The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-04-08
Valuable Contribution to Early
History of State Made By
Sank Centre School Students

and Mrs. John Costello of this city
was awarded second place in the
Sixth Congressional District Essay
Contest "The Beginning Of My Com
munity," Mr.. Costello's narrative IS
a very interesting one and follows
herewith.
The Beginnings of My Community
To rehearse properly the extensive
history of Sank Centre-its struggles
and triumphs, the fame of its sons
its change from a mere frontier trad
inp most to a prominent, thriving, in
dustrious city-would require vol
ume of space, the Imagination OF Il
Doyle, and the fluent pen OF Snake
speare. 1t contains all the romance
of medieval legends.
Centuries before white man ever
set eyes upon this part Of America:
it's natives of Indians had approved
of its beauty and rival tribes strug-
gled fiercely for it's possession. lr
the most desired parts of the country
men find the ancient burial mounds
of the warrior braves who fougn
against each other, competing fol
their possession.
The most prominent tribes, the
Ojibways and Dacotahs, Cater called
the Chippewa and Sioux battled con-
stantly to make this their permanent
home. The legends of these tribes
are rich with tales of the mysterious
and marvellous deeds of proves, per-
frrmed by the chieftains and braves
in their constant and repeated at
tempts to obtain this coveted part OF
the land of ten thousand lakes.
Since the day of the first adventur-
Gus pioneer, attracted and lured 5y
the remarkable scenes OF natural
beauty-the dividing line between the
boundless prairies on the South and
West and the then virgin and almost
trackless forests on the North and
East-its history repeats every phase
of American life from earliest pio-
neer days when the fittest survived
and men were attacked by wild beasts
and still wilder red men. Even the
origin of it's name is hidden in ro-
nance. Not the "Centre" part-the
meaning for that is quite obvious
and the reasons for its use very evil
dent. Because it was the dividing
line between prairie and forest,
where rushing river and placid lake
are joined, it made an excellent cen
ter for the gathering of the tribes OF
redmen long before the "gold greedy"
race of white men recognized its
commercial probabilities. The "Sauk"
part is the most delightful and pleas
ing of all the New Worlds myster-
ious and romantic names-in fact, no
two authorities can agree as to its
meaning or source. Some say that
it is corruption of the word "Sioux"
or that "Sioux" is corruption of
the word "Sauk"; others claim it
came from Sacs and Foxes. The
best authorities say that it is word
that has come down to US from pre-
historic tribes who inhabitated the
country before the advent of the
American Indians. 1t is generally in
terpreted to mean beauty, content
ment, prosperity, or satisfaction
Centre is the center of beauty, salts
faction contentment and prosperity.
The first plat of Sank Centre was
filed early in 1867. The plat itself
as well as the name of the filler is ex-
tinct, but some of the cold timers
remember it,.
In 1856, a party of adventures
consisting of seven persons who call
ed themselves "The Sank Centre
Townsite Company of which Alex
ander Moore, acting as agent for his
mother, Rachel Moore, was leader
located here. The first home was a
"dugout," a typical squatters habita-
ton, made of tamarack poles. This
was situated on the south side of the
river. D.. -
In 1856, a dam across the river
was started by Moore and jacques,
and nearly finished. While the party
of men We're at work, band of Sioux
and Chippewa Indians fought continu-
ously all day, a half mile northeast
of them; and at shutdown the van
quished Sioux retreated across the
Sank river near the dam, carrying
their dead and wounded. The Chip
pewa buried their dead where they
fell and in later years, people living
near the Battlefield" dug up bones
and weapons thus verifying the in
cident. A small log house was er.
eected by the company, but the panic
of 1867 occurred and everything
came to IA standstill. IS. M. Bruce
who had an interest in the adventure
remained to 'hold the claim" while
the rest hiked back ito the "parental
roof "
In the spring of 1858, a freshet
carried away the dam. 1t was not re-
built until 1860. The really active
development of the town began at
this date; and a post office, store, and
a few residences were constructed.
The first school meeting was held
on the 18th of April 1861. A Miss
Nellie Harmon was elected to infiict
the three "R's" on the heads of the
Z youths of the settlement. For this
great service she was paid the mum
ificent sum of $500 a week and
board. From all reports, Nellie must
have been one of the predecessors OF
the modern "gold digger" for when
bids to board her were called for the
lowest bid was ninety cents a week
Some say she even married the old
est son of her landlord before the
term expired but of course this may
be only myth only heard the gooc
1 housewives discussing its possibility
At the outbreak of the Civil Wa
III ~, oaocoI