40 Years Ago THE HASTINGS STAR-GAZETTE December 10, 1981 Proposed regulations for Lake Rebecca I. Forward: There must be law and law and order, rules and regulations for any society to function effectively and to allow for the greatest enjoyment for the largest number of people—even though there will be those who challenge the laws.

Reasonable, workable rules should be established initially rather than attempting to enforce regulations after patterns have begun.

Regulations in the Lake Rebecca area should reflect the basic intent of recreation in this small narrow lake in a wooded setting adjacent to private properties. This area lends itself to picnicking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking, sunbathing, relaxing, meditating; only these activities which are in harmony with a Walden Pond atmosphere.

Regulations help to discourage a general type of patron who is destructive and indifferent of other’s rights. This park offers the citizens of Hastings a quiet tranquil setting within the city limits. In order to preserve its attractive qualities, reasonable enforced regulations are a necessity.

II. Regulations A. Charge a user fee. 1. Reasons a. Help park be self-supporting. b. There will be less federal subsidies for local government. c. Hastings’ growing population creates more cost and demand on budgets. d. Inflations is increasing city costs for all services. e. There are a number of free parks in the area. f. People who use parks which offer unique activities should pay to defray expenses for these activities. g. Mobility and population increases will bring in people from cities around. h. Fee payments help discourage a “hang-out” atmosphere.

B. No motorized vehicles other than in parking lot. Gas-powered boat motors, motorcycles, dune buggies, go-carts and snowmobiles Reasons: a. Water pollution, gas spillage Modern Cottage Grove begins to rise Almost 61 Years Ago THE REPORTER Serving St. Paul Park, Newport, Thompson

Grove, Woodbury Heights.

January 12, 1961 Evangelical United Brethren To Dedicate New South Grove Church South Grove – Bishop Harold R. Heininger of Minneapolis, bishop of the Northwestern Area of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, will dedicate the denomination’s newest mission in Minnesota next Sunday.

Mount Bethel Evangelical United Brethren Church, located in the South Grove development, will be formally dedicated at a service beginning at 3 p.m.

Built by the missionary- minded Faith-In-Action program of the Minnesota conference of the Evangelical United Brethren church, Mount Bethel becomes the third in a series of biennially constructed mission projects. Mount Bethel church becomes the eighth congregation of the Evangelical United Brethren church in the metropolitan area.

(More at mtbethelchurchigh. org) LET’S TALK The Constitution of the South Grove association, Section II Article 4 states that one purpose of the association shall be “to work for the incorporation of South Grove when such a step becomes desirable and beneficial to the residents.”

Members of the association are now giving careful study to this article. The time may soon come when residents of South Grove will need to make a decision on this matter. In order that we may all be better informed on the issue, we have asked a number of citizens of South Grove to ask a questions that they have on the matter of incorporation. In our next column we shall try to provide answers to these questions by consulting members of the South Grove association and other sources of information. Here are some questions asked by South Grove residents: Bill Hann, Towne Lane, president of South Grove Jaycees: “Are we ready for incorporation and should we incorporate at this time?”

Mrs. Thomas Pearman, Horbach Parkway: “What would be the advantage of incorporating a small area such as South Grove over annexing with an established area such as South St. Paul?”

Farming and small town items 120 Years Ago WASHINGTON COUNTY JOURNAL Motto: “Independent and Impartial” November 22, 1901 A freak of nature is the lost river in Kentucky. It is known as the Hidden River, because no one knows its origin, and it vanishes into a cave leading no one knows where. It flows without a ripple, and is of a pale bluish color. (More information at https://hiddenrivercave. com).

Also 120 Years Ago Next County Over BACKBONE (A news sheet advancing Prohibition) November 1, 1901 VERTEBRAE The Bishop of London (Church of England) is a total abstainer.

Count Leo Tolstoi, Jr., is an enthusiastic teetotaler and blue ribboner.

Prince Edward’s Island came under total prohibition control on June 5.

An official report says there are now 956 licensed saloons in Manila. Shame on us!

Rev. B. B. Haugan is arranging for a series of triangular debates in five Minnesota cities in January. National Chairman Stewart will represent the Prohibitionists and J. Adam Bede the Republicans. The Democratic champion has not yet been named.

The Union Traction Company, which controls all the street railways of Philadelphia and has a capital of $30,000,000, prevents the issuance of licenses to saloons near its barns.

Upriver at the Stillwater Prison 134 Years Ago THE PRISON MIRROR Published by the inmates of the Minnesota State Prison at Stillwater Minnesota Vol. 1, No. 5 September 14, 1887 Motto: “It is never too late to mend.”

BEHIND THE BARS (continued from last week) We told the doctor as much, to which he made reply that we might as well get used to it now as at any other time. Passing out into the yard and through the numerous shops, we were favorably impressed with the scrupulously clean and orderly appearance of everything. The machinery and appliances are all of the latest and best designs and the articles manufactured are masterpieces of skill and fine workmanship. Work in the shops is a little dull at present and many convicts are idle.

Leaving the shops behind, we enter another building, ascend a flight of stairs and enter the rooms set apart for the prison library, and here meet with the unexpected pleasure of standing face to face and holding an interesting conversation with two of the younger brothers, Coleman and James. Cole is the prison librarian, and in the course of his refined and intelligent conversation one could not realize that he was the ringleader of the famous Northfield bank robbery of a few years ago, and if met outside the walls of a prison it would not be difficult to suppose he was most any other kind of man.

