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  Anna Halvorson Interview, ca. 1977

  Anna Halvorson

  Anna Halvorson was 83 years old and spent all her life in Elbow Lake.

  In this interview, Anna discusses growing up on a farm, country school, early homemaking techniques, and her experiences as a teacher. She talks about her work with 4-H, a gift shop she owned, and quilt and drape making.

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  Ernie Hansen Interview, 1978

  Ernie Hansen

  Ernie Hansen was born in Ashby in the house in which he resided during the interview.

  In this interview, Ernie Hansen talks about the immigration of his parents from Denmark and his father's blacksmith occupation. His own occupation as a rural mail carrier for 46 years, the Depression in the Ashby area, and the Non-Partisan League are also briefly discussed.

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  Drucella Hodgson Nelson Interview, 1972

  Drucella Hodgson Nelson

  Drucella Hodgson Nelson was born in 1886 in Delaware Township. Her parents were Thomas C. Hodgson and Eliza Clegg Hodgson, who were both born on the Isle of Mann in the Irish Sea.

  In this interview, Drucella Hodgson Nelson talks about Bill Moses and his farm and how he started the county fair. She discusses the Moses "Big Farm" and its running water. She talks about General Barrett and how he discussed politics with her father. She discusses her father, Thomas C. Hodgson, and his university education at Hamline University and how he fought in the Civil War in the New Ulm raid. She also discusses her education, going to Elbow Lake High School and going to the University of Minnesota.

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  Carl M. Iverson Interview, 1973

  Carl M. Iverson

  Carl Iverson was born in 1894 in Ashby, Minnesota. He was a long-serving representative in the Minnesota Legislature (1919-1966). He served in the House (1919-30 and from 1939-1966) and the Senate (1931-1934). He was first elected as part of the Minnesota Nonpartisan League.

  In this interview, Carl Iverson discusses farming operations in 1868, the Pomme de Terre fort and station schooling, the Non-Partisan League, the organization of the Cooperative, the Farmer-Labor Party, the Depression, farm mortgages, dust storms, the State Legislature, state income tax, the University of Minnesota Morris, Medicare, no-fault insurance, probate court, the planned experimental city near Ashby, and farmer's holiday.

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  Carl M. Iverson Interview, 1978

  Carl M. Iverson

  Carl Iverson was born in 1894 in Ashby, Minnesota. He was a long-serving representative in the Minnesota Legislature (1919-1966). He served in the House (1919-30 and from 1939-1966) and the Senate (1931-1934). He was first elected as part of the Minnesota Nonpartisan League.

  In this interview, Carl Iverson discusses the Farmers Equity Exchange, the Grain Cooperative, Shipping Associations, Farmers Cooperative on a broader basis, and the Non-Partisan League

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  Albin Kling Interview, ca. 1976

  Albin Kling

  Albin Kling was 80 years old and he was born outside Hoffman. He is a steam engine enthusiast.

  In this interview, Albin Kling discusses the early days of steam-driven threshers. He discusses the community cooperation in threshing and the process involved in operating the machines. He also mentions the threshers and their fate during the scrap iron drive of World War II. Finally he stresses the future of steam powered farm equipment.

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  Kathryn Kohn Interview, 1975

  Kathryn Kohn

  Kathryn Kohn was born in Kiel, Germany on September 21, 1899. She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1907. Moving first to Luverne, she eventually settled in the Barrett area.

  In this interview, Kathryn talks of her early memories of Grant County, drawing some comparisons with life in Germany. The interview opens with her description of Theodore Roosevelt's speech in Luverne in 1912(?).

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  Rodney Koser Interview, 1975

  Rodney Koser

  Rodney Koser was born in 1929 and presently lives on a farm near Herman, Minnesota. He was a neighbor of the Helsene Prairie since 1941.

  In this interview, Rodney Koser talks about the prairie as private property, and as a part of the DNR Wetlands.

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  Frank Krafka Interview, ca. 1977

  Frank Krafka

  Frank Krafka was 77 years old and was born on September 20, 1900.

  In this interview, he talks about his 55 years of barbering in Barrett, the different machines he used and the different types of hair styles that have changed over the years.

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  Orrin Larson Interview, 1973

  Orrin Larson

  Orrin Larson was born in 1894 in Lien Township in Grant County to Herman Larson and Christianelle Anderson Larson.

  In this interview, Orrin Larson discusses working for Chris Rigg in Hancock, working for Ben Barlow in Barrett, and the jewelry business which he had operated since 1910 and was running still at the time of the interview. He discussed running the Herman Movie Theatre from 1920 to the time of the interview, and General Barrett and his sons.

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  Bill Larson Interview, 1974

  William C. Larson

  Bill Larson was born on January 27, 1891 at Chadwick, Michigan. His parents settled in Roseville Township in Grant County in 1894. He became a U.S. mail carrier for the Barrett area in May of 1909. 50 years later, he retired from the job.

  In this interview, Bill Larson talks about his experiences delivering mail in the county. He talks about the blizzard of 1894 and the fire of 1900 which destroyed almost all of the buildings in Barrett, Minnesota. He discusses all of the businesses and businessmen of Barrett for most of the tape.

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  Marcus Lee Interview, 1976

  Marcus Lee

  In this interview, Marcus Lee discusses his experiences as a soldier in the Army in World War II. He was a member of the Devil's Brigade, known as the daddy of the Green Berets. He mentions the countries his troop went through as well as the types of military projects he was involved in. He has lived in the Elbow Lake / Erdahl area all his life and works as a carpenter.

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  Richard Leunenberg Interview, ca. 1977

  Richard Leunenberg

  Richard Luenenberg was born at Niagara Falls in 1894 and was 82 years old. He moved with his family to Grant County to live closer to relatives.

  In this interview, Richard discusses living on a farm. He talks about some of his first experiences plowing. He talks about threshing and when he worked on a threshing crew. He discusses prices of agriculture crops during the Great Depression and the drought in the area. He talks about a Fourth of July celebration in 1909. He also worked for a few years in the city as a streetcar conductor before moving back to the farm.

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  Shag Mattson Interview, ca. 1977

  F. C. Mattson

  Shag Mattson was 77 years old and a lifetime Hoffman resident. He worked in a drugstore for a time.

  In this interview, Shag reflects on his time working in a drugstore. He relates his experiences from his career as a rural mail carrier. He discusses his role as a coordinator of the Senior Citizens Center and the creation of the Red Rock Golf Course.

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  Lars Mohagen Interview, ca. 1979

  Lars Mohagen

  Lars Mohagen was a lifetime resident of Elbow Lake and was 85 years old. He worked as a car salesman and repairman.

  In this interview, Lars talks about the types and prices of cars today compared with those in the past.

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  David Nordholm Interview, ca. 1977

  David Nordholm

  David Nordholm was 71 years old and was born in Wolverton, Minnesota. He moved to Elbow Lake in 1934 when he began working with the State Highway Department.

  In this interview, he discusses the country school he went to near Wolverton. He talks about driving the horse-drawn school bus and the differences between the school buses of his childhood compared to modern school buses. He talks about a blizzard in 1923 when he and the other children were stuck at the school for two nights. He talks about his first automobile and first tractor. He reminisces about being a farmer and farming potatoes. He talks about working at the Minnesota Highway Department from 1934-1973 and the state of the roads during that time. He mentions the problems with the dirt and gravel roads and their use and maintenance.

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  O.H. "Henning" Norreen Interview, ca. 1978

  O. H. Norreen

  Henning Norreen was 78 years old and was born near Herman, Minnesota. His parents were immigrants from Sweden.

