This Saturday: The Grange – A Fraternity of farmers that championed rural America

Join us this Saturday, June 10 at 10 am at the Pope County Museum as we welcome agricultural historian T.J. Malaskee, who will delve into the long forgotten history of America’s first fraternity of farmers, the Grange.

The Grange was a radical post-Civil War Era movement that pushed for progressive measures to heal the nation through agriculture, education, equality, and social interaction as the United States saw growing tension between western rural farmers and eastern urban industrialists.

The Grange—more formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry—was founded by Minnesota Farmer, Oliver H. Kelley in 1867 and the rural movement took off here in his home state, eventually reaching a membership of over one million men and women across the country. Find out more about this intriguing history and learn how the Grange has played a role in your life today!

Pope County Photographers – A. S. Nelson

Albert S. Nelson purchased Fred Porter’s gallery and equipment in May of 1906 and looked for a new location in the Glenwood area.

In 1909, he prepared to move into the McLaury building as soon as construction was complete. He purchased new printing and framing equipment and was looking forward to moving into the new space.
Unfortunately, just before the move, his old gallery caught fire and burned to the ground with all his equipment inside.
He was able to re-establish his business and moved into the new McLaury building (where the Villiage Inn Patio is today.)

In 1915, he sold his studio to C. L. Voss.

Delia Simmons

Preservation Work Underway

While small repair projects are always underway on the historic buildings surrounding the museum, this year will see some big repair projects completed. The board of directors has hired Stryhn Construction to manage work on six museum structures this summer. The funds for this $175,000 project are 86% in hand, and contributions are sought to reach the full funding goal.

The group of historic buildings which stand behind the museum help tell the recent story of Pope County settlement, education, faith and recreation.

The buildings will be closed for the duration of the project, but visitors are welcome to observe the progress from a designated viewing area. we look forward to a grand reopening later this summer or early fall.

Please contribute toward the $25,000 goal (14%) to complete this important preservation work this summer.

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

This week, we had a team of volunteers move the desks from the schoolhouse to a safe storage location while the floor gets refinished.

We also removed the curtains in the cabins and move all the furniture to the center of the room to allow clear access to the windows.

The construction work will include:

Restoration of the art glass windows in St. Paul’s Church.

Rebuilding of the District 33 School bell tower.

Replacing shingles on the cabins and church.

Painting the school and church.

Leveling the log cabin, the church and the Holland Cabin porch.

Repairing or replacing windows and doors in all of the buildings.

Repairing and refinishing floors.

Restoring the Jacobs Windmill.

Future projects will include restoration work on the Soo Line caboose, interior painting of the school and church and replacing the carpet in the museum.

Pope County Photographers – Harry G. Andrews

Harry G. Andrews (his last name is sometimes listed as Andrew) began advertising in Glenwood in 1899. We believe that his studio was on Franklin Street in the space now used by the Village Inn as an outdoor patio. It may have been in the same space occupied by John Ericks’ studio.

The Glenwood Herald reported in March 1905 that Mr. Andrews was adding a second story to part of his gallery. In July 1905, disaster struck and fire destroyed his studio. He had no insurance and did not re-open.

Andrew Anderson – Spanish American War Veteran

Andrew Grimsrud and Julia Nelson

Edwin Nelson

Pope County Photographers – Isabel Mathews

Isabel Matthews operated a photo studio in the P. P. Johnson Gallery in Glenwood from at least 1900-1902.

An ad in the August 8, 1902 issue of the Glenwood Herald read, “During the month of August I will make the following reductions in the price of Photographs: $4 cabinet cards for $3, $3 cabinet cards for $2. Mrs. Mathews Glenwood.”

I have not found any photographs in our collection marked with her logo – yet. If you find any photos in your collection at home marked with her name, please bring them into the museum so we can better tell the story of this photographer.

Upcoming Event: The Grange – A Fraternity of farmers that championed rural America

Join us Saturday, June 10 at 10 am as agricultural historian, T.J. Malaskee delves into the long forgotten history of America’s first fraternity of farmers, the Grange.

The Grange was a radical post-Civil War Era movement that pushed for progressive measures to heal the nation through agriculture, education, equality, and social interaction as the United States saw growing tension between western rural farmers and eastern urban industrialists.

The Grange—more formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry—was founded by Minnesota Farmer, Oliver H. Kelley in 1867 and the rural movement took off here in his home state, eventually reaching a membership of over one million men and women across the country. Find out more about this intriguing history and learn how the Grange has played a role in your life today!

Pope County Photographers – Edward E. Johnson – Brooten

This post is part of a series of articles on Pope County Photography Studios through the years to coincide with our current exhibit on Pope County Portrait Photographers.

Edward Johnson moved to Brooten in 1910 and purchased Martin Nelson’s Photography studio. In 1924 he purchased the bakery building – and the bakery business. He had a studio on the 2^nd floor and the bakery below. He used the sinks in the bakery to wash negatives and develop the photos.

We are including E.E. Johnson since, although not technically Pope County, we have his glass negatives and his studio posing chair in our collection.

Most of the negatives we have are unidentified, but we hope to get more scanned so that the public can help us identify the people in these beautiful images. If you want to help identify the images we have scanned so far, click here.

Pope County Photographers – Porter Brothers / Darkes & Porter

This post is part of a series of articles on Pope County Photography Studios through the years to coincide with our current exhibit on Pope County Portrait Photographers.

Fredrick and Leonard Porter founded their studio in 1896. In 1897, the Porter Brothers moved their studio to a location across the street from Lake Minnewaska and called their business Porter Brothers Lakeside Studio.

The brothers were involved in many other businesses in town. Frank owned the Lakeside Hotel and Leonard owned and operated a boat company that included steam launch, sailboats, rowboats and motorboats.

In 1899, Fred Porter and Samuel J. Darkes formed a partnership, leasing the P. P. Johnson Gallery. That business did not last long. By 1900, Isabel Mathews was using Johnson’s Gallery. Fred Porter may have continued in the photography business beyond that time, since we know that Fred Porter sold his gallery and equipment to Albert Nelson in 1906.

D. J. Ruddock & Steve Thacker

William Simonton

McCauley Sisters

Martin & Clara Larson – and ?

Esther Rue

Pope County Photographers – John Ericks

This post is part of a series of articles on Pope County Photography Studios through the years to coincide with our current exhibit on Pope County Portrait Photographers.

John Ericks had a photography studio on Franklin Street in Glenwood in 1894, about where the Village Inn is located today. We see his studio on the map, but do not have much more information. He was only in Glenwood for a few years at most.

That same location was occupied later by photographer H. G Andrew.

Pope County Photographers – W. E. Cummings

This post is part of a series of articles on Pope County Photography Studios through the years to coincide with our current exhibit on Pope County Portrait Photographers.

William E. Cummings left his job at the Soo Line to learn photography under P. P. Johnson in December 1896. In October 1897, he took over a photography studio in Belgrade, but by December 1897, he was working four days a week in Glenwood for P. P. Johnson and only devoting Friday and Saturday to the Belgrade studio. We could find no record as to when he stopped assisting Johnson or how long he worked on his own in Glenwood.

There is only one image in our collection with his name on it: