The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-07-22

HISTORY OF COUNTY n! !
1t Is Found In the Papers
1890 That Are Intact s
- S<-----.-'i ''~---~ :,
SHOWS BUILDING NEED
L "
Structure Should Be Erected
Wherein the Relics Can Be
Preserved ,

BLUE Earth County has always
been the hub of the history of the
southern part of the state" said
Thomas Hughes, one Of the members
of the Blue Earth County Historical
society, in making statement to
The Free Press in regard to the
necessity OF county historical
building, as suggested by Judge
Lorin Cray to the members OF the
county board.
Following the above statement Mr..
Hughes turned to vault in his law
offices and showed the scribe a
large quantity of old relics, which
are of inestimable value from his
torical standpoint. He stated that
was only small fraction Of the ma
terial In possession of the society,
which is now stored in barns, attics,
etc., and great deal of it being lost
for the want of a proper place to
store it. Among the valuable papers
in storage in Mr.. Hughes's vault are
a complete file OF The Mankato
Record one of the first newspapers
ever printed in this city, and which
was recently donated to the county
historical society by the ]. c. Wise
estate, when The Daily Review was
consolidated with The Free Press.
In these old files are chronicled some
of the earliest happenings OF this city
and county.
Stacked In Vault
They are now stacked up in a
vault, but if a historical building
were erected they could be made OF
access to students, and would be of
great public good. In addition to
the files mentioned are papers print
en- in phamplet form, recording earli-
est happenings of this county. Old
cording the arrival and departure of
steamboats, to and from Mankato,
which at the resent day seems al
most improbable. There are manu-
scripts, diaries kept by old settlers
telling of their trials and troubles in
battling with the wild lands and still
wilder men in the settlement of this
immediate vicinity. Photographs of
old settlers who have passed away
many years ago, but whose children
are still residents of the country, and
have grown prominent. In one COR
ner of the vault is stack of all of
the old county directories. Some Of
the earliest maps of this city and
surrounding county are among the
collection. Swords and guns carried
by brave pioneers of this county both
in the southland in the Civil War.
and in defense of their homes near
Mankato from the attacks of the In
dams are to be seen among the COL
lection. Indian relics are there too
to remind one of the aboriginies.
Others Have Relics
MI. Hughes explained that he is
have stacks of material such as has
been mentioned, which they are stor-
ing In any corner, they can spare
in the hopes that some suitable
place for exhibition and preservation
will some day be provided for by the
county, so that these valuable his
torical relics can be preserved for
the use of future generations. A
strictly fireproof building is an alb
solute necessity for the porper stor-
age and exhibition of historical data
and material. Mr.. Hughes said today
II the history of the county is to be
preserved. If the site were donated,
Mr.. Hughes said that he did not
think that it would be a difficult
matter to finance the construction of
the building. He said that he for one
Would be willing to donate toward
such a fund, and he knew of many
others who would do likewise.
There are great many people
throughout the county who have
large collection, which they would
donate to the county historical So
ciety if such a building were provid-
ed for. With this collection assem-
bled properly and made available to
the public it would become
valuable adjunct to the public library
for the use of students Of history i'm
the several schools of the city. Mr..
Hughes says by all means keep the
Eall rolling until the building is Sc
curad -