September zest

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Giving a grand thanks to nation’s

grandparents

GSL High Schoolgives honorary diploma to 96-year-old woman

Finding lost townsIn her three books, Minnesota author Rhonda Fochs documents cities that

thrived decades ago, including some in McLeod and Meeker counties

It’s not too late to boost retirement savings

Zest

SeptemberDassel Red Rooster Days: Sept. 4-7Labor Day weekend is time to celebrate, with an ambas-

sadors coronation, parade, Minnesota’s largest chicken bar-becue, and other activities.

Minnesota Brain Injury Force: Sept. 17Minnesota Brain Injury Force offers free brain-boosting

workshops at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month(May through October) at Hutchinson Health, Room F. InSeptember, the focus will be on sleep solutions and stressmanagement.

McLeod County Senior Expo: Sept. 22McLeod County Senior Expo, with a theme, “Let the

Good Times Roll,” will be from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 22at Hutchinson Event Center. The expo will offer education-al opportunities and resources for people over 55, as wellas a catered lunch. Workshop topics include: Downsizing &Decluttering, Healthy Cooking, Advance Directives, andSocial Media. Keynote speaker David Jones will talk about“Prohibition: A Grand Misadventure.” Advanced ticketsonly will be sold until Sept. 16 for $8. Tickets are availablein Hutchinson at Hutchinson Event Center and PeaceLutheran Church; and in Glencoe at Glencoe RegionalHealth Services and First Lutheran Church. For moreinformation, call 320-864-7798.

‘Faces of the Past’ exhibit: Sept. 7-Oct. 15The Hutchinson Center for the Arts is partnering with

the McLeod County Historical Society to present: “Facesof the Past,” 19th-century crayon portraits from the muse-um’s permanent collection. The exhibit will be on displaySept. 7 through Oct. 15 at Hutchinson Center for the Arts.In addition, a free public reception and gallery talk will beat 2 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Center, 15 Franklin St. SW.

OctoberMeeker County Senior Expo: Oct. 13Meeker County Senior Expo, with a theme, “A Walk in

the Park,” will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 13 at Churchof St. Philip. Gary Tyson, a comic/magician/stage hypno-tist, will perform. Terry Nelson will provide musical enter-tainment. A catered lunch will be provided. Advance tick-ets only will be sold until Oct. 5 for $9 and are availableat Home State Bank in Cosmos, St. Anthony Manor inWatkins, Grove City Area C.A.R.E., Papa D’s in Dassel,and in Litchfield at Mary’s Jewelry Emmaus Gift Shop,Community Education office, and Meeker Council onAging office. For more information, call 800-669-6714.

Have a calendar item to submit? To be included in this free listing,send information and a contact person’s name and phone number.Email information to Juliana Thill at [email protected] orcall 320-593-4808 or 320-234-4172.

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2 ZEST | SEPTEMBER 2015

Ultraviolet Rays & Your EyesThere are two types of UV rays: UV-A and UV-B.

Over time, the effects of these UV rays can lead tomany eye problems...Cataracts - A clouding of the eye’s lens which altershow light focuses in the eye.Macular Degeneration - Leading cause of blindnessin older Americans that causes the central part of yourvision to become blurry or wavy and could cause ablind spot in the center of your vision.Pterygium - A growth that starts on the white part ofthe eye that can spread and involve the cornea andcause vision loss.Corneal Sunburn - Very painful and may cause atemporary loss of vision.Skin Cancer - May develop on or around the eyelids.

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Cover story: Author Rhonda Fochs, who has writtenthree books about lost towns in Minnesota, including townsin McLeod and Meeker counties, shares her own story

SEPTEMBER 2015 | ZEST 3

PUBLISHED BYLitchfield Independent ReviewP.O. Box 307, Litchfield, MN 55355320-693-3266

Hutchinson Leader170 Shady Ridge Road NW, Suite 100Hutchinson, MN 55350320-587-5000

PUBLISHERBrent [email protected]

EDITORJuliana [email protected] Litchfield office320-234-4172 Hutchinson office

CONTRIBUTING WRITERKay Johnson

ADVERTISING DIRECTORKevin [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION OR ADDRESS CHANGEMichelle [email protected]

PRINTED BYCrow River Press170 Shady Ridge Road NWHutchinson, MN 55350

Zest is published monthly by the LitchfieldIndependent Review and Hutchinson Leadernewspapers. No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form by means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording or other-wise, without the prior consent of the publisher.

