USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 111
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Belfast .- Thos. V. Phelps, (established) April 14, 1879; site changed into Stevens county.
Brockway .- Nathaniel Getchell, (estab- lished) Sept. 24, 1867; Wm. Gordon, Nov. 16, 1870; W. N. Caughey, Sept. 2, 1872; Ap- pleton Webb, May 19, 1873; William N. Caughey, Sept. 27, 1875; J. L. Gray, Jan. 19, 1876; Alma M. Getchell, Oct. 10, 1879; Wm. Gordon, Apr. 5, 1883; Lawrence Slamnik, Apr. 9, 1892; discontinued, Feb. 28, 1905.
Crow Lake .- C. H. Johnson, (estab- lished) Aug. 9, 1871; Daniel Beckwith, Nov. 21, 1878; W. B. Reed, June 9, 1879; David Beckwith, Oct. 16, 1882; Daniel Peterson, May 8, 1883; K. P. Knutson, Aug. 29, 1884; name changed, Dec. 30, 1886.
Belgrade .- K. P. Knutson, Dec. 30, 1886; C. F. Farup, Jan. 30, 1889; J. A. Berg, Apr. 12, 1890; O. P. Stevens, Feb. 24, 1894; C. M. Iverslie, Mar. 21, 1898; O. C. Reiquam, Jan. 22, 1909; W. P. Lemmer, June 17, 1913.
Brooten .- E. E. Knudson, Dec. 4, 1886; C. H. Thingelstad, Apr. 6, 1891; J. M. Wenger, Jr., Dec. 5, 1891; B. M. Anderson, Apr. 16, 1897; O. R. Hatton, Feb. 11, 1909; P. D. Mitchell, June 17, 1913.
Cold Spring City .- Seth Turner, (estab- lished) Jan. 6, 1857; J. J. Gibson, Aug. 7, 1861; Chas. Buss, Oct. 10, 1864; Marcus Maurin, Aug. 3, 1877; Michael Kummer, June 1, 1887; J .. N. Gilley, June 28, 1889; name changed, Sept. 25, 1889.
Cold Spring .- J. N. Gilley, Sept. 25, 1889; Ignatious Kramer, Aug. 26, 1893; J. H.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
Krag, Sept. 13, 1897; P. P. Maurin, Feb. 11, 1914.
Colchester .- T. J. Anderson, (estab- lished) Dec. 1, 1903; discontinued July 30, 1904.
Collegeville .- Henry Broker, (estab- lished) Sept. 12, 1879; Andrew Kugler, Oct. 21, 1901.
Eden Lake .- Elihu Suisher, (established) Nov. 19, 1872; J. S. Reeves, Mar. 18, 1877; Samuel Cossairt, Oct. 11, 1886; name changed, Mar. 15, 1887 ..
Eden Valley .- Samuel Cossairt, Mar. 15, 1887; site changed into Meeker county.
Elrosa .- Joseph Evans, (established) Aug. 11, 1913.
Fair Haven .- J. K. Noyes, (established) July 9, 1857; James Jenks, Mar. 12, 1859; B. F. Butler, Jan. 22, 1861; Martin Coates, July 17, 1861; Wm. Cooper, Apr. 17, 1874; R. M. Vandervort, Mar. 8, 1882; J. H. Bliler, Feb. 18, 1886 J. D. Abell, Aug. 5, 1893; W. A. Dehart, Mar. 16, 1894; Emma Baldwin, Mar. 17, 1898; Wm. W. Thayer, Dec. 13, 1906; E. J. Baldwin, Mar. 4, 1907; D. C. Neeley, June 12, 1913; C. R. Thom, Mar. 11, 1914.
Farming .- J. B. Dingman, (established) Apr. 26, 1883; Nicholas Hemmesch, Apr. 17, 1886; Theodor Weeres, Apr. 18, 1895; John Hemmesch, July 31, 1896; Frank Willenbring, Oct. 30, 1897; discontinued, June 30, 1904.
Oak Station .- Frank Benolken, (estab- lished) Jan. 15, 1875; name changed, Apr. 8, 1881.
Freeport .- Frank Benolken, Apr .. 8, 1881; John Hoeschen, Feb. 18, 1886; Henry Benolken, Mar. 10, 1894; Moritz Hoeschen, Dec. 18, 1896; J. W. Kuhn, Aug. 22, 1905.
George Lake .- Matheis Eis, (established) Apr. 2, 1869; discontinued, Jan. 12, 1871.
Georgeville, late in Kandiyohi county .- Swan Gunderson, (established) Feb. 16, 1888; Nils Trulson, Apr. 13, 1891; P. T. Quisberg, Dec. 13, 1905; Carl Garversen, May 9, 1913.
Getty .- F. M. Bissel, (established) May 15, 1871; discontinued, Oct. 16, 1872; re- established, Sept. 6, 1875; Gilbert Gilbert- son, Sept. 6, 1875; T. E. Rice, July 31, 1877; Gilbert Gilbertson, Oct. 8, 1877; J. H. Bruce, June 17, 1878; discontinued, Feb. 24, 1879.
Greenwald .- Nic Kraemer, (established) June 7, 1910.
Holding's Ford .- Randolph Holding, (established) Sept. 16, 1872; Oliver Ras- nick, Nov. 16, 1877; Randolph Holding, Dec. 10, 1877; E. Morgan, Jan. 25, 1882; M. O. Warde, Nov. 24, 1882; Augustus Parish, July 9, 1883; Wm. Murphy, Feb. 18, 1886; Wm. J. Andrews, July 24, 1889; name changed, Feb. 19, 1894; Holding Ford, Valentine Batz, Feb. 19, 1894; Ira P. Ferrin, Feb. 17, 1898; Wm. E. Murphy, Apr. 14, 1902.
Isabel .- M. J. Hoeschen, (established) July 6, 1903; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Kalisch. Gerhard Stalboeger, (estab- lished) Sept. 4, 1861; John Schoenborn, Nov. 18, 1863; discontinued, Mar. 22, 1865. Kandotta .- Edwin Whitefield, (estab- lished) Aug. 22, 1859; J. C. Hoffman, May 13, 1863; Wilfred J. Whitefield, Jan. 27, 1864; discontinued, Feb. 13, 1865.
Kennebec .- Wm. O. Pillsbury, (estab- lished) Oct. 31, 1857; Wm. Buchanan, Dec. 17, 1863; Frank Kent, Mar. 22, 1865; Wm. S. Herbert, July 23, 1867; discontinued, Mar. 2, 1868.
Kimball .- Eliel Peck, Jan. 25, 1887; H. L. Tompers, Aug. 26, 1893; M. F. Greely, Apr. 25, 1896; Eliel Peck, June 18, 1898; F. E. Smith, Nov. 25, 1914.
Kimball Prairie .- M. L. Patten, (estab- lished) June 4, 1867; discontinued, Apr. 29, 1870.
Lake George .- J. P. Breitbach, (estab- lished) June 8, 1892; J. C. Breitbach, Oct. 14, 1897; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Lake Henry .- Michael Kraemer, Jr., (established) Apr. 3, 1883; Edward Hess, Feb. 8, 1895; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Long Hill .- N. G. Bradley (established) May 5, 1868; Martin Loomis, Mar. 12, 1870; C. D. Lamb; Mar. 27, 1871; Stephen Kells, May 23, 1873; discontinued, June 16, 1873. West Saint Augusta .- John Kraus, (established) Dec. 18, 1863; name changed, Nov. 14, 1865.
