The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1930-12-18
l,46l,865 Tourists Visit
Minnesota the Past Year
Annual Meeting of 10000 Lakes
Association Dfscloses Some In
teresttng Facts

ia and spent SIG, 7os, 29o here ac-
cording to the annual report of HI.
c. Hotaling, secretary Of the Ten
Thousand Lakes-Greater Minnesota
Association which was made pub
lie Friday, Dec. II, at the four
teenth annual meeting Of that or
ganization which was held at the
Ryan Hotel, ST. Paul. The report
also showed that there was an in
crease IN the number of persons
seeking Minnesota farms over
1929, although the actural number
of farm sales were less.
This year the Association con-
Quoted advertising in publications
with combined calculations of more
than 100000. Part of this nd
verffsing was devoted to attracting
tourists and part to induce farm
ers of other states to move here. In
response to this advertising 1914
persons wrote concerning vacations
and 1914 persons were interested
in Minnesota farms. During 1929
1855 inquiries were received scon-
corning vacations and 5000 asked
ahout farms.
There evidently was a greater in
terest in Minnesota both as a vaca-
ton and farm state this year &C
cording to H. c. Hotaling, secretary
eff the Association, but financial
conditions forced many to change
thier vacation plans and those who
would buy farms were unable to
secure the money with which to
purchase. It is Mr.. Hotaling's be-
lief that when conditions improve
that Minnesota will experience a
greatly enlarged tourist business
and more farm sales.
This year bankers and realtors re-
ported to the Association that they
sold 85S farms with a total aver
age of 117,26z. This represents an
average sale of about 10 farm to a
county and takes into consideration
only those which were reported to
the Association. Mr.. Hotaling saws
that undoubtedly many hundreds
more were sold which were not
reported. He also says that there
were many private sales from one
farmer to another and that none of
these are included in the report.
During 1929 which was the peak for
some time in Minnesota as far as
farm sales are concerned those re-
porting to the Association had sold
1857 farms with total acreage of
1913, 421.
The growth of the tourist bust
ness according to Mr.. Hotaling's re-
port is reflected in the ever increas-
ing number of new resorts and the
enlarged facilities of established
places. There are now 1910 re-
sorts in Minnesota as compared
with 600 five years ago. Many of
the original 600 have doubled OF
trebled their capacity and there
are indications that several resorts
will make extensive improvements
during the winter months in pre-
paration for. the summer of 1881.
Several new high class resorts were
opened for the first time during
1880.
Bishop G. G. Bennett, head of
the Episcopal Diocese of Duluth
was the principal speaker of the
Ten Thousand Lakes-Grea Min
nesota Association program. He
spoke at the luncheon which was
served at the st. Paul Athletic club
and his topic was Minnesota, the
Land of Milk and Honey" Other
speakers on the morning porgram
were L. G. Hodgson, former mayor
Of st. Paul, and George w. McCul-
Tough, game and fish commissioner.
On the afternoon program A. w.
Lindberg, state hotel inspector, Will
liam Stewart, Of st. Paul, p. Fl. Nc
Garry, Of Walker, N. ]. Holmberg,
state secretary of agriculture and
Mrs. Sam Rask, of Blooming Prai-
rie, president of the Federated Wo-
mems Clubs Of Minnesota spoke.
The delegates were welcomed by |
Mayor Gerhard Bundle of st.
Paul and Fred W. Schilpin, pub
Usher Of the Saint Cloud Times and
Journal Press responded.