The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-03-31
Sank Centre---Its Traditions
and Its Life
By GEORGE D. WING

"The ZONES of Our Forefathers," IN
which he exhibited sketches and paint
ings of many of the old colonial
homes of the Eastern states
The Boston Post in 1892 publish
ed the following editorial upon Mr..
Whitefeld, founder of Kandota, and
the man who named Fairy Lake:
"Mr. Edwin Whiefeld has done
more in a special direction for the
cause in which New England an
tiouarians are interested, than any
other living man, and we are sorry to
say that so far he has been yer.
poorly and inadequately paid. 1t is
now seven years since Mr.. Whitefield
planned and began the work, three
volumes of which have appeared und-
er the title, "The Homes of Our Fore
fathers" In this work Mr.. White
field proposed to save from oblivion
for the benefit and instruction of fu-
ture generations of New England,
men and women, accurate represen-
tations of the homes erected by the
early ancestors in the wilderness and
along the shores of the new country
in which they had cast their lot.
"There are yet, standing in New
England staunch old dwellings, whose
walls have withstood the storms and
winds of more than two centuries,
are good for as many more. Others
rich in historical associations, are
tottering to their fall, and within
few wears will be swept away, leav-
ing nothing behind to tell what they
once were in outward appearance.
"Mr. Whitefeld, who is skillful
draughtsman as we'll as an enthus-
astic antiquarian, recognizing the I'M
portance of the preservation in some
manner of those perishing memorials
, of the past, determined to devote
himself to making sketches of all tht
ancient houses, outside of the cities
, that were yet available, in the New
England states. He applied himsel
:. to the task with vigor. The hrs
! volume of the series made it's appear
= ance some five or six years ago.. Tn
second was published three years ag
:, and the third is just from the press
In these three volumes are presente
exact representations of 800 ancien
E New England dwellings.
"Some idea may be gathered OF tn
- money and labor invested in the pre-
paration of these volumes, from tn
, fact that they have cost the promote
: nearly $1,000. The sales of tn
. first two volumes have only amount
.. ed to $4,000, so it will be seen thu
:" Mr.. Whitefeld has experienced
- direct loss of over $4,000 in brins
:, ing them out. To the historian,
the antiquary and to the december
~ of the families represented by tt
" builders and early owners, the vail
e of the complete work cannot
- =, reckened in money"
Frank Kent, the first messenger
.; - bring to the stockade at Sank Cent?
~ u news of the siege of Fort Abe
- crombe, was we'll known to residen
=, of Sank Centre during the days
" the Indian uprising. Mr.. Kent wi
u stage driver and freighter betwee
~ St. Paul and Abercrombe, and
. bringing news of the battle to tt
=. Sank Centre residents, he made Sc
~ eral sensational escapes from Il
~ Sioux when leaving the fort. He W;
~ enroute to Fort Smelling for rec
u forcements when he passed throue
here from Dakota. His efforts +
~ suited in new troops coming to SAT-
~ Centre, part of which took part
. the relief of the fort.
"a To be Continued.