  In this interview, Henning discusses country school, business college, tractors, and his Buick automobiles. He talks about blizzards, hunting and some of his activities including the town board, selective service board, and the telephone board.

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  Harold J. Olsen Interview, 1975

  Harold J. Olsen

  Harold Olsen was approximately 63 years old and was a butcher and resident of Hoffman for 38 years. He served as a City Councilman for six years.

  In this interview, he primarily discusses the changing responsibilities of government in Hoffman. He talks about World War II in Hoffman as well as the city government.

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  Henry Olson Interview, 1972

  Henry Olson

  Henry Olson was born in 1894 in the town of Pomme de Terre.

  In this interview, he discusses the village of Pomme de Terre and the businessmen that were once there. He also discusses the living descendants of the former residents of the village of Pomme de Terre.

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  Silas Olson Interview, ca. 1977

  Silas Olson

  Silas Olson was 74 years old and lived in Norcross. He talks about his grandparents and their immigration to the United States. He discusses his grandparents settlement in Norcross and relates how Norcross was named. He talks about his first car and riding in a car for the first time.

  He discusses his work on highway construction and talks about roads and snowplowing. He discusses his political involvement since his retirement, as he is mayor of Norcross.

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  Dr. Lillian Parson Interview, 1974

  Lillian Parson

  Dr. Lillian Parson was born on June 15, 1896 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She spent some time abroad, including school in Switzerland. She attended the University at Grand Forks and finished her medical schooling at the University of Illinois. She came to Elbow Lake in 1923 and was one of the first women doctors to practice in Grant County.

  In this interview, Dr. Parson discusses her personal and family background and her medical background and practice. In particular, she discusses her work on insulin for the treatment of diabetes, a diphtheria epidemic in Minnesota, maternity services she provided, and various accidents and incidents she helped treat. She also discusses general life in Elbow Lake, Minnesota.

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  Philip Peterson Interview, ca. 1979

  Philip Peterson

  Philip Peterson was born in Grant County in 1905 and grew up in Elbow Lake, though lived in Grant County for most of his life. He was 74 years old at the time of the interview. He helped organize and run a radio station in Barrett, Minnesota called KGDE in the late 1920s. The station was at Barrett for three years and then moved to Fergus Falls.

  In this interview, Philip Peterson talks about the radio industry, his interest in radio, and KGDE.

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  Dayle Ray Interview, ca. 1977

  Dayle Ray

  Dayle Ray was 61 years old and born near Barrett. He then moved into the town of Barrett in 1961. Dayle Ray was the postmaster in Barrett, Minnesota and wrote a history of Barrett.

  In this interview, he discusses writing the history of Barrett. He talks about the radio station in Barrett, which was one of the earliest radio stations in the area. He talks about the history of the Barrett Ice Works and how the ice plant worked. He explains the Barrett Runestone. He discusses the Old Settlers Reunion in Barrett, Minnesota, which is an annual event.

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  Arthur Sand Interview, 1974

  Arthur Sand

  In this interview, Arthur Sand discusses the Non-Partisan Party and Farmer Labor Party in depth. He also discusses how the Depression affected the parties and their relation to the Democratic Party. Also, he briefly discusses local reactions to current issues such as: the model city near Evansville, gun control, and taxes. The interview closes with references to the development of Wendell.

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  Art Sand Interview, ca. 1979

  Arthur Sand

  Art Sand was 77 years old and lived in Wendell. His grandparents came from Norway and settled in Grant County. He had an active political interest and was mayor of Wendell twice. He farmed for a few years and then worked as a car salesman, ran a general store, and was a director of the bank and had a real estate license at the time of the interview.

  In this interview, Art discusses his political activity and some of the issues in Wendell when he was mayor. He talks about meeting Hubert Humphrey. He discusses his time as a car salesmen and the cost of cars at that time. He talks about his general store and what they sold. He discusses the bank he directed. He discusses the fraternal organizations he was member of, and his trip to Norway.