YESTERYEAR
100 Years Ago
(April 4, 1924)
Minneota hit with heaviest snowstorm of the winter
It began to snow at noon last Friday and by the middle of the afternoon there was a real snowstorm. The snow kept up until Sunday morning. This is the heaviest snowfall Minneota has had all winter with more than a foot on the level and snow banks from five to seven feet high were common. Railroad traffic was tied up from Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon. All wagon roads were considered impassable for automobiles and only sleighs and wagons have been used this week. Those who were in the midst of seeding when the storm hit wished that it might have put off appearing until a week later.
Teigland's Pancake Flour gets high marks from locals
Teigland's Pancake Flour is now on the market and is proving very satisfactory. It has been tried by many families in town and the verdict is that it is as good as the best of them. Teigland says he will soon have a very fine breakfast food on the market, too. All the local dealers are handling the Teigland products.
Minneota sisters injured in automobile accident
Mrs. J.J. Kelly and her sister, Miss Marie Foulon, suffered rather severe injuries in a very unfortunate automobile accident that occurred about 10 miles east of town on Friday afternoon. Mrs. Kelly and Miss Foulon, who were expecting to visit with relatives in Minneapolis, accompanied Dr. A.V. Brennan, who was driving to the Twin Cities Friday and unexpectedly ran over a pothole that caused him to lose control and the car went into the ditch. Both ladies were cut by broken glass.
75 Years Ago
(April 8, 1949)
45 hogs perish in fire on Harold Tillemans' farm
Forty-five hogs, including 35 small pigs and 10 sows, were destroyed in a fire that broke out at 8:30 a.m. on Monday in the hog brooder house on the Harold Tillemans farm. The Tillemans' farm is located four miles south and one and one-half miles west of Minneota. Mr. Tillemans and his son, John, were at work in the fields on their farm when they discovered the smoke and flames which shot from the brooder house. The 20' x 50' hog house was nearly consumed by smoke and flames when the fire department reached the Tillemans' farm. Electric brooder stoves inside the hog house were used to give warmth to the animals. Edges and shingles on the roof of the barn had also started ablaze by the time the fire department arrived, but the fire was extinguished before further damage could be done to the barn. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Swede Prairie donates $360 to Minneota Fire Department
Out in Swede Prairie Township, they consider Minneota's fire truck and equipment good protection in case of fire. To show their appreciation for this security, a check for $360 was turned over to the Village Council this week to help pay for the truck it acquired last year. The township had levied money for this purpose. Clarence Edwards, one of the township officials, presented the check to Minneota mayor E.O. Hallgrimson and stated that the residents of Swede Prairie considered this to be very cheap fire protection.
Work begins on Minneota sewer improvement project
Workmen employed by the Phelps Drake Company of Minneapolis, started work on Monday afternoon on Minneota's sewer and waterworks improvement project. Digging operations have begun in northeast Minneota at the site of the sewage disposal plant; the trench being dug there in a southward direction. It was estimated that 300 feet of sewer tile had been laid by Wednesday. The trench near the disposal site is 24 feet deep.
50 Years Ago
(April 4, 1974)
800 attend Vietnam Veterans Day Observance in Minneota
Members of this community's veterans organizations, the Minneota American Legion and the Minneota-Taunton VFW, paraded with flags flying from downtown to the high school last Friday afternoon as part of the Vietnam Veterans Day Observance held here. About 800 people, including students from Minneota's public and parochial schools, attended the observance. Attorney Lester R. Christianson delivered a thought-provoking address dealing with the Vietnam War and its veterans.
Rev. Erickson takes over as pastor at Hemnes Church
Rev. Richard Erickson, currently administrator at the Minneota Manor, will take over at Hemnes Lutheran Church, succeeding Rev. Lloyd C. Kallevig, who recently resigned. Rev. Erickson said last week that his responsibilities at Hemnes Church would be on a limited basis and that he would continue his work at the Manor.
Rev. Sorbel resigns as pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Rev. David Sorbel, who has been the minister at St. Paul's Lutheran Church here for three years, resigned his pastorate effective May 30. He will take over the duties of assistant pastor at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Bloomington.
25 Years Ago
(April 7, 1999)
City's 20-year-old jetter needs to be replaced
The "jetter", which is used to clean sanitary and storm sewers in Minneota, recently threw out some gears in the pump, blowing a hole in the side of the casing, resulting in a complete stop to any plans in further maintenance and cleaning of any sewer systems in the community. Preliminary estimates for a new gear box for the jetter came in at approximately $11,000, which shocked the City Council. The jetter, which is two years old, had been scheduled to be replaced during the coming year.
Miskinis wins Pioneer Public TV's Young Writer's contest
Aiste Miskinis, the daughter of Kestas and Zita Miskinis of Minneota, was the kindergarten first-place winner in Pioneer Public TV's Reading Rainbow Young Writer's and Illustrator's Contest. The contest is designed to encourage children to write and illustrate their own stories. Winners receive a certificate of recognition signed by Reading Rainbow host LaVar Burton. Aiste, whose entry was "One Winter's Day", now advances to the national level.
Jaycees sponsor annual Easter Egg Hunt for kids
The Minneota Jaycees sponsored its annual Easter Egg Hunt for kids of this community on Saturday at St. Edward's School. Although the weather was dismal, the children seemed to have a good time hunting for eggs. There were also races and other games where the kids could win extra prizes such as books, balls, bubbles and more.