Swatara Plat Map
Methodist Church Records
Photographs of the area
"The Old Swatara School" by Stacy Vellas
Swatara Telephone Exchange, 1933
Excerpt From "Beyond The Circle"
Historical Vignet from the Aitkin Age Newspaper
Swatara, My Home Town

SWATARA PLAT MAP
Courtesy of Ron

METHODIST CHURCH RECORDS

Pastors 1929-1974
Recorded in 2002 by Stacy Vellas

MARRIAGE RECORDS 1911-1971

Dates after 1930 are listed as "Private"
For complete dates, Contact Stacy

Names	Date	Minister
Conrad Angermo & Fannie Gorsuch	16 May 1925	Arthur Cartwright
Cary Arnold & Joan Gobel	private	Forest Pierce
David Ashton & Joanne Biskey	private	Arthur Heath
William Bailey & Lorna Johnson	private	Richard Stokey
James Baty & Della Baldwin	14 June 1926	Arthur Cartwright
David Benson & Elaine Ellis	private	Thomas Brennan
Charles Boyette & Marcia Huff	private	Thomas Brennan
Thomas Bardner & Susan Sydnes	private	Thomas Brennan
Thomas Earle DeWolfe & Cheryl Rae Bailey	private	John White
Russell Raymond Ellis & Judy Lynn Siebert	private	John White
Glen Gillson & Gladys Slyter	No date given	Elsie Hartman
John Hansen & Doris Dropps	private	James Dowler
Gene Hawk & Carla Holm	private	James Dowler
Melvin Holm & Delores McNeil	private	Forest Pierce
James Huff & Margaret Ellis	private	Thomas Brennan
Clarence Kingsley & Delores Amundson	private	Richard Stokey
Merle Kingsley & Joan Nelson	private	Richard Stokey
Charles Klennert & Irene Klennert	private	James Dowler
Larry Ernest Klennert & Jane Marie Banes	private	John White
Richard Laatt & Kathleen Biskey	private	James Dowler
Harold Luisruent & Shirley Randle	private	James Dowler
Emmett Mather & Edith Schindele	private	James Dowler
William Neary & Kathleen McNeil	private	Thomas Grennan
Duane Olds & Juanita Clark	private	Elsie Hartman
Patrick O'Brien & Judith Heinz	private	Thomas Brennan
Roy Robertson & Sylvia Randle	private	Elsie Hartman
Louis Roderick & Elizabeth McAninch	13 June 1911	Gilchrist
Walter Randle & Ruth Chord	private	James Dowler
Ralph Thurlby & LaDonna Huff	private	Richard Stokey
Lyle Russell Ward & Karen Lee Wagner	private	John White

Main Street, Swatara, Minnesota ~ 1947
Contributed by Stacy Vellas

On the left is the Trepanier & Jewett Store, next is the Hotel
On the right is Old's Cafe, then the Post Office
In the distance is the spire of the Methodist Church

Swatara, Minnesota
Photograph by Evelyn Hilton

THE OLD SWATARA SCHOOL
by Stacy Vellas
copyright 1993

As a child growing up, the Swatara School was the center of my life. It was the center of everyone's life who lived in the small town of Swatara. A few hundred people lived in the Swatara District and each family had five to eight children who attended the big school on the hill. Everything is built on a hill in Minnesota.

We were fairly well isolated on our Minnesota farm seven miles from town, especially during the winter when the snow was knee deep and the lake was frozen over in ice. We were three quarters of a mile from the main road on my Grandfather's homestead that he had taken out in 1901. The snowplow kept the main road cleared for the bus and people traveling from Swatara to Outing. But the snow on our country road was over two feet deep and we had no equipment to plow the snow and Daddy could not get the car out to the main road during the winter to go to town. We were snowed in until spring. What we needed from town I had to bring home on the school bus.

The Vellas Homestead ~ This is our log house covered with tar paper to keep out those strong north winds in 1938.

Pictured: Walter Cummings, a manager at Montgomery Wards in St. Paul
(We sold strawberry plants through his office)
Stacy Vellas 11, holding Louise Vellas 1, Connie Vellas 8, Rose Vellas 6

Of course, we only needed a very few things from town. Our cellar had long storage shelves stocked with canned quart jars of homegrown green beans, corn, peas and strawberries from the garden. Sacks of potatoes, rutabagas and cabbages stacked high on the opposite side of the cellar, we children had helped pick and prepare for winter. There were blueberries from the patch on the hill above Third Guide Lake that we gathered in the fall when they ripened and Mama had canned. Sometimes bears would be there across the berry patch eating berries while we picked our share.

Daddy was a hunter from necessity. Outside, a short distance from the house hung a nice fat deer from a spruce tree, skinned and dressed. We always had venison, fresh in the winter and canned in the summer. We were told from an early age never to tell that Daddy had shot a deer or the game warden would come and take Daddy to jail. So when Daddy would load his gun, sling it over his shoulder and take off into the woods, we knew in the morning we'd have to go and help carry the meat home. And that was a tough job for a kid.

Sometimes other kids would come to school and say, "My dad got a deer last night." I'd say, "You aren't supposed to tell!" I was shocked. We never told!

Daddy was also a seasonal trapper. He would set out maybe forty traps and line them up and mark the trail so he could find his traps on the next trip. Often it would snow in between the times he checked his trap lines and he could only find the trail by looking for the branches he had broken for a guide. When he set traps for raccoons he put the trap in running water and hung a piece of meat above it on a branch. When the coon reached for the meat he would step in the trap. Daddy trapped mink, muskrat and raccoons. Sometimes he would take me along on his trap lines. I loved going with Daddy. We had such fun. We would ski single file along the trail through the trees and along the river checking each trap on the way, picking up the animals that were unfortunate enough to think they had found a free meal.

I learned to skin the mink, the muskrat and the weasel (ermine) used in making fine furs coats for rich ladies in the cities. Connie and I trapped the weasels.

During summer, Daddy raised strawberries. Early in the spring we would dig up the young plants count them in bunches of twelve, tie them with a string for Daddy. He would fill the orders for Montgomery Ward and ship them directly to the buyer. In 1937, Daddy made a deal with Walter Cummings, head of a department at Montgomery ward to fill their orders for young strawberry plants. Then he began to make a lot more money.

Later when the strawberries ripened, we would pick the large red berries and pack them in quart boxes. Then Daddy would drive to the nearby towns of Remer and Walker west of Swatara and my brother and I would go from door to door and ask people if they'd like to buy a box of strawberries for ten cents. This was very humiliating for me, but my dad came from Greece, a country where peddling was an honorable profession. People were glad to buy the strawberries. This and the furs was the extent of our income for several years. Connie said it didn't bother him to peddle strawberries then but it would bother him to do it now. I'm just the opposite, it wouldn't bother me now to peddle door to door.

Daddy kept all of his money in a glass jar in the cellar. In the middle of the house Daddy had cut a door in the floor that led down into the cellar. To open it you had to lift the door in the floor and lay it back on its hinges. There was a ladder that had about six steps to walk down to the dirt floor at the bottom. Near the ladder Daddy had dug out a round hole in the wall of the dirt banking, and put in a quart jar with all of his money. Then he stuffed in a rag to hide the jar and covered the hole with dirt so it wouldn't be noticed. He never carried more than about ten dollars on him. If you said you had money you could be robbed. People were pretty desperate during the depression. When he needed cash he would go down in the cellar, take the fruit jar from its hiding place and take out the money he needed. He usually had about a hundred dollars in there. He had been through the depression and he didn't trust banks. We kids knew where his money was, it wasn't a secret, but we never touched the money.

Just before school began, Mama would get out the new print cloth she had ordered from Montgomery Wards, wash up all the flour sacks on hand and make us new school clothes. She'd sit down at her old Singer treadle sewing machine and the treadle rocked back and forth as the needle flew up and down the seams. Soon there were brand new dresses for us girls and shirts for my brother. The flour sacks she had washed and saved were turned into nice crisp underwear for us girls to wear to school. They were kind of rough at first, but after a few washings with lye soap, the cloth began to soften up.

Mama sent away to Sears or Wards for our dress material that we chose from the catalog. She also sent away for our ready-made snowsuits, coats and shoes.

One year she ordered our shoes from Sears Roebuck. When I tried on my shoes, they were too small, but I didn't want to send them back. So I told Mama they fit just right. That was the worst decision I ever made in my life, because my feet hurt all winter. They were so tight they curled my last three toes back under and I still have a problem today.

The Swatara School was the center of our social life for most of the year. Before I started school my only friends were my brother, my sister and my cousins, the Berg kids. We lived back in the woods and seldom went to town. So the only kids we met were my cousins or Daddy's friends, which were few.

It was in school where I met my best friend, Marcella Wilcowski, and we were forever friends throughout our school days at the Swatara School. She lived about two and a half miles from our place on the bus route.

At home, my brother, Connie, my sister Rose and I had a hundred and sixty acres, a boat and all summer to explore. When the crops were in and the canning done in the fall it was time to go back to school.

Then everything changed. Winter mornings, we would be up and dressed before daylight. Mama always got up first. If it was cold she lit the fire in the big barrel heater in the bedroom. Then she lit a fire in the cook stove to make breakfast. At the same time the reservoir, built into the stove, was heating water to wash dishes after breakfast. She fixed a hot breakfast of steaming oatmeal or farina and served it with the rich milk from Bossy, our Guernsey milk cow. From the warming oven she would take out hot buns and spread them with thick strawberry jam she had canned the summer before. Our school lunches were either peanut butter or jelly.

I was five when I entered first grade in the fall of 1933. I was told to walk to the mailbox and catch the bus. I walked the three-quarters of a mile to the main road to catch the school bus every day by myself. No one asked, "Can you do it?" "Are you Scared?" "Do you want me to go with you."

I don't remember being scared. I had roamed the local woods around the house and walked to the main road for over two years. Seldom did we see other people except when we went to town.

When winter came I had to ski to the Main Road, hide my skis in the woods and get on the bus. When the bus brought me back, I would pick up my skis and ski on home. I could ski home in less than half the time it took to walk.

In the fall, when I was in the third grade, before my brother started school, there was a porcupine that waited in the road by the big rock. He was there every day when I came home from school. I would throw rocks and yell at him with my nine-year old lungs. He would just stand there and look at me as I threw my tantrum. I had to wait until he decided to cross the road and go off into the woods in his own good time before I dared go on home. I was terrified. I couldn't go around him. There was a fence on one side and bushes along the swamp on the other. It seemed to take him forever to decide to stop torturing me and to leave.