Leaving the library we wind through the passages past the cells of the convicts, through the dining rooms, laundry and kitchen, finally bringing up at the room wherein THE MIRROR is gotten up. It is not unlike any other printing office except that it is somewhat small and the editor is always in, because he can’t very well help it.

We were favorably impressed with everything in and about the building, from the fact that was made apparent at every step that Minnesota believes in treating her criminals as though they were human beings instead of brutes, and that a proper degree of decency and kindness will win more men back to become useful citizens than brutality and unjust coercion. In consequence of this, the usher informed us that the dark cells have but very few occupants.

(completed next week) Next County Over THE ANOKA STAR Motto: Virtue, Intelligence, Order, Industry, Friendship, Unity, Happiness December 5, 1863 LOOK!—Look on the mantle, look in the cupboard, look in al those nameless by-places, where books “most do congregate,” look for the missing library volumes. We need them, we need them before Wednesday next, for the new catalogue. Your neighbors need them to read. Please look for them at once and promptly return them.—A.

RECENT DISCOVERIES Minnesota inhabited by a civilized race more than a century ago?* Mr. Spalding: —Some three years ago, Mr. George Slater, while clearing up some lots in this town for the purpose of making a garden, found indications that led him to believe a lob cabin had at some previous time been burned on one of them. On digging about six inches below the soil he found a layer of ashes. Tracing this layer as the outside wall of a cabin, he found it to measure 25 by 50 feet. At one end were rocks, of which a fireplace had once been made. Moving these, he found the fragments of an old-fashioned China bowl. This induced him and Mr. Daniel Richardson to make further excavation among the ashes. The result was, their finding a piece of clay pipe, and a piece of looking-glass, the amalgam somewhat worn off. They also found some exceedingly well-made wrought nails and a knife, minus the handle. Finding another pile of stones near by, they traced another pile of ashes, and in one corner of this place they found cinders pieces of charcoal, bits of iron and copper, and more nails, parts of buck horns, neatly sawed for handles; and this evidently was a blacksmith shop. A tree growing up here was cut down and the rings counted, which convinced them that the ruins were upwards of one hundred years old. Another building was traced out, and a lower human jaw found, with the teeth all perfect; also, an old-fashioned case knife and fork, an oval piece of glass about two inches by four, part of an ax and part of a gun lock, several old fashioned sheath knife blades, with the maker’s name “Pelon,” stamped on them. These are of superior steel, and Mr. Slater sharpened one that presented an edge like razor.

*The achievements of those peoples who preceded white settlement were often overlooked in the past, while English and French fur traders also proceeded those who came to Minnesota from the Atlantic seaboard after the Revolution of 1776.

Territorial Dispatch 170 Years Ago THE MINNESOTAN December 13, 1851 MINNESOTA Mr. A. T. C. Pierson, of Long Prairie, who has resided but a few months in our Territory, writes to the Corning (N.Y.) Journal as follows: WINNEBAGO AGENCY, Long Prairie Minn. Terr. Sept. 15, 1851 Mr. Editor:—From articles in your paper and others, I judge that this Territory is exciting considerable attention east, and well it may, for take it all in all, no part of the United States is superior. I have been in most of the States of this Union, of a truth none of them compares with this Territory.

Divided in its whole length by the longest river in the world, sub-divided in its width by numerous rivers emptying into the Father of Waters, all of which are navigable for steamboats, for from twenty to five hundred miles, and affording immense water power, what is to hinder its becoming a large manufacturing State?—Immense forests of pine, oak, and other timber, what is to hinder it becoming a great lumbering country? Immense prairies, with here and there oak openings, presenting to the eye the appearance of an old orchard; land level, or gently rolling, soil surpassingly rich, deep and fertile; summers warm; winters cold, but of an even temperature; what is to hinder its becoming a great agricultural State?—Sceneries lovely, fisheries numerous, game plenty, ‘twil soon be the fashionable summer resort for the rich planter, the invalid gentleman, the staid matron, and the blushing belle. In your paper sometime since I saw a notice of this country; an opinion was hazarded that this would not be a wheat growing country. With all deference, I ask why not?

‘Tis so far North. To be sure it is farther North than Corning or Rochester, and we even imagine we see the “North pole”—but on this farm this season we have harvested as pretty, plump winter wheat as ever grew out doors. Why, at Pembina, six hundred miles north of here; aye, at Selkirk, one hundred miles still further North, I was informed by a trader that was born there, they raise handsome crops of winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, corn, potatoes, etc. Raise wheat, indeed! Why ‘tis better country for wheat than Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, or any other State. The winters are uniform, the first snow lays on the ground until next spring, consequently wheat don’t get winter killed. Produce of all kinds commands a ready market at high prices, and must for years to come. Money is plenty, as government expends vast sums of money yearly among the various Indian tribes, which soon finds its way into the hands of the settlers. The country is rapidly filling up, still desirable lands can be purchased at government prices. I know of no better investment than land in Minnesota Territory. Soon the valley of the St. Peter (Minnesota River) will come into market; prettier, richer land, the sun never shone upon.

I believe this is the best country for the farmer in the Union. Land cheap, easily cultivated, climate healthy, money plenty, market handy, prices good.