Luxemburg .- John P. Hammerel, Nov. 14, 1865; Jacob Lemm, May 13, 1873; J. P. Hammerel, Dec. 13, 1875; Peter Hammerel, Apr. 30, 1878; J. B. Loehrer, Feb. 18, 1886; Geo. Trazewik, Feb. 28, 1902; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Lyman .- Edgar W. Smith, (established) May 23, 1889; discontinued, Nov. 18, 1890.
Maine Grove .- Michael Goodnen, (estab- lished) Mar. 4, 1879; discontinued, Jan. 27, 1880.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
Maine Prairie .- Alex. Spaulding, (estab- lished) Mar. 13, 1863; D. F. Spaulding, Nov. 14, 1865; D. B. Stanley, Dec. 12, 1867; Geo. R. Whitney, Aug. 24, 1875; D. B. Stanley, Apr. 5, 1877; discontinued, Mar. 15, 1905.
Marty .- Louis Weiber, (established) Jan. 19, 1901; discontinued, July 15, 1904.
Marysville .- Philander Roberts, (estab- lished) May 8, 1857; Orlen Farwell, Aug. 5, 1858; discontinued, Feb. 21, 1861.
Meires Grove .- Wm. Heimert, (estab- lished) July 16, 1873; Michael Schmitt, May 4, 1876; Henry Imdeke, Apr. 30, 1880; Joseph Schulte, Apr. 17, 1883; name changed, Aug. 2, 1893.
Meire Grove .- John Bonemeyer, Aug. 2, 1893; Clemens Meyer, Apr. 21, 1897; dis- continued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Melrose .- Robt. Wheeler, (established) Aug. 17, 1859; M. W. Adley, Aug. 9, 1860; W. M. Adley; Oct. 7, 1861; Moses Martin, Mar. 21, 1862; August Lindbergh, May 11, 1863; M. A. Taylor, Oct. 26, 1865; S. R. Foot, Nov. 25, 1867; D. B. McDonald, Sept. 2, 1870; August Lindbergh, Nov. 7, 1879; H. B. Edelbrock, June 10, 1887; J. E. Camp- bell, Apr. 19, 1889; Nichalaus Koenigs, Apr. 17, 1893; John Kolb, May 12, 1897; Jos. H. Seal, June 17, 1913.
Merkling .- T. Pollance, (established) Nov. 7, 1883; discontinued, Dec. 10, 1884.
Naustdal .- J. J. Turtum, (established) Feb. 12, 1885; Andrew Mattiason, Feb. 18, 1886; A. O. Reikvam, Dec. 11, 1889; N. A. Kelland, Feb. 25, 1892; discontinued, Nov. 27, 1893.
Neenah .- H. B. Johnson, (established) May 24, 1856; C. B. Johnson, Sept. 25, 1857; discontinued, Oct. 16, 1866.
Oak .- Almon Sutton, (established) Oct. 27, 1859; name changed, Jan. 26, 1863.
New Munich .- Anton Q. Vogt, Jan. 26, 1863; Almon Sutton, Feb. 8, 1866; Jos. Buttweiler, Feb. 18, 1886; John Frevel, Aug. 17, 1886; Barthel Frevel, Sept. 2, 1889; Herman Terhaar, Apr. 3, 1894; Jos. Altman, May 14, 1898; Martin Ehresman, July 8, 1901; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905; re-established, George Frevel, Oct. 19, 1907.
North Fork .- Embrick Knudson, (estab- lished) July 22, 1868; Ole O. Rand, Oct. 2, 1871; K. E. Knudson, July 23, 1874; H. E. Knudson, June 17, 1878; K. E. Knudson, July 15, 1878; A. J. Johnson, Jan. 24, 1882; E. E. Knudson, Apr. 29, 1884; Austen
Olsen, Nov. 12, 1886; discontinued, Mar. 16, 1888.
North Prairie .- S. A. McNeal, (estab- lished) Dec. 3, 1867; Samuel Lambert, July 15, 1870; S. A. McNeal, Sept. 24, 1872; Chas. Berens, Feb. 6, 1873; site changed into Morrison county.