My parents had warned us that if a "porcupine" slapped you with his tail the quills would go in real deep. After all our dog Pal had come home with quills and I had seen Daddy pull them out with pliers while Pal whined and pawed at his nose.

Roger McNeil, the bus driver gathered up the kids from the Shovel Lake area and then swung the school bus south and picked up the kids for five miles along the main road to Outing until he got to our place. We were the last to get on the bus next to the Cass County Line. I'd get in and sit in the seat with Marcella my special friend and we would visit all the way to school.

Roger McNeil didn't like having to go the extra three miles past the last farm to pick up the Vellas kids. Once I didn't get out of class on time and I missed the bus. When he discovered I wasn't there he had to come all the way back to the school get me and was he mad! "Make sure you get out to the bus on time," he told me. "Next time your parents will have to come and get you." I wasn't late again, but I knew it was his job to see that I got home.

Marcella and I were good friends for the eight years we attended Swatara School. The Wilcowski farm was about three miles down the road from us on McKinney Lake. Sometimes I walked to her house to play. Other times she visited at our house. She said she had "Saint Vitus' Dance" which I think was the name for Polio. But, I could never see anything wrong with her.

Marcella's family planted a garden and her dad worked all year on the WPA crew, which meant they had more money than we did. He made thirty dollars a month so they could afford to buy real butter. Sometimes Marcella brought butter sandwiches for lunch and if mine was jelly that day I'd exchange one of my jelly sides for one of her butter sides and we'd each have a home made bread, butter and jelly sandwich. All farm mothers in that day made bread at home.

Another classmate, Betty Cook was an only child and she had a banana for lunch every day. I envied here that banana. I said, "When I grow up I'm going to buy all the bananas I can eat." And I did.

All winter on the farm, my parents were snowed in. The snowplow opened the county road from Swatara to Outing, but our road to the farm was impassable all winter. The only way to town in the winter was to walk out to the main road and catch a ride or walk the seven miles.

Since my parents could not get to town, as the eldest, I was expected to walk down the hill to Trepanier's Store in Swatara, buy groceries and bring them home on the bus in the afternoon. We only needed a few things from town, like sugar, lard, or peanut butter.

On those days I quickly ate my lunch, put on my coat and walked down the hill to Trepanier's Store. I gave George Trepanier the list at the front counter and he walked around the store picking up the few groceries we needed. He wrote them on a pad and charged them to the Vellas Account. (George was a Frenchman. His father, Frank, had migrated from Canada to Minnesota.)

When he finished gathering the groceries and setting them on the counter in front of me and was adding up our bill, I said, "I'd like that piece of penny candy." Pointing to the one I wanted in the large glass case next to the cash register.

Knowing how tight my dad was with money, George Trepanier would ask, "Did your dad say you could buy candy?"

I knew it was wrong. I did. I did. But, I looked him right in the eye and lied, "Yes, Daddy said if I brought home the groceries I could have a penny candy."

I must have been convincing, because he slid back the glass doors and reached into the big glass case below the cash register and picked out the penny candy I had chosen and handed it to me across the counter. On the way returning to school I walked slowly back up the hill savoring each lick, each bite on that candy. This worked so well I did it many times. I never did get caught, which is surprising, as close with money as we were.

The Swatara School was a monument to our town. Built to last forever, it stood as a beacon on the hill overlooking the small town of Swatara in northern Minnesota. (Built in 1921 for $80,000)

In winter, when we arrived at school the building was always warm with heat coming from the radiators under the windows generated by the big furnace in the basement. On the east side of the school there were four-foot lengths of cordwood stacked in long rows.

Inside there was a long hall with shiny hardwood floors and huge doors that opened into classrooms on the east side. The auditorium was on the opposite side. There were stairs on each end of the hall ascending to the upper level. And, best of all, in the bathroom there were two sinks to wash your hands, and toilets that flushed when you stood up, a big change from the outhouse on the farm.

Our teachers were very special people and well respected in the community. We were under their care while we were away from home. We obeyed them because it was expected. Most of us were backwoods kids and very shy. I would never have done anything to make my teacher angry with me. I don't remember any teacher ever being cross.

One year it was so cold waiting for the bus my toes were frostbitten before I got to school. It was very painful and I was crying. My teacher took off my socks and shoes and soaked my feet in cold water until they stopped hurting and returned to normal.

When I was ten, a boy in my class went to the hospital to have his appendix removed. The class wrote him letters and we told him how we missed him. I asked one of the other kids which side the appendix was on and I was told it was the left side. Well, that year I began having attacks of appendicitis. I had terrible pains on my left side. My mother took me to the doctor. He said I had to have an operation. They took me to Brainerd.

But, after the operation the incision was on my right side not my left. I don't know if I really had appendicitis or if I was just faking. I bet my doctor got a big surprise when he cut me open. I think I just wanted the class to write me letters. Then, to top it off, the letters I had gone through so much for came. When? AFTER I got home from the hospital.

Christmas was always a special time at the Swatara School. Each child had a costume and a part in the Christmas play. There was always candy and lots of good things to eat. I especially loved the German cookies Mrs. Gressons made. One Christmas when all the children were in the Christmas play the principal sent the bus out to pick up the snowed in kids and their parents. My mother bundled us all up and our whole family went to the Christmas play. Even the bus ride was wonderful. The bus was warm and Mama brought quilts to put around us and we snuggled up together. Every time the bus stopped the lights went on and my parents greeted the other families that got on the bus. We sat near the front and I could see the headlights on the snow-covered roads. Piled up on the side of the road were huge drifts the snowplow had made for the bus to get through.

One year Mama asked Mrs. Gressens to make a batch of her special German cookies for us. When it came time to pay for them, Daddy said he'd give her cabbage in exchange. She did not like that one bit, but she finally took them. She didn't like us after that. Nor after we lied and kept her pet raccoon.

Walter and Marian Cummings would come up for hunting season in the fall and Daddy would take Walter out to hunt ducks and later he helped him get his deer in deer season. Then at Christmas time the Cummings would send us each of us kids a gift for Christmas and a big box of second hand clothes.

Our teachers were young and pretty. I think I remember most that they were always smiling and happy but serious. I was never scolded by a teacher. I was very shy and well behaved though inside I was screaming to get out and go play on the swings.

One of my teachers taught me to tap dance, which I'll do anywhere, anytime, if I'm asked. Another teacher taught me the "Minnesota State Song" and I have yet to find a fellow Minnesotan to sing it with me! But I try. Anywhere I see a vehicle with a Minnesota license I ask them to sing the State Song with me and give them a copy. One year a teacher started a band and I decided I'd play the harmonica. We all lined up in chairs on the stage. I sat up there on stage with everyone else and played along with the band, but I had no idea how to play the thing. But no one ever said anything. The kid next to me just kinda looked at me.

When I became a teacher, at age forty-five I taught the students in my class the "California State Song" because a teacher cared enough to teach me. I felt it was very important because my state song meant so much to me. I always had special things for my kids to do so they wouldn't have to stare at a clock for hours on end ~ stations where they could play games, read, play the organ or make things. I taught some of my kids tap dancing and I tried to teach the harmonica to others using a book and a tape. And we sang the songs of my youth and songs of history just for the joy of it.

When I was ten, one of my teachers had us memorize and recite poems. Then she said we could write our own poem and recite it to the class.

Well, I liked that idea, but as hard as I tried I couldn't write a poem. So, I asked my aunt, Elsie Berg, a poet, to write one for me. She wrote one about fairies and I proudly read it to the class as my own. But I never felt right about that deed of plagiarism. After that, because of my love for poetry (and partly out of guilt), I began writing my own poems and have continued writing poetry ever since.

I loved when recess came, I would run out the door to be first to the swings on the north side of the school. I could stand up and pump or I could sit and pump my swing up until I was so high I could see all the town of Swatara.

From my swing I had a wonderful view. I could look down on the roofs of the houses along the street just below the school grounds. Swinging higher and higher I would recite the poem by Robert Lewis Stevenson.

"How do you like to go up in the swing...
Up in the air so blue,
Oh I do think it's the pleasantness thing
Ever a child could do."

and end with

"'Til I look down on the grass so green
Down on the roofs so brown.
Up in the air I go flying again
Up in the air and down."

As I looked down on the roofs of town from my swing on the hill, I'd thrill just to be alone with my poem. And of course, this joy I shared with my own class when I became a teacher, standing in the door of my classroom watching the kids who had learned the poem swing while the rest of the class was still memorizing the poem.

The year I was eleven the school began the first "hot lunch" program. Two women, who had been hired as cooks would cook all morning while we were in class. Delicious aromas drifted up to us while we studied. At noon we picked up our lunch pails and went to the cafeteria for lunch. Long tables and benches were set up in the auditorium. The ladies brought us each a big steaming bowl of soup and we'd take out our sandwiches and eat them with our soup. My dad brought in cabbages and rutabagas from our cellar to pay for our share.

The winter I was twelve I got up one morning, pulled on my long stockings over my underwear that came down to my ankles and slipped on my coat over my slip before I dressed because it was so cold and went to eat breakfast. After breakfast, I put on my overshoes to keep out the snow and walked to the bus stop. When I got to school I went to the cloakroom and took off my coat. I looked down to find I was dressed only in my slip. I had forgotten to put on my dress! I had to wear my coat all day and even though it was thirty degrees below zero outside it was one of the hottest days I'd ever spent at school. After that I made sure I put on my dress before I ate breakfast.

When I was thirteen, two of our special teachers, Joe Knapp and Miss Kenny got married. They were neat people and we dearly loved them. We felt very close to them.

As soon as people found out they were married, that evening some of the people in town decided to give them a "shivaree". Connie and I were among the kids invited to go along. We walked along the railroad track for about a mile out to their house taking sticks and pans along to pound on to make a lot of noise.

The "Shivaree" custom was for people to gather at the house of a newlywed and make a lot of noise until the couple let them in and gave them hot cocoa or cake and coffee.

We made so much noise along the way that Joe and Sarah heard us coming and ran out and hid in the barn. We knocked and knocked on the door to the house but no one answered. Then we started looking around and finally Connie discovered them hiding in the haymow. Then, according to tradition they had to treat us. So they walked back to town with us and bought each of us an ice cream cone at the store.