SEPTEMBER 2015Vol. 6 No. 7

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CONTENTS

7 In the news: Grandparents play important role in society

8 Money matters: Tips to boost your retirement savings

9 Medicare: Employed? Medicare enrollment will depend on what your employer provides for health insurance

14 Recipes:This fall, incorporate fresh, seasonal flavors into traditional, comforting dishes such as Thyme-Scented Roasted Vegetables & Beets; and for dessert, a Rustic Apple Tart

10�

Senior spotlight:

At 96,Verda Templinreceives her honorary high school diploma

6�In the news: Meeker Councilon Aging surprises Jeanie Doran

and Jerry Reckdahl with Volunteer of the Year awards at the County Fair

5�

he three-room school house I attended in St. Paulduring my first years of learning, and the old box-car that served as a warming house for the ice-

skating rink outside the school are long gone. Yet, I stillhave fond memories of Desnoyer Park Elementary School,my classmates and teacher Edna Mudge. She retired in1974, when the school closed. It was torn down two yearslater, as St. Paul consolidated its schools.

All that are left are memories, much like what RhondaFochs found as she researched lost towns in Minnesota,including many in McLeod and Meeker counties. She hasgiven presentations recently in Litchfield and Eden Valley,and she is our cover story this month. Fochs has publishedthree books, “Minnesota’s Lost Towns: Northern Edition,”“Minnesota’s Lost Towns: Central Edition,” and“Minnesota’s Lost Towns: Northern Edition II,” whichchronicle hundreds of once-thriving communities. TheCentral Edition features 19 lost towns in McLeod Countyand 14 in Meeker County. My story touches on a few ofthese towns and explains how Fochs was inspired tobecome an author in retirement.

� � �

Also in this magazine, we have stories about threeremarkable people. Meeker Council on Aging recently rec-ognized two of them for their volunteer efforts that spandecades. Jeanie Doran and Jerry Reckdahl receivedVolunteer of the Year awards. Read about some of the

work they’ve been involved in overthe years.

We also have a story about VerdaTemplin who received an honorarydiploma from Glencoe-Silver LakeHigh School at the age of 96. Readabout why she wasn’t able to attendhigh school and what she did toensure her siblings did.

� � �

In other news, this year, SocialSecurity celebrates its 80th anniver-sary. Social Security provides benefits to more than 60million people. A majority of seniors receive more thanhalf their retirement income from Social Security.

This year also is the 50th anniversary of the enactmentof amendments to the Social Security Act that establishedthe Medicare and Medicaid programs. President Johnsonsigned legislation to establish Medicare for the elderly andMedicaid for low-income adults, children, pregnantwomen, and people with disabilities.

And one final commemoration — Minnesota’s state songturns 70 years old this year. In 1945, “Hail! Minnesota”became the state song. Two University of Minnesota stu-dents wrote it in 1904 and 1905, so it also became the uni-versity’s official song.

T

Juliana ThillEditor

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By Juliana ThillEDITOR

For two Meeker County residents, volunteering is away of life. Jeanie Doran, 81, and Jerry Reckdahl,80, have been volunteering in their community for

decades.As a result, Donna Whitcomb, coordinator for the Meeker

Council on Aging, honored Doran of Litchfield andReckdahl of Grove City with the respective female and maleMeeker County Volunteer of the Year award during a cere-mony July 31 at the Meeker County Fair.

Doran has spent most of her life entertaining people. Hermusical interest started at age 7 with piano lessons andexpanded to include guitar, autoharp, ukulele and pipeorgan.

“She has always been committed to serving in her com-munity,” Whitcomb said. “Whether helping at church withdevotions, weddings, funerals, singing in the choir, playingmusic, or hymn sings, everyone around enjoys her talents.”

“She has an extensive background, including travelingacross the U.S., being a teacher, a resort owner, clericalworker, life enrichment coordinator for persons with disabil-ities, and most recently an activities specialists. After retire-ment, she stayed on as a volunteer and continues to serveothers daily,” Whitcomb said. “She has a love of history, andspends some of her time working at the G.A.R. Hall.”

Even when Doran, a Litchfield native, lived in the TwinCities, she was involved in the Litchfield community, shesaid. She retired at age 65, and moved back to Litchfield in1999. She volunteers, she said, “because I enjoy it.”

Reckdahl taught math at Grove City High School for 29years, and then at Ridgewater in Hutchinson and Willmarfor 10 years. He said he volunteers because “it makes mefeel happy. It makes me enjoy life more.”

Reckdahl “can be found out and about in his communityhelping others every day,” Whitcomb said.

He serves on his church council, and is a member of hislocal Lions Club, of which he was a charter member.Reckdahl served as a city council member and mayor ofGrove City, and currently is chairman of the DevelopmentCorp. and Economic Development Authority, “both of whichhe helped to found to better his community,” Whitcombsaid.

Reckdahl works at pancake breakfasts and assists withselling Christmas wreaths. He delivers meals on wheels,plants trees in the community, provides rides to seniorswhen needed, and and cleans up at his church cemetery. Healso assists his wife with coordinating blood drives.

“It’s wonderful; I really appreciate it,” Reckdahl said ofthe award. “I feel grateful that they considered me worthyenough to receive it.”

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IN THE NEWS

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PHOTO BY JULIANA THILL

Meeker Council on Aging selects Jeanie Doran asfemale Meeker County Senior Volunteer of the Yearand Jerome Reckdahl as male Meeker County SeniorVolunteer of the Year.As recipients of the awards, dur-ing a ceremony July 31 at Meeker County Fair, Doranand Reckdahl are in the running for Minnesota StateFair’s Minnesota’s Outstanding Senior Citizen award.

Meeker Council onAging honors Reckdahl,Doran for volunteerism

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By Kay JohnsonCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Verda Templin, 96, realized a life-long dream in June when shereceived an honorary diploma

from Glencoe-Silver Lake High School.A ceremony June 28 took place at the site

of Koniska School in District 6 whereTemplin attended. A sign also was unveiledmarking the site of the schoolhouse, whichnow is in the Rich Valley WildlifeManagement Area-Virgil Voigt Tract.

Templin never attended high schoolbecause after eighth-grade graduation atKoniska School, she stayed home andworked on the family farm near Biscay.She wanted to attend high school, but itwas 10 miles away and no transportationwas available.

“It’s pretty late but it’s an honor,”Templin said of the honorary diploma.

All through her life, she said, her lack ofa diploma made her feel inferior.

“I always felt my lack of knowledgebecause I didn’t go on to high school,” shesaid. “I regretted it.”

Even by eighth grade, Templin knew thevalue of an education. She was passionateabout her younger siblings having a highschool education, so she made a deal withher father, Herman Graupmann. Shewould stay home and work on the farm ifhe would make it possible for her threeyounger siblings to go to high school.

“I told my father, ‘Not another one isstaying home,’” she said.

Graupmann honored the promise hemade to his daughter. He worked with areafarmers to obtain rural school busing. As aresult, Templin’s younger brother and sis-ters graduated from high school. And hertwo younger sisters graduated from col-lege.

Templin was born in Glencoe but movedwith her family to a farm near Biscay whenshe was 2 weeks old. Graupmann and hisfirst wife, Sophie (Proehl), had three chil-

dren. After she died, he married again. Heand his second wife, Emma (Behlers), hadfive children of which Verda was the sec-ond oldest. Templin grew up speakingGerman at home until she went to schoolwhere she spoke English.

Templin and her siblings walked abouttwo miles to school.

“In the winter, they rode on a horse-drawn slab,” Templin’s daughter Beverlysaid. “Mother envied children who rode ina grain wagon because they weren’texposed to the wind.”

Verda married Henry Templin in 1940.He, like his wife, had to quit school at anearly age.

“My dad said of mother, ‘She’s beautifuland she was smart,’” Beverly said.

They bought the Templin family farmnear Plato in 1949. A lack of education did-n’t stop them from making a success oftheir dairy business, for which she did thefinancial record-keeping.

Through their efforts, the couple gavetheir children what they didn’t have — aneducation. The four Templin daughters —Beverly, Jenny, Deborah Jean, andElizabeth — attended First LutheranParochial School, graduated from GlencoeHigh School, and graduated from college.

Just One Wish programTemplin makes her home today at Long

Term Care at Glencoe Regional HealthServices. Templin’s honorary high schooldiploma was made possible throughGlencoe Long Term Care’s Just One Wishprogram.

“We grant our long-care residents with aspecial wish whether it be a basic need orsomething on their bucket list,” saidMelanie Krulikosky, director of nursing forLong Term Care.

In this case, a staff member reached outto Templin’s family to find out if there wasanything Verda wanted.

Once Templin’s wish of a high schooldiploma was known, activities directorLisa Carter contacted Glencoe-Silver LakeSchool District to make it happen.

“I’m very blessed to be right here,”Templin said. “Everyone is so dedicated.”

Templin couldn’t attend high school

because it was too far away

High school gives honorarydegree to Glencoe woman

Country schoolmarker

Although KoniskaSchool is gone, a few foun-dation stones mark thespot where it once stood.The area is now known asRich Valley WildlifeManage-ment Area-VirgilVoigt Tract. During a cere-mony June 28, a sign wasunveiled marking the siteof the school house. Thesign contains a QR codefor visitors to scan andlearn more about theschool, as well as watch avideo interview with VerdaTemplin, who attended theschool.

Lori Pikell-Stangel, exec-utive director of theMcLeod County HistoricalMuseum, said the projectwas a cooperative part-nership. Pheasants ForeverMcLeod County Chapterpaid for the sign.The muse-um designed andresearched the informa-tion for it, and Templin pro-vided historical context.

Glencoe-Silver LakeHigh School recentlygave Verda Templin anhonorary diploma aspart of Glencoe LongTerm Care’s Just OneWish program.


7.2 millionThe number of grandparents whose

grandchildren under 18 years oldwere living with them in 2013.

2.7 millionThe number of grandparents

responsible for the basic needs of oneor more grandchildren under age 18living with them in 2013. Of thesecaregivers, 1.7 million were grand-mothers and 1.0 million were grand-fathers.

1.9 millionThe number of married

(including separated) grand-parents responsible for caringfor their grandchildren.

1.6 millionThe number of grandparents

in the labor force responsiblefor their own grandchildrenunder age 18. Among them,354,464 were 60 years orolder.


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IN THE NEWS

This year,Grandparents Dayfalls on Sept. 13.

Marian McQuade of WestVirginia initiated a campaignin 1970 to establish a day to honor grandparents. In1978, President Carter signeda proclamation, declaring thefirst Sunday after Labor Dayas National Grandparents Day.This day has been celebratedevery year since to honorgrandparents. The CensusBureau presents statisticsabout their role in society:

Nation honors grandparents in September

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|MONEY MATTERS

If you’re over age 50 and not sure whether you’regoing to be able to retire, it’s time to focus, getadvice and build a realistic plan.

You’re not alone. The U.S. GovernmentAccountability Office recently reported that mosthouseholds approaching retirement have low savings,adding that nearly half of households led by individu-als or couples aged 55 and older have no retirementsavings accounts at all.

The first step is to define where you really standfinancially. Consider speaking with a qualified finan-cial and tax adviser to define your present financialcircumstances. Such a conversation should take intoaccount your household income, tax situation, debtand retirement assets in any form. Reviewing thesefactors can help shape your decisions about supersiz-ing your retirement plan for maximum safe returns.

While a customized plan is generally the best way toapproach shortfalls, here are some general approaches.

Reevaluate your budgetTake time to reevaluate your budget. To accelerate

retirement saving and investing, you need to find themoney first. Non-mortgage debt is a major retirementsavings obstacle. Better budgeting can help you findthe money to pay off debt quicker. Adjust your spend-ing across the board so you can accomplish this whileadding more money to savings over time.

Accelerate your savingsKnow that you’re going to need to accelerate your

savings. Estimates vary, but generally, after age 50,it’s best to direct at least 10 percent of your grossincome in savings and investments to cover livingexpenses when you stop working. If you are employed,review your contribution and income limits for themost popular self-directed and tax-advantaged retire-ment savings vehicles. Those include:

� 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans, which willhave a maximum annual contribution limit of $18,000in 2015

� Individual Retirement Accounts — both tradition-al and Roth — which will have maximum “catch-up”contribution limits of $6,500 (the regular $5,500 limitplus $1,000 for taxpayers aged 50 or over by year-end2015)

Boost your incomeIf after all this effort you’re still not able to find

enough money to put away, consider making a greatereffort on the income side. Many individuals boost theirsavings through a second job or freelancing fromhome. Consult qualified financial and tax profession-als to make sure you’re handling this extra incomecorrectly from a tax perspective and putting it ininvestments that make sense for you.

DownsizeDownsizing to a smaller home or an apartment in a

lower cost-of-living destination or deciding to move inwith friends or family at minimal costs might also pro-vide additional sav-ings for retirement.But first, considerwhat you might getfor your home. If youare able to sell a pri-mary residence at asignificant profit overyour purchase price— above $250,000for a single taxpayerand above $500,000 for married taxpayers filing joint-ly — speak to a tax professional about ways to avert asignificant tax liability.

Plan for the unexpectedFinally, put proper financial safety nets in place.

Make sure you have an emergency fund set up so youwon’t be forced to dip into savings to cover unexpectedexpenses. And don’t forget insurance — having theright amount of property and casualty, health and dis-ability insurance can protect your retirement nest eggfrom significant risk.

Bottom line: Building a retirement fund after age 50is challenging, but not impossible. Get solid tax andfinancial advice, start downsizing immediately anddon’t forget critical financial safety nets.


Building a retire-ment fund afterage 50 is challeng-ing, but not impos-sible. Estimatesvary, but generally,after age 50, it’sbest to direct atleast 10 percent ofyour gross incomein savings andinvestments tocover livingexpenses whenyou stop working.

Over 50? Boost your retirement savings

Nathaniel SillinDirector of Visa’s financial education program


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Dear Marci,I turn 65 soon, but I still plan on working for a few

years. My employer gives me health insurance. Do I haveto enroll in Medicare if I am still working?