Opole .- Lawrence Pasch, (established) Oct. 22, 1890; Mary Nodo, Jan. 28, 1896; John Nodo, June 30, 1898; Oliver Chirhart, Feb. 23, 1901; John Welna, Apr. 29, 1904; discontinued, Dec. 31, 1905.
New Paynesville .- Geo. R. Stephens, (established) Apr. 17, 1891; Wm. A. Hunt- ington, Dec. 1, 1893; A. L. Elliott, Sept. 13, 1897; name changed, Jan. 27, 1905; Paynes- ville, A. L. Elliott, Jan. 27, 1905; M. S. Elliott, Oct. 12, 1906.
Prairie Lake .- Patrick Donahue, (estab- lished) Sept. 26, 1879; M. J. Nugent, Oct. 10, 1879; discontinued, Nov. 30, 1880.
Raymond .- L. B. Raymond, (estab- lished) July 7, 1870; discontinued, Oct. 30, 1878.
Rockville .- L. P. Gaylord, (established) Jan. 6, 1857; Newton Smith, June 6, 1861; J. R. Weaver, June 24, 1863; Michael Han- son, June 5, 1865; Wm. B. Luther, Oct. 26, 1865; Orlando Tenny, May 28, 1866; Rudolph Enderle, Apr. 19, 1867; Peter Lommel, July 31, 1868; Joseph Beck, Aug. 23, 1887; C. L. Ahles, Jan. 13, 1888; Peter Hengel, Jan. 16, 1889; Jacob Weisman, Apr. 16, 1908.
Padna .- Wm. Murphy, (established) Jan. 8, 1900; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Paynesville .- E. C. Payne, (established) July 11, 1857; Wm. N. Darnell, June 11, 1860; J. H. Boylan, Nov. 20, 1860; D. S. Twitchell, May 8, 1861; John Phipps, Dec. 15, 1864; J. L. Wait, July 21, 1865; J. W. Darby, Nov. 27, 1867; Wm. P. Bennett, June 10, 1869; J. W. Darby, Oct. 13, 1870; J. H. Boylan, Feb. 11, 1888; A. L. Elliott, Dec. 24, 1889; Alexander Chisholm, Dec. 13, 1893; I. G. Swanson, June 22, 1894; D. De L. McGoon, Feb. 7, 1896; J. S. Ryff, Feb. 8, 1900; C. F. Wendlandt, Oct. 15, 1901; discontinued, Nov. 15, 1904.
St. Anna .- Peter Luckeroth, (estab- lished) Mar. 7, 1884; Nick Hennek, Dec. 26, 1894; Albert Jakubek, Feb. 25, 1898; Adam Waldowski, Nov. 9, 1900; discontinued, Feb. 28, 1905.
St. Augusta .- C. W. Wilson, (estab- lished) Aug. 8, 1857; Henry Krebs, Dec. 24,
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
1867; Henry Feitsam, Oct. 27, 1879; Mary Beumer, Sept. 13, 1881; Henry Feitsam, Sept. 16, 1885; Henry Beumer, May 29, 1889; Henry Feitsam, Aug. 4, 1893; Her- man Beumer, July 23, 1897; Joseph Beumer, Aug. 28, 1900; discontinued, Nov .. 14, 1903.
Gates .- John Mally, (established) Feb. 18, 1886; Jas. Cremers, Aug. 17, 1889; name changed, Apr. 11, 1899.
Saint Anthony .- James Cremers, Apr. 11, 1899; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Leedston .- Jos. Zimmerman, (estab- lished) June 8, 1868; Anton Miksche, Apr. 27, 1870; Matthias Wardiens, Dec. 5, 1871; Henry Loosbrock, Nov. 21, 1878; F. X. Wenck, July 20, 1889; name changed, Mar. 3, 1891.
St. Martin .- F. X. Wenck, Mar. 3, 1891; Henry Loosbrock, July 29, 1893; dis- continued, Oct. 14, 1905.
