Renville County, Minnesota - Chapter 36: Cities and Villages, 1916 (part 3 of 3)

Once but a neglected blossom along the pioneer's path, Olivia has gradually extended her leaves, gathering her sustenance from the surrounding luxuriant earth, until she has blossomed forth into the fullblown flower of today, shedding grace and beauty and fragrance about her. From whatever direction one may enter the village he is greeted by shaded streets lined with substantial homes, good walks, and well kept lawns and gardens. The influence of the courthouse grounds, the city and the church parks is seen on every hand ; for with such a standard set no citizen can resist the desire to beautify the grounds about his home, and the result is that the entire village becomes one large flower garden - "the beauty spot of the county." With a good nursery but a few miles from town, the task becomes fairly easy. In the last two years over forty new homes were built in the village, all substantial and many of especially pleasing exteriors and grounds. Downtown there is a note of permanency among the business places. Solid brick buildings are taking the place of the old frame structures with a view to future needs. Commodious quarters are selected, not only for filling the needs of the owners but also for the convenience of the patrons as well. There is a sense of pride being taken by the citizens in their village; there is beginning to awaken a broader feeling of cooperation between the village and the surrounding country; the idea that whatever benefits the village also benefits the country is taking root. In short there is developing a community feeling, a feeling of interest that means much for the future development of the whole community at large. The village is located in the very midst of the best agricultural land and owes its rapid progress largely to this fact. On the other hand, the country has been supplied with the best markets, with good trading and banking advantages, with religious and educational opportunities, and with a convenient social center - all of which has increased values in the country. One is plainly dependent on the other; with both working hand in hand the community will continue to grow and prosper.

The following is a brief directory of Olivia : Herman Becker, drugs; Berge Bros. & Co. (A. 0. and F. N. Berge), general store; Henry Bertram, shoes; Oottlieb Boeck. tailor: Central Creamery Co., Peter Christianson, manager; City Water Works and Electric Light Plant, Levi C. Little, superintendent; Columbia Elevator Co., Jas. Empey, agent; Wm. F. Conger, livery; Crown Elevator Co., Chas. G. Ployhart, agent ; August Dirks, furniture ; Chas. A. Donnelly, barber; A. L. McDowell, automobiles: Ernest. Dudect, blacksmith ; Irving Empey Co., restaurant ; Empire Elevator Co., Jas. W. Ployhart, agent; Filip and Holovec (Gottlieb Filip and Frank G. Holovec), meats: Fred G. Fox. blacksmith; John M. Freeman, lawyer; Geo. F. Gage, lawyer; Leonard Glenn (John B. Glenn, Benj. Leonard), restaurant; Grand Central Hotel, Fred Mclntyre, proprietor; Mrs. Anna M. Green, milliner; David W. Gustafson, photographer; Augusta Handeen, milliner; H. A. Havreberg, veterinary surgeon ; Edwin Heins, insurance agent; Heins and Byers (Chas. A. and Warren H. Heins. and

Benjamin F. Beyers), hardware; Hopman Bros. (Jos. and Barney), harness; Frank Horejsi, general store; Jas. Kveeh, expressman; Kvech and Jansen (Alb. J. Kvech, Alb. L. Jansen), automobile garage, repairs and supplies; Jas. R. Landy, publisher Olivia "Times;" Lende Bros. (Elmer and Mihlo), meats; Aib. H. Leitgke, bakery; Olsen Bros., plumbers; Benj. L. Maertz, dentist; Louis Mahler, jeweler; W. E. Mathers, civil engineer; Geo. H. Mesker, physician; Samuel R. Miller, lawyer; A. N. Nelson, insurance agent ; Albert Novak, harness ; Obriham Bros. (Wilson A. ami Erwin E.), billiards; Olivia Bottling and Ice Cream Works (Henry Eiekholt", Geo. E. Buetke) ; Olivia Canning, Preserving and Manufacturing Company (C. A. Heins, president ; H. H. Neuenburg, secretary and treasurer) ; Olivia Commercial Club (D. S. Hall, president; A. N. Nelson, secretary); Olivia Farmers' Elevator Company, Charles E. Johnson, agent: Olivia Hardware Company (Adolph R. Schueller. Louis A. Matzdorf) ; Olivia Mercantile Company (James McCorquodale, president; Alex. .McCorquodale. secretary and treasurer), general store; Olivia Produce Company, John Flaschenriem, manager; Olivia Rural Telephone Co. ; Olivia State Bank (capital $25,000, president, M. J. Bowling; cashier, H. S. Bordewich) ; Adolph A. Passer, physician; Peoples First National Bank (capital, $25,000; C. A. Heins, president; A. N. Nelson, cashier); Geo. E. Peterson, real estate; Jas. Ployhart. flour; William A. Schindel, real estate; Wenzel J. Springer, real estate ; Jas. A. Smith Lumber Co., W. B. Yarosh, manager; Simon Wolpert & Bro. (Simon and Jos.), general store; Samuel Warner, barber; Win. Windhorst, grain elevator, lumber, sash and door, coal, etc.

