The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-06-02
VIM. Strpbel-TreaSurer,
Geo. \. Clark-Justice,
{. W. Smith-.Justice.


III Vernon Center.
81 The ancient village of Verne
H. Center was laid out by compan
F. from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, known al
IL organized us the Blue Earth compal
u, in July 1857. They plated some tw
al hundred acres, but portion of tn
o was subsequently lost on Il mortgas
II given for part of the purchase none,
y Benz. McCracken was the first gener;
J. agent of the company. he being SUE
II ceeded 10y b. +. Smith, now of Rapida
: this county. The company brougll
from Ohio steam saw mill and set
= i'll operation and then sold it to privat
parties. This mill WAS burned il
1865. The first postmaster was Johl
y Il. Dooley and the town being on tn
Mankato and Blue Earth City rout
found little difficulty in securing goo,
mail service and soon had Il daily mail
j. j. and III. Shaubut opened 4 genera
store in 1850 and b. +. Smith ais,
brought in Il stock of goods ut IN earl,
day and their trade was good. us tn,
mill. then the only one for mile,
around. brought in settlers from al
sides. The town passed through tn,
Indian raid in lSd2 3 having at that
time Il company of troops stationed
there who seized and operated tn,
mill in the interest of the government
and built Il large Stock;ldc some 500
feet square using in its construction
Il large lot of logs belonging To the
settlers. This Stockade was Il haven
of refuge during those trying times
and served good purpose in allaying
the fears of the settlers and keeping
them from abandoning their homes,
though il WAS probably never seen 10y
Il hostile savage.
Nature made the location beautiful
and the farming country around il is
among the best. But railroads and
business are not always attracted by
nature charms and i'm this case the iron
horse passes 10y on the other side leav-
ing the old town Il mile or ST. from the
station.
In 1879. +. Kendall plated about
forty acres where the station is located
and ii is already rs large as the old
Vernon.
Lake Crystal.
The bright little village of Lake
Crystal is situated at the junction of
the St. Paul X Sioux City, now
&C. ST. p. NJ. X O. and Blue Earth |
Branch railroads. fourteen miles
southwest from Mankato; is an in
corporated village, the second in
size in the county, and contains
something more than five hundred
inhabitants.
Lake Crystal is one of the most
pleasantly situated of the many pref
ty villages in southwestern Minneso-
II, being costly located very near
and partly between two beautiful
lakes, Crystal and Lily, with Loon
lake, 4 fine, large sheet of water very
near, and being shaded by one of
the finest natural oak groves to be
seen in the West.
Lake Crystal might be said to be
situated on the border between the
heavy timber region of the Minneso-
IA river and the wide prairics of
southwestern Minnesota, where tim
Der and prairie are both easily acces-
sible.
The scenery around Lake Crystal
is very attractive, the lakes abound
with fine fish, and the village is fast
becoming noted as a healthy, de-
lightiul, and easily accessible Sum-
mer resort, where rest, quiet and
pleasure, can be fully and complete
ly enjoyed. Being located very near
the intersection of four prosperous
and thickly settled townships, But
tcrnut Valley, Judson, Garden City,
and Lincoln. Lake Crystal is busy
market place and during the market
ing season. no town is more busy,
prosperous and business like. Here
is large wheat elevator with ca
paCity of 10000 bushels, operated
by steam, which during the fall and
winter months is repeatedly filled
with wheat to the very roof, only to
be cmpticd by shipment and to be
re-Gllcd again and again +; beside the
elevator there are four large ware
houses, which during the greater part
Of the year are constantly receiving
wheat, oats, corn, flax. barley, tim
othy, rye pork and hides for ship
mcnt east.
There are also stock yards here
convenient to the G. St. p. NJ. * O.
Ry., where cattle in large numbers
are received and bought for ship
ment to southern and southeastern
markets.
Lake Crystal receives from the
surrounding country the choicest
butter in large quantities through
the entire butter making season, for
which the highest prices are paid.
The choice grades of butter received
here are sought for in cities hundreds
Of miles away, and are eagerly taken
by consumers at the highest market
prices.
As an example, one store in the
village recently shipped one weeks
receipts of butter amounting to 25,-
900 lbs. A large creamery with a
capacity for 900 COWS is now being
built in the village to be operated by |
steam, which will greatly increase
the butter product. Lake Crystal
being at the junction of two promi-
nent railroads, is very busy rail
road town. Eight passcnger trains |