The last day of school was always an exciting time. There were long tables set up in the auditorium. The parents of each child brought in huge bowls of salad, large roasts, big pans of chicken or something from their gardens. Some brought cakes or pies, all homemade from scratch and simply delicious. It was wonderful. We would line up and fill our plate and then sit will our friends and eat.

Outside there were games and races going on. Parents came and sat around and visited while the teachers took the kids outside and participated in the activities. Everyone had a great time. By the end of the day, after saying our good-byes for the summer, we were tired and ready to go home. This was the last time that we would see most of our friends until fall. People only drove to town when it was necessary. Then if they had time they would stop and visit relatives or friends.

Daddy had a few friends he liked. Sometimes he would visit Tom Jamme who lived in Hay Point. Daddy knew him from the early years. On his way to Aitkin, or to the County Seat, Daddy would stop by and visit with Charley Dares who had a bar, dance hall and grocery story on the Bain Corner. He and Charley came to Minnesota from New York together in 1920 and Charley was a Greek, same as Daddy.

Daddy and Mama both knew and liked the Schindles. Sometimes in the summer they would stop by and visit them and we got to know their kids. But mostly we would visit Aunt Elsie and Uncle Fred Berg. We enjoyed our cousins and loved going to their farm and playing in their big red barn. They lived five miles north of Swatara and went to School in Hill City so we didn't get to go to school with them or see them until summer came around.

My school was so strong. Built of brick and stone, I knew it would last forever on the hill overlooking the town of Swatara. How I loved that old school. The town was also proud of that school. Town meetings were held there. Dances held for the young and old alike.

Then in the spring of 1993, my sister Rose and I decided to return to our hometown of Swatara Minnesota, after fifty years, and visit our old home, seven miles west of town, once my grandfather's homestead. I bought a tent trailer and Rose and I set out in the early part of June for Minnesota.

We camped at my cousin's place in Grand Rapids and set out for Swatara in my 4X4 Toyota truck. The main road from Highway 169 into Swatara is paved now, but the country roads including Old Highway 35, the road passing the school, are still gravel.

It was starting to rain as we pulled into Swatara and drove up the hill from Trepanier's Store and stopped across the road from the school. We just sat there in awe, gazing at our old school in all of it's splendor. It was there just as it was when we left for California the winter of '44. We drank in the site so awed with its splendor.

"Could we go in?" Rose asked me, "Do you think they'd let us?"

"Of course, we can, it's a public school. They can only tell us to leave," I told her. As a teacher I knew I could just walk into any school and say, "I'd like to visit your school."

Just then, as we watched, one of the doors at the back of the school swung out, then back. We couldn't believe our eyes. We were shocked silent. We just looked at each other. The school was deserted! We sat there for a while not believing what we saw. It was so saddening. Then I drove on up the hill and pulled in behind the school. I parked near the back entrance and we got out.

As we approached the building we saw the back door hung by one bent hinge and the glass was broken. Part of the frame had come loose. We stepped over the broken glass to enter the downstairs hall.

It was still raining as we entered the building. In the hall the hardwood floors were buckling up from the rain that came through the open trap door in the roof and the broken windows.

In the room that had been the library the shelves were tipped over and left lying on the floor. All the books had been removed. As we climbed the stairs to the upper room, I ran my hand along the beautiful hardwood banisters, still intact; still as beautiful as they had been fifty years ago.

Upstairs where I went to school in 6th, 7th and 8th grades old school books, left behind, lay on the floor getting wet from the slow drizzling rain.

Outside the swings were gone and tall, unmown grass grew where the playground used to be. All around the building from the street to the place where the bus barn used to be was covered with tall grass. It was deathly still. As I walked back to my truck I noticed the sign over the back door that still said, "Consolidated School". But, the school, that once had been the center of my life, was now left to the elements. All that is left are my memories. I wrote this poem with my unshed tears.

"THE OLD SWATARA SCHOOL"
Poem by Stacy Vellas
copyright 1993



Clad in brick and stone
It stands alone
Where I once learned the golden rule.
Now the waving grass
And the broken glass
Marks the end of the Swatara School.

The broken panes
Let in the rains
And the wind whips down the hall.
The swings are gone
I once played on
But, the chimney stands straight and tall.

No one cares
To climb the stairs
Up ~ Up ~ to the upper room.
The doors swing wide
But, it's empty inside
And Joe Knapp and Miss Kenny are gone.

For the years gone by
I want to cry
As I walk through each empty room.
But tears won't heal
The loss I feel
At the plight of the Swatara School.

copyright 1993 Anastasia Vellas

I found George Trepanier and Mrs. Gressens in the Macville Cemetery where I went to visit my grandpa, George Harrington. There, too, on the hill, was the boy who rejected my first crush, Laurence Earl Gobel. He died in a car wreck at age twenty-three.

Robert Knapp said Joe and Sarah now live in Stewartville, Minnesota. And Marcella, my forever friend, died at the age of seventeen from carbon monoxide poisoning, a year after I left for California. She was only seventeen. I found her grave in Grand Rapids.

But Helen Bailey and Karen Nelson, now grandmothers, were there to greet me
Contact Stacy

SWATARA TELEPHONE EXCHANGE
Swatara, Minn. 1933
contributed by Stacy Vellas

-A- Angermo, Conrad 703 -B- Baty, Glenn 607 Bishop, Frank 903 Biskey, John 617 Bock, Henry 510 Bottinean, Francis 508 Boyd, Mrs. Grace 2007 Burke, Henry 507 -C- Carlson, Chas. 1023 Chenvert, A. P. 1019 Chenvert, Frank 506 Clayton, Fred 212 -D- Dixon. Charles 1906 Droppe, Mike 1005 -F- Fetherkile, John 315 First State Bank 401 Fixmer, Geo. 1412 -G- Geisdnrf, Fred Blacksmith 1510 Gorsuch, John 710 Gresson, Ed. 1904 Grulke, Walter 223 Gulden, John 1909 -H- Halstead Fred 614 Hansen, Chas. 201 Harrington Newlon 1912 Heath, E. E. res. 2003 Heath Bros. Store 1601 Heath, A. A. res. 2006 Horsewood, Chas. 1901 -K- Kennedy, W. S. 609 Kenser, Lloyd 520 Klennert, Ernest 1713 Krause, Albert 518 -L- Lidman, Lennert 1003 Lundgren, Harold 517 -M- Manning, Joe 511 McAnnich, Ira 906 McAnnich, L. 0. 1406 MeClain, Otis 509 McNeal, Ralph 1703 McPheeters, R. 1413 Meechan, Emerson 521 Meechan, Geo. 504 Megarry Bros. Store 1523 Morrison Lake Lodge 513 -N- Nelson Bros. Garage 2009 Nelson, F. C. 616 Nickelson, G. 801 -O- O'Konek, J. E. 1203 O'Konek, L. 713 Olds, Frank, Jr. 1007 Olds Restaurant 803 Olds, Ralph 1016 -R- Ramey, A. B. 1903 Richards, J. F. 1706 Rutter, Lee 208 Ryden, Gunder 1410 -S- Secrist, Wm. 515 Seymour, Rose 812 Shaffer, Elmer 512 Swatara School 2001 -T- Thomas, J. 1918 -V- Vedder, Elbert 216 -W- Ward, Wm. 215 Wenker, S. C. 608 Winegarner, Wm. 219 Wilcowski, Wm. 1907 -Z- Zealand, F. E. Store 2015

"BOYDVILLE BECOMES SWATARA"

Excerpt from "Beyond the Circle"
by Leo Trunt

Published with Permission of the Author
Transcribed by Karen Klennert
For Purchasing Information, Contact Leo Trunt

Very little is known about the inhabitants of the Swatara area before white settlers came. The U. S. government surveyors make note of Indian activity around Moose Lake and the presence of a trail that the Indians used in their travels. The trail basically went north and south from Aitkin to Hill Lake and on to Pokegama Lake. Early accounts of just who these Indian families were and how long they had been living there are conflicting. Some infer that they had always been there and others say they had recently moved in. One account is recorded as: "Just below the Spur lived the Chippewa Indians, most of them relatives and descendants of Tom Skinaway. Many are under the impression they were the first people up here, but not so. These Indians moved in after Boyd had his ranch and were hired to cut hay for him to be used in his logging operations. He brought them up from Mille Lacs Lake Reservation. They set up their teepees among the birch trees there. The men cut hay from surrounding meadows with scythes and slid the hay on two poles into stacks. They must have done a satisfactory job as they were there many years. Another reason they came was the plentiful supply of birch bark available that they used in making canoes. The women were the ones most adept at this and they made quite a few each year. They were well made and were sold at fairly good prices. Mrs. Tom Skinaway was widely known for her knowledge of a dozen different kinds of herbs and roots that she collected and processed....Some of the men worked in the woods and were good drivers on the spring drives. Just below their camp was another small graveyard that they used, so it must have been the first cemetery. It had been used by other Indians and then Tom Skinaway's people. This camp was used until the early thirties when many went back to Mille Lacs or scattered to other parts. After Tom passed away none lived here." (A century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 61--Frank and Jennie Hutz interview)



Early Map of Northern Aitkin County, 1920
Courtesy of Aitkin County Land Department

In the early years before the railroad came, the Swatara area was a total wilderness. Logging was the main activity from 1870 to 1910. There were numerous logging companies during this time period that were using the Willow and Moose Rivers for the driving of logs. This was the easiest way to transport the logs to markets in Minneapolis, which was then a big sawmill town. Fred Blair, James Boyd and others were actively engaged in the logging business during that time period.

James "Jim" Boyd had come from Canada in 1878. He spent some time working at a mill in Minneapolis and then moved to Aitkin in 1882. It was about that time when Jim became employed by the U. S. Postal Service to carry mail over the old Indian trail from Aitkin to Grand Rapids. Jim was employed by D. J. Knox at his sawmill, and then he went into the logging business with his partner Mr. McMonagle. Jim bought his ranch in 1898, which was located south of the Moose River about a mile and a half from Swatara. He built a livery stable and for some years "Boyd's Ranch" was a popular stopping place for weary travelers. Other stopping places in the area were the Allen Ranch, the Polly Ranch, the Waldeck Ranch and Welsh's Ranch. (Ibid, Page 50--Carlton Bailey interview)

Jim became postmaster for the area on September 14, 1903. Jim had petitioned the post office to be called "Boydville". The postal service apparently would not accept the name and so they changed it to "Swatara." The name was apparently derived from Swatara Township, Pennsylvania. It is not known where the name originated. "One source has stated the meaning as 'between two rivers' and another 'three lights'. A search of Indian languages sheds no light on the above two meanings. (Per letter written by Harvey F. Trepanier dated 5/15/1975) In any event, the name seems appropriate as the village lies between two rivers. Jim continued as such until April 29, 1908. Why he gave up the post is not known. On February 15, 1911 Art Heath resurrected the post office at the town site of Swatara. Jim also was the state census taker for Macville Township in 1905. Among the various inhabitants of the township, he noted that J. Shriver was the local blacksmith.

