Title
Ben Bengston Interview, ca. 1978
Files
Download Ben Bengston Interview Transcript (211 KB)
Document Type
Book
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Interviewer
Lee Tempte
Interviewee
Ben Bengston
Date Recorded
1978
Date Digital
7-29-2020
County
Stevens County
Keywords
Sod houses--North Dakota; Agriculture--Minnesota; Farm life--Minnesota; Agricultural machinery--Minnesota; Rural schools--Minnesota; Threshing--Minnesota; United States. Navy; Nicaragua--20th century; Ottertail Power Company (Firm); Electric industry workers--Minnesota; Farmers--Minnesota; Minnesota. State Board of Electricity; Carpentry
Description
Ben Bengston was born in North Dakota and later moved to Minnesota. He was 90 years old and lived in Morris at the time of the interview. He worked as a farmer with his father, and then joined the U.S. Navy before World War I. He did line work for Ottertail Power Company, then worked as a farmer again, and worked for the state on the State Board of Electricity. After retiring, he did some carpentry work.
In this interview, he discusses growing up in a sod house. He discusses farming and threshing techniques. He talks about going to a rural school near Canby, Minnesota. He discusses his time in U.S. Navy in Nicaragua. He mentions his time working for Ottertail Power Company, and includes a time when he was almost injured in an accident.
Run Time
00:10:08
Language
English
Original Format
Reel-to-Reel
Digital Identifier
KMRSBengston01
Repository
West Central Minnesota Historical Research Center (WCMHRC)
Local Identifier
1019
Recommended Citation
Bengston, Ben, "Ben Bengston Interview, ca. 1978" (1978). Reminiscing in West Central Minnesota (KMRS Feature). 135.
https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/kmrs/135
Primo Type
Audio
Notes
The digitization and transcription of this oral history was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Committee.