St. Jacob .- Peter Meyer, (established) June 12, 1866; discontinued, Jan. 8, 1867.
Clinton .- John H. Linnemann, (estab- lished) July 23, 1856; C. S. Weber, Aug. 29, 1864; J. T. Durr, Nov. 25, 1867; C. S. Weber, Jan. 31, 1868; Geo. Berger, Nov. 30, 1868; Peter Loso; Mar. 1, 1870; name changed, Mar. 25, 1870.
St. Joseph .- Peter Loso, Mar. 25, 1870; H. L. Durr, Feb. 2, 1873; Michael Pfarmen- stein, Jan. 9, 1874; Thomas Danzl, Nov. 23, 1877; J. H. Linnemann, Feb. 12, 1886; Martin Loso, June 17, 1889; Nicholas Ras- sier, June 7, 1893; F. E. Davis, June 19, 1897; Susan Muller, Apr. 15, 1902; J. C. Klein, Nov. 25, 1914.
St. Nicholas .- J. P. Schmit, (established) July 20, 1877; Peter Decker, July 10, 1886; Peter Wirtzfeld, Aug. 10, 1891; John Lutgen, July 16, 1897; Peter Wirtzfeld, Dec. 29, 1898; discontinued, Oct. 14, 1905.
Spunk Brook .- E. J. Barrett, (estab- lished) Mar. 25, 1873; name changed, July 24, 1874.
St. Wendall,-Bernard Murphy, July 24, 1874; Thos. Barrett, July 12, 1880; Barney Murphy, Oct. 25, 1883; Michael McNulty, Jan. 8. 1887; Bridget McNulty, Nov. 20, 1896; Wm. Huls, Dec. 24, 1900; P. J. Calla- han, July 29, 1903; discontinued, Feb. 28, 1905.
Sartell .- Anton Smudde, (established) Nov. 20, 1906; Lou E. Parish, Jan. 8, 1910.
Sauk Centre .- Warren Adley, (estab- lished) Oct. 31, 1857; George Green, June
25, 1858; J. W. Smith, June 30, 1859; P. F. Chase, July 24, 1860; C. S. Harrison, Sept. 3, 1861; Solomon Pendergast, Jr., Apr. 16, 1862; Philomon Lamb, Aug. 19, 1868; Samuel Simonton, Apr. 26, 1869; C. F. Hendryx, Dec. 12, 1882; U. M. Tobey, Feb. 14, 1887; J. M. Thomason, Dec. 23, 1890; Wm. O. P. Hilsdale, Mar. 22, 1895; C. F. Hendryx, Dec. 19, 1899; O. B. Boobar, Nov. 23, 1903.
Scandia .- Thos. Thomason, (established) Dec. 3, 1867; site changed into Stevens county.
Spaulding, late in Todd county .- Thos. Keating, Aug. 6, 1892; discontinued, Jan. 18, 1893 ..
Spring Hill .- F. W. Lenz, (established) Sept. 11, 1867; M. J. Hogan, May 20, 1874; H. J. Emmel, Jan 21, 1878; M. Weier; May 2, 1881; J. H. Bock, Aug. 17, 1882; H. S. Ley; Mar. 8, 1886; M. J. Hogan, Apr. 24, 1889; Otto Nickol, Aug. 4, 1893; E. C. Hogan, Feb. 3, 1897; J. H. Bock, July 14, 1897; Leonard Kirchner, Mar. 5, 1901; dis- continued, July 15, 1907.
Torah .- R. M. Richardson, (established) July 24, 1856; G. H. Middendorf, Nov. 9, 1858; O. S. Freeman, July 20, 1861; G. H. Bruning, Jan. 11, 1865; Henry Broker, Dec. 18, 1866; G. H. Bruning, May 5, 1870; Jacob Simonitsch, Mar. 6, 1872; M. A. Bussen, May 24, 1886; J. J .. Ahmann, Aug. 1, 1893; Wm. Wieber, June 17, 1897; M. A. Bussen, Sept. 13, 1898; name changed, May 4, 1909.
Richmond .- M. A. Bussen, May 4, 1909; E. L. Wurst, Nov. 28, 1914.
Thierse .- J. F. Thierse, (established) Oct. 26, 1871; J. L. Patrick, Sept. 9, 1872; Chas. Barnes, Mar. 21, 1873; discontinued, Jan. 15, 1874.
Tyrol .- Arne Arneson, (established) Apr. 3, 1883; Nils Olson, Nov. 18, 1884; Arne Arneson, Feb. 13, 1896; discontinued, June 15. 1900.
University .- O. E. Richter, (established) June 8, 1896; Emil Ulbricht, July 18, 1899; discontinued, Dec. 31, 1901.
Waite Park .- J. M. Smitlı, (established) May 7, 1897; Effie M. Du Bois, Sept 1, 1899; F. J. Zaczkowski, May 16, 1900; Ferdinand Zabel, Oct. 12, 1904; A. H. Ken- dall, June 14, 1907; E. F. Stein, Jan. 10, 1910; J. P. Otto, Apr. 5, 1912.
Woodstock .- David Wood, (established) July 15, 1858; Discontinued, Oct. 25, 1859.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
Yarmouth .- Geo. W. Cutter, (estab- lished) Jan. 5, 1859; discontinued, Oct. 22, 1860.
Zions. - August Knebel, (established) May 11, 1865; Herman Knebel, May 18, 1866; John Baitinger, Dec. 9, 1869; Anton - Schmitt, May 17, 1887; F. W. Hilger, Aug. 2. 1893; Anton Schmitt, July 20, 1897; J. M. Weis, Sept. 27, 1906; changed to Roscoe, Feb. 1915.
Eighteen offices were established in Stearns county prior to 1860. They were: St. Cloud, Aug. 16; Arcadia, Sept. 5, 1855; Neenah, May 24; Clinton (now St. Joseph), July 23; Torah (now Richmond), July 24, 1856; Cold Spring City, Jan. 6; Rockville, Jan. 6; Marysville, May 8; Fair Haven, July 9; Paynesville, July 11; St. Augusta, Aug. 8; Sauk Centre, Oct. 31; Kennebeck, Oct. 31, 1857; Woodstock, July 15, 1858; Yarmouth, Jan. 5; Melrose, Aug. 17; Kan-
dotta, Aug. 22; Oak, Oct. 27, 1859. Seven of these offices were located at town- sites which for many years have not had an existence. It is a noteworthy fact that in almost every instance these offices were located at or near to a water power, where there was a grist mill or a saw mill.
In all about 75 offices have been estab- lished in the county. They are now only 24, much of the territory being served by rural carriers.
The postmaster longest in service was David B. Stanley, of Maine Prairie, 25 years and 8 months; the second was M. A. Bussen, of Torah (now Richmond), 23 years and five months; the third, Eliel Peck of Kimball, 23 years; the fourth, J. E. West, St. Cloud, 21 years and 1 month. The first and fourth are dead; the second and third have given place to their successors within the past few months.
CHAPTER LII.
EARLY ST. CLOUD.
Beauties and Advantages-Testimony of Early Travelers-Upper, Middle and Lower Town-Wilson Names and Plats St. Cloud-Early Buildings- German Colony Arrives-Brott and Curtis Plat St. Cloud City-Develop- ments in Middle Town-Controversy Over Title-Lowry and His Upper Town-Middle Town Gradually Becomes the Business Center-Ancient Copy of the Minnesota Advertiser-Early Business Activities.
