WINTER 2020 • ISSUE 1
$2.00
Fleur-de-lis
Earth Link
Bringing a love of nature to Cannon River STEM School
WELL READ
HAVE A SEAT
Librarian wants kids to enjoy Family-owned furniture store reading as much as she does. a Faribault staple.
Through the lens From a rainbow of colors to a blanket of white.
All eyes lead to the leaf as the details of its veins poke through the intricate snowflakes. (Michelle Vlasak/ Faribault Daily News)
contents 6 Book Smart
Children’s Librarian on a mission to share the joy of books with Faribault’s youngest readers.
10 The Lap of the Gods
City’s founding fathers had vision of making Faribault an ‘Athens of the West’
18 Buckeye
Home for banker’s family, troubled youth and now women in crisis.
20 Stepping Up
Near tragedy has led Brian Daniels to be a champion for others.
24 Nature’s Way
Naturalist brings wealth of possibilities to Cannon River STEM School.
28 Season of Change
From green to white, there was rainbow of color this fall.
36 Pull Up A Chair After 63 years, family-owned furniture store continues to thrive.
on the cover:
To retrieve a water sample, STEM School naturalist Stephanie Rathsack and four fourth-graders lower a bucket into the Cannon River each Thursday and reel it back up. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News)
Two leaves stand strong after an unseasonable several inches of snowfall. (Michelle Vlasak/ Faribault Daily News)
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The vibrant green leaves provide an appealing sight as snow laces the background. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
publisher:
Chad Hjellming
managing editor: Suzanne Rook
regional director of advertising: Mark Nelson
This issue of Fleur de Lis is delivered to all subscribers of Faribault Daily News for the low cost of $1.00 per issue, deducted upon delivery from your account balance. If you decide it’s not for you, you can opt out of future issues by contacting customer service at 507-333-3111 or tzernechel@faribault.com. Non-subscribers can purchase copies of Fleur de Lis for $2.00 each. Fallen leaves cover a path through Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. (Photo courtesy of Dale Brown)
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media consultants: CariAnna Chaney Allison Davis
designer:
Kate Townsend-Noet Send story ideas to:
Suzanne Rook at Fleur-de-lis srook@faribault.com Volume 2, Issue 1
Fleur-de-lis 2020 Published Winter 2020 by: Faribault Daily News 514 Central Avenue Faribault, MN 55021 faribault.com Š
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• F Story By Anne Kopas
or Deni Buendorf, a library isn’t a place where you’ll be shushed for talking too loudly. It’s a vibrant place for people to connect, and most of all, for kids to get excited about reading. In many ways, Buendorf’s career as a children’s librarian didn’t begin in 2013, when she took on the role at Faribault’s Buckham Memorial Library, her hometown library. It began at the moment when, as a child, she picked up a newspaper her grandmother was reading to her, and instead read it aloud herself. From there, that love of reading was encouraged by former Lincoln Elementary librarian Bob Kemmer, whose enthusiasm for the job continues to inspire Buendorf in her own work. Buendorf remembers Kemmer’s carpeted clawfoot bathtub-turned-reading-nook, his pet tarantula and his over-the-top storytelling style. Kemmer, who died
Deni Buendorf shows off her librarian “superpowers.” Through all of her work, Buendorf’s goal is to get kids excited about reading — which, in turn, helps them become stronger students. (Photo courtesy of Deni Buendorf)
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in April, provided Buendorf a model for what a librarian should be: someone whose mission is to spread the joy of books to as many kids as possible. Growing up though, Buendorf thought she would be a teacher, not a librarian. She followed that path first as a child, playing school at home, then Deni Buendorf reads a cookbook at Buckham later as an adult, Memorial Library. Baking is one of her hobbies outside the library, along with spending time in earning a degree nature, teaching yoga, doing jigsaw puzzles and in education and reading. (Anne Kopas/Fleur-de-lis) teaching second grade at the Cannon River STEM School. It wasn’t Today, that library keeps Buendorf busy. As until she was nearly finished with her master’s the children’s librarian, her job is to maintain degree that she realized that being a children’s the collections of books for readers of picture librarian was even an option. books, young adult books and everything in From there, her volunteer work at the library between, as well as organizing programming and connection to her predecessor, Frances Veit, for those age groups. For the littlest readers, she helped her land the job of interim children’s brings books to life through librarian before her energetic, interactive story times. For elementary schoolers through high schoolers, she hosts informal book clubs (complete with pizza, brownies and other goodies). Buendorf also recruits young volunteers she calls “volunteens” to help with programs and to form the Teen Advisory Board, which helps her stay up-to-date on teen reading trends. Buendorf also runs Deni Buendorf is pictured inside Buckham Memorial Library, where she has worked since 2013. It’s a the library’s summer familiar place for the Faribault native who grew up reading programs, which spending plenty of time in both the local library and she has “totally revamped” her school libraries. (Anne Kopas/Fleur-de-lis) according to Delane James, library director. To connect with as many students as possible, Buendorf has widened the program’s scope to being hired permanently a few months later. include a variety of activities that engage in all “I never dreamed that I’d get to work in the library that I grew up in,” she said. CONTINUES ON PAGE 8
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DENI RECOMMENDS Children
• “Dinosaur’s Binkit” by Sandra Boynton • “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney • “A Sick Day for Amos McGee” by Philip Stead • “The Paper Bag Princess” by Robert Munsch • “Library Lion” by Michelle Knudsen • “600 Black Spots” by David Carter • “Press Here” by Hervé Tullet
Juvenile • “The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh” by A.A. Milne • “Pippi Longstocking” by Astrid Lindgren • “The Red Pencil” by Andrea Davis Pinkney • “Harriet the Spy” by Louise Fitzhugh • “Wonderstruck” by Brian Selznick • “The Annotated Alice” by Lewis Carroll • Every book by Kate DiCamillo
Young adult • “Between Shades of Gray” by Ruta Sepetys • “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang • “Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood” by Marjane Satrapi • “Conversion” by Katherine Howe • “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson • “Every Day” by David Levithan
Adult • “A River Runs Through It” by Norman Maclean • “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein • “The Princess Bride” by William Goldman • “What Dreams May Come” by Richard Matheson • “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot • Every novel by Jodi Picoult and Lisa Genova • The poetry of Emily Dickinson and Mary Oliver Winter 2020
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the kid help pick out books,” said Buendorf. Whether a young reader is interested in characters like Sonic the Hedgehog or Peppa Pig, sports, animals or something else, her specialty is finding a book to match: “I can find a book that’ll fit your interest, and you’ll have more success,” she said. Buendorf’s go-to book for young readers is E.B. White’s classic ”Charlotte’s Web,” which still resonates with her Deni Buendorf, a Lincoln Elementary graduate, the same way it did the first displays her Lion pride. Buendorf makes frequent visits to Faribault’s schools to educate kids on time she read it. Now, she using library resources. (Photo courtesy of Deni continues to read it aloud to Buendorf) kids whenever she gets the chance, taking inspiration from the way a decades-old story bridges the gap between adults and children. Deni Buendorf shows Getting kids interested in reading for fun helps expand their off her librarian “superpowers.” vocabularies and sets them up for success in school, said James, Through all of her which means that reaching the youngest readers is core to the work, Buendorf’s goal mission of the library itself. is to get kids excited about reading — “We really want to catch kids when they’re young and encourwhich, in turn, helps age that lifelong learning,” said James. “The community really them become stronger students. connects with the children’s librarian, so of all the staff members, (Photo courtesy of the children’s librarian is probably the most Deni Buendorf) well-known.
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types of literacy. This connection with Faribault’s youngest readers is core to the work of the library itself: to be a place that encourages literacy and provides resources to all community members. “She’s really good at making sure everybody feels included at the library and making sure that everybody knows the library is a safe place for them,” said James.