A. H. (Ace) Young came to Aitkin in 1901 and settled on his homestead on the east side of Lake McKenney in 1909. In 1910 after the Soo Line was built, Ace joined Jim Boyd in a logging operation at "Spur 296" or "Boyd and Young's Spur." This was just south of Swatara about a mile and a half down the Soo towards Bain. Carlton Bailey relates the following. ".....Boyd and Young had a lumber mill, a shingle mill and a planing mill at the spur. They had several logging camps which included the following locations: At the spur, at a place southeast of Boyd's ranch, near the Polly Ranch, in Swatara, and a sawmill with a shingle mill in the Lake Edna area....." (A century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 50--Carlton Bailey interview)

The Aitkin Age also tells of Boyd and Young's Spur: "They are running their (shingle) mill night and day and cutting 36,000 shingles every twenty-four hours. They also have a crew of thirty-five men in the woods getting out cedar, etc., and the amount of cedar they have strung along Moose River is amazing." (Aitkin Independent Age--March 9, 1910)

Besides the logging operation, they had quite a large warehouse and also a store where they supplied the needs of the community and their quite extensive logging operations. "They carried on at this location until 1916, when they moved in Swatara after having built what was known as Boyd and Young's 'Big Store'. (A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, pages 50-51)

"We hauled logs to Boyd and Young's Spur where they had a mill and also a building. (It was) quite a large one that had an office in one end (which) was the only part heated. The main part was a huge grocery and hardware warehouse. You would come into the office and tell Ace Young what you wanted and he'd take you order and then put on his coat, cap and mittens and load up what you wanted. Everything was sold in quantity and they didn't even have a scale. Flour was sold by the 100 pound sack and the same for sugar. All other items by the box or the case." (Ibid, page 8--Alphonso Olds interview)



Boyd and Young Letterhead

This store was to be of considerable importance in the early life of the community. "....Boyd and Young erected a large 60 by 24 two story building in Swatara. (It was) a two story building with the first story used for grocery and hardware and the second story was used as a community hall. For many years this was the center of all community activities. It served on Saturday nights as a dance hall, on Sunday mornings and afternoons as a Sunday school and for church services. Boyd and Young ran this business from 1916 to 1919 when they sold out to the Heath brothers." (Ibid, page 52) Boyd and Young still had some business going on as late as 1920, when they sold dynamite to the town of Lemay. (Town of Lemay claim, Aitkin County Land Dept. records, dated 9/20/1920)

Perhaps the most important event in the early history of the Swatara area came in 1910 when the Soo Line Railroad was built through town. An enormous boost was given the economy of the small town, as there were many railroaders who needed food, clothing and other supplies. The railroad, along with the nearby logging operations and the new homesteads being built, added to the town's vitality.

The railroad constructed a number of facilities in town. In October 1910, the section house and a well were built. March of 1911 saw a passenger platform go in. A two stall outhouse was built in September of 1912. In November of that same year, the depot was put in. In August of 1915, a train order signal was placed at Swatara. An addition to the depot and a depot platform were built in September of 1917. A stock yard, shed and feed racks were installed in May of 1921. The Soo Railroad had big plans for Swatara.

By 1915, the Soo Line put on Frank Langer as a full time depot agent. Since that time the agents have been George Reynolds, Ted Mount, Clarence (Swede) Nelson, Don Dalton and Gilio Baldovin. The section foreman from 1934 to about 1959 was Oscar Halvorson.

The 1910 census sheds some light on the community. Forty-eight men were in town working on the railroad as the census was taken. Many of those men were of Yugoslavian nationality. The dredging crews were accounted for, and they had ten employees listed. The rest were of various occupations such as farmer, laborer, carpenter, etc. Thomas Donnelly had a sawmill and was making lumber, lath and shingles.

Another early settler was Pete McGee. "....before the turn of the century Pete McGee worked in the mills of Aitkin during the summer season, and in the fall headed north with other lumber jacks to take up jobs in the various logging camps....For years he followed the log drives on the Big Willow, the Moose and on down the Mississippi....Pete filed a claim to a homestead that was where Swatara later came to be settled. Because of this, Pete was called "The Father of Swatara"....In 1912 Earl Heath and Pete got the contract to build the second school up on the hill....This was quite a step from the first tar paper school near the section house." (A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 67)



The Old Wooden Swatara School, 1917
Courtesy of Truman and Hazel Biskey

Myrtle Trepanier Jewett was the first white child born in the Swatara community. (Per interview with Betty Trepanier on 9/30/1996) It was soon apparent that schools would be of great importance to the town. The first school at Swatara was built at the time the Soo Line came to town. It was nothing more than a tar paper shack that had been hurriedly constructed, for the influx of people and their children made it a paramount need for the town. This building was not sufficient, and so in 1912, the second school was built. About this time other schools were being built around the countryside. The schools were placed about two to three miles apart, as that was about all the children could be expected to walk. Frank and Effie Trepanier came to Swatara with the railroad. Frank worked with the construction crew building the railroad through town, while Effie was cooking for the crew. In the fall of 1910, Frank and Effie decided to go into the grocery business at Swatara. "Frank built a 10 by 16 foot store with a lean-to at the rear. Before it was completed he ordered his initial supply of groceries from Duluth and did his first business from a boxcar....The following year a new store was erected. Frank expanded his store building when he felt a hotel was needed in Swatara....He discontinued the hotel in 1930." (A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 33) Frank also had a pool hall in the basement of the store.



Inside the Trepanier’s General Store, 1924
Courtesy of Truman and Hazel Biskey
(notice the spittoon ~ webmaster)

Not to be outdone, the Heath Brothers came to Swatara as soon as the Soo Line came to town. "Sometime in 1910, Art and Nannie (Heath) went to Swatara to start a store there....Earl came in early 1911. Art and his other brother Harvey cruised timber and Art ran their crews that they had in their logging operations. Earl ran the store, bought timber, (did) various kinds of scaling and counting in the business....Art also farmed near Swatara and did considerable haying to supply their teams at their camps. His operations at farming included raising potatoes.... From 1917-20 The Heath brothers logged at Martin's Spur on the Hill City Railroad. In 1920, the brothers bought the lath mill at Boyd and Young's Spur near Swatara. It burned in 1924 but the Heaths salvaged some of it, rebuilt it and moved to Hill City where they sawed lath for over a year. Then they moved to Washburn and for several years operated there....Art managed the mill living in the camp with his wife cooking....Earl ran the store and post office (back at Swatara) which he took over from Art in 1915. He remained postmaster until 1951." (Ibid, pages 74-77--Earl Heath interview) The Heaths ran the lath mill at Washburn until Alexander (Sander) Olson bought the mill in 1928.



Heath Brothers Store & Post Office, 1911
Courtesy of Herman Nelson via Karen Bailey



Heath Brothers Company Receipt
Courtesy Ken Gobel

Besides the store, the Heath Brothers also did some undertaking business and had a number of caskets laying around in back of the store. The Heaths also operated a lumber yard in the late twenties. "Messrs. Kennedy and Jewell have finished the work on Heath Bros. new lumber yard and a portion of the new stock has been put in the sheds. There are two large long sheds facing a driveway between them. In the front of the east shed is a moisture proof cement and plaster room of two thicknesses of lumber with paper between. On the west side corresponding is another room for wall board etc. A car load of western shingles and flooring has been unloaded as well as a car of cement and wall board and a stock will be built up from time to time. This marks another step in Swatara's progress." (Hill City News--October 11, 1927)

An early account sheds some light on the happenings at Swatara. "All report having had a good time at the dance at George Frank's on Saturday evening....A car load of 2,111 Christmas trees has been loaded by the Cook Bros. and is now ready for shipment to Minneapolis....A bear was killed by an Indian a few days ago, about two miles from Swatara. The owner being very kind hearted, shared the prize with his friends...The Heath Bros. are moving their old store building onto the lot adjoining their new store and will remodel it so as to use it for a feed and flour warehouse." (Aitkin Independent Age--December 9, 1911)

Pat McGlade built a hotel in 1912. He planned to make a good living at the hotel but it didn't perform as he had hoped. He struggled there for a few years until he sold out.

In 1913, State Highway 35 was built through town on the way to Shovel Lake and Hill City.



Swatara Main Street, 1917
Building on the left is Heath Brothers Store & Swatara Post Office
Courtesy of Truman and Hazel Biskey

As Swatara got organized it appeared that building lots were being sold by "meets and bounds" methods, a simple way of selling land without the use of a survey. It got confusing and disputes erupted. It got so bad that on October 15, 1917, the Aitkin County Auditor forced a survey and platting of the bustling community. (Plat of Swatara, Aitkin County Recorders Office) From this point on the residents and merchants would have positive proof of where their respective property lines were.

Early land speculators worked hard to entice people to come to the Swatara area. The Willow River Land Company and McNamara and Murphy, Inc. were large concerns selling land to farmers.

In the teens, telephone systems were set up in the various townships. The townships were taking the lead in this new technology. Their main emphasis to start with was to provide a "Fire Call System" to warn neighbors when there was a fire and a call for help was needed. These were ground systems that used a primitive grounding method to operate the lines. In time, more up to date systems were put in place that gave much better reception. Systems were put in Bain, Lemay, Shovel Lake and Macville Townships. The Swatara system was built in 1913. Mr. Bloyer was the first manager. (A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 75) The central office was moved a few times, and for a time was in the same building that Mrs. Frank Olds had her restaurant. Rose Seymore was the central operator at Swatara until the local system was discontinued. The area phone systems consolidated, and there were basically two local systems operating out of Swatara and Hill City. Eventually, the Swatara system was sold to the Hill City Telephone Company when Mr. Hale was the manager. In 1933, Hale sold out to Frank Dichtel, who updated all the lines. Some people near Shovel Lake got service from Remer.

