Todd County Historical Society

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The Todd County Historical Society were honored guests at the grand RE-opening of the courthouse for their efforts in saving this classic building. The cost of remodeling the old building was comparable in price to tearing it down and building a new facility. However, the aesthetic appeal of original building could not be duplicated by today’s ultra-pragmatic architecture.

After rousing speeches by the Todd County commissioners and the societies own Jon Kroll, the veterans played a solemn song on the bugle while the flag was raised for the first time in many years.

The local band belted out a tune in the blazing sun which was specially prepared for this event.

While it is certain that many of the spectators had hoped for one gigantic pair of scissors for the “ribbon cutting”, instead the 5 commissioners each got a scissors and cut the ribbon in multiple places.

After the ribbon-cutting, the crowd rushed inside to view the remodeled and air conditioned interior. The Courthouse was open for business despite the open house and touring people. A board meeting was held just prior to the ceremony and all regularly scheduled positions were operating.

A Red River ox cart replica was made by Gary Stracek. It is of the original size and design that was used by the teamsters that traveled from Pembina to St. Paul in the early years of the Minnesota Territory. It will be on display at the Todd County Fair at the Todd County Historical Society Building from July 26-29, 2012. A narrative will be given by Eldon Morey at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 27, 2012 at the Historical Society Building. He will explain the trails and history of the ox carts.

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A new base graces the bottom of our flag pole outside the museum extension building at the Todd County Fairgrounds. It contains 28 rocks, one from each township in Todd county. Ron Wienhold, Gary Stracek, and Daiv Freeman (with the help of Samantha and Spencer) went to each township and gathered a stone form each. Shirley Lunceford said she found the only one in all of the West Union area! After cementing them in, a number was painted on each rock which corresponds to sign on the building sidewall with the township names. The cement work has been dated 2010. So do come down and find your township rock!

This tank is called a chemical fire engine. It was manufactured by O.J. Childs Company, manufacturers of chemical fire apparatus in Utica, New York. This model was built prior to World War I. It was originally purchased by the Sauk Centre Fire Department and sold to the Elrosa Fire Department in Stearns County in 1920. When empty, it weighs 170 pounds.

This apparatus, which looks more like a large fire extinguisher, is normally stored full of water in a non-freezing environment, always in a horizontal position, on a four-wheeled cart which is usually pulled by manpower. The cart is not part of the original unit and must be built separately. The crank on the top is used to tip over a cup-like container on the inside filled with a soda-like chemical. An acid is added to the water at the same time to form a chemical reaction, creating high pressure which forces the water out. Water pressure can be controlled by the shutoff valve (missing on this unit). It is not known why it is called a “fire engine” instead of a fire extinguisher because it has no moving parts except the hand crank which dumps the cup of dry chemical into the water on the inside.

The acid and powder are stored separately from the water and are added to the water on the spot of the fire as the chemical reaction is almost instantaneous.

This apparatus is lacking a 100-foot hose, a shut-off valve and a pressure gauge. It served as the Elrosa Fire Department’s main fire fighting tool until 1954 when the fire department got its first fire truck. In the early 1960’s the fire department discarded this apparatus and it was thrown on a junk pile on David Heinze’s farm in Lake George Township where it laid for 45 years. At the Elrosa Centennial in 2008, David restored it, mounted it on a cart and had it in the centennial parade. It was again retrieved from the junk pile and donated to the Todd County Museum in 2010.