. Paul out to the lakes to lie low between jobs. The night club closed at the end of the 1933 season as repeal was imminent; the building was adapted for other purposes. If you have memories or stories of the Plantation that you would like to share, please contact the WBLAHS at office@whitebearhistoiry.org STUDYING AT HOJME? WASHINGTON COUNTY STUDENTS NEED HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY NTY ... Gateway to Minnesota History Every county needs a written record of its history. This is especially true in an area as diverse and extensive as Washington County. Understanding of our common history serves to bring citizens from all thirty-three Washing- ton County communities together in a common heritage. A HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY was published by the ` t, Washington County Historical Society in 2008. It fills out the �i county's story of Native American and pioneer history by dis- cussing significant developments of the 20th century as well. Events are grouped by generation, illustrated with biographies, maps, and pictures. Timelines put into perspective some of the history the county shares with the state of Minnesota. The Washington County Historical Society wel- comes new and renewing annual members listed here. Thanks to you all for your yearly support. And special thanks to those of you who added a donation to your membership check. WCHS appreciates your support. Please send any queries about your membership to: WCHS Memberships, PO Box 167, Stillwater, MN 55082 or email information@wchsmn. New and Renewing Sustaining Members Bruce Jenks * Patricia Johnson * Linda Besk Turrentine New and Renewing Patron Members David & Mary Carlson * James Cuff New and Renewing Annual Members Phil Anderson * Sylvia Benson * Emilie Carlson Neill Carter * Nicole Caslow * Dennis Falaas '* Gregory Glavan * Laura & Kevin Glenn * Beth Harrison & Pete Mayer * Lowell Johnson * Robert L. Jones * Doug & Mary Louise Menikheim * Carolyn Mohanty * Paul Renslo * Sue Rowe * Joel Strassburg * Robyn Stoller Thank you all! Calendar of Events IN THE COLLECTIONS Herman Ste nhorr5t Soda Bottle The St. Croix County Historical Society in Hudson, Wisconsin, found a bottle marked "H. Steinhorst Stillwater, Minn" in the collections and called the WCHS to see if we would like to accept it as a do- nation. We certainly said "yes" to the thoughtful gesture of our neighbors to the east. Herman Steinhorst was bom in Germany and came to the United States as a young man. He was a carpenter by trade and was married to Catherine Zoller in the early 1860s. In July 1882, Steinhorst erected a one-story brick building in front of the Minnesota House in Stillwater. Later he was in business with Otto Wolber until August 1883, when the firm discontinued business. He then went into the soda pop busi- ness, and later, in July 1888, sold to the Fazindin Brothers the "outfit and ma- chinery used by him in his soda water and bottling business." Afterward Stein - horst returned to his carpenter trade. His wife Catherine died on April 28, 1922, and Herman, a member of the Sons of Herman Lodge in Stillwater, died on September 11, 1923. They had one son, Frank Steinhorst, and he also had a step- son, Alfred Zoller. Note: Most previously scheduled events have been cancelled or postponed by all Washington County history organizations for the foreseeable future. This includes even many outdoor events, such as base ball, Listed below are the events we know of. Please contact the sponsoring organization for updated information about these events. Remember, any event may change or be cancelled due to virus concerns. South Washington Heritage Society (SWHS) 651-459-7950; Washington County Historical Society (WCHS) 651-439- 5956; Denmark Township Historical Society (DTHS) 651- 436-7639; Gammelgarden 651-433-5054; Afton Historical Society 651-436-3500; Historic Courthouse 651-275-7075. Thursdays, Fridays &Saturdays—Scandia Butik Gift Shop open by appointment only at 10 AM, noon, and 2 PM. and on Sundays noon and 2 PM for individuals and groups of up to 4 people; Masks required. Call 651-433-5034 or email butic@gammelgardenmuseum.org. Herman Steinhorst c. 1880 Saturdays thru November 2—Guided tours of Historic Court- house at 1 PM by reservation only; no large tours. Historic Courthouse, Stillwater. October 10 Saturday—WCHS outdoor movie night at Hay Lake School; "Carnival of Souls" shown at 7 PM. Free. Bring a chair or blanket. Hay Lake Museum, Scandia. October 17 & 18 Saturday & Sunday—WCHS Holiday Gift Sale at new Heritage Center, 1862 S. Greeley St., Stillwa- ter, from 10 AM to 4 PM. November 27, 28 & 29 Friday, Saturday & Sunday—WCHS "Pop -Up" history at 120 S. Main St. Stillwater, 10 AM to 4 PM. Gifts and exhibit. November 20, 21 & 22 Friday, Saturday, & Sunday— Christmas at the Courthouse Holiday Bazaar. Friday 3-8 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 4:30 PM; Sunday 11 AM to 3 PM. (No Friday Night Gala). Registration required for 1 -hour shop- ping. Historic Courthouse, Stillwater. December 4, 5 & 6 Friday, Saturday & Sunday—WCHS "Pop - Up" history at 120 S. Main St. Stillwater, 10 AM to 4 PM. Gifts and exhibit. . OCTOBER 2020 11 DATED MATERIAL *VIN(TON (OUNTU *TOR a SO(o Box 167 Stillwater, MN 55082 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Contact Us To receive this newsletter by U.S. Mail or Email, or for information about the Washington County Historical Society, contact us at 651-439-5956 or email information@wchsmn.org On the web at www.wchsmn.org Non -Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID Permit No. 224 Stillwater, MN 55082 *x000002 000004 P ALL FOR AADC 550 COTTAGE GROVE HPC CITY OFFICE 12800 RAVINE PKWY 336 IlP1lf,llHr.rq,'llLru.tr.Hti(1,11111lrlrlllulrl�rrl� ------------------------- MERERSP APPPLICATION or RENEWAL I MFII I Washington County Historical Society I I I Name I I Address I I City, State, Zip Telephone Indicate preferred type of membership _Annual Individual ($25) _Annual Senior Citizen/Student ($15) I _Annual Family ($35) I _Annual Patron ($75) r _Annual Sustaining ($125) I _Life ($1,000) I I Additional donations are welcome and needed. f Volunteer help is also needed (check here—or call). 1 Detach and mail to: WCHS Memberships PO Box 167, Stillwater MN 55082 Membership includes subscription to Historical Whisperings. - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS Our Mission The Washington County Historical Society collects, preserves, and disseminates the history of Washington County and the State of Minnesota. WCHS programs include book publication, speakers and workshops, historical reenactments, vintage base ball, school programs, exhibits, print and electronic newsletters, historical markers, and a history website (www.wchsmn.org) with links to other history organizations. Our goal is to provide an oppor- tunity for all county citizens to learn about and enjoy our area's history and to build a sense of community heritage. The Washington County Historical Society is uniquely situated to document early Minnesota history and to tell the story of immigrants from the eastern United States and Europe who settled the region in the mid -nineteenth century. The county's geographic connections to the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers place the county at the forefront of settlement and the estab- lishment of the territory and state. For this reason we have chosen our motto, Gateway to Minnesota History