Baseball may be the national pastime, but in Swatara baseball is king. The first team was organized in 1912. Bill Boyd and Earl Heath were the first promoters of the game. Ace young was the manager during the early twenties. There were teams at Palisade, Haypoint, Shovel Lake and Hill City. Art Heath was the first scorekeeper, and Earl Heath was generally picked as the head scorekeeper during the thirties and later years. He always did a neat and complete job down to the finest detail. Occasionally, Swatara would join forces with Shovel Lake or Haypoint and play teams from Hill City or McGregor. Even the girls got in the act, and in the thirties, a league was formed for them to play softball. To this day, softball and baseball reign supreme in Swatara. At the annual "Old Timers" July Picnic, baseball is still played. Old and young go to bat. Even if baseball was no longer considered as the national past time, it would still be played and loved at Swatara. Clyde Ballpark was named after Clyde Stansberry. He was "Mr. Baseball." Clyde followed all aspects of the game. He just couldn't get enough of it. (Per interview with Truman and Hazel Biskey on 12/22/1995)



Swatara Baseball Team, 1948
Back Row: Leo Butterfield, Darrell Gillson, George Bailey Jr., Mossy Holm, George Trepanier, Duane Landrus, John Holm, Herbert Stansberry.
Front: William Trepanier, Gordon Goble, Walter Gillson, Hamm Mills, Melvin Kingsley,
Courtesy of Evelyn Hilton

The farmers were doing so well that in 1914, Harry Baldwin shipped a carload of cattle to the stockyards.



Stockyards Near the Depot at Swatara, 1920
Depot is in the background center
Courtesy of Truman and Hazel Biskey

Frank Lemay lived in the township to the west of Swatara. He was a farmer and also did well drilling for others. When the township was organized, it was named after him. It is not known who the founding fathers of Lemay Township were, but perhaps Frank Lemay had a hand in it. The township was organized on April 17, 1912. In 1913, the township people elected Frank Lemay, Ray Stratton and Ace Young as its board of supervisors. George Franks was elected town clerk with John Buttrick becoming the treasurer and Ralph McNeil the assessor. George Harrington was voted in as the Justice of the Peace and Frank Lemay was picked as the local constable. (Lemay Statement of Canvass, Aitkin County Land Department records dated 3/11/1913) By 1916, George Harrington, George Franks and Roy Stratton had taken on the job of election judges for the township elections. Lemay Township was an active government. They had a township hall where meetings and dances were held. They also established a township telephone system. "We are in receipt of your letter of August 19th advising us that four of the Kellogg wall telephones which we shipped you last spring were equipped with 2000 ohm ringers instead of 1600 ohm ringers as was desired. We take it that you wish the 2000 ohm ringers to be replaced...." (See correspondence of Northwestern Electric Equipment Co., Aitkin Co. Land Dept. records dated 8/22/1919)

Road building became a major effort for the township supervisors and a number of roads were built. In those days, a road poll tax was sometimes placed on the local residents. This was used for the upkeep or construction of roads. It was not unlike assessments made today by cities. Back then you could pay the assessment of "Poll Tax" in cash or you could work it off by helping with your labor to fix the road. Most people chose to work it off. The township hired many different people for various tasks and so spread back much of the taxes levied.

Lemay Township citizens were also active in taking care of whatever the needs of its people were. They worked cooperatively with the other communities. "Last Monday a number of men were called from Shovel Lake and Swatara to help fight a fire which broke out near the town hall (Lemay) and swept northward." (Aitkin Age--May 25, 1930) Dances and parties were held at the hall. "Many people from Swatara attended the masquerade at the Lemay town hall last Saturday night. Mrs. W. B. Russell of Shovel Lake won the ladies first prize and Archie O'Brien won the men's first prize. There was a large crowd and everyone seemed to be having a good time." (Hill City News--November 9, 1922)

Another resident in Lemay Township was James Vellas. Some folks referred to him as Jimmy the Greek. Jim was a farmer and a good mechanic. "James Vellas is overhauling his Waterloo Boy tracktor (sic) this week. Jimmy says that he will 'educate' it to pull stumps and do all sorts of extraordinary things when he gets it to running." (Ibid--October 25, 1927) Jim liked to sell or peddle goods wherever the opportunity arose. He would peddle produce, chickens, calves etc. as far as the Iron Range or even St. Paul. Jim was a good musician and played the banjo at various dances. (Per letter from Anastasia Vellas dated January 30, 1997)

Newlon Harrington was well known for his abilities as a photographer. Some of his photos exist to this day, and show his talent as a free lance photographer.

Lemay Township hit upon tough times during the depression and so the town was dissolved on December 6, 1932.

Swatara was in a zone of alcohol prohibition even before the entire country went that route. It had something to do with the Indian treaties where certain areas of the state were declared off-limits to intoxicating liquors. This was supposed to help Native Americans abstain from the effects of alcohol. However, bootleg liquor somehow found its way into the area. One bootlegger from Hill City had a bad experience in trying to ply his trade. "Hill City's pet bootlegger had a little trouble at Swatara the other day. He arrived there with his trunk load of booze in his usual manner, but when he got ready to start for Hill City a couple of strangers were sitting on the trunk and he was afraid they might be government agents so considered it a wise plan to leave the trunk and come to Hill City to see what the prospects were for business. Everything was lovely so he hiked back to Swatara for his hundred quarts of fusil oil and found that thriving burg in the midst of a drunken orgy. It was a regular old fashioned rousing time with all the trimmings, including several fights. But his trunk load of dope had disappeared. Some Swataraite with a keen nose, had evidently smelt out the contents and, as it was contraband of war, felt justified in treating the town. This booze agent has done quite a business in Hill City, although we are informed that the dope he peddled out at high grade prices, would scarcely pass under the pure food and drug act. Maybe he will come again, but the chances are that he is disgusted with a country where they are so unlawful as to steal a persons stock in trade. (Grand Rapids Herald-Review-May 17, 1916)

There was a Catholic group in Swatara which decided to construct a church. In 1916, that became a reality. "The dedication of the new Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Swatara will take place tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. A good program is to be rendered including several selections by the well known Knuppel orchestra..."Aitkin Independent Age--September 2, 1916) This church operated until 1929 when a newer building was erected. Services were then held in St. James Church (the name was changed) until 1993 when it closed.

Another group formed the Swatara Methodist Church. A ladies aid group organized on February 22, 1922. Services were held in the Heath Hall in early 1925. Rev. Arthur Cartwright of Hill City helped organize the Swatara Society on April 12, 1925. The charter members were Mrs. A. Heath, Mrs. E. Heath, Mrs. Rose Seymour, Mrs. Dick Ravnes, and Mrs. George Franks.

On April 26, 1925, the Swatara Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. Fund-raisers ensued for the construction of a church building. With a lot of voluntary labor, the church was completed in late 1933. The Reverend Elsie Hartman dedicated the church on December 3, 1933. Elsie relates, "The following members were elected as trustees: A. A. Heath, E. E. Heath, John Biskey, Glen Baty and John Gulden. I baptized a total of 179 in Swatara during the twelve years I was there." (Per Herman Nelson notes--A Century of Pioneering Pioneers) Finances were always a problem, but somehow the church continued on. The church served the community for many years.

Donald Wilcox established a rural bus service in 1919. "Mr. Donald Wilcox has decided to establish a bus line between Aitkin and Swatara and will begin business on April 1st, or as soon thereafter as the roads will permit. Evidently Mr. Wilcox has sensed the extent to which automobile transportation will grow when the concrete roads become a fact, and he wishes to get in on the ground floor." (Aitkin Republican–March 27, 1919) It is not known how long Mr. Wilcox's business thrived, but it served the community for a time.



McFeeters Bus Service Traveled from Swatara to Hill City
Courtesy of Bill and Esther Lange

In 1920, the census taker made several notes about the Swatara community. Roscoe Reynolds, Earl and Art Heath, George Hunt, and Frank Trepanier were retail grocery merchants. Lewis Royer was the hotel proprietor, while Ed Foley was the livery stable manager. Boyd and Young were contractors for ties and posts. George Reynolds was the railway agent, and Frank Hutze had a dray line business. Arthur Harvey was an automobile mechanic. Other store owners through the years were John Brennick, Frank Zealand, the Mushel Brothers, W. J. Webb, Frank Olds, D. B. Heath, Louis Hartman and Trepanier (George) and Jewett (Leo). There were garages run by the Ravness Brothers, Dewey Fenstemaker, J. R. Gillson and the Nelson Brothers. The lone service station was run by Roscoe Reynolds, then Louis Hartman, John Knapp, and finally by the Nelson Brothers. (A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, pages 79-80)



Roscoe Reynold’s Station, 1921
Courtesy Herman Nelson via Karen Bailey

"Not far from Frank Lemay's home was a school house, one of the first in those parts, known as Boyd's School. The tote road then went on to what was later the Newlon Harrington place and then on to John Gulden's place."(A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 8--Alphonso Olds interview) It is not known if the Boyd School was a separate school or considered the same as the Green School. After the consolidation of schools in 1921, the Boyd School may have been converted into the Lemay Township Hall. The hall was located on the southeast corner of the road coming from Swatara now known as Huff's Corner. The Green School, which was built in 1909, was later called the Harrington School. (Ibid, page 55) George Harrington and his family lived nearby, and so people recognized the school by that name.



Harrington School, 1911
Courtesy of Stacey Vellas

In 1921, the new consolidated school was built and many of the rural schools were closed. The Harrington School in Lemay Township, the Olds School in White Elk Township and the Haypoint School were closed, and the children were bussed to the Swatara School.



Swatara Consolidated School
Courtesy of Kit and Evelyn Butterfield

There were a lot of misgivings when the move to consolidate the rural schools came. People liked the touch of a local one room school. Nevertheless, the new Swatara School was built. "This new building at Swatara was of brick and concrete construction, it had two stories with a half basement under it. It had four rooms with a room for a library and an auditorium on the first floor. At the beginning all four rooms were occupied and had four teachers. The original enrollment was about 135....When this school was first built it was the ultimate as schools go. It was complete with showers and the most modern rest room and playground equipment....No more scrubbing in a wash tub in the kitchen on Saturday nights...." (Ibid, pages 55-56) The new school had its own power plant run by a gasoline engine in the basement. Besides pulling a generator, the engine also circulated air around the building. The engine's exhaust gases fumes went up a gas pipe inside the furnace chimney, which also took care of the engine noise. The school's furnace was built as a wood or coal burner and used up to four foot cord wood.

Walking to school was now replaced by the convenience of riding the bus. "....These kids rode to school in five school buses over many routes. The original conveyances were Reo Speed Wagons with wooden Wayne bodies, which at the time were considered the best available. These were used for eleven years on roads that left much to be desired. These bodies were of the narrow 30 passenger type packed, in sardine fashion with a long seat on each side of the bus. The children faced each other and at first there was no way of heating them....It wasn't until 'Buck' Gillson drove one of the buses that he conceived of the idea of running a large pipe down the center of the body and ran the exhaust through it. It was hard on rubbers and shoes when they made contact with the hot pipe, but it made the inside of the bus more comfortable on below zero mornings." (Ibid, pages 56-57) Some of the other bus drivers were Si Perkins, Lawrence Kelly, Glen Baty, Con Angermo, Gale Gorsuch, Ralph McNeil, Roger McNeil, Bill Trepanier, Sam Bailey, Oscar Nystrom, Carl Nelson, Everett Ramey, Meade Myers, Herman Nelson and others. (Ibid, page 59)

The Swatara School did well for the first few years, but by 1925, the school board was forced to make cutbacks due to declining enrollment. "Swatara is to discontinue high school owing to there being but eight high school pupils for next year, and there not being any more in sight for a couple of years. The students will be transported to Hill City for the coming year. (Hill City News--May 14, 1925)

Up until 1921, all gas, fuel, greases, and oils were bulked out of Aitkin. Then the Standard Oil Company built a build station at Swatara. Roscoe Reynolds had been running a store at Shovel Lake, but sold that operation and took over as the first agent to operate this station. Roscoe also ran a gas station on top of the hill near the school for a number of years. "The equipment has arrived for the Standard Oil Company's new service station here and the plans show a modern city plant. The building will have two toilets in addition to the sales office which will be greatly appreciated by the traveling public. Two oil pumps will be installed and the grounds will be parked with driveways in and out. (Aitkin Independent Age--August 20, 1921) A home lighting plant was installed to furnish electricity for the station. (Aitkin Independent Age--August 23, 1924) Roscoe couldn't watch over both the bulk station and the gas station, so he hired help. "Mr. Reynolds looks after the bulk station business in connection with his station and he has C. S. Harman at the filling station to look after that end of the business. Mr. Harman carries his own business of a line of Ford parts, accessories, etc." (Hill City News--December 10, 1925)

There was competition that was led by Mr. Gillson. "Across the street (from Reynolds) J. R. Gillson, a pioneer of this section, operates a garage for repair and storage, and he pumps Puritan oils and gas distributed through the Aitkin Oil Company. Accessories and parts and used cars are handled, also." (Ibid) In 1930, Jack O'Konek took over and was the agent for 26 years when his son Kenneth took over upon Jack's retirement. Harry Hilton took over from Kenneth in 1969 and ran it until it closed in the early eighties.

A nearby correspondent reports of businesses in Swatara. "John Ree conducts a confectionery and lunch counter nearby, and reports a satisfactory business....Alex Mushel operates a general store owned by himself and his brother J. F. Mushel of Foley. This store, in addition to handling a general line of goods, operates and deals in timber products, affording a market for timber products brought in by farmers and small loggers. The store is housed in a fine concrete and brick building as is the bank which is next door. T. E. Mount is agent for the Soo Line and the track work for the railroad is looked after by Oscar Benson, section foreman. The comfort of visitor 'within our gates' is amply looked after by good hostelries. Mrs. Lillian Olds conducts a restaurant that is well patronized. Frank Trepanier operates a hotel with meals and rooms, with a confectionery and grocery store. Mrs. Elmira Roderick also keeps a hotel, serving meals and having rooms for transients and boarders. George Franks operates a barber shop and pool room with a line of confectionery and tobaccos. (Ibid)

In May 1921, it was deemed that enough business warranted a banking institution, and so the Swatara State Bank was formed. The founding list of stockholders were: J. F. Mushel, B. H. Mushel, W. C. Murphy, William Lord, Dan McNamara, Ed Mushel, Ace Yound, John O'Rourke and M. J. O'Rourke. The amount of stock at that time amounted to $10,000.00. A nice building was constructed with Alex Mushel as the cashier for several years. Over the years others bought into the bank. Some of the investors were: William S. McGee, Grace Young, Maude Mushel, Pearl Heath, the Heath Brothers, W. B. Russell, Jennie Hutze, J. K. Murray, W. O. Christensen, Frank Hutze, G. Nicklason and others.



Bank Receipt
Courtesy of Aitkin County Land Department

The bank seemed to operate well enough, but it did go through some trying times. When the bank in Hill City failed due to "a run" on deposits, there was concern that the Swatara bank might also fail. Rumors spread that the Swatara bank might be hit by "a run." "William Russell saved the bank. He ran the general store at Shovel Lake but he also had an interest in the Swatara bank. He had a lot of money at the Aitkin bank too. When the rumors of a run started, he withdrew $10,000.00 from the Aitkin bank and brought it to Swatara where he piled it up on the counter and said, 'We have plenty of money here!' That seemed to impress the local residents, and we didn't have a run on the bank." (Per interview with Robert Nicklason on November 14, 1995)

The Swatara State Bank was hit with a robbery in the summer of 1932. (Aitkin Independent Age--September 2, 1932) "On examining what had happened, it was found the robbers had gained entrance by a side door. They had knocked off the dial and drove out the spindle, opening the vault. They got to the safe and went to work on that. They knocked off the dial to the safe, but had to drill to get to the works and in so doing jammed the mechanism with shavings and were foiled in their attempt to open it. They did get away with the change rack that had about $100.00 still in it.....The Diobold Safe people sent out a German locksmith but he was unable to open the safe....The next morning Frank Olds was hired with his truck and a crew to haul the safe to the Diobold Safe Company's service center in Minneapolis.(A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 79)

The bank was bought out by the stockholders of the Shovel Lake State Bank, and the bank at Shovel Lake was merged at Swatara. This bank continued at Swatara until 1934, when it was moved to Remer where it is in operation to this day. After the bank at Swatara had closed, it was used as a saloon by Jule and Vida Albers. After that Carl and Ruth Nelson ran it as a saloon for a while. (Per interview with Karin Bailey on July 1, 1996)

In 1927, the "Swatara Imperial Band" was formed. George Robinson of Hill City was the first band director. Later Mr. Julum of Aitkin directed the group. Some of the band's members: Art and Earl Heath, Conrad Angermo, Albert Hankins, Maymie Robinson, Ralph Randle, Raymond Cook, Louis Sundsvold, Arthur Cartwright, Gale Gorsuch, Vivian Olds, Alice Robinson, Charles Schoen, Frances Elliot, William Carr, Fred Biskey, Nellie Robinson, Raymond Randle, Karen Nelson, Della Boys, Wendel Sundsvold, George Robinson, Archie Sailor, Mastin Mount, John Knapp, Bernice Cook, Denver Carr, George Arnold, Jack O'Konek, Clarence Arnold, Laird Nelson, Bertha Kelly, Margaret, Mae, and Ed Snakenberg, Gladys Slyter, Mrs. J. Gorsuch, Kathryn Boyd, Kenneth, Fred and Marchall Hankerson, Fannie Angermo, George Franks, Dolly Carr, Bill Finch, Don and "Tubby" Franks, and Fred Nelson who was the bass drummer. "The band members held Tuesday evening their first business meeting since they organized fourteen months ago. A. A. Heath was re-elected president, E. E. Heath secretary-treasurer, Ed Mount, J. Biskey and J. Gorsuch directors. During the last year the band has bought three metal clarinets, two alto horns, one piccolo, and one baritone besides caps for the entire band. The members feel well repaid for the years work." (Aitkin Age--December 8, 1928)



Swatara Town Band, July 4, 1913
Courtesy of Herman Nelson via Karen Bailey

The farmers of the area were experiencing hard times in the twenties and so a local Farm Bureau chapter was formed in 1923. (Swatara Farm Bureau minutes dated March 31,1923) Numerous meetings were held in an effort to help the farmers improve production. It was also a way to get together and have some socializing among friends and neighbors.

Occasionally, one of the farmers would have trouble keeping track of his cows. "Ed Mount's cow decided to use the railroad track as a highway one day last week. The fact that the east bound passenger was right behind her made no difference to her for a time. Onlookers from a distance enjoyed it more than Mr. Mount did as he was trying to catch up to the cow. She finally jumped off and the train resumed its usual speed." (Aitkin Republican--March 3, 1927

Turkey farming proved to be a successful venture for some. "Turkeys to the amount of about 30,000 pounds were shipped from Swatara this year according to T. E. Mount, Soo Line agent. Of these his reports show that about 20,000 pounds were shipped in November and about 10,000 pounds in December. This total equals the total amount produced in all of Aitkin County in 1928. While exact figures were not available, Mr. Mount indicated that most of the holiday birds were shipped in about equal amounts to Minneapolis and Chicago markets, and a smaller amount going to Philadelphia. Heaviest shippers were Mrs. E. R. McPheeters, John Biskey and John O'Konek but numerous others added to the total." (Swatara Sweepstakes--December 26, 1929)

The Soo Line Depot was not immune to attacks from the criminal element. "Burglars broke their way into the railway station last Wednesday night and rifled the till for its contents which totaled $8.09 according to T. E. Mount, local agent. M. Martinson of Superior the special road detective for the Soo Line Railway arrived on the scene and reported from all indication that it was the work of a gang of criminals head quartering in this section of the state. He stated that the thieves had their plans well organized and knew the layout of the village and station very well. From all the facts gathered, it is estimated that the robbing took place about 1:30 a.m. The Board of Education was in session at the schoolhouse until 1:15 a.m. when it was adjourned. Lewis D. Peterson, the local school head, drove Mrs. Anna M. Nelson home and it is thought that when he turned around at the Nelson home the lights of his car was thrown upon the burglars for they had carried the till and gum machine behind the potato warehouse to ransack. This evidently frightened them as the pennies of the gum machine had been placed in the till and left. About this same time Mrs. Pearl Heath heard a car come up the road from the depot and turn toward Hill City going at terrific speed. Mr. Peterson states that he saw the lights of the car as it sped away and corroborated the statement of its unusual speed. The window was broken and a jimmy used to pry it up. The same instrument was used in opening the till. Nothing else was touched at all and no clues left to aid in apprehending the burglars. The motive of the robbery is that the burglar had known that the local depot had been receiving considerable shipments due to road construction on the new T. H. 35 and local fall shipping. They had anticipated that the cash receipts were kept in the till. To their disappointment only a few dollars of loot was obtained. This robbery was very similar to others which have occurred in the range territory indicating that a group of gangsters are working this territory. (Hill City News--September 19, 1929)

Efforts were made in the early thirties to help the new aviation industry, by marking buildings with the names of towns. "A certificate issued by the Daniel Guggenheim Fund and signed by Colonel Lindbergh has been issued to Swatara in recognition for making is name visible to aviators. This was done by painting the town name on the roof of the bulk plant of the Standard Oil Co. As clerk of Macville Township, Roscoe Reynolds has received the certificate and it is on display. A nation wide campaign to obtain adequate marking of places so that they can be identified from the air has been carried on by the Guggenheim Fund for the promotion of aeronautics. The Standard Oil Co. has painted similar signs in about 3,200 places. (Ibid, September 25, 1930)

The Hill City News tried to get interest in a local paper at Swatara. It might have been spun off as an independent paper if the circulation had been enough to warrant it, but sales weren't enough to keep it going. The publication was called "The Swatara Sweepstake" with only nineteen additions being published before it was ended. Much of the paper's news centered on the activities taking place at the Swatara School. (Swatara Sweepstake--January 16, 1930)

In 1930, the state decided to rebuild Highway 35. The new Highway 169 was relocated to the east of Swatara through Haypoint. This was a significant blow to the community. Much business was lost due to the fact that heavy traffic no longer moved through town. The stores and other businesses suffered greatly. The depression was another heavy body blow that hurt the town and the local economy. Business declined and many people had a hard time making it during those years. The growth in Swatara had halted, and a steady decline followed for years to come. In an effort to take advantage of the new highway location, Frank Hutze moved his place to Haypoint and started the Corner Store there.



Swatara Citizens, 1930
Front Row: Harvey Heath, Earl Heath, Grandpa Heath, Art Heath, Mrs. Harvey Heath.
Back Row: Guendolyn (Mrs. Earl) Heath, ??, Grandma Heath, Nancy (Mrs. Art) Heath.
Courtesy of Truman and Hazel Biskey

George Franks established a barber shop and pool hall at Swatara. John Feathercard had a cream testing station. Another businessman was Joe McQuiston. He had a small place and tested cream for the local farmers after Feathercard gave it up. After Joe quit that business, cream was tested at Trepanier's Store.

By 1930 or so, Frank Trepanier was ready to retire. He spent a few years farming, worked some for the state and raised some fine gardens. In 1935, his son George and his son-in-law Leo Jewett decided that they would try their hand at the grocery business. The Trepanier-Jewett Store had some tough years and eventually Leo got out of it and George kept on with the business for many years.



Trepanier & Jewett Store
Courtesy of Betty Trepanier



Inside the Trepanier & Jewett Store
Pictured: Leo Jewett, Harvey Trepanier, Clyde Stansbury, Evelyn Stansbury
Courtesy of Evelyn Hilton



Trepanier and Jewett Receipt
Courtesy Ken Gobel

Frank Zealand had been a deputy sheriff for a number of years. In 1934, he felt the time was right to run for sheriff of Aitkin County. However, he lost to C. S. Lind. The vote totals were: C. F. Lind-2084, Ned Price-1830, Frank Zealand-733, Henry Riley-336, and Emil Erlandson-311. (Aitkin Independent Age--June 22, 1934)

In the summer of 1938, the Heath Brothers Store was robbed. As the Swatara Bank had moved before this, the Heath Brothers cashed local checks and had quite a sum on hand to accommodate its customers. The robbers were called "The Cream Can Burglars." They got this name from how they carried out each job. "Their pattern was to borrow a cream can or two from some produce station and fill it with water which would be used for cooling the cutting torch used for cutting away the combination off the safe and they always left (as their trademark) the cream can." (A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 65) The safe had been opened and quite an undetermined sum removed.

Another robbery was held at Frank Hutze's store at Haypoint. "Two men entered the store and at the point of a gun (they) removed a slot machine and took off south....These robbers were never apprehended." (Ibid, page 65)

Since the Swatara Bank was gone, the Heath Brothers started up the business of loaning money. Sometimes they would buy the debts from various places for the local people and work with them in retiring the debts. They were basically a collection agency. (Correspondence of Montgomery Ward dated November 1, 1935)

Pat McGlade was the first justice of the peace for Swatara (Macville Township), and served until Art Heath became the justice in the twenties. The local justice had some authority in that position and actually held court over local matters of dispute. In one such case, Art Heath presided in the case of the Town of White Elk vs. S. H. Yoemans "Plaintiff, by Ray Ramey, Chairman of the Town Board, filed affidavit in Replevin, duly verified, stating that one telephone complete except batteries, of its personal property is at this time wrongfully detained from it by said Defendant, and that it is entitled to immediate possession, thereof, (Replevin) and that the value of said property is twenty-three dollars. Bond in Replevin in double the value of the property approved and filed. Writ of Replevin issued, returnable at my office in the Town of Macville in said county on the 10th day of October, 1927, at 9:00 o'clock a.m. and delivered to deputy Sheriff Frank E. Zealand for service." (In Justice's Court, Town of Macville, Aitkin County Land Dept. records dated September 30, 1927)

Recreation was not absent during the depression years. The Remer Record Newspaper relates: "The Circus at Swatara Thursday drew quite a large number of people from Shovel Lake and vicinity. " (Remer Record) The senior class of Remer held a three act play called "Always in Trouble' in Heath's Hall. The admission was twenty cents.

Macville Township was active in many affairs over the years. During the depression, the town board worked with the W. P. A. program in helping men to do productive work. "The board resolved that they would give $15.00 towards a warming shack for the W. P. A. crew which is now working on roads in the Town of Macville. (Macville Town minutes dated November 12 1938) The township appointed Art Heath as the township custodian and sexton of the Macville Cemetery on March 21, 1942. (Ibid, March 21, 1942) That same year saw the board made up of Everett Ramey, Leo Jewett, and William Schindele. Jessie Ramey was the clerk with Everett Ramey as the constable and Art Heath became the justice. They also granted Jack Jam a 3-2 beer license for his business. Another license was given that summer. "Motion made....To grant permission to Frank Trepanier to obtain a 3-2 beer license, as Julius Albers has gone out of business leaving an opening for a beer parlor, (motion) carried." (Ibid, dated June 22, 1942)

Buck Gillson had a crate factory at Swatara in the forties. "He used to go around the countryside and buy timber or lumber and haul it to the cities. He started a crate factory in the old blacksmith shop. He sold the crates to some guy in the cities which were used for shipping freezers and other appliances. He later moved his operation into Herman Nelson's garage and even expanded into the old bank building. Something went wrong though, and he went out of business." (Interview with Kenny Goble on June 18, 1996)

In addition to his repair work, Herman Nelson had dances at his garage. "The dance given by the Nelson Brothers in their new garage building was a great success, and was well attended on Saturday night." (Aitkin Republican--May 10, 1934) Herman ran his auto repair garage until about 1942. He had torn down Heath's Big Store in 1939 and used the lumber to build a house in Excelsior, MN. Eventually, he ended up moving to Milaca, MN.

On June 30, 1951, Harvey Trepanier assumed the job of postmaster at Swatara. Harvey showed great dedication to the community and remained postmaster until September 30, 1983. There were a few others who served after Harvey and now the mail comes from Hill City. (Per interview with Betty Trepanier on September 30, 1996)

On September 5, 1958, the Soo Line Railroad called for and got a hearing to ask for a complete discontinuance of agency service at Swatara. The Railroad and Warehouse Commission did not allow the request, and yet on May 16, 1959, the Soo Line took off trains numbered 64 and 65 which ended passenger and mail service to Swatara. (A Century of Pioneering Pioneers, page 64) Cars were still left at the side track for pulp loading and some freight could still be delivered by train until on March 3, 1972, when the Soo Line Depot was closed for good.

On February 24, 1955 the Swatara Community Club was formed. There were about forty people present and they elected the following officers. Robert Bailey as president, Donald Hall as vice president, and Harvey Trepanier as secretary-treasurer. A number of fund-raisers were held for construction of a community hall. In 1961, construction began and on May 27, 1962 a dedication of the new hall was held. (Ibid, page 115) Since that time many events such as weddings, showers, dances and other gatherings were held there.



Swatara Community Hall Dedication, 1961
Courtesy of Truman and Hazel Biskey

A cemetery association was set up to keep the Macville Cemetery in good order. "An organization known as the Macville Cemetery Association was formed at a special meeting at the community hall on May 16, 1963. Mrs. Verona Fossen was elected president, Kenneth O'Konek secretary and Mrs. Hazel Biskey, Treasurer. It was decided that donations in addition to the annual fee would be solicited for the first year in order to get the cemetery in good shape." (Aitkin Independent Age--May 16, 1963) The association continues to this day, and works in concert with the township to keep the cemetery in good condition.

A change occurred in the ownership of the Swatara Café in 1964. "Mr and Mrs. Harry Huntly have purchased the Swatara café....Mr. and Mrs. Mervin Fossen former owners, will move to their new location on Highway 169 (the property formerly owned by Mrs. Hayes). The community will miss the Fossens but does wish them continued success at the new location." (Ibid, April 22, 1964)

Swatara spent the rest of the sixties in relative anonymity. This situation changed dramatically in the early seventies when Swatara and the surrounding townships were selected to be the home of the Minnesota Experimental City (MXC). The effort began in 1965, when Dr. Athelstan Spilhaus called for a full scale city experiment. In a comic strip drawn by Splihaus, named "Our New Age," he first put forth the concept of an experimental city. (Duluth News Tribune--February 25, 1973) A number of people from business, industry, government, and the academic community responded favorably. To them, the city should be more than a physical experiment. It would demonstrate the application of developing technologies to our service delivery problems. It would be a crucible in which to try out some of the new ways of life made possible by the current economy and technology. They were looking for ways to achieve social and political objectives and devising institutions for the requirements of a new era.



Top: MXC Plan
Courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Ken McNeil

Bottom: A Proposed Model of the Experimental City
Courtesy of Minneapolis Star Tribune

The plan was to build a city of 250,000 people in a rural area of the state, free of the influences of current cities. The whole experiment was to build a city that would use new technologies and would design new ways to operate that would be less wasteful and harmful to the environment. There was too much urban sprawl taking place, and resources were being wasted. The schools were felt to be failing in their job of providing good education to the children. Pollution was everywhere and getting worse. It was felt that such a city had to be at least one hundred miles from any existing urban area in order to be free from that urban area's influence.

In the closing hours of the 1969 legislature, the Minnesota House and Senate authorized the study of the Minnesota Experimental City with its needs and requirements. A joint committee was set up between the House and Senate to study the city concept. A national committee was established that would act as a steering committee. It consisted of such notable figures as: Otto Silha, Gaylord Anderson, Dr. James Cain, Hale Champion, Max Feldman, Rita Hauser, Walter Heller, Martin Marty, Malcolm Moos, Joseph Pechman, Roger Revelle, General B. A. Schriever, Muriel Snowden, Wayne Thompson, Walter Vivrett, William Wheaton, Walter Beattie, Harrison Brown, Arthur Flemming, R. Buckminster Fuller, Harvey Perloff, O. Meridith Wilson, Whitney Young and Athelstan Spilhaus. There were five phases planned in all, each with increasing dollar commitments needed.

In 1971, the legislature authorized the creation of an eleven member MXC Authority which was empowered to move into a second phase of planning. The members of the authority were: E. E. Eieber, Archie Chelseth, Mrs. Bridget Coleman, Carl Herbert, James Hetland, Todd Lefko, Mrs. Hella Mears, John Neumeier, Otto Silha, Mrs. Marlys Soderberg and Wayne Thompson. Ex Officio members were Robert Herbst-Commissioner of the D. N. R., Grant Merritt-Executive Director Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Gerald Christenson- Director of the State Planning Agency and Eugene O'Brien. (MXC , Preliminary Report on site selection recommendations, dated December 1972) James Alcott became the executive director for the Authority. The Authority was charged with planning the various needs of the city and to select a site for it. Wayne Thompson, vice president of Dayton-Hudson, chaired the site selection committee. (Per letter from Otto Silha dated October 4, 1996) A federal grant of $250,000.00 was secured with money coming in from the private sector. Dayton's Northern States Power, Pillsbury, Honeywell, and the Minneapolis Star and Tribune joined with five big state foundations and the American Gas Association with donations of about $670,000.00.

Studies were carried on by the Authority with the help of the University of Minnesota, North Star Research and Development Inc. and other institutions. Ford Motor Company spent $300,000.00 of their own money on the transportation study alone. They were looking for new kinds of cars, how to move them, and whether a monorail would be feasible. Other studies were conducted on urban design, telecommunications, climate, education, healthcare, and energy and waste water treatment.

Various criteria were used in the siting process. After a number of sites were looked at, two were selected. One was near Evansville in Douglas County and was called the "Lake Region" site. The "Pine Moraine" site was at Swatara and included much of northwestern Aitkin County and part of northeastern Cass County. The concept of this totally planned city was to have an urban core surrounded by less densely crowded areas that would serve as residential plots. A buffer area would surround the entire city for "green space" and would hopefully prevent the city from entering the usual patterns of urban sprawl. The site consisted of about 75,000 acres.

The idea of experimental cities had its advocates all over the country. Other states were considering the construction of such cities and the state of Virginia was one of those in the forefront of this effort. In Minnesota, the pre-planned city had already begun with efforts such as the "Jonathan" development. Jonathan, which didn't meet the criteria of "being away" so it could develop with out the influence of a large metro area, was eventually absorbed by the city of Chaska.

The Aitkin County Board voted 5-0 in favor of MXC. They felt it would be good for the county, as the city would create jobs for the young people and help keep them in the area. The mood was mixed in the Swatara-Hill City area. Many people were for the city, at least at first. There were a few against the concept, and they kept up their efforts and got more support as time went on. They simply could not see how a city of 250,000 people could be built without destroying the current environment.

A group called "Save Our Northland" was formed by some of the people in opposition to MXC. Its president, was Dale LaRoque from Grand Rapids. Hearings were held in the area while the tension increased. In the dead of winter in January of 1973, a group of opposition citizens went on a marathon walk from Swatara to St. Paul to protest MXC. Letters to the editor started flowing in from all over with some calling the city a "Trojan Horse." In the 1973 legislature, the hearings were packed by those in opposition. The Minnesota Pollution Control Board voted 8-1 on a resolution against MXC. The resolution stated that construction of new urban complexes "....does not seem to be a prudent policy." Support withered as the legislators started to get uncomfortable with the negative attention they were getting. Committee after committee voted to stop the process. The request of the Authority was for another $300,000.00 to move ahead with land acquisition and further planning efforts for MXC. In the end, no money was appropriated by the legislature, and on June 30, 1973, the MXC effort died.

Did MXC die from the growing opposition or was it the growing cost of the project? A report to the legislature stated that the full cost of building the city would probably be in the $10 to $15 billion dollar range. (MXC, Comprehensive Planning for a Quality Urban Environment by James R. Prescott dated January 30, 1969, page 2) They said that amount would be spent anyway so why not do it right? Perhaps some credibility was lost when the concept of a dome was proposed to cover part or all of the city. The Nixon administration was already making cutbacks and the country was moving into a more conservative mode. The "Great Society" programs were coming to an end. It seemed the legislature was more concerned about the financing of the new "Metrodome" than they were in building a city. Or perhaps the energy crisis of 1973 distracted the country and made financing the city problematic. In any event, the effort failed, and Swatara was left to its own resources. A new experimental city is now taking place in Florida. Disney is building its city known as "Celebration." (Newsweek--May 15, 1995, page 43) Whether that city will succeed, only time will tell.

After the excitement over MXC ended, Swatara settled back into its normal pattern of existence and the area continued on. People found work either in farming, logging, or commuting to towns such as Grand Rapids where employment was available.

In the early seventies, the enrollment at the Swatara School declined to a point at which the district felt obliged to merge with Hill City. After that, Hill City sent additional children to Swatara and used it as an elementary school for much of the district. When the new Hill City School was built in 1983, (Interview with Grace Trepanier on September 30, 1996) the Swatara School was closed.

On April 19, 1985, the last train rode over the Soo Line. The depot burned to the ground in 1987. (Interview with Betty Trepanier on September 30, 1996) The tracks were torn up and the right of way is now owned by Aitkin County. It is used as a snowmobile trail which has gained in popularity in recent years.

Many people in the Swatara area farmed over the years or worked in the woods. If you were lucky, you might have a job at Blandin Paper Company or some other business for additional income. Raymond Jewett was a successful logger for a number of years, but a sad event occurred when Ray was killed in an automobile accident. His wife Joan still carries on. Any community feels the loss when such fine people meet tragedy.

Life goes on. Swatara still survives, if at a slower pace than in its past. It is a quiet, peaceful community and the folks are friendly. The Swatara ladies have a social club known as the "Royal Neighbors." They have met for many years and continue to meet to this day. Dorothy Biskey has been their representative for a number of years. (Interview with Karin Bailey on July 1, 1996)

A celebration is held on a weekend near the Fourth of July in which a community gathering takes place. An "old timers' baseball game is played on the "Home Field," and the town team recently made it to the state tournament. While the "Skeeters" fell short of the title, they did show that they were a quality club. (Interview with Bob Passig on March 10, 1997) Swatara continues on, and its people will always call it home.

"A BANK, A BAND, & A BYPASS"
A Historical Vignet of Swatara, MN

Transcribed by Stacy Vellas from the Aitkin Age Newspaper
Date Unknown

Swatara began as a supply station for lumber camps and as a siding for the Soo Line railroad in the early 1900s.

Frank Trepanier came to Swatara in 1910 as a railroad worker and never. left. He built the town's first general store and operated its first hotel until 1930.

In 1910, James Boyd and Ace Young began shipping in carload loads of groceries and hardware to their lumber camp and found eager buyers in the surrounding isolated communities. They moved into Swatara in 1916 and built a store that also served as an all purpose community hall, with dances held Saturday nights and church services on Sunday.

In 1913 the first official school was established. By the early 1920s, a $60,000 two-story brick school house was constructed and it was the pride of the community. Several smaller schools, including Macville and Lemay, consolidated with Swatara with an enrollment of 135 pupils.

The First State Bank of Swatara was a going concern until the 1931 bank holiday caused it to merge with the Shovel Lake Bank and later, both merged into the Remer bank.

Long distance telephone lines to Palisade and Aitkin came in 1913, and with existing telegraph and mail service, communication links were up-to-the- minute.

Swatara was a paradise for enterprising businessmen and the Trepanier, Jewett, Hutze, Young, Olds and Heath families were among those whose hard work created the town's and their own personal solid worth.

There were garages, a service station and bulk oil plant. There was freight train service, as well as passenger train and bus transportation.

The 45-piece Swatara Imperial Band pleased crowds during the 1920s and no parade was complete without the Drum and Fife Corps.

When Highway 169 was built several miles east, it bypassed Swatara and isolated it from the main-stream of north and south-bound traffic.

Change came to Swatara, but it hasn't changed the people.

"SWATARA, MY HOME TOWN"
By Stacy Vellas

The Methodist Church is gone they say
The church where my family went to pray
The church where Grandpa was laid away ~
           Beside my sister Caroline.

As each building quietly disappears
Slowly they vanish through the years
We witness with sobering, silent tears
          Our “once upon a time.”

The residents out at Macville Grave
Wouldn’t recognize their town today
T’would break their hearts to see the change
          From “once upon a time.”

Spring finds another structure gone
When I visit friends in my hometown
Where I looked down on roofs so brown *
          In “once upon a time.”

At Macville, ~ someday I shall reside
When my life of memories are laid aside
Where I’ll lay in peace and rest beside
          My sister, Caroline.


Copyright May 20, 1997 ~ Stacy Vellas
* THE SWING by Robert Louis Stevenson


Doris Siltberg wrote saying Swatara’s Methodist Church had been sold and moved to a site near Grand Rapids. It would become a private home. That church was a special place to all of us in that long ago yesteryear. It meant so many things, Catechism, Church, Sunday School, Epworth League meetings, Miss Hartman . . .

In Macville Cemetery, my grandfather, George Harrington’s grave is in lot 9, on the north side. James Vellas bought all 4 plots in Lot 9 in December 1935 when my sister Caroline died of pneumonia. She was just nine days old. I remember singing “When He Cometh” at her funeral in the Methodist Church.


WHEN HE COMETH

When he cometh, when he cometh
To make up his jewels,
All his jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and his own.

He will gather, He will gather
The gems for his kingdom,
All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
His loved and his own.

Like the stars of the morning
His bright crown adorning
They shall shine in their beauty;
Bright gems for his crown

William O. Cushing, 1832-1903

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