Role model Through it all, the goal is to build lifelong readers. The best way to facilitate this, said Buendorf, is to let kids follow their interests — regardless of whether a book is “too easy” or “too difficult” for the reader — to make reading fun and engaging. Her other main suggestion is for adults to act as role models by being readers themselves. “The best advice I have is to have As the children’s librarian, Deni Buendorf works with students like Luke Weng, a frequent volunteer an adult that’s interested in the kid, and Teen Advisory Board member who started a spending time with them and having Harry Potter book club in 2018. (Photo courtesy of Deni Buendorf)
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And Deni is definitely that.” Buendorf’s work also includes attending children’s literature conferences and bringing outreach programs to local schools. For younger grades, she gives library tours, signs kids up for library cards and teaches them how to find and check out books. For older grades, she teaches them to use the Dewey Decimal System, introduces them to the library’s nonbook resources and helps them learn to critically evaluate information. “In today’s world, information is so readily available, and I don’t know that kids are always being taught how to know if something is a good source, or if information is relevant or true or up-to-date. Teaching about information literacy and evaluating sources is super important,” she said. Buendorf also reminds users that not all of the library’s materials have pages: the library now has ukuleles and garden seeds to check out, for example. As a physical space, it serves as a gathering place for community groups and a free haven for those who don’t have internet access at home, as Buendorf herself used it while working on her associate’s degree. Other staff members host craft makeand-take events, give ukulele lessons, educate locals about pollinators and teach a variety of other classes. The library now has a 3D printer, and staff hope to open up classes within the next few months. Buendorf has even led an introductory yoga class for teens at the library. Books are still a key part of the library’s work, but that work is expanding to include an ever-increasing array of resources and knowledge. When
Deni Buendorf reads a picture book during a Tuesday evening story time at Buckham Memorial Library. The Tuesday story times are just one of many programs Buendorf hosts each week. (Anne Kopas/Fleur-de-lis)
kids learn this at an early age, they’re more likely to become regular library users — and stronger readers and smarter consumers of information. “The old stereotype of the library as a hushed place, that’s not the case anymore,” said Buendorf. Reach Reporter Anne Kopas at 507-333-3148. Follow her on Twitter @NFNanne.
Deni Buendorf gets into character during story time at the library. (Photo courtesy of Deni Buendorf) Winter 2020
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City’s founding fathers had vision of making town an ‘Athens of the West’
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Story By Nick Gerhardt
‘The “Athens of the West” was an outgrowth of how the town developed and how it embraced the arts, education and religion.’ – Jeff Jarvis
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ongtime Faribault residents may remember the city being referred to as the “Athens of the West,” but a closer look at the city, its history and architecture will further illuminate the reason why the description fits so well. Faribault’s early focus on education, art, religion speaks to Greek ideals and it’s something not lost on area artist and historian Jeff Jarvis. Jarvis spent six months researching Faribault’s long relationship with art, education, religion and architecture to put together a brochure of 19 different spots as part of a self-guided tour after receiving an Artists on Main Street grant, along with funding from State Bank of Faribault and the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce. The sites include houses, churches, public buildings as well as information on significant artists who resided in Faribault, as well as Greek-inspired art pieces in the city.
Bishop Henry Whipple (Daily News file photo)
Judge Thomas Buckham for whom the Buckham Memorial Library was named, was a Greek scholar. (Suzanne Rook/Faribault Daily News)
The beautiful stained glass window, which sits at the center front of the Buckham Memorial Library, was produced by renown stained-glass artist, Charles Connick.
Jarvis has written about the Faribault Woolen Mill in two books “Book of Memories,” and most recently “Yarns: Homespun Tales From Faribault Woolen Mill.” He’s also covered mills on the Cannon River with his book “Historic Mills on the Cannon River” and worked on several tour projects of the city in the past. “Athens of the West” blends both in the best way. “The ‘Athens of the West’ was an outgrowth of how the town developed and how it embraced the arts, education and religion,” Jarvis said.