Olivia was incorporated by an act of the legislature approved March 4, 1881. The first election was held March 16, 1881, in charge of Peter W. Heins, N. Stone and William P. Christensen.

April 9, 1881, the recorder was instructed to apply to G. E. Skinner of St. Paul for the filing of a complete plat of the village of Olivia as laid out by the railroad company, with the recorder of the village.

Jan. 14, 1882, a committee was appointed to secure rooms for the Lockup ami Council chambers. The next year, the recorder was ordered to procure a lease from John Morgan for the council chamber and jail for the coming year. Dec. 7, 1886. the committee reported the acceptance of the lockup.

1882. President, Peter Abercrombie ; trustees, G. J. Depue, John Morgan, P. W. Heins ; recorder, A. D. Simpkins ; treasurer, N. Stone; justice of peace, A. D. Simpkins; constable, Hue Abercrombie.

March 3, 1882, A. D. Simpkins resigned his office of recorder and Wm. P. Christenson was appointed and A. I). Simpkins having left the village indefinitely. ('. Humbolt was appointed justice of peace for the unexpired term.

Dec. 11, 1897, M. J. Glenn resigned his position of councilman and E. L. Depue was appointed. May 28, 1897, J. M. Peekinpaugh resigned his position as president of the village council and T. P. Mclntyre was appointed.

On June 8, 1897, the question came before the council of ordering a special election for voting upon the proposition to issue bonds for the purpose of building an armory 80 feet by 120 feet for the use of Company H, Third Infantry, N. G. It was ordered that a special election be held June 19, 1897. In August of the same year, the council met to consider bids for the armory. The bid of E. W. Peet & Son, St. Paul, Minn., was accepted but later was thrown out and the bid of A. J. Hedlund accepted. The building was ready for occupancy Dec. 11, 1897.

Aug. 3, 1897, at the suggestion of the Board of Trade, the council decided to have cement crossings put in at the corners of all streets having cement walks.

October 4, 1898, the council decided to purchase a Fire extinguisher, complete with pump and gage for $41, the extinguisher to be of galvanized steel.

June 7, 189s, the council granted to the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Company the right to occupy the streets, alleys and public grounds, within the village for the purpose of placing poles, wires, etc.

In 1899, C. F. Loweth. a civil engineer was consulted to prepare and make plans for constructing water supply works and electric light plant in conjunction. A petition of the legal voters asked for a special election to be held Dec. 2, 1899, to vote upon the question of securing bonds for this enterprise and the majority of votes were in favor and the village council purchased lots 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15 and 18, situated in block 8, in Windhorst's addition, for the erection and construction of public water supply works and electric light plant combined.

voting upon the proposition to separate the village of Olivia from the town government of Bird Island township. A special election was ordered to be held Jan. 26, 1904, which resulted in favor of the petition.

Oct. 10, 1910, the village council appropriated the sum of $50 for the aid of the forest fire sufferers by the recent forest fires of Northern Minnesota.

1913. President, M. J. Dowling; trustees. 0. A. Heins, A. Mc- Corquodale, G. Mehlhouse; treasurer. Geo. Windhorst; recorder, John Flasehenreim; assessor, L. H. Wilson; justice of peace, Geo. Peterson; constable, M. E. Sherin.

1914. President, M. J. Bowling; trustees, C. A. Heins, A. Me- ( lorquodale, Geo. Mehlhouse; treasurer, Geo. Windhorst; recorder, John Flasehenreim ; justice of peace, J. R. Landy ; marshals, M. E. Sherin. Carl Doering; constable, M. E. Sherin.

Sacred Heart Village

Sacred Heart village is the most westward of the trading points in Renville county, and is located nearly in the center of four townships which are considered as being numbered among the richest in the state. It is on the direct line of the Chicagoto-the-Coast road of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, being on the Hastings & Dakota division of that railroad about 110 miles west of Minneapolis.

It is a sightly village, with a good business center, splendid modern homes, good lawns, many shade trees, well-kept streets and walks and many other advantages.

As a shipping point the village is especially prominent. Over seventy-five carloads of stock and three hundred carloads of grain are shipped annually, while something like 350 carloads of merchandise come to this point each year.

The population is about 800, and the business done here indicates the progressiveness of the people, and their modern and enterprising spirit.

Sacred Heart takes a proper pride in its public school which is housed in a building embodying the most modern improvements in heating and ventilating and well adopted in every way to local requirements. A full high school training is here given and the enrollment is now something over 225 pupils, with eight instructors. Andrew J. Mattill is the superintendent. The school has a good library of 500 volumes. Free text books are furnished to the pupils, and considerable interest is taken in general athletics. For many years past Sacred Heart people have supported a good Lyceum course every winter and during the past two summers have in addition put on the so-called "University Week," a full week's ehautauqua under the auspices of the extension division of the state university. Both have enjoyed very liberal patronage and have proven successful. In addition to these entertainments have been those furnished by the local photoplay and vaudeville troupes. Sacred Heart has also been famed for its strong baseball team which has won some notable victories on the diamond.

Sacred Heart is quite an automobile town. It is situated on the famous Yellowstone Trail which is now mapped from the historic Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts to the Pacific coast in the state of Washington. Many tourists stop here, and most of the farmers own automobiles. Two new up-to-date garages take care of all auto troubles with dispatch.

To properly accommodate the traveling public the business men of Sacred Heart a couple of years ago organized a corporation ami built a modern, fireproof $15,000 hotel. This hotel has been pronounced by many, who are in a position to know, as the best little hotel between the Twin Cities and Aberdeen. S. D., along the Milwaukee railway.

The story of the building of this hotel is most interesting. After the old Ryan hotel was burned Sacred Heart was without a hotel. The old hotel site was purchased at a tax sale by Carl Anderson. For many years efforts were made in the direction of a new hotel. Mass meetings were held and ways and means devised. Finally a stock company was formed, and the people took shares in the new venture. The new hotel company was incorporated in December, 1912. with Ed. O'Connor as president; E. G. Sparstad as secretary; and Carl Anderson as treasurer. These with G. P. Mangerud and John Stenberg constituted the board of directors. A beautiful, commodious and modern hotel was erected, and a formal banquet was held on the opening, May 22, 1914. Ed. O'Connor presided. Talks were given by R. T. Daly, Timothy O'Connor, N. J. Holmberg and Amalia M. Bengtson. The present manager is Charles F. Clay.

Sacred Heart has the name of being a good church town. The churches represented are the Norwegian Lutheran Synod, the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran, the Norwegian Hauge Lutheran, the American Methodist Episcopal and the Free Norwegian Lutheran.

Tlie village has a municipally owned waterworks plant. The plant is an up-to-date modern reservoir system and the water is pure and is pumped from a deep artesian well. In case of fire, the pressure is very strong and entirely adequate. The town also owns its village hall. The town is supplied with electric power by the Minnesota Valley Power Co., from the Minnesota Palls, about ten miles west of Sacred Heart. They give a day and night service at reasonable rates.

Sacred Heart is a busy place. It has five elevators, a flour mill, a teed mill, a creamery, a fanners' livestock shipping association, and several independent livestock dealers, a produce company, two lumber yards, two garages, one hotel, three restaurants, two banks, one newspaper, six general stores, one drug store, one furniture store, one jewelry store, one meat market, two millinery stores, two hardware stores and three implement dealers, one billiard hall, one undertaker, one photographer, two blacksmith shops, two livery and dray lines, one motion picture theater, two real estate Arms, one harness shop, one shoe repairing shop, two barber shops, one physician, one dentist, four contractors and builders, one plasterer, and two painters and paper hangers.

Sacred Heart, as already noted, is situated in the center of the western four townships of Renville county. Its trade territory is the best drained and agriculturally is the best portion of Renville county. The land in this part of the county lies about 150 feet above the Minnesota river, which flows by only seven miles south, and this, supplemented by numerous rivulets and streams, gives almost ideal natural drainage, and, to a large extent, accounts for the never failing and abundant crops of this community, be the season wet or dry.

Corn, the last few years, has become the principal crop in this territory. Its yields have been immense. Wheat and other cereals form a close competitor. Alfalfa makes a splendid crop here, yielding four to Ave tons per acre. Several thousand acres have been put into this legume during the past five years in this county and it promises to surpass all expectations. Farmers are universally pleased with their alfalfa fields. Its production here is past the experimental stage. On many of our farms may be found big herds of Holstein, Guernsey, Shorthorn, or Hereford cattle. Hogs also have become a regular means of turning corn crops into cash. Fruits are also produced in great abundance here, and in the outskirts of town is located the Jorgan P. Flagstadt & Sons' establishment, a splendid nursery which has done much to promote the horticultural interests of the community.

The past fifteen years have marked a stage of great improvement in Sacred Heart. The old wooden sidewalks have given way to sightly cement walks, cement crossings have been put in,

The waterworks system was inaugurated in 1898 and serves the principal streets of the village. There is a fifty-foot well, with a suitable tank, tower, pump house and other equipment.

The park is one of the beauty spots of Sacred Heart. It occupies a whole block, and is beautiful with trees, grass and shrubbery. The trees were set out by 0. T. Ramsland and A. 0. Jerde. The bandstand is an added attraction. The village hall originally stood on the park, but in 1902 it was moved to some village lots, located nearer the center of the village. An addition of 20 feet was built, the ceiling was raised four feet, and the inside papered and painted. In 1906, the old village lock-up was torn down and replaced with a $1,400 solid, up-to-date, brick village jail.

For some years the village streets were lighted with kerosene lamps. In 1908 a contract was made with the Montevideo Light & Power Co., now the Minnesota Valley Power Co., for power to be furnished from Minnesota Falls. The streets are now well lighted, and the current is used extensively in business houses, stores, offices, flour mill, feed mill, blacksmith shops and homes.

The fire department consists of ten men. The equipment is excellent. O. C. Sparstad is the chief, N. T. Hove the secretary, E. P. Dosseth the treasurer and Martin Hanson the engineer.

The officers of Sacred Heart village are : President, 0. C. Sparstad; councilmen, O. T. Ramsland, 0. H. Eliason, E. P. Dosseth ; recorder, G. P. Mangerud ; treasurer, W. A. Day ; assessor, Carl Anderson; justice of the peace, B. T. Birk; constables, A. O. Deasou and P. P. Golie; marshal. A. O. Deason; board of health, Dr. F. L. Hammerstrand, II. B. Helgeson and N. E. Sorenson.

The present site of Sacred Heart was originally a rolling prairie in section 7. Even before the railroad came through, the locality was the center of a goodly group of farm houses.

The farm house of Hendrick and Thomas Lien stood just east of the present site of the Northwestern Creamery Co., and 100 feel north of the Farmers" Elevator Co., the exact description of the site being the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of secton 6, just outside of the present village limits.

Hendrik Kringsberg, better known as ''Big Hendrik,' lived near the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 12, Hawk Creek.

The railroad came through this locality late in the fall of 1878 and a village was platted on railroad land. There were no activities on the site, however, until the following spring.

Ole Torbenson came from Wisconsin and took up his home with Ole Reishus, near the center of section 29, in Sacred Heart township. He there opened a small store.

In the spring of 1879, Hans Field moved his home from his farm a mile east of town and opened a hotel on lots 17 and 18. block 3. He furnished board for the men engaged in erecting the railroad depot that spring.

In the summer of 1879, Ole Torbenson moved to the village of Sacred Heart and built a store facing the depot, near the alley, between lots 1 and 2, block 3. Later he turned the building around and built an addition, so that it stood on lot 1. block 3, facing the street. He continued in business for several years.

West of this store Hans Field erected a blacksmith shop and started business about (lie same time that Torbenson started business on the townsite.

At about the same time, Anders Anderson opened a saloon on the northwest corner of block 11. The ladies of the town objected to this place, and wrecked the saloon and spilled the liquor. Mr. Anderson then erected a saloon on lot 5, block- :',.

About this time, Christian Evenson and Henry Stenson, under the firm name of Evenson & Stenson, opened a store on lot 15, block 2. This was the first store on that side of the street.

A small hotel was built in the fall of 1879 on the northwest corner of block 2, by two farmers, Raft'el Johnson and Peter L\ lines, but it was not used as a hotel until sometime later.

Pratt & Robinson erected an elevator in Sacred Heart in the fall of 1879 on tlie present site of the coal shed of the McGregor Lumber Co. This elevator was burned as was another erected mi "lie site. The first buyer was R. Lilly. He was followed by Ed. O'Connor. wIki bought grain at this elevator some ten years.

Kellogg', Lang & .Miller erected an elevator in the fall of 1879. George Miller was the first buyer at this elevator. The same building is still standing.

