The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-03-04

LIl6y LllC SOuuGly VI t21O
country conquered them.
Sank Centre, a thriving city of to-
day, owes it's birth and development
to these sturdy pioneers-living and
striving-not knowing the words
"can't" or "give up''-clearing al
space in the timber to build a cabin
.subduing the Indians, in fact, ov-
grooming all obstacles so that now
we may call this place home.
Virginia Kells,
Sank Centre Senior High School.
Sank Centre, Minnesota.
The Beginning of My Community
Sank Centre! To me this name will ,
always be the meaning of home.
Home! Think what this word means
1t means the place where one can rest
his weary bones from the rough con-
facts of the world, where one can be
at peace. To me it means the place
of my birth, the place where l spent
my childhood, the place where l shall
grow to be a man. To me this place
is hallowed with the many, now tri-
vial, incidents of childhood. The least
1 can do is to tell you about it. To
properly write the history is some
thing of which l am not capable; but
no man can do more than his best,
and that is what l intend to do. To
start with the present, a habit which
l notice is not exactly according to
the conventions of historians, l will
tell you that first of all, though but
seventy years of age, mere infant,
as cities go, it has already achieved
international fame. 1t is the home of
two authors: one, Sinclair Lewis, is
internationally famous; while the
other, James Hendryx, is known to
all the boys of the United States for
his stories of the North, and of the
Klondike. Taken all in all, this city
is the best city of its size in the
United States or in the whole world,
for that matter.
To return to the beginning of the
city, and incidentally, conventional
ism, it is always the custom to tell
the origin of the name of the city:
The meaning of the word Centre"
is obvious, for it was the meeting
place of the primeval tribes, their
council ground, the center of their
enjoyments. This custom of settling
or gathering here is just reflection
of their common sense.
The word "Sauk," however, is one
of the few words which all etymolo-
gists agree has come down to us
from prehistoric times. According
to the very old Indians, the word has
been in their languages for time inn
memorial, refuting the charge that it
is corruption of certain Indian names.
Its meaning is supposed to embody
the happiness, prosperity, beauty,
and industry of that country. So the
literal meaning of Sank Centre is
the Centre of Happiness, Prosperity,
Beauty, and Industry,
The first plat of the town and its
filer's name have been lost log ago.
The recognized plat is that of Alex
ander Moore, acting as agent for his
mother, Rachel Moore, in 1857. The
real beginning of Sank Centre, how
ever, was in 1856. In this year a
band of intrepid pioneers, led by
Alexander Moore settled on the south
bank of the river. In 1857 dam
was started by Jacques and Moore,
but it was unfinished because of fl
nancial difficulties. Then came the
Panic of 1867 when all went back
to civilization except S. M. Bruce.
When they came back the dam was
finished, and in 1860 a sawmill was
built. During the same summer a
blacksmith shop was built by Jesse
Draper, an Indiana pioneer. The
first frame building was that of
Charles Merry. 1t was a residence.
The first public meeting was held
for the formation of the "Sauk Val
ley Claim Association" the purpose
of which was to protect the claims
of the settlers in the valley.
A post-office was established in
1858 through the efforts of S. M.
Bruce, w. Adley being appointed
postmaster. The first store was OPP
ened by Pendergast and Fish out
side the townsite line. The first
store inside the town limits was es-
tablished by Joseph Capser in 1864.
The first hotel was built in 1868
by w. Adley. 1t was known as the
Sank Centre House. In the same
year Alexander Moore built resi-
dence on what now is the corner Of
Main and Third streets.
About 1862 the Indian uprising
brought settlers in this vicinity to
this town, where with the aid of the
soldiers they built Stockade. Before
we go any farther we must pause and
think of the Stockade. the only
this word brings many thoughts.
About the first of these is picture
of what to me is the first settlement
in this vicinity. On the rolling
prairie stands Stockade, the only
protection which these sturdy pio-
neers have besides their wits and their
rifles against these savages. Rum
ors have just been brought to the
settlement of the presence of a
large party of Indians. Within the
Stockade all is excitment with the
hustle of preparation for the expected
battle. Far out on the prairie
comes large band of Indians. Then
there is the battle, and afterward the
ensuing happiness or sorrow. Then
again there is the idea that these
sturdy pioneers are just as romantic
as knights of medieval history. They
both fought for an ideal, for the pos
session of what they wanted, and for
the protection of their women. No
ono CON donu thot thoc~ hrov. fro,,