‘Alaska Far Away’ movie showing
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- Published on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 13:40
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In the midst of the despair of the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal gave more than 200 struggling Midwestern farm families an extraordinary opportunity: the chance to start over on the Alaskan frontier. 
The Matanuska Colonization Project of 1935 was a bold government experiment to relocate these families. “Alaska Far Away” tells the story of the struggles that the project and its participants encountered, and the families who found themselves thrust into the national spotlight along the way. Join us at the Stearns History Museum for one of two free showings of this movie: at 10 a.m. Monday, June 24, and at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 13.
Forest City Stockade: Recollections of the descendants of early settlers
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- Published on Friday, 14 June 2013 12:12
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Text from The Meeker REA
Pioneer, October 1975; reprinted in the Tri-County News Oct. 2, 2003.
The following are incidents relating to those who were residents of Meeker County during the late 1850s and the early 1860s, as told by their descendants, who have recalled various incidents and stories told by their relatives who took refuge in the (Forest City) Stockade at the time of the Sioux Indian Uprising in Meeker County.
These are but a few of the stories that might be told about the residents of that time.
Civil War digest: This week 150 years ago June 10-16, 1863June 3-9, 1863
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- Published on Thursday, 13 June 2013 15:07
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Major Highlights for the Week
Wednesday, June 10, 1863
Citizens north of the Potomac River were already alarmed about an impending Confederate advance, even though the Confederate army was not on their soil. Major General Joseph Hooker, commanding the Federal Army of the Potomac, wrote to Lincoln that it was now the time to march on Richmond, Va. Lincoln replied, “I think Lee’s Army, and not Richmond, is your true objective point.”
Experience granite heritage at Quarry Park
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- Published on Monday, 10 June 2013 12:36
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Public demonstration of derrick
The public will have the rare opportunity to see the 100-year old wooden Liberty Derrick at work at Quarry Park and Nature Preserve on Saturday, June 15. The derrick will be put into operation as part of Waite Park’s Spas Tag Festival.
Derricks were the main equipment used by granite companies from about 1900 to 1950 for lifting huge blocks of granite from the quarries. Now Stearns County Parks will operate the Liberty Derrick to demonstrate the process to the public. A four-ton block of granite will be hoisted from the quarry floor at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. Excellent viewing locations will be the observation areas along Quarries 17 and 18, and just south of the parking lot.
Early school days were Golden Rule days
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- Published on Friday, 07 June 2013 10:50
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With high school graduations upon us and the end of the school year near, it’s appropriate that we take time to look back at some history of the schools in our area.
The educational system in Eden Valley began way back in 1887 when a two-room structure was built. J. Winings was appointed the first superintendent of schools.
As important as learning in those early years was, discipline and the teachers could sometimes be very strict. One former Eden Valley resident, Fay Jones remembered “there sure were some cranky teachers.”
One of those teachers was Martha Murray, who taught in the early 1900s.