CCHS has now acquired 12 copies with translations of the German publication, Evang.Lutherische Gemeindebode (Evangelical Lutheran Parish Messenger), a monthly newsletter from 1921 to 1932 for the eleven Evangelical Lutheran churches in Carver County: St. John, Chaska; Trinity, Waconia; St. John, Young America; St. Peter, Watertown; Zion, Benton; Zion, Mayer; St. Mark, New Germany; Emanuel, Hamburg; St. John, Hollywood; St. Peter, Carver; and Trinity, Carver. For historical and genealogical reasons, this acquisition is of immense importance. Pastors contributed the previous month’s parish news, which included births, deaths (often full obits), baptisms, confirmations, election of officers, and financial accounts. In addition might be a pastor’s more personal notes on his church’s history, celebrations, concerns, and hopes. To cite a few: Trinity, Carver’s Pastor H. Raedeke describes their first Christmas Tree (1921: 1.1), while St. John, Hollywood’s Pastor W. L. Ernst adds an emotional account of his congregation’s surprise party and pot-luck for him on the parsonage lawn, one warm August evening—with no bugs! (1926: 6.8). Most editions also include other matter, whether Synod (St. Louis, Missouri) news, a spiritual/seasonal message, or a few anecdotes (the latter usually in English). All include local business advertisements, themselves a useful historical resource. Throughout these issues is woven an increasing concern about the pressures for more worship services in English at the expense of those traditionally in German. Sadly, the Messenger had to be discontinued after the last issue, December 1932, for lack of support., even though Its subscription price had been raised from 25 cts. to 50 cts. One wonders whether the dramatic decrease in subscribers was due to the increased price or the fact that now, by 1932, fewer subscribers could read German.
CCHS thus far has only an incomplete, broken series (Jan. 1, 1921; May, 1922; March, May, August, 1924; February, August, 1926; January, 1927; February, 1928; December, 1930, and March, 1932). These issues were gratefully received over the past few years as donations from local families. The Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, has the full set of original, German issues, with the exception of years 1921, nos. 1-12, and June, 1925. Unfortunately these are all bound together in one thick volume (Call # BX800001.C33), and must be consulted on site, since deterioration of the binding prevents photocopying.
Obviously, to have the full original series—and translated—available at CCHS would be an even greater advantage. So please—look through your family’s early mementoes. You might be able to help us fill our missing gaps!
The cities of Norwood and Young America in Carver County have long shared many similarities in the history of their development, growth and population. Over the years, the councils of each city discussed the possibility of merging to form one town, thus sharing all debt and spending costs. Many resolutions and votes were cast and mergers rejected before anything came out of this plan.
The first attempt at joining the cities of Norwood and Young America occurred back in 1974. In late September of that year, the Norwood City Council passed a merger resolution, followed by the Young America City Council in October. The Minnesota Municipal commission approved the plan on December 5. The resolution was put to vote among citizens on December 14, 1974. Norwood residents chose to pass the resolution with a vote of 172 “yes” to 99 “no”. Young America residents disagreed with that, and said “no” with 317 votes and only 56 ‘yes”.
Early in 1989, the West Carver partnership conducted a survey among Norwood and Young America residents on the issue of the survey. According to this survey, 2 out of every 3 residents supported a merger, with 1 out of 5 disagreeing with the idea. Those who most strongly supported the merger were aged 35-64, with the older residents 65 or older providing the least support. Despite these positive survey results, the issue did get past the vote of the city councils this time around. In September 1989, the city of Young America presented a merger resolution to the Norwood council members. They declined to approve, but said they would remain open to future discussions.
In 1994, the merger issue was broached for a third time. That year, the two cities applied for grant funding to help them combine some of the services. This led to the formation of a steering committee to lead the merger plan and the receipt of state funds towards this goal. After both councils approved the resolution and agreed that a majority vote in each town would decide the issue, it was put to vote among residents on November 7, 1995. This time, the merger passed. Norwood residents voted 295 “yes” and 107 “no”. Young America residents voted 309 “yes” and 200 “no”. The total vote was 604 in favor of and 307 against, an almost 50/50 split at 66%.
With the passing of the merger, the two cities would combine fire departments, police forces, and facilities, along with a combined annual budget. Based on the 1994 budgets, the proposed annual savings from merging would be $54,948. The two cities had just over a “year of cooperation” to solidify the joint budget, facilities, and comprehensive plans (November to January 1997). In June 1996, the new city of Norwood-Young America (NYA) received a Coorperation and Consolidation award from the League of Minnesota Cities for the merger process.
On January 1, 1997, NYA officially celebrated the merger with fireworks, dog sled rides, choral performances, a snow sculpture contest, a memorabilia display, and the swearing in of the new NYA council. One of the biggest concern with the newly merged cities was the issue of the post office, which was stated as reasoning for not approving the merger in the past. In the end, it was decided that people would keep their previous zipcode. The USPS decided the old Norwood post office would be closed, the Young America branch would be used for the Young America Corp., and a new branch would open on Merger Street, in the middle of the newly joined towns. The new branch opened in January 1999.
While the merging of these two cities was controversial, the merger has seemed to be successful over the years. Many residents still claim to live in either Norwood or Young America rather than Norwood Young America or NYA, but that seems to be the only residual issue.
“A Merger? Most Norwood and Young America Residents Say Yes.” Norwood Young America Times, September 7, 1989.
Larson, Tim. “Councils to Plan Retreat to Discuss merger.” Norwood Young America Times, November 16, 1995.
Larson, Tim. “Merger Passes.” Norwood Young America Times, November 9, 1995.
Larson, Tim. “Young America Also Approves Total Vote Majority.” Norwood Young America Times, September 21, 1995.
Lemke, Margaret. “Cities Receive Award for Merger.” Norwood Young America Times, June 27, 1996.
———. “Door is Open for N-YA Merger Talks.” Norwood Young America Times, September 14, 1989.
———. “Norwood Decides Merger Vote to be Counted as One.” Norwood Young America Times, September 14, 1995.
———. “NYA Addresses, Zip Codes Confuse People After Merger.” Norwood Young America Times, January 9, 1997.
———. “NYA Salary Study to be Completed Next Month.” Norwood Young America Times, January 9, 1997.
———. “What Will Merger Bring for NYA?” Norwood Young America Times, January 2, 1997.
“New Post Office Opens in NYA.” Norwood Young America Times, January 14, 1999.
