The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-02-25

Minneapolis.
Religion was foremost in the minds
of the early settlers. AS early as
1860 a Congregational minister was
sent to this locality by the American
Home Missionary Society. But it is
to the Methodist denomination that
the credit must be given for the first
church organization. Other churches
organized were the Presbyterians,
Episcopalian, Baptists, Lutheran, The
Seventh Day Adventists, St. Paul's
Catholic church, and the Irish Cath
Ollie church.
In 1872 Mr.. A. Smith established
the first bank in Sank Centre, which
went out of existence in 1896. In
the First National. and in 1902 the
the FIRST National, and in 1902 the
Merchants National were establish
ed. g..
Sank Centre was without railroad
Accommodations until August 1878.
James Hill had but lately begun his
marvellous career as railroad build
er, and in that month an extension of
the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Mani
toba road passed through Sank Cen
tire. This enterprise changed great
ly the conditions of life for the pio-
neers of the northwest.
At Sank Centre the only means of
communication with the outside CIV
ilization had been the stage routes
running first to St. Cloud and later
to Melrose. These, together with the
long line of Red River Carts slowly
creaking their way from the north
to procure food supplies from the
mills of Sank Centre and st. Cloud,
were henceforth to be relegated to
the picturesque incidents Of the past.
Thus in comparatively a few years,
and upon the merging of the different
Hill lines into the Great Northern
and it's extension to the Pacific coast,
Sank Centre found itself an import
ant town upon one of the great trans
continental highways, having easy
access from all parts of the state.
The cities which have sprung up
in such a wonderful manner all over
our western country in the last
fifty years have been, generally
speaking, what their citizens have
made them. And in this matter of
public spirit, Sank Centre has not
been wanting. She quickly turned
her attention to civic improvements.
AS early as 1884 a system of water
works was established. The power
was furnished by the mill dam. "
To the glory of Sank Centre is
the fact that she had a public Ii
brary of five thousand volumes be-
fore she had a permanent home for
her books. So, even before there was
a village organization, the Palmer,
Oakford, Barto, Barnum, Howard and
other families formed what they NAM
ed as the Bryant Library Associa-
ton. In 1908 the interest of Mr..
Carnegie was elected in Sank Cen
tire, and the result was the beautiful
and commodious Carnegie building at
the corner Of Main and Fifth STREETS.
Quite early in the history and
when certain localaties were being
designated as sites for state institu-
tions, Sank Centre had endeavored
to secure for herself such a favor
able selection. In 1910, the coveted
boon was attained by the proposed
State Home Schol for Girls. Thus
she found in her midst not only one
of the most prominent of our State
institutions, but one whose salient
features have already carried its
name far beyond the confines of
Minnesota.
And so, from the wilderness and
hardships, through struggles and
poverty, the we'll known pioneers of
Sank Centre have built up a thriving
industrial center. They would be
pleased. if they could but view the
wonderful advancement of our fair
city. Where once were log shanties
and stockades and uncleared land, in
which they struggled for their very
lives, gaining knowledge through their
experience and adventure, we have a
city with some of the best stores and
modern buildings in the state, with
one of the best educational inst;tu.,
tions in the nation. The streets are
paved-instead of the talow candles
a white way lights our path. Instead
of the old-fashioned churn, we have
two of the best butter producing
creameries in the state, which pay
out thousands of dollars every month
to the dairy farmers surrounding this
city. Our mills grind day and night,
making high-grade flour from the
bounteous grain that is brought in.
What history! Is it not one of
which to be proud Should we not
venerate the memory of our noble
pioneers? All honor to them, those
history-making pioneers of ours
who laid the bed rock foundation for
our prosperous future. AS each new
generation goes on picking up the
thread OF, progressive go on, and
ON the far flung banners of history
will be written the epic of our city
from beginning to end, and at the
top be placed the names of our Sin
clair Lewis and James Hendryxs,
who blazed their way from poverty to
success.
Alvira Lillian Mathies.
Sank Centre Senior High School.
Sank Centre, Minnesota.
(Second Prize WINERY
The Story of My Grandparents In
Minnesota
Great natural disasters as we'll as
national disasters sometimes change
the life plans of people, who, while
not really satisfied with their sIlr-