The natural beauty and the many surrounding attractions of St. Cloud, aside from anything that man has done, excite the immediate and enthusiastic admiration of visitors. Located on the high banks of the Mississippi river, many feet above any danger from floods or freshets, it commands most at- tractive views of this greatest of American rivers. Practically in the centre of the city the river makes a deep bend, almost to the extent of a half circle, opening to the north a densely-shaded water avenue to the rapids near the mouth of the Sauk river, one of the more important of its northern affiuents. To the south the river cleavage reveals the Thousand Islands, which cluster for a distance of miles, the channel winding past their wooded shores.
The city itself, along the bank of the stream and in places for a consid- erable distance back, is embowered in groves of great oak trees, which nature had spent ages in rearing and which promise to remain for ages to come. All have been most carefully preserved, none being removed except in the case of necessity to make room for some one's home. The scenic value of these
TON FN
EARLY BUSINESS CENTER. (Present Site of First National Bank.)
EARLY ST. CLOUD. (Showing First Catholic Church in Foreground.)
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
groves is beyond any price, and to them have been added rows of maple, elm and other hardy trees just within the curbed lines of the residence streets. Well-kept lawns feature all the residence districts and clumps of flowering and foliage plants at the street intersections give delight to the eye and add beauty to the landscape during the spring and summer months.
A deep ravine furnishing an outlet to the Mississippi river for the waters of Lake George, a pretty little sheet just one mile in circumference within the city limits, offers almost unlimited possibilities in the way of parking and terracing, and when the people of the city awake to the importance of these possibilities much more will be done along that line than has yet been attempted. This ravine is an asset of picturesque beauty which should com- mand instant appreciation.
The general consensus of opinion among those who come to St. Cloud from almost all other localities, either within or without the state, is that for a home city it is equaled by few and surpassed by none.
The natural attractions of St. Cloud as well as its future importance from its exceptionally fortunate geographical location were recognized even when the town was in its infancy. A special correspondent of Harper's Magazine who accompanied a hunting party which had gone in 1858 to the Red River of the North in search of buffalo, made a report of the trip published in Har- per's for April, 1859, from which the following extracts relating to St. Cloud and the Sauk valley country are taken :
"St. Cloud is a town of only three years' growth, and though it has a couple of fine hotels, a large number of stores and is tastefully laid out, it is less remarkable for its size, its rapid progress and the good quality of its com- ponents, than for its natural beauties and picturesque location. It stands on a high-wooded bluff, at the bend of the Mississippi and is literally embosomed in trees.
"Some two miles from town our party struck the old Red river trail, which they barter for provisions, merchandise and necessaries of all descrip- to St. Paul, whither they convey valuable freights of furs and buffalo robes, which they barter for provisions, merchandise and necessaries of all descrip- tions. Pembina is four hundred and sixty miles from St. Paul and this is (or was) its nearest market. But now that St. Cloud has come to be a town of considerable size it naturally aspires to a hope that it may, at no distant day, secure this valuable trade of the Red river people, since it cannot but be an object to them to shorten their long and tedious journey a distance of seventy- five miles. It seems strange to think of a people traveling twenty or thirty days to do their shopping, but how much more wonderful must it seem to these hyperboreans themselves, during each successive year, to witness the rapid advance of civilization, and find thriving towns where all was unset- tled the year before.
"Three miles from St. Sloud we crossed the Sauk river on a bridge and after a ride of four miles further over prairie and oak openings, considerably cultivated, reached the settlement of St. Joseph's. (Gracious, what a cata- logue of saints! Minnesota abounds in that staple.) Bidding adieu to St. Joseph our party proceeded gaily on their way. The scenery of the Sauk
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
valley is beautiful and varied. Lakes and streams we met successively, and pleasant groves of oaks diversifying the undulating prairie, which stretches away in graceful curves until in the dim distance it meets the horizon, while the seprentine course of the river is plainly traced by the dense belts of oak and willow that skirt its banks. It is one of the most favored spots of earth, and nature has here surpassed the perfection of art in laying out and adorn- ing her lawns and parks and groves and terraces. As the party advances a gigantic crane starts up from the river with its shrill, harsh voice, and flap- ping its huge wings sails lazily away to some place of fancied security; the prairie chicken rises with its windy whir, and wild pigeons in the oaks and willows, while on a distant ridge a herd of deer are quietly feeding."
J. A. Wheelock, editor-in-chief of the St. Paul Press, accompanying Gov- ernor Ramsey and his party en route to the Red Lake country in November, 1863, to form a treaty with the Indians, wrote: "While the nucleus is riding on through the smooth and beautiful prairie west of St. Cloud, I turn back to look at the beautiful town spread out thinly but far and wide, like an eagle spreading his wings for flight, to the green verge of the bluffs which here line the Mississippi. It is a livery town, though how it got here, away out on what most people think the farthest edge of the frontier, seems a little strange to the casual observer. None of your sickly, mushroom vegetations this, but a sapling of vigorous and lusty growth, firmly rooted in the strong Teutonic subsoil which is the ethnological base of the county of Stearns, while the rich mould of Yankee wit which overlies it furnishes the luxuriant and rapid growth. Of course I am not trying to account for St. Cloud by these ethno- logical metaphors. Back of ethnology in the chain of causation-though some of our philosophers do not see it-lies geography, and back of the St. Cloud Dutchman and Yankee lies the wonderously beautiful Sauk Valley, west and south of it, millions of acres like it of the best soil in the world in which lie stores of undeveloped wealth, sufficient to make the whole green plateau on which St. Cloud is scattered, up and down for two or three miles along the river, one thronged and compact mart of golden grain.
"St. Cloud is destined to be one of the largest commercial cities in the state. Its geographical position relative to the head of Lake Superior and the head of navigation on the Mississippi, gives it the command of both of the great outlets toward the East. It occupies, so to speak, the confluence of two great commercial currents, and when the railroad from St. Cloud to St. Paul and the Land railroad from St. Cloud to Superior are completed, it will spring at once to the rank of the chief interior emporium of all the trade of this Northwest."
When St. Cloud came into existence it was as a triplet. There was St. Cloud (Wilson's survey), known as Middle town; St. Cloud City (Curtis sur- vey), known as Lower town; and Lowry's Addition (first Arcadia), known as Upper town. In the course of years the three parts, stretching north and south along the west bank of the Mississippi river, became the City of St. Cloud.
John L. Wilson, familiarly called the "Father of St. Cloud," arrived in Minnesota in 1851, locating first at St. Anthony Falls. In 1853 he came to
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
Sauk Rapids to build a saw mill for the "Minnesota Outfit," in which com- pany Borup & Oakes, the St. Paul bankers, with others were interested. Sauk Rapids was then a thriving hamlet, with stores, saloons and about a hundred inhabitants, but Mr. Wilson felt attracted to the west side of the river as offering better prospects of future development, and July 19, 1853, he pur- chased of Ole Bergeson, a Norwegian squatter, his right to the land on which the business part of St. Cloud now stands, paying him $250 therefor. Based on this purchase Mr. Wilson claimed 320 acres of land under the town-site act, the tract including the land between the north and south ravines-ex- tending across the latter as far as Fifth street south and north of the former to the section line which separated the Wilson and Lowry claims. When the land was platted in the fall of 1854 it was found to consist of 297 acres, fall- ing short of the contemplated 320 acres. The plat was filed for record September 1, 1855, at Sauk Rapids, that being the county seat of Benton county, to which Cass county (at that time including the land on the west side of the Mississippi river which afterwards became Stearns county) was at- tached for judicial purposes. The choosing of St. Cloud as the name for his new town was due to the fact that while reading the life of Napoleon I, Mr. Wilson had observed that the Empress Josephine spent much of her time at the magnificent palace at St. Cloud, a few miles out of Paris, a circumstance which appealed so strongly to his fancy that he adopted it.
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