These places of business constituted the commercial activities of Sacred Heart until the spring of 1880. The elevator was originally on the east side of the railroad station. It burned and was rebuilt on the east side of Second street, being now known as the ( row n elevator.

James Mclntyre was the first person to die in the new village. He was the depot agent in the winter of 1879-80 and was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in climbing over a fence while rabbit hunting.

Early in the spring of L880, E. d. Lyders came to Sacred Heart and opened a drug store on lot 10, block 2. He was the first doctor in the village.

This same spring, the O'Connor Brothers, Timothy, .lames, John, Edward and Michael, came to Sacred Heart, village and engaged in business on lot li, block 2.

<t. T. Ramsland settled on the village site on June 8. 1880, and, with Henry Stenson. bought out the interest of Christian Evenson in the firm of Evenson & Stenson. A few years later, Mr. Ramsland bought out Mr. Stenson and has since continued in business on practically the same site, being the oldest merchant in point of service, in the village.

The first marriage in Sacred Heart was that of Hannah, daughter of Hans Field, and < Me Torbenson, the pioneer merchant. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Johannes E. Bergh.

The first residence on tin- village site in addition to Hans Field's hotel was the home of Ole Torbenson, erected on lots 7 and 10, block 4, about the same time he built his store. The next residence was that of P. B. Olson, erected on lot 3, block 4.

The first assessment on village lots in Sacred Heart was made in 1880. Those who had secured lots were: Peter Synnes, lot 2, block 3: Ole Mathiason, lots 7 and 10, block 3; A. O. Gerde,

The early growth of the village was rapid, and in 1882 had progressed to the point where the following could be written of it: "The business of the village is transacted by three general stores, one millinery, one drug and fancy grocery store, two blacksmiths, one shoe shop, a harness shop, tailor shop, meat market, two hardware, two hotels, two saloons; there is one physician; there are two elevators, the combined capacity of which is about 50,000 bushels."

Ole Fugleskjel opened a lumber yard in 1882. It was located practically on the present site of the B. T. Bird residence but a little to the west.

The next elevator in Sacred Heart was that of the Farmers' Produce Co. The building was erected on the present site but has been rebuilt and remodeled. The first buyer was A. C. Nedurd.

The next elevator was built by Ed. O'Connor. It is now operated by A. H. Collin. Mr. O'Connor built branch elevators at Minnesota Falls, Renville and Olivia, which he operated for many years. He also rented and operated the elevator at Buffalo Lake for a while.

Sacred Heart has had a number of fires. Stores, elevators, hotels, dwelling houses and the like have burned. One large fire swept the west side of block 2, destroying five houses.

The Ryan Hotel was built in the early days of the village. When it was destroyed in the spring of 1907, it was owned by Andrew Thompson, but conducted by Mrs. Ole Walstad.

One of Sacred Heart's fires has resulted fatally. A few years ago a son of Berndt Hawkanson, in alighting from a train, fell and sustained injuries, from which he died two days later. A daughter was about to be married at the same time. While the family were at the son's home attending to his injuries, the mother-in-law of Mr. Hawkanson, and the prospective groom were left in the Hawkanson residence. The house caught on fire and was nearly consumed. The mothei"-in-law, Oleana Svieven, perished in the flames, and the prospective groom narrowly escaped.

The Farmers Milling Co., of Sacred Heart, was organized many years ago with Thomas King as president ; O. T. Ramsland as secretary, and P. C. Brevig as treasurer. It conducts a flourishing business.

The Sacred Heart Produce Co., of Sacred Heart, was incorporated Sept. 30, 1886. The incorporators were: Haaken Agre, Karemis Agre, Simon Johnson, Hendrik Skoberg, Paul Berg, Hans Listerud, Peter Synnes, John Christoferson, Ole Christot'erson. Jorgan Flagstad, A. H. Erickson, Andrew Reed, P. C. Brevig, C. A. Evenson, Ole Hendriekson, Dowell Larson, Ole Fugleskjel, Stensrud & Ramsland, E. 0. Lyders, P. F. Walstrom, Gjerde & Paulson, Ole 0. Melsness, and C. P. Bjorn, of Sacred Heart. The first president was 0. T. Ramsland, the first secretary was Ole Fugleskjel. The company having lived through its chartered period of twenty-five years is about to reorganize. The officers are: President, T. S. Berg; secretary, H. C. Omholt; treasurer, Oscar Olufson ; manager, A. A. Mostue ; grain buyer, E. S. Gunderson. The first two carloads handled by the company were purchased by Henry A. Paulson and Ole T. Ramsland from Ole Enestvedt.