“Norwood and Young America Celebrate Merger of Two Cities.” Carver County News, January 9, 1997.
“Norwood/Young America Councils Approve Merger.” Waconia Patriot, October 10, 1974.
“N/YA Apply for Grant to Help combine Some City Services.” Norwood Young America Times, January 6, 1994.
“NYA Post Offices Outline Changes.” Norwood Young America Times, March 27, 1997.
“Steering Committee Members Appointed for Merger Plan.” Norwood Young America Times, October 27, 1994.
“Young America Defeats Merger with Norwood.” Waconia Patriot, December 19, 1974.
America was suffering during the 1930s, and Carver County was no exception. Called a “passing crisis” by President Hoover, it was President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal that brought hope to millions. Among the many “alphabet agencies” of the New Deal was the Works Progress Administration or WPA.
The WPA was started in April 1935 to replace direct federal relief, or the “dole”. It was similar to an earlier organization, the Civil Works Administration (CWA), but was aimed at small-scale, rather than large-scale, public projects. The goal was to provide work for the unemployed as the jobless rate hit nearly twenty-five percent. Over its eight year existence, the WPA invested nearly $13.4 billion dollars. The program was not discontinued until 1943, when the economy stabilized and workers found jobs in the war and defense industries.
The WPA sought to not only put the jobless to work, but provide training, education, and creative opportunities for its participants. The projects of the WPA focused on construction, remodeling, and design; or community service. Buildings such as post offices, libraries, hospitals, soldiers home, and parks were designed, built, and filled with murals and art by WPA workers. Community service projects included nursery schools, adult and vocational education, libraries (both public and school), sewing projects to provide clothing for those who needed it, and more. This also included the Arts: music and theatre programs to let the public forget their troubles for a while, and writing and arts projects to keep artists working.
A key characteristic of the WPA was that it was operated by state and local, rather than federal, governments. Local agencies were required to provide 10-30% of all project costs. These governments worked closely with nonprofit and community groups that were already active in public and community service. The WPA focused on economic stimulation and giving people a sense of pride and value through meaningful work, rather than a government handout.
In Minnesota alone, thousands benefitted from this program. By September 1935, over 4,000 Minnesotans were put to work. An illustration taken from a report on WPA activities between 1935-1936 highlights some important numbers: 1,266 projects, 65,713 men employed, and $31,735,397.13 spent on wages, materials and supplies. Minnesota’s WPA employment reached its peak in 1938, with 68,000 employed in September of that year. The majority of the projects funding went to the three largest cities: St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth. In rural Minnesota, there were 58,177 eligible for the WPA program in 1935. In Carver County, this meant 181 cases eligible, with 291 individuals.
In November 1935, the State WPA office approved $14,260 in WPA projects within Carver County. This funding mostly covered county-wide roadwork: grading, ditching, gravel surfacing, installing drainage structures, and installing guard rails on certain State and County Aid highways. By 1936, 139 workers were employed on eight county projects. In the years that followed, many projects throughout the county were completed, providing much needed work rather than monetary handouts. Projects included: work on the county fairgrounds; sidewalk, curb, and gutter work; water main and sewage projects; landscaping and remodeling of Waconia Highschool grounds; a mural in the Waconia school; marriage license indexing; work at the experimental farm; work on creeks and channel improvements; and more.
In the twenty-first century, locating records on what WPA projects were completed, beyond those in the newspapers, can be tricky. The work done on the Carver County Fairgrounds was commemorated with a plaque at the front entrance. Others projects were documented in articles and photographs. Projects like sewage systems and drain pipes, were not commemorated. What we do know is that the WPA was very active in Carver County, providing projects, money, and jobs for many local citizens struggling to make ends meet.
“139 WPA Workers are Engaged on 8 Carver County Projects.” Waconia Patriot, April 9, 1936.
“$14,260 in WPA Projects for County Ok’d.” Waconia Patriot, November 21, 1935.
“$7,800 Sidewalk Project at Chaska Under WPA.” Waconia Patriot, May 19, 1938.
“City WPA Plan Given Approval on Its Creek Channel Improvement Project.” Weekly Valley Herald, September 11, 1941.
Federal Writer’s Project of the Works Progress Administration, compiler. The WPA Guide to Minnesota: The Federal Writer’s Project Guide to 1930s Minnesota. Reprint. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1985.
“Five Active WPA Projects in County to Cost $23, 250.” Waconia Patriot, March 5, 1936.
Nathanson, Iric. “The WPA in Minnesota: Economic Stimulus During the Great Depression.” Minnpost.com, January 7, 2009. Accessed June 18, 2014. http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2009/01/wpa-minnesota-economic-stimulus- during-great-depression
“Rural Minnesota to Have 58,177 Eligible for WPA Program.” Waconia Patriot, July 11, 1935.
“Sewer finished on Tuesday, 4800 Feet of 8 Inch Sewer Pipe Laid by WPA Workmen.” Weekly Valley Herald, July 2, 1942.
Treacy, Mary. Poking Around with Mary Blog, The. “WPA’s Legacy Shapes the Landscape of Minnesota and of Northeast Minneapolis.” July 16, 2012. Accessed June 18, 2014. http://marytreacy.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/wpas-legacy-shapes-the-landscape-of-minnesota-and-of-northeast-minneapolis/
“Work is Begun on WPA Project- Marriage License Index.” Weekly Valley Herald, April 15, 1937.
“WPA Installing 1100 ft. 4 in. Water Main at Chaska.” Waconia Patriot, January 6, 1938.
“WPA Landscaping, Remodeling Waconia High School Grounds.” Waconia Patriot, August 12, 1937.
“WPA Projects- Payroll for County Projects.” Carver County News, December 19, 1935.
“WPA Projects Being Started- Council Votes Sidewalk and River Bank Cleaning Plans at Monthly Meeting.” Weekly Valley Herald, March 10, 1938.
“WPA Project Started at Experimental Farm.” Weekly Valley Herald, July 21, 1938.
“WPA Sewer, Street Project Approved.” Weekly Valley Herald, November 13, 1941.
The Yellowstone Trail began through frustration. At a time when horse and wagons were being phased out, and more and more cars were on the road, there was not yet government control of roads. Roads that those on horseback or wagon could travel with ease, stopped cars with ruts, mires, and potholes. Very few of these roads connected to others. They might connect Point A to Point B, but that was all. By 1912, there were 356,000 cars on the road, by 1915 sales neared a million.
The Yellowstone Trail’s claim to fame is not being the first road in many places, but being the first “good” road, the first road designed for travel by car from east coast to west coast. Hence, the motto of the road: “a good road from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound”. Inspired by old walking/trade trails like the Santa Fe Trail, and tired of his car getting stuck in the mud between Ipswich and Aberdeen, South Dakota, Joe Parmley was inspired to create ‘good’ roads that connected to one another. A local homesteader, newspaperman, Superintendent, and State and County Officer, he at first thought it should be the responsibility of the state and federal governments. At the time, there was no tax or legislation for road building or road maintenance, and no transportation departments. The only road funding at this time (1912, 1916, and 1921) was for the creation of post roads for Rural Free Delivery. Parmley was laughed out of the South Dakota legislature for suggesting such a thing.
Frustrated by the lack of an auto-friendly infrastructure, Parmley decided to start a grass-roots movement, teaming with local county/township governments or organizations to meet his goal. The goal was to choose the best roads within the township or county, connect those to the most promising or well-kept roads in the next county, and eventually create one road with one name covering a large distance.
To promote and advocate for this idea, Joe Parmley teamed with others of a like mind to create the Twin Cities-Aberdeen-Yellowstone Park Trail Association on October 9, 1912. This organization collected dues to pay for advertising and promotion, and maps of the trail. Member counties paid $50, individuals paid $1, and cities or auto club groups paid based on their number of residents or members. The cities, townships or counties, and not the Association, paid for the roads within the trail. In 1915, at the annual meeting, the group’s name was shortened to the Yellowstone Trail Association, and the motto “a good road from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound” was adopted after being popularized in the press. As the Trail expanded, it was marked by stones painted yellow, yellow signposts, or yellow arrows.
As the Trail passed through Minnesota, it left its mark in Carver County. On May 2, 1916, County Commissioners agreed to pay $4,000 for improvements along the Trail, to be assessed to each city based on how much of the Trail they had. The breakdown follows: Chanhassen, 3 ½ miles; Laketown, 7 miles; Waconia, 7 miles; Benton, ½ mile; and Young America, 7 miles. Financially, Victoria gave $250, Young America gave $750, Norwood gave $1,000 and Waconia gave $1,500. In the twenty-first century, the Trail in Waconia is Highways 5 and 212. Ruts from the Trail are still visible- park at the Waconia Event Center and walk east, looking along the south side of Highway 5, you may see the ruts or yellow signs denoting where the trail once passed.
As the Trail expanded, promotional stunts occurred to boost interest and acclaim. The first occurred on June 15, 1915, after the trail connected Chicago to Seattle. A relay of twenty-one cars was put together to carry a message from Chicago’s Mayor Thompson to Seattle’s Mayor Gill. Cars would go in shifts, like a relay race. The goal was to complete the 2,445 miles in 100 hours. The relay finished early at 97 hours. In 1916, when the Trail reached the East Coast at Plymouth Rock, a new relay was organized, pairing the Army with civilian drivers. Sixty-four cars (with 126 back-up or emergency cars) carried an Army message over 3,673 miles in 121 hours. As there relays passed through towns, residents were warned to use caution around the cars traveling at high speeds.
The Yellowstone Trail reached its peak years in the 1920s, with advances in road funding and tourist bureaus along the route encouraging its use by tourists. The Trail was touted as the “great Northwest route”, “the best route to the playground of the three national parks (Yellowstone, Glacier, and Mt. Rainier)”, and the “scenic route with no deserts”. This was the beginning of the end. The government adopted legislation on November 11, 1926 to begin marking highways by numbers, breaking the Trail down into smaller roads. In the twenty-first century, there is a resurgence of interest in the Yellowstone Trail, with historical markers across the country, books, and tourist maps now highlighting this historic trail.
“Notice to Contractors.” Waconia Patriot, May 30, 1918.
Petersen Biorn, Wendy. “Yellowstone Trail: Remembering the Good Road”. Chaska Herald, September 2, 2012.
Ridge, Alice A. and John William. Introducing the Yellowstone Trail: A Good Road from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound, 1912-1930. Altoona, WI: Yellowstone Trail Publishers, 2000.
Ridge, Alice A. and John William. On the Yellowstone Trail: A Reproduction of the First Year Book of the Twin Cities-Aberdeen-Yellowstone Park Trail Association (The Yellowstone Trail Association), 1914. Altoona, WI: Yellowstone Trail Publishers, 2003.
“Surveying Yellowstone Trail Route.” Waconia Patriot, May 3, 1917.
Crown College is a Christian bible college about twenty-five miles west of the Twin Cities. Their mission is to provide a biblically based education for Christian leadership in The Christian and Missionary Alliance, the church-at-large and the world. It is one of only four colleges in the United States affiliated with The Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination.
Bible institutes and colleges initially began with the renewed spirituality of the “evangelical” movement within protestant churches. The goal of these institutes was not traditional, but spiritual education. It provided scriptural education and religious principles to students of both sexes. The goal was students with the skills, values and lessons needed to serve their church or become a missionary to share their vision. Not true preachers from seminaries, they were none the less devoted to their work. From 1948-1969, this movement expanded to allow bible institutes to be degree-granting and accredited through the American Association of Bible Colleges. The schools were no longer just about missionaries, but about Christian service in everyday life.
Crown College of Minnesota is unique in being the only bible college in Minnesota. While there are other Christian school, like St. Thomas’ or St. Kate’s, this school is the only “bible” college. This means focus on specifically training lay people for Christian service.
Crown College was founded in 1916 by Reverend J.D. Williams with only four students as the St. Paul Bible Institute. By 1924, 152 students attended the school. In the 1950’s, the name was changed to St. Paul Bible College. The College remained in its St. Paul location for more than fifty years, until continued growth forced a move. It relocated to its current campus in St. Bonifacius in June 1970. The main building, built in 1960 as a Jesuit college, was cross-shaped, a perfect fit for the Bible College. As the school grew, the main building expanded and new buildings were added. In 1992, the College changed its name to Crown College and began offering an Adult and Graduate Studies program. In the early twenty-first century, this program is known as the Crown College School of Online Studies & Graduate School. It represents nearly half of Crown’s 1,300 enrolled students. The college offers more than forty accredited degree programs overall, including music, nursing, education and business.
Crown has had students attend from nearly thirty countries. More than fifty percent of graduating seniors have traveled abroad for community service work through InterCultural Experiences (ICE). All undergrad students graduate with a dual degree- Christian Studies plus their chosen field. Nearly seventy percent of all faculty have PhDs’.
Crown College has more than 8,000 alumni (graduates or former students) across the United States and in nearly every time zone around the world. Among its notable alumni are Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki. Both attended Crown College when it was the St. Paul Bible College and went on to create the popular Christian children’s television series Veggie Tales.
In 2011, U.S. News and World Report included Crown College on its list of the Best Midwest Regional Colleges. It was also listed among the Top 10 of Christian online colleges and universities by TheBestColleges.org that same year. Crown is affiliated with 13,609 churches and church groups in eighty-one countries and territories through the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
Turning Point: Years of strong growth caused St. Paul Bible College, renamed Crown College, to move to St. Bonifacius in 1970, where it continued to expand.
Chronology:
1916: St. Paul Bible Institute founded by Reverend J.D. Williams
1924: 152 students attended the school
1950s: St. Paul Bible Institute becomes St. Paul Bible College
1960: Jesuit Seminary built in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota
June 1970: St. Paul Bible College relocates to campus in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota
1992: St. Paul Bible College becomes Crown College and begins its Adult and Graduate Studies program
2011: Crown is rated among the Best of the Midwest Regional Colleges by U.S. News and World Report and ranked in the Top 10 of Online Christian Colleges and Universities by TheBestColleges.org
Bibliography:
Crown College student information catalogue. Crown College, 2012.
103.5.4.
Purchase of St. Bonifacius campus, 1970.
Crown College Archive
Description: “Jesuit Campus sold to St. Paul Bible College.” Press release. Public Affairs Office, St. Paul Bible College.
“The Story of Crown College.” Crown College Archives, General History, Folder 100.
Related Resources:
[Primary]
[Secondary]
Brereton, Virginia. Training God’s Army: The American Bible School, 1880-1940. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990.
Photograph Collection, Crown College, St. Bonifacius
Photographic print; “Crown College”
Description: Aerial shot of Crown College campus.
Rights held by Crown College.
Photograph Collection, Crown College, St. Bonifacius
Photographic print; “St. Paul Bible College”
Description: view of campus sign when still in St. Paul as the St. Paul Bible College. Rights held by Crown College.
Press, Crown College, St. Bonifacius
Logo, “Crown College”
Description: logo of Crown College.
Rights held by Crown College.
“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”
The city of Carver has a long and rich history as one of the first communities in Carver County. Located on the Minnesota River, it was often the first place immigrants to Carver County visited. From there, they spread out to other towns and farms.
Norwegian immigrant Axel Jorgenson first lived at Carver in the winter of 1851-1852. In 1854, Jorgenson sold his land to a group of town site investors from St. Paul, called the Carver Land Company. Minnesota Territorial Governor Alexander Ramsey was part of this group. He suggested the name “Carver” for the town site after Jonathan Carver, who first explored the area.
By 1855, the town of Carver was already growing. It had a tailor, a hotel, a boarding house, a building designer, a carpenter, a livery stable, a blacksmith, two shoemakers, and a general store. By 1857, thirty-five buildings existed in Carver. The area was a main stopping point in trade and immigrant travel along the Minnesota River. In 1877, Carver was incorporated as the Village of Carver. By the 1890s, Carver was one of the biggest settlements in the county.
Carver’s future changed with the loss of river trade during railroad development. When railroads were built, they bypassed Carver, taking businesses with them. The Prohibition era (1920-1933) made this worse, as many saloons and hotels shut down. Carver became a poor town.
Widespread flooding in 1965 swamped parts of historic Carver. Simple lack of money, in previous years and during the flooding, protected historic structures from being torn down. There was no new building and growth. However, more was needed to stop future destruction of the historic town. On June 25, 1969 a non-profit corporation called Carver-on-the-Minnesota, Incorporated was created. Founders were Edith Herman, Anne Neils-Doerr, Mary Lee Dayton, and Helen McNulty. Still active in the twenty-first century, Carver-on-the-Minnesota’s goal is to stop the decline of Carver, a historically important early river town. The group began by raising money to buy buildings in need of repair. This was the start of the Carver Historic District.
Carver-on-the-Minnesota created restoration plans and design guidelines for restorations in Historic Carver. They also serve as a source for historic building research. Their work led to even more buildings being saved. In 1980, the old town of Carver was chosen as one of the first historic districts in Minnesota, thanks in part to the work of this organization. On January 4, 1980, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Historic Carver contains eighty-seven buildings and four other structures of importance. National Register signs mark many district buildings. They vary from private homes and businesses to churches and public buildings. Buildings range in time from 1852-1925. Many of them have been returned to their original look and style.
In February 1989, the city of Carver created a Heritage Preservation Commission. Their goal was to help the City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, and Parks Department with preservation work. Preservation work continues in the twenty-first century. On October 26, 2005, Carver received Certified Local Government status from the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office. Local Historic District residents can go to a Carver office for preservation rules and signs instead of the main state office in St. Paul. Carver was named a Preserve America Community by the White House in 2007. It was only the eighth to be named in the state of Minnesota.
Turning Point: The founding of Carver-on-the-Minnesota in 1969 led directly to increased preservation and restoration efforts in Historic Carver, and its eventual inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
Chronology:
Winter 1851-1852: The Carver area is first settled by Norwegian immigrant Axel Jorgenson.
1854: Axel Jorgenson sells his land to the St. Paul based Carver Land Company.
1857: Thirty-five buildings already exist in the growing town of Carver.
1877: The town is incorporated as the Village of Carver.
1920-1933: The Prohibition era causes loss of money in Carver with the closing of money hotels and saloons affected by banning of alcohol.
1965: Major flooding of the Minnesota River destroys parts of old Carver.
June 25, 1969: Carver-on-the-Minnesota, Inc. is founded.
February 1989: The City of Carver creates a Heritage Preservation Commission to help city departments with preservation plans.
January 4, 1980: Historic Carver is one of the first districts placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
October 26, 2005: Carver receives Certified Local Government status from Minnesota State Historic Preservation office.
2007: Carver is named a Preserve America Community by the White House.
2009: Carver co-hosts the Minnesota Statewide Historic Preservation Conference.
Bibliography:
“Carver Historic District: Dakota Uprising Sesquicentennial Update, 1862-2012”. Walking tour guide to Historic Carver. Carver History. City of Carver. Accessed January 22, 2013. http://www.cityofcarver.com/carver-history/
Carver Historic District, National Register of Historic Places Nomination File (#80001960), State Historic Preservation Office, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.
Minnesota National Register properties, Carver County- Carver Historic District. Minnesota National Register of Historic Places, State Historic Preservation Office. Accessed January 22, 2013. http://nrhp.mnhs.org/NRDetails.cfm?NPSNum=80001960
Von Walter, John. Email of Carver-on-the-Minnesota details to author, January 10, 2013.
Related Resources:
[Primary]
“An Evening of Carver History Planned Dec. 15”. Carver County Herald, December 7, 1977.
“Carver Revives Historical Preservation Committee”. Carver County Herald, June 23, 1988.
“Carver on the Minnesota Returns”. Chaska Herald, October 14, 2010.
“Dead End for ‘Suitcase Murder’ Investigation?” Chanhassen Villager, June 21, 2007.
“Flood Threat Looms as River Goes on Rampage”. Weekly Valley Herald, April 8, 1965.
“Historical Sketches of Townships and Villages: Part Twenty-One”. Waconia Patriot, April 8, 1976.
“Recognition on National register of Historic Places Possible for Several County Sites”. Waconia Patriot, January 19, 1978.
“Record Flood Hits Chaska-Carver”. Weekly Valley Herald, April 15, 1965.
[Secondary]
Hartley, Lucie K. The Carver Story. 2nd ed. Carver, MN: 1993. (self-published)
Holcombe, Maj. R.I., ed. Compendium of History and Biography of Carver and Hennepin Counties, Minnesota. Chicago: Henry Taylor and Company, 1915.
Lofstrom, Ted and Lynne VanBrocklin Spaeth. Carver County: A Guide to Its Historic and Prehistoric Places. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1978.
Tremblay, Ruth and Lois Schulstad. Images of America: Carver County. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2011.
Photograph Collection, John Von Walter
Digital image; “1856 Gables”
Description: 201 Fourth Street East, Carver, Minnesota
Rights held by John Von Walter.
Photograph Collection, John Von Walter
Digital image; “1925 Mobile Gas Station”
Description: 200 Broadway, Carver, Minnesota
Rights held by John Von Walter.
Photograph Collection, John Von Walter
Digital image; “Hebeisen Hardware ca. 1870”
Description: 109 Third Street East, Carver, Minnesota
Rights held by John Von Walter.
Photograph Collection, John Von Walter
Digital image; “Springside, Greek Revival-Federal ca. 1860”
Description: 113 Fourth Street West, Carver, Minnesota
Rights held by John Von Walter.
Photograph Collection, John Von Walter
Digital image; “Hotel Luksenborg 1852”
Description: 309 Oak Street, Carver, Minnesota
Rights held by John Von Walter.
“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”
A tornado is defined as a rotating column of air with a funnel shaped cloud. A cyclone is a large violent rotating windstorm without the funnel. Back in the 1800s and 1900s, the two words were used interchangeably. On August 20, 1904, a large cyclone hit the city of Waconia, changing the face of the city forever.
The storm began about 6:00 pm, with sporadic rain, before the clouds passed over. The sky became green, blue and yellow as the storm moved in, due most likely to electricity in the air from lightning. The rain started again at 7:30pm, with raging winds. Eyewitnesses experienced the sounds of homes crashing down, sparks flying from the wreckage, and intense wind and rain getting worse. One man, A.C. Klancke, had just arrived in Waconia on the train and was attempting to reach town. He was picked up by the storm, carried some eight blocks, and dropped. While bumped and bruised, he was fortunately not killed, only injured with a few broken bones.
Buildings all over Waconia, both homes and businesses, as well as buildings on Coney Island, were seriously damaged or destroyed. Others were barely touched as the storm skipped around the town. When the storm ended, over one-hundred homes had been damaged. Property damage for the city of Waconia was estimated at close to $500,000, which would be roughly $11,630,000 in the early twenty-first century. The damage to farms in the surrounding countryside was estimated at nearly the same amount.
Among the businesses damaged was the Boston Ice Company. An ice house they owned on the shore of Lake Waconia was blown away, leaving all the ice behind. The Sherman House Hotel had the whole front of the building ripped away. Witnesses say nothing inside was touched- even the beds were still made. Max Weimann’s hardware store was completely demolished, with parts of other buildings lying atop the ruins. Frank Wostrel’s hardware store had the first floor explode and the second floor come crashing down.
Even the churches were damaged. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, built in 1901, was hit by a lightning strike, blowing a twenty by thirty foot hole in its roof. Trinity Lutheran Church also suffered. The church’s steeple was knocked over by the strong wind, which then tumbled through the roof. Members of each church were expected to donate for repairs. Local congregations from nearby towns also gave money.
The wooden City Hall was also completely demolished, in a unique way. As the building was destroyed, the upper floor tumbled to the ground. While the walls and floor had fallen, the wooden chairs remained standing in rows exactly as they were before the storm.
With all this damage, only five people out of the city’s population were killed. Three of these were members of the Moy family. They were sitting at dinner in the kitchen when a piece of roof from a neighbor’s house destroyed the room. August Moy, his wife, and son Fred (also known as Christian), three years old, were killed. Son Edward was in a coma but lived. The three surviving children went to live with their aunt, Maria Straus. The other fatalities were eighty year old Hubert Lohmer, killed by debris, and John Wenzen. More than twenty people were injured.
Waconia lost more people to this storm than the other Minnesota communities hit. The storm continued on to St. Bonifacius, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis and St. Paul, among others. A total of fourteen people were killed in this storm, with two-hundred more injured. Total damage was estimated at $2,555,000 dollars in 1904, which is roughly sixty million dollars in the twenty-first century.
Turning Point: On August 20, 1904, a cyclone hit the city of Waconia, among others, causing $500,000 in property damage, killing five people, and injuring more than twenty.
Chronology:
August 20, 1904: a cyclone destroys much of Waconia, causing nearly $500,000 in damage and moving on to other parts of Minnesota.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“A.C. Klancke’s Experience”. Young America Eagle, August 26, 1904.
“Coney Island Storm Swept”. Young America Eagle, August 26, 1904.
“County is Swept by Storm: Terrific Storm Saturday Evening Destroys Life and Property”. Weekly Valley Herald, August 25, 1904.
“Death and Destruction: Tornado Spreads Death and Destruction Across the Entire State of Minnesota”. Young America Eagle, August 26, 1904.
“Echoes of the Great Storm”. Weekly Valley Herald, September 1, 1904.
“Waconia Cyclone “. Educational program. Carver County Historical Society.
“Waconia is Devastated: Half of the village in Ruins”. Waconia Patriot, August 26, 1904.
RELATED RESOURCES
{Primary}
“Coney Island: Waconia is Devastated”. Waconia Patriot, August 26, 1904.
Executive Council. State of Minnesota Disaster Relief Manual. St. Paul: 1969.
Haas and Wright. Cyclone in Saint Paul, Minnesota, August 20th, 1904. St. Paul, MN: Haas & Wright, 1904.
Lahr, Grace. “A History of Events in the Development of Coney Island and Clearwater Lake”. Waconia Patriot, April 17, 1975.
[Secondary]
Holcombe, Maj. R.I., editor. Compendium of History and Biography of Carver and Hennepin Counties, Minnesota. Henry Taylor and Company: Chicago, 1915.
Keller, Martin and Sheri O’Meara. Storms! : Tales of Extreme Weather Events in Minnesota. Minneapolis: D Media, Inc., 2006.
Waconia Heritage Association. Waconia, Paradise of the Northwest: The Lake and Its Island. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company, 1986.
[Web]
Explore Our City- History of Waconia. City of Waconia website. Accessed March 15, 2013. http://www.waconia.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={1490747B-B025-4B8F-97F5-553A10427D7C}
Weather Timeline. St. Louis Park Historical Society website. Accessed March 3, 2013. http://www.slphistory.org/history/weathertimeline.asp
Images/Audio/Video
AV-81-6620. Photograph Collection, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia. Photographic print “Sherman House Hotel, Waconia” [Description]: Sherman House, Jos. (Joseph) and Albert Miller, Prop. Waconia, Minnesota. [This photo was taken just a few years before the cyclone in the 1890s]. Rights held by the CCHS.
Uncatalogued Photograph Collection, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia Photographic Slide “Sherman House Hotel, 1904” [Description]: This image shows the front of the Sherman House Hotel after the storm. It is the building in the center, next to the large tree. The photo shows the entire front of the building laying in the street in the foreground. Witness accounts say nothing inside the building was moved. Rights held by the CCHS.
Uncatalogued Photograph Collection, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia Photographic Slide “Street scene, 1904” [Description]: This image shows Frank Wostrel’s hardware store, left side of the image, where the first floor exploded during the cyclone, dropping the second level to the ground. Part of the first floor walls can be seen just to the left of the building. Rights held by the CCHS.
Uncatalogued Photograph Collection, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia Photographic Slide “City Hall detail, 1904” [Description]: This image shows up close detail of the damage done to the City Hall. In the center can be seen the rows of chairs dropped with the second story which remained standing in their rows. Rights held by the CCHS.
“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”
The Carver Rapids are located along the Minnesota River, at a point where the river separates Carver County from Scott County. The rapids served as a prominent spot along the Minnesota River, during the early history of Carver County.
The Carver Rapids are what is classified as double rapids, with two major points along an S-like curve in the river. The rapids flow over a natural foundation that is composed of a very hard limestone, which has not eroded over the millennia.
The earliest European activity along the Carver Rapids dates back to the late 1700s, when trading posts were set up. It is uncertain who established these posts, but it was likely to have been French traders. Later trading posts were also set up along the rapids, including one by Jean-Baptist Faribault in 1804. Prior to white settlement, the Dakota lived on the land to either side of the rapids. When the Faribault post was set up, a small village of the Wahpeton tribe could be found just to the south.
The rapids continued to play a prominent role in settlement of the area, through the 1800s. On the Carver County side of the rapids, the township of San Francisco was founded by William Foster in the mid-1850s, which briefly served as the county seat. That town was damaged by floods in the early 1860s. In the 1850s through the 1870s, during the dryer months of the year, the rapids became the headwaters of the Minnesota River. Steamboats couldn’t travel beyond the rapids, so settlers would get off at Carver and continue their travels on foot or by wagon. During the Dakota War of 1862, the Carver headwaters served as a major unloading site for soldiers coming upstream from Fort Snelling. By the later 1800s, the arrival of the railroads led to a decline in boat traffic along the Minnesota River and Carver Rapids.
In the 1900s, the rapids remained a key landmark along the Minnesota River, but saw minimal use in comparison to earlier settlement eras. Throughout the decades, amateur archeologists have excavated among the Dakota villages that once stood around the rapids, taking relics and destroying former burial sites in the process. In the twenty-first century, the rapids are part of the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge (founded in 1976), in what is called the Rapids Lake segment, located in Carver County. The rapids, however, are unmarked, the lack of signage making them difficult to locate.
Bongards Creameries began as a small local creamery, helping farmers to process their milk. Since its beginning in 1908, it has grown to include satellite factories in Perham and Humboldt, Tennessee. It has also increased its range of products to include cheese and whey. In the twenty-first century, Bongards Creameries is among the largest cheese-making plants in the world.
The Carver County site where Bongards Creameries is located once held a skimming station. This structure was destroyed in 1908. Soon after, a group of local farmers got together to form a new cooperative (co-op) creamery. They began construction on a twenty-six by eighty foot creamery building in November of 1908.
This new co-op creamery opened its doors in February of 1909. Fred W. Hedtke, who had helped to operate the former skimming station, was hired as chief buttermaker and manager. He held that position for the next thirty years, until heart trouble forced him into retirement in June 1938.
When Fred Hedtke retired, the position of plant manager went to Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn. He would hold this position for the next fifty years. This stable, long-term management helped Bongards Creamery prosper and become a dairy industry leader.
Bongards Creameries started with making butter in 1909. In 1942, the factory began producing natural (un-processed) cheese. Whey products, such as whey powder, were added in 1945. Processed cheese manufacturing was added to the product line in 1976. Although cheese and whey are still made in the early twenty-first century, buttermaking was discontinued around the 1970s, when it was decided it was not cost efficient to replace the equipment needed based on the amount of butter being sold. In the early days, all co-op members took turns working in the factory to make these products, until expansion and success created the need for the co-op to hire permanent factory workers.
In 1942, Bongards Creameries expanded for the first time. The expansion included an office, laboratory, cheese-making room, and a new refrigerated storeroom. In 1949, the creamery expanded again, making Bongards Creameries one of the largest cheese factories in the world. By 1951, the factory was producing nearly 1,000,000 pounds of cheese a month. There have been many expansions since then, including satellite factories in Perham in 2003 and Humboldt, Tennessee in 2010.
In 1958, Bongards Creameries celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, highlighting a few production milestones. When Bongards began in 1908, twenty-five co-op members brought milk to the creamery. By 1958, nearly one thousand of them delivered milk there. By 1938, the plant was processing 7,000,000 pounds of milk. By 1958, production had expanded so greatly the plant was processing nearly twenty times what they were in 1938.
1968 was another important year for the plant. That year, Bongards Creameries, and manager Jack Budahn, introduced their patented “automated continuous system”, which used all the parts of milk to make cheese and whey products. This machine covers two floors. To simplify what the machine does: it first mixes rennet and milk to form curds. It then salts the curds and separates out butterfat, whey and water to be used in other products. The water is used on nearby farmland. The finished product is forty pound cheese blocks. In 1987, progress continued by expanding the continuous cheddaring machine into a second room, with the first devoted to cheddaring and milling the cheese curd, the second to salting the milled curd.
A setback occurred at the creamery in 1969. An explosion at the plant in 1969, thought to be caused by a buildup of gas in one of the warehouses. It destroyed two buildings and badly damaged five more. Total damage was estimated at $750,000, but the creamery rapidly repaired and rebuilt.
In the twenty-first century, Bongards Creameries remains a cooperative creamery and a leader in the dairy industry. The creamery hosts many visitors every year. Tourists purchase milk products and souvenirs from the creamery store, and have their pictures taken with the large fiberglass cow out front, purchased from a company in Sparta, Wisconsin in October 1970.
Turning Point: In 1938, Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn was hired as the manager of Bongards Creameries, beginning fifty years of stable management and innovation, allowing Bongards to prosper as one of the largest cheese-making factories in the world.
Chronology:
1908: A group of local farmers gathers together to form a cooperative creamery, and begins construction on a creamery building.
February 1909: The new cooperative creamery, named Bongards Creameries after the nearby community, opens its doors for business. Fred W. Hedtke is chief buttermaker and manager.
1909: Butter is the first product made by Bongards Creameries.
June 1938: Health problems force Fred W. Hedtke to retire as manager at the creamery.
July 1938: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn becomes plant manager at Bongards Creameries, a position he would hold for the next fifty years.
1938: The factory processes seven million pounds of milk this year.
1942: Bongards Creameries begins production of natural, unprocessed, cheese.
1942: The first physical expansion of Bongards Creameries occurs, which includes an office, laboratory, cheese-making room, and a new refrigerated storeroom.
1945: Whey products, like whey powders, are added to the Bongards Creameries product line.
1949: The creamery is expanded a second time. It is now hailed as one of the largest cheese factories in the world.
1951: Bongards Creameries produces nearly one million pounds of cheese each month.
1958: The fiftieth anniversary of Bongards Creameries. Nearly one thousand patrons deliver milk to the creamery.
1968: Bongards Creameries and manager Jack Budahn introduce the “automated continuous system”, which uses all the parts of milk to make cheese and whey products.
1969: An explosion occurs at the factory, due to a build-up of gas. Two buildings are destroyed and five others badly damaged. The cost of damages is estimated at $750,000.
October 1970: A large fiberglass cow is purchased from a company in Sparta, Wisconsin and placed in front of the factory.
1976: Processed cheese manufacturing is added to the Bongards Creameries product line.
1987: Bongards Creameries expands its automated continuous cheddaring machine.
2003: Bongards Creameries opens a plant in the city of Perham.
2010: Bongards Creameries opens a second branch factory in the city of Humboldt, Tennessee.
AV-81-5404. Photograph Collection, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia. Photographic print “Bongards Creamery” [Description]: Long single story building with two story building in the background. Right edge has smokestack also one in center of image. Cars visible around two story building. Far left edge has two more single story buildings. Foreground is a field. Rights held by the CCHS.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Bongards Co-op Creamery Now One of World’s Largest Cheese Factories- And Still Growing”. Norwood Times, August 26, 1949.
“Bongards Creamery Now Produces Nearly 1,000,000 lbs. of Cheese Per Month”. Norwood Times, June 8, 1951.
“Bongards Creamery purchased the Black & White Holstein replica cow from a firm in Sparta, Wisc.”. Waconia Patriot, October 17, 1970.
Carver County Statehood Centennial Committee. Carver County Today and Yesterday, Minnesota Statehood Centennial 1858-1958. 1958.
Emnett, Julie. “Bongards Creameries Among the Largest in the United States”. Minnesota RFD, A Central Minnesota Farm Magazine, March 1, 1982. Vol. 1, Issue 5. Reprinted in Memories: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn, 50 Years as Manager of Bongards Creameries, Steve Olson, March 1988.
“Explosion Rocks Bongards”. Norwood Times, December 25, 1969.
Hobart, Randall. “World’s First Automated Continuous System- Cheesemaker Uses All the Parts of Milk”. Minneapolis Star, December 26, 1968. Reprinted in Memories: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn, 50 Years as Manager of Bongards Creameries, Steve Olson, March 1988.
Honer, Clem. “Bongards Installs a Continuous Cheddaring Machine Including a Brine System for Salting Curd”. Cheese Market News, September 25, 1987. Reprinted in Memories: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn, 50 Years as Manager of Bongards Creameries, Steve Olson, March 1988.
Krebs, Robert J. “What’s Bongards Up to Now?”. American Dairy Review, March 1972. Reprinted in Memories: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn, 50 Years as Manager of Bongards Creameries, Steve Olson, March 1988.
Mundale, Charles I. “Where the ‘Créme De La Créme’ is Cheese”. Corporate Report, April, 1978. Reprinted in Memories: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn, 50 Years as Manager of Bongards Creameries, Steve Olson, March 1988.
Nagel, Karen. Bongards Creameries Office Manager, interview, March 8, 2013.
Nagel, Karen. Bongards Creameries Office Manager, email message to author, March 28, 2013.
Nagel, Karen. Bongards Creameries Office Manager, email message to author, April 12, 2013.
Olson, Steve. Memories: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn, 50 Years as Manager of Bongards Creameries. March 1988.
Peterson, George. “Bongards Creameries Explodes From Bust to Boom”. Minneapolis Star, May 27, 1973. Reprinted in Memories: Burnell E. (Jack) Budahn, 50 Years as Manager of Bongards Creameries, Steve Olson, March 1988.
RELATED RESOURCES
[Primary]
“Bongards Creamery has Best Year in ‘44”. Norwood Times, March 2, 1945.
“Bongards Creamery to Sponsor WCCO Football Games”. Norwood Times, September 1953.
“Bongards Creamery Has Excellent Year”. Norwood Times, February 26, 1943.
“Bongards Co-op Creamery- Bongards Creamery is Growing”. Weekly Valley Herald, February 24, 1921.
“Bongards Co-op- Buys Green Isle Creamery”. Norwood Times, November 5, 1948.
“Bongards News- A Farmers’ Meeting”. Young America Eagle, November 13, 1908.
“Bongards News- The Farmers’ Co-operative Creamery Co.”. Young America Eagle, February 5, 1909.
“Help Wanted”. Norwood Times, March 3, 1944.
“Mr. Burnell Budahn of Arlington”. Norwood Times, July 29, 1938.
“Over $500,000 Loss- Explosion Destroyed Warehouse, Three Buildings in Bongards”. Belle Plaine Herald, December 25, 1969.
Shepel, Jan. “Bongards, In Step With Industry”. Norwood Times, July 1, 1982.
[Secondary]
“Bongards Creameries”. CBS Local Minnesota. Accessed March 29, 2013. http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/tag/bongards-creameries/
Carver County: Today and Yesterday. Compiled by the Carver County Statehood Centennial Committee, 1958.
Holcombe, Maj. R.I., editor. Compendium of History and Biography of Carver and Hennepin Counties, Minnesota. Henry Taylor and Company: Chicago, 1915.
Lofstrom, Ted and Lynne VanBrocklin Spaeth. Carver County: A Guide to Its Historic and Prehistoric Places. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1978.
Tremblay, Ruth and Lois Schulstad. Images of America: Carver County. Arcadia Publishing: Charleston, South Carolina, 2011.
[Web]
“History”. Bongards Creameries. Accessed March 3, 2013. http://www.bongards.com/bon_h.html
Images/Audio/Video
AV-81-5404. Photograph Collection, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia. Photographic print “Bongards Creamery” [Description]: Long single story building with two story building in the background. Right edge has smokestack also one in center of image. Cars visible around two story building. Far left edge has two more single story buildings. Foreground is a field. Rights held by the CCHS.
Photographic Print “Aerial View of Bongards Creameries” Brown and Bigelow, St. Paul. [Description]: An aerial view of Bongards Creamery located in Carver County, Minnesota. Rights held by Bongards Creameries.
“This article used with the permission of MNopedia, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, under a Creative Commons License. No changes have been made to the article’s content.”
Breweries played an important part in the history of Chaska. The city proved to be a prime example of small city brewing, thanks to four breweries that operated throughout the mid-1870s. Even by the 1900s, Chaska’s breweries continued to hold stories of significance in the history of Minnesota beer production.
Early Days and Success
The earliest known brewery to open in Chaska dates back to 1862. That year, on a bluff just west of the Pine Street/Highway 212 (then Yorkville Road) intersection, a brewery was built by Joseph Fritz and George Ulmer. Under modest production rates, the brewery produced approximately five to ten barrels of beer in the winter months and approximately fifty barrels in the summer. For brewing the beer, Ulmer would purchase barley from local farmers.
After operating the first brewery for only a short period of time, Joseph Fritz left to build Chaska’s second brewery in 1863. Where the second brewery was located is uncertain, but it became the leader of Chaska’s breweries by 1869, before burning down in 1875. In 1866, two more breweries were built in Chaska. Fritz was responsible for the construction of one of them, though little else is known about it. The other brewery was started by Henry Young and Charles May and was situated at the corner of Beech Street and Stoughton Avenue. This brewery came to be known as the Union Brewery, and had an annual production of 800 barrels by 1878. By this time, the Union Brewery was owned by Peter Iltis, a noted Chaska businessman. Iltis would periodically own the brewery from 1873 to 1885.
In 1875, the first Chaska brewery was acquired by Bernard Leivermann. Leivermann increased production in the brewery, with an annual production of nearly 900 barrels by 1878. In 1887, Leivermann added a bottling plant and started a delivery service for Chaska residents. In time, to compete with national breweries, Leivermann wrote a letter to the local newspaper. In his letter, he encouraged Chaska residents to “trade with him since his prices were lower and the profits stayed in the community.”
Prohibition and Decline
By the 1900s, America’s Prohibition movement crippled brewing efforts in Chaska. By this time, only two breweries remained in the city: Chaska Brewery and Union Brewery. In the early 1920s, the Prohibition effort caused the Chaska Brewery to forever close its doors. The building was razed and Highway 212 was expanded in its place. For the Union Brewery, soda pop production allowed the business to continue until after Prohibition ended.
The Union Brewery continued under the management of Fred Beyrer, whose father had purchased the brewery in 1906. It became known as the Beyrer Brewery, and sold kegs of beer from 1934 to 1955. The Beyrer Brewery was one of only twenty breweries to reopen in Minnesota after Prohibition, in contrast to the more than thirty (such as the Chaska Brewery) that were shut down for good. Another unique trait about the brewery was its determination to continue as a small community brewery until the mid-1950s, in the face of stiff competition from bigger breweries.
In 1989, the Beyrer Brewery, the last one in Chaska, was torn down. It wasn’t the only Minnesota brewery to meet such a fate. To this day, across America, only about two dozen breweries are now on the National Register of Historical Places. However, some artifacts from Chaska’s brewing history can still be found. In the 1970s, hundreds of kegs were sold from the Breyer Brewery at an auction. They can be found to this day in local houses and businesses.
“Suds Up: Breweries Gone by not Forgotten”. Chaska Herald, December 6, 2007, 1, 11.
“Eine geschechta doe brauerei (A story/account of breweries)”. Chaska Herald, April 14, 1994, 11.
Chaska A Minnesota River City, (Chaska, MN: city of Chaska, 1951)