Faribault takes shape Faribault became a trading post when Alexander Faribault arrived and stagecoach traffic from the east funneled into Faribault. The Jefferson Interstate Highway ran along Willow CONTINUES ON PAGE 13 u u u
TOP MURAL: The mural inside of Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault showcases Delph and Olympia, a testament to Thomas Buckham’s devotion to Greek ideals. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis) BOTTOM MURAL: The mural inside of Buckham Memorial Library depicts scenes of ancient Greece like these two of Sparta and Athens. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis) Winter 2020
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Street, and Faribault sprouted as it connected to several other settlements throughout Minnesota and Iowa.
Judge Thomas Buckham
Buckham Library The Buckham Memorial Library, where Jarvis spent 17 years working next to it with the Faribault Parks and Recreation Department and writing and designing the Buckham Bulletin, holds a number of Greekinfluenced art pieces. Judge Thomas Buckham for whom the building was named, was a Greek scholar. His personal library still resides in the library and you can easily see that the library bears his appreciation for Greek ideals. The building’s stained glass window, the Connick Window, is built in a Gothic Revival style by Charles Connick, a renowned stained glass window maker from CONTINUES ON PAGE 14 u u u
Bishop Henry Whipple, center, one of the early influential figures in Faribault’s cultural development, is a person Jeff Jarvis talks about in the Athens of the West presentation he delivers at the Rice County Historical Society Thursday, Jan. 17. Whipple was instrumental in the development of various Faribault schools and churches, as pictured. (Image courtesy of Jeff Jarvis)
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Episcopal Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple and his second wife, Evangeline Marrs Whipple. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Boston. The Connick Window shows important Greek symbols, gods, goddesses and other figures from the height of Greek culture and it’s meant to be the heart of the library. Elsewhere in the library are the Buckham Murals, painted by Carleton College art professor Alfred Hyslop, who was commissioned to paint the murals by Buckham’s wife, Anna. Each mural symbolizes Greek cities and their virtues during the Golden Age in 400 B.C. Athens (arts and philosophy), Olympia (athletic prowess), Sparta (courage and bravery), and Delphi (worship and reverence) are depicted in the murals. “The nephew of Judge Buckham built the library and he knew of Judge Buckham’s love for Greek culture,” Jarvis said. “He combined Art Deco and classical architecture, This statue shows the friendship between the city’s founder, Alexander Faribault and Chief Taopi, a leader of Dakota farmers.
Seabury Divinity College later became Shattuck’s-St. Mary and is a standout building for its architecture in Faribault. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis)
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The tall columns of the Fourth Avenue Methodist Church show the Greek Downtown Faribault displays several elements of Italianate design. influence on architecture throughout Faribault. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis) (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis)
Buckeye Manor, also known as the Cassius Buck House, on First Avenue SW, was first occupied by Buck, a well-known banker, and his family in 1895.
and included leaded glass windows that have different tints. The library itself is kind of the Greek temple. It’s the center of learning, inspiration.”
Education
Dow Hall on the campus of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf displays the Greek architecture influence in Faribault. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis)
Faribault focused on education in 1858 when Reverend Dr. James Breck established Seabury Divinty School. When it opened there were 45 boys and girls, white and Native American students. When Bishop Henry Whipple arrived in Faribault in 1860, he began overseeing the school, eventually splitting it into Shattuck for the boys and St. Mary’s for the girls. The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf started in 1863 and three years later the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind opened. By 1870 the town of 3,045 had four schools in close proximity.
Chase State Bank displays elements of Greek architectural influence. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis)
Architecture You don’t have to go far to see Greekinspired architecture in Faribault. You can even start at Alexander Faribault’s home. Built in 1853, the city’s founder had the house, which serves as one of the 19 sites on the tour, is designed in the Greek Revival style. Jarvis also points out the Art Deco stylings of the Rice County Courthouse, the Italianate designs of the Hill Furniture Factory, Bishop Whipple’s home and the original St. Mary’s Hall. Classical Revival buildings in Faribault include Fourth Avenue Methodist Church, Tate Hