On This Date in Minnesota History: December 6

December 6, 1939 – December heatwave in Minnesota. High temperature hits 62 in New London.

http://climate.umn.edu/pdf/day_in_weather_history/december_wx_history.pdf

http://minnemom.com/2010/03/13/historic-marker-new-london-minnesota/

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 5

December 5, 1970 – “The Vikings defeated the Bears, 16-13, at Metropolitan Stadium to clinch their 3rd straight division title. Minnesota hosted San Francisco in a divisional playoff game but lost, 17-14. For the 2nd consecutive season, the Vikings had the league’s best record with a 12-2 mark.”

http://www.vikings.com/team/history/timeline.html

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 4

December 4, 1867 – Oliver Hudson Kelley, considered the "Father" of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry (more commonly known as "The Grange"), helped found the organization on this date in Washington, D.C.

The Oliver H. Kelley Homestead in Elk River, Minn., is maintained by the Minnesota Historical Society as a living history farm with interpreters giving people a taste of what Oliver Kelley's life was like on the farm in the 1850s frontier.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2D9H_Grange_Shrine_Oliver_Hudson_Kelley_Home

http://www.socialwelfarehistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/The-Grange.jpg






Grange Shrine at Oliver Hudson Kelley Home in Elk River, Minn., reads:

The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry was founded in Washington, D.C., on December 4, 1867. This date marks the birth of organized agriculture on American soil. Oliver Hudson Kelly first advanced the idea of a farm fraternity. As first secretary and one of the founders of the National Grange he maintained official headquarters here until 1870. This farm has been preserved in honor of our founders.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2D9H_Grange_Shrine_Oliver_Hudson_Kelley_Home

“Guide to historic markers erected by the State Highway Department cooperating with the Minnesota Historical Society”

http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/BookView.aspx?dbid=25816&iid=dvm_LocHist010819-00006-0&sid=&gskw=

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 3

December 3, 1920 – Three masked men boarded the mail car of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul train, No. 6, at Hopkins, Minn., early this morning, held up the three mail clerks, and then systematically looted the registered mail pouches. They leaped from the train before it pulled out, and escaped in an automobile.

It appears the bandits were specifically looking for registered mail from Mobridge, S. D., as they opened a number of mail sacks, but carried off only the two that were placed aboard at Mobridge. Officials there have been notified.

Railroad mail service estimates the loss at less than $10,000.

The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Bandits Rifle Mail Train at Hopkins Today and Make Haul. Officials Firmly Convinced that They Sought Registered Mail from Mobridge. Only Two Mail Saks Are Taken From Car. As Train Pulls Out, Bandits Leap Off and Escape in Automobile.”; Dec. 3, 1920; p. 1.

Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Nov. 27, 2014,
 as long as acknowledgement included.

On This Date in Minnesota History: December

December 2, 1910 – This afternoon, government men closed the saloons in the railroad stop towns of Big Falls, Kelliher, Margie and Houpt.

During the past 24 hours, saloons in every town in the dry district on the M&I have been closed; 42 in all. A special “Pussyfoot” train (named after William Eugene "Pussyfoot" Johnson, an American Prohibition advocate and law enforcement officer) will be required to haul the liquor back to wholesalers.

There are no agents in Bemidji, and it is not known when the saloons there will close.

Reports from St. Paul today say that 50 liquor dealers in northern Minn. have sworn out injunctions to restrain the government from closing their places of business.


The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “42 Saloons Closed; Dealers May Fight”; Dec. 2, 1910; p. 1.

http://www.lakesnwoods.com/images/BigFal66.jpg

http://www.lakesnwoods.com/Kelliher.htm

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 1

December 1, 1882 – “The Minnesota Iron Company was incorporated with headquarters in St. Paul and Charlemagne Tower as president. On December 20, Tower transferred all of his holdings to the new company. Tower, Minnesota was named for him though he never set foot in the place.”

http://www.thehistorypeople.com/data/docs/timeline-part1.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chartowersr.jpg

On This Date in Minnesota History: November 30

November 30, 1960 — “Novelist Ernest Hemingway [underwent] shock treatment for depression at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn. He [committed] suicide in Idaho a few days after leaving Minn.”

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2008/07/part-2-150-minnesota-moments-wed-just-soon-forget

Ernest Hemingway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ernest_Hemingway_1950.jpg