— Bruce

Dear Bruce,You might have to enroll in Medicare while you are still

working, but it depends on what type of coverage you havefrom your current employer and how it works withMedicare.

Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) is premium-free ifyou or your spouse worked in the United States for 10years or more. Many people choose to enroll in Part Awhen they are first eligible, since they do not have to paya monthly premium. If you qualify for premium-free PartA, you can enroll in Part A at any time. However, everyone

has to pay a monthly Part B pre-mium, which is $104.90 for mostpeople in 2015. When you sign upfor Medicare, you are automati-cally enrolled in both MedicareParts A and B. However, you havethe option to turn down Part B,but you should use great cautionbefore delaying your Part B cover-age.

You should only consider delay-ing Part B coverage if you confirmtwo things. First, you must havehealth insurance from a currentemployer (or a spouse’s currentemployer). If you have coverage

from your (or your spouse’s) current employer, you qualifyfor a Special Enrollment Period to enroll in Medicare PartB later and will not face penalties or periods without cov-erage. If your insurance does not come from your or yourspouse’s current work, you do not qualify for this SEP.

Second, you should only consider delaying Part B if youremployer coverage does not change how much it pays foryour care after you qualify for Medicare. If you are 65 orolder, health insurance from your (or your spouse’s) cur-rent employer pays first if the organization has 20 or moreemployees (note that if you are under 65 and disabled, theorganization must have 100 or more employees).

On the other hand, you should enroll in Medicare PartB when you first qualify if your employer coverage onlypays for your care after Medicare pays. If Medicare paysfirst and you fail to enroll, your employer coverage canreduce its payment or refuse to pay anything for yourhealth care. Medicare usually pays first if you work for anorganization with less than 20 employees.

— Marci

Enrollment in Medicaredepends on what employer

provides for health insurance

“Dear Marci” is a service of theMedicare RightsCenter, the largestindependentsource of Medicareinformation andassistance in theUnited States. Formore information,go online to www.medicarerights.org.

Rhonda Fochs admits she didn’t havemuch interest in history when shewas young. Instead, her passion forlost towns evolved over time.

“When I was very young, my grandmotherwould try to tell me stories about her days inMontana in the 1910s when she was a homesteader. Mygrandparents lived in a town in Montana that doesn’t existanymore. She used to try to tell me the best stories, butwhen you’re a young child and your grandmother is tellingyou stories, you really couldn’t care less,” Fochs said. “I justwanted her to quit talking, I think, because that was a longtime ago. Now, I would give to hear her tell me those stories.

“Same thing with my mother. She would try to tell meabout some of the towns, and by that time I was a teenagerand I wanted to listen even less. So I missed all those sto-ries, and she’s long gone now, so I can’t go back and get

those stories.”Now in her 60s, Fochs has combined her

appreciation for history with her passion forstory-telling to become an author in retirement.

She has published three books, “Minnesota’sLost Towns: Northern Edition,” “Minnesota’s

Lost Towns: Central Edition,” and “Minnesota’s LostTowns: Northern Edition II,” which chronicle hundreds ofonce-thriving cities and villages. The Central Edition fea-tures 19 lost towns in McLeod County and 14 in MeekerCounty.

She describes how these towns were created, why theyboomed, how they came to be considered “lost,” and whatremains if people were to visit.

“The Meeker County Historical Society there was great,”Fochs said. The McLeod County Historical Society also “dida good job of documenting their community.”


PHOTO COURTESY OF MEEKER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM

Rosendale, near the intersection of Meeker County Roads 28 and 4, once was home to many businesses, includ-ing a tavern, Danielson Creamery, Rosendale Creamery, the Farmers Store, Rosendale Store, and a mill.

Telling tales of townssilenced over time

Minnesota author Rhonda Fochs documentslost towns across the state, including somein McLeod and Meeker counties. Her booksdocument the once-thriving communities that dotted the rural landscape years ago.

By Juliana ThillEDITOR

Gerry Moen of Forest Citybrought Fochs on a tour of MeekerCounty’s lost towns.

“She drove me around and toldme the stories and found someresearch,” Fochs said. “MeekerCounty has a lot of (lost) towns thathave a lot of standing buildings left.That was a lot of fun to see. So manylost towns have barren land.”

By visiting lost towns, “you get asense of the community. Rosendale, Iwas there, and the old store is therebut shuttered up,” she said. Still, “youcan kind of get a feeling for what thecommunity was.”

The rebuilt Forest City stockade,“was another impressive thing aboutMeeker County,” she said. “Meeker andMcLeod counties played an important role inthe Dakota Conflict. There’s so much historythere, and it’s right in our backyard. We’re sobusy going on vacation that we forget there’sso much right here to see.”

Fochs’ books include information from his-torical societies, documents and books, aswell as current and former residents, whoshare recollections.

“All the narratives are based on historicalreferences. That doesn’t mean I got everything right.Sometimes the records are wrong. Sometimes people’smemories are little different than other people’s memories,”she said.

In addition to writing about lost towns, Fochs alsoincludes stories in her books about people who lived inthese towns. One resident Fochs wrote about was Lucy AnnLobdell, who settled in Manannah in 1856.

“She was from New York. She was a sharp-shooter. It’sbeen said that no one could shoot better than Lucy could.But Lucy liked to dress in men’s clothing. That’s the waythey worded it then. Some folks thought that was not theway she should be living — women should be women andmen should be men,” Fochs said.

The Meeker County attorney filed charges against her forimpersonating a man, Fochs said. The court dismissed thecase and said, “she can certainly dress in men’s clothing ifshe wants to dress in men’s clothing. But what happened isthat, she was branded the ‘Wild Woman of Manannah.’ Shewas ostracized and, eventually, she had to go back to NewYork because she was so bullied and berated. She justcouldn’t live here anymore.”

Narrowing her focusIn gathering information about lost towns, Fochs quickly

discovered that some people didn’t understand what shewas researching.

One woman told Fochs there were no ghosts in theirtown. Fochs said she was looking for ghost towns or placesof the past, not ghost stories.

So, Fochs decided she needed to come up with a definitionand criteria for lost towns.

“It had to be a once-thriving place that no longer is thriv-ing. It had to be vibrant. It had to have some kind of com-mercial district, where people went to town to get their mail,or get their supplies, or to go to church or school. There stillcould be a few homes there. There still could be a lot of cor-ner bars or little convenience stores, but it’s not a town any-more. It doesn’t have the feel of when people came to congre-gate. Now, they stop and go by,” Fochs said. “It’s a townthat’s completely or nearly completely abandoned. It may ormay not have physical remains. Some of the towns are (now)just barren land. Nature reclaims very quickly.”

There are two types of towns, she said, boom-and-busttowns, and towns that developed over time and slowly died.

Boom-and-bust towns existed for one purpose or industrysuch as logging or mining. They rose overnight and diedjust as quickly, she said. “Towns built on this model weredoomed from the beginning because you can’t put all youreggs in one basket.”

Yet, each boom-and-bust town had its own personality, shesaid. “But there was a pattern to every town’s existence. Theonly difference was how fast a town moved through that.”

The second type of town is one that developed over timeand declined over time, like agriculture towns built up

In Forest City, a flour millwas in operation by 1865.Forest City was thecounty seat of MeekerCounty from 1857 until1869, when Litchfieldreceived the designationafter the railroad waslaid through Litchfield.PHOTO COURTESY OF MEEKERCOUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETYMUSEUM

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MCLEOD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

People living in St. George, about six miles north ofGlencoe, built a dam on the river that powered thetown’s grist and saw mills. Other businesses includ-ed a general store, blacksmith, shoe shop, creameryand three saloons.The town came to an end afterthe railroad bypassed the community.

along rivers for transportation and to harnesswater power.

“As we got away from water power and goto electricity, you don’t have to put thosetowns by those water conditions,” she said.

In addition, depending on what path arailroad followed, some towns declined, diedor were absorbed by a neighboring town.South Silver Lake in McLeod County expe-rienced such a fate.

“Building a line through the area in 1886,the St. Paul, Minneapolis and ManitobaRailway, routed three miles south of SilverLake, through the 1881 platted town ofSouth Silver Lake. A bustling community grew around thedepot and included a livestock shipping yard, saloon, twogeneral stores, a millinery shop, and livery. When the LuceLine established a station to the north of Silver Lake, it wasonly a matter of time before South Silver Lake ceased to be.Eventually, the businesses and residents moved to the newrailroad town,” Fochs wrote in her book.

Logering — in Stearns County, adjacent to MeekerCounty — also was a thriving town with a saloon, diner,butcher shop, feed store, livery and church. In the mid-1880s, railroad officials wanted to buy the land, but someresidents opposed the idea. The railroad company found afarmer one-half mile south of Logering willing to sell hisland. Soon, two miles down the tracks, a new village, EdenValley, sprouted up and within a few years, Logering’s busi-nesses and residents moved to Eden Valley. Logeringbecame a town of the past, she said.

Documenting historyAfter writing her first book focused on lost towns in

Northern Minnesota, where she lives, she discovered therewere hundreds of these lost towns scattered across the state.

