HISTORY

Home houses rich history, memories; award honors owners

Larry and Jenny Hennemann bought the big house at 558 E. Maple St. 37 years ago. They saw the rental property as a place for their growing family to call home.

By Debbie Griffin , May 21, 2012

Census indexing party May 22 at RFPL

One month since the release of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census, the Community Indexing Project has announced that over 41 million census records have been indexed by over 101,000 volunteer indexers and arbitrators.

May 18, 2012

Days Gone By 1972

In 1972 these Scouts were presented special awards: front, from left: Tom Emholtz (merit badges for cooking and home repairs); Rick Boucher and Jeff Duven (promoted to first class). Tenderfoot awards went to back row, from left: Charles Erickson, Dan Rasmussen, Mark Helmer, Gregg Thompson, Dewayne Hildebrandt and Danny Dusek. 1972 Journal file photo.

By Pat Hunter, archivist , April 27, 2012

My distinguished forebear left a tantalizing trail

For years I’ve been fascinated with my great uncle, Jim Wood.

By Dave Wood, columnist , April 27, 2012

Relive history through Civil War enactor

The seven-member UW-River Falls History Club soon welcomes to its campus Civil War expert and re-enactor Bill Foley, from Columbus, Ohio, for a free and open-to-the-public event that will give people insight into the ‘life and times’ of soldiers and other people during the Civil War.

By Debbie Griffin , April 16, 2012

Days Gone By (April 12, 2012)

10 YEARS AGO, APRIL 11, 2002 In city politics, Eric Amundsen was newly-elected mayor, along with new or relatively new council members: Tom Caflisch, Tom Parent, Carol Robinson, Emily Ronning and Rick Vogel.

By Pat Hunter, archivist , April 14, 2012

Census indexing party planned April 24 in River Falls

The 1940 U.S. Federal Census images were released on April 2, 72 years after the census was taken.

April 12, 2012

Days Gone By

Special recognition was given to eight boys who took part in the 1972 winter hockey program — front row, from left: Tom Florer, most improved player with the Pee Wees; Gary Nelson, most valuable player who had a total of 19 points playing with the Pee Wees; scoring leader (25) Bob Harp, also with the Pee Wee team, and David Goodrich, who was given a trophy for being named the most improved player with the Bantams. Second row: Pete Westberg was the scoring leader and also judged the most valuable player with the Midgets; Craig Nelson, most points (22) for the Bantams; Brian Gay, most improved for the Midgets and Jim McCutcheon, most valuable player for the Bantams.

By Pat Hunter, archivist , April 05, 2012

Brick by brick: Facade reverts to original look

The scaffolding attached to the building at 100 S. Main St. in River Falls signifies major work happening to the historic structure — essentially a facelift that will leave it looking fresher and newer, yet more like it did when it was built more than 135 years ago.

By Debbie Griffin , April 05, 2012

Officials celebrate public health week

Nurses with the St. Croix County Public Health Department support the nationwide movement toward “a healthier America” during their commemoration of National Public Health week, April 2-8.

April 04, 2012

Old meets new: Grandfather clock makes new home at City Hall

Modern design, green building and an 1890s grandfather clock -- all features of City Hall.

By Jillian Dexheimer , April 02, 2012

Days Gone By (March 29, 2012)

10 YEARS AGO, MARCH 21, 2002 “Buy a brick and save a smokestack” was the theme of Jeanne Zirbel’s third grade Westside class as they continued to raise money to buy a plaque dedicating the smokestack as a local historical marker. The smokestack will be renovated as the last remaining structure tying to the flour milling industry. Engraved bricks were being sold to create a walkway from Winter Street to the landmark near the power plant.

By Pat Hunter, archivist , March 29, 2012

Woodworking: Long, long ago: How the show went on, small town by small town

I recently had the pleasure of being a judge on a panel that read the entries submitted in the River Falls Reads essay contest. I enjoyed every one of them.

By Dave Wood, columnist , March 29, 2012

Days Gone By

Ten years ago on Feb. 2, 2002, Shannon Hills and firefighter “Sketch” Gustafson tied the knot at the River Falls Fire Hall in front of truck #7. This truck also happened to be Sketch’s “proposal” site. St. Croix County Court Judge Ed Vlack performed the honors and the wedding party included, from left: Faye Holland and Sherry Finch, Shannon, Sketch, Matt Knott and Bill Dravis. According to Dravis, Fire Chief Tom Foley’s marriage on a fire truck in Glen Park is the only other time fire trucks were involved in wedding vows.

By Pat Hunter, archivist , March 15, 2012

Woodworking: Gone but not forgotten; the memory lives on

A Journal reader named Art Dolan phoned the other day and had a message for all of us, said I should remind other Journal readers, too, so here goes.

By Dave Wood, columnist , March 15, 2012