Fochs is now working on her fourth book in the series, aSouthern Minnesota edition. After she publishes that one in

the spring, she plans to work on a Wisconsin version.“I retired last year, and I still haven’t missed (working). I

don’t think I will. I’m kind of having toomuch fun,” she said during a presenta-tion she gave recently at Eden ValleyPublic Library. She has been travelingthe state talking about Minnesota’s losttowns.

“That’s kind of why I wanted to do thebooks,” she said. “I wanted to leave thestories behind because I thought, ‘I don’thave any children, and these stories aretoo good not to let people know.’”

She encourages people, to write downtheir memories “because someday, thestories are going to be lost if we don’t write them down.That’s why I love these books, being able to leave those sto-ries behind. It was hard to find information now, so in 50years, it’s going to be even harder to find information.” �

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In her book,“MinnesotaLost Towns: CentralEdition,” author RhondaFochs highlights a num-ber of local lost towns:

McLeod CountyAcoma, 1892-1905Bear Creek, 1870sBear Lake, 1899-1903Brush Prairie, 1867-1883Cedar City, 1859-1863Clear Lake, 1912-1963Collins, 1871-1879Fernando, 1899-1903Fremont, 1856-1867

Karns City, 1857Komensky, 1899-1903Koniska, 1860-1882Lake Addie, 1856Rocky Run, 1860-1874Sherman Station, 1917-1950sSouth Silver Lake, 1881-1890sSt. George, 1870-1880West Lynn, 1883-1900sWest Winsted, 1900s-1960

Meeker CountyActon, 1857-1904Collinwood, 1869-1878Corvuso, 1898-1953Crow River, 1867-1909East Kingston, 1860s-1930s

Forest City, 1857-1907Greenleaf, 1858-1906Lake Stella, 1899-1940sLamson, 1870-1903Manannah, 1857-1907North Kingston, 1900-1940sRosendale, 1871-1906Strout, 1896-1904

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCLEOD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Komensky once had the Luce Line Railroad, a store,elevator, creamery, stockyard and ice house.

‘Minnesota’s Lost Towns: Central Edition’

“Minnesota’s Lost Towns: Central Edition” byRhonda Fochs is 212 pages and published byNorth Star Press of St. Cloud Inc. It can be pur-chased on Amazon.com, Northstarpress.com orat www.rhondafochs.weebly.com.

Rhonda Fochs

Below are abbreviated stories that author RhondaFochs collected about a few of the towns in McLeodCounty and Meeker County:

McLeod County

FernandoApproximately six miles north of Stewart“Named for the buttermaker, Ferdinand Fenske, the

community was born out of the need for a church. Needinga place to worship, the German settlers built one in 1890.Eight years after the construction of the church, thecreamery started operations. A general store was built in1901 and closed in 1975, and is now a private home. Thepost office was short-lived, operating from 1899 to 1903.St. Matthew’s Church and a few buildings remained.”

KomenskyHutchinson Township“Community involvement was important to the early

Czech settlers in Komensky. One of the very first thingsthey did was organize the Bohemian Reading andEducational Society ... the society purchased Czech books,established a Czech choir and built the Bohemian Hall.The hall hosted meetings, school events, weddings ... anddances. Komensky also had the Luce Line Railroad, astore, elevator, creamery, stockyard, ice house, severalhomes and a beet dump/scale house. As transportationmodes changed, the rail line in Komensky closed.Business slowed. Komensky’s buildings were moved ortorn down.”

Sherman StationApproximately halfway between Winsted and Silver Lake“Sherman Station’s dance hall was considered the place

to go for a good time in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Manya wedding dance was held in the hall, as were otherevents. Free movies were also shown. Established in 1917as a station on the Luce Line, Sherman Station was afour-block town with a store (moved in from Pleasant Hill)and a few station buildings. ... As dependence on the rail-road dwindled, so did Sherman Station.”

Meeker CountyActon

At County Road 23 between county roads 1 and 4Acton had a log parsonage in the early 1860s and didn’t

develop into a community until the late 1860s. “The firststore opened in 1867. A co-op (Hope Lake) creamery wasestablished in 1899. ... The Acton Telephone Co. beganoperating in the early 1900s and discontinued in the late1940s. Obscured by brush and foliage, the buildings (are)nearly indiscernible to the auto traffic speeding by.”

Lake StellaAt county roads 33 and 14“The little community was platted in 1899, and was

located on the border of Darwin and Ellsworth townships.Lake Stella was sometimes called the Crossroads or Caseyafter the family that lived nearby. The creamery closed in1937 when it consolidated with the Darwin Creamery.Dances were held, first at the store, and later in the oldcreamery building. ... Improved transportation caused thedecline of the once-vibrant community. Today, the cream-ery still stands and is a private home.”

RosendaleAt County Road 28 just west of County Road 4“The Danielson Creamery, named for the township, was

established in 1890. From the beginning, it was focalpoint in the community. The original building burned in1917 and was rebuilt. That second building stands today.The community’s first store was called the Farmers Store.Many area residents sold eggs, chicken, and hides to thestore. That building also stands today, and if you lookclosely, you can make out the faded ‘Rosendale’ on it.Rosendale did have a mill that ground feed. ... There are afew homes in the area,” Fochs wrote in her book. �

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Lost towns of McLeod and Meeker counties


Across1. Small ornamental ladies’

bag5. Rock music with mourn-

ful lyrics9. Neon, e.g.12. Capital of Switzerland14.Acquiesce16. Back, in a way17. Extremely popular

books19. Churchill’s “so few”:

Abbr.20. Common sense21.Vision test (2 wds)23. Curse25. Carpet type26. Persons who hold title

to property for others’ ben-efit

30.Affirmatives32. Dusk, to Donne33. Overthrow, e.g.35. Slender, delicate things37. Bogus39. Batman and Robin, e.g.40. Bell the cat41. Dravidian language43. Dome-shaped Buddhist

shrine46. Grassland47. Greek letters49. Helpful partner51. Medical advice, often52.“Buona ___” (Italian

greeting)

53.Tailor’s tool57.Wine container61.Anita Brookner’s

“Hotel du ___”62. Negligence64.Victorian, for one65. Like “The X-Files”66. Begin working energet-

ically (2 wds)67. Cyst68.Arid

69.Aggravate

Down1. Declines2.Abound3.“Major” animal4. Emcees’ lines5.“For Me and My ___”6. Eye7. Deuce topper8. Unorthodox opinion

9. Selling used items atone’s home (2 wds)

10. Biology lab supply11. Delicate13. Heir’s concern15.Avoid18. Banana oil, e.g.22. Member of a Jewish

mystic movement24. Range rovers26. Makeup, e.g.27. Doctor’s order28.Against U.S. interests29. Pole position?31. Bender34. Dissolute men36.Accommodate38.Acarology subject mat-

ter42. Famous TV collie44. Newbie, of sorts45. Green perimeters48.The Rolling ___, band50. Concern53. Knocked off, in a way54.Attention55. Pink, as a steak56.Ado58. Josip Broz, familiarly59. French novelist Pierre60. Carbon compound63. Short-sleeved, pullover

shirt

Crossword puzzle answer on Page 15

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Crossword puzzle

1/2 pound baby carrots1 medium onion, cut through core into

1/2-inch wedges1/2 pound shallots, peeled, halved if large1 tablespoon olive oil1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves*1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 garlic clove, minced1 jar (16 ounces) whole pickled beets,

drained, halved

Heat oven to 400. Scatter carrots, onion

wedges and shallots in 15-by-10-inch jellyroll pan. Drizzle with oil and sprinklethyme, salt and pepper over vegetables;toss to coat. Roast, uncovered, in oven 15minutes. Add garlic to vegetables; tosswell. Return to oven and continue roasting10 minutes. Add beets; return to oven androast until vegetables are tender, aboutfive minutes. Makes four servings.

(*1 tablespoon chopped fresh thymemay be substituted. Sprinkle over vegeta-bles just before adding beets.)

This fall, incorporate fresh, seasonal flavors into traditional, comforting dishes of the season

Thyme-Scented Roasted Vegetables & Beets

SOURCE: WWW.CULINARY.NET

Answer toCrosswordPuzzle published on Page 14

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1/2 cup unsalted butter, cool room temperature4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour3 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced4 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 cup orange juice1/3 cup packed brown sugar1/4 cup apple or apricot jam/jelly, warmed

In a smallbowl, beattogether butterand creamcheese untilcompletely com-bined andsmooth. Slowlyadd flour, beat-ing just untilthe doughstarts to form aball. Cover andrefrigerate forone hour.

Meanwhile, peel, core and slice apples into thin slices.Place in a large bowl. Combine cornstarch and spices in asmall bowl, and stir in orange juice until smooth. Addbrown sugar and salt and stir to combine. Pour this mix-ture over the apple slices and toss to coat. Preheat oven to375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchmentpaper. Remove dough from the refrigerator and divide inhalf. Roll each half into a large circle. Transfer circles tothe baking sheet, and spoon the filling over the dough.Fold the edges of the pastry up and around filling, leavingthe center uncovered. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until thecrust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Removefrom oven. Heat the apple/apricot jelly in the microwave toliquefy. Using a pastry brush, brush the crusts generouslywith the melted jam.

Rustic Apple Tart

SOURCE: WWW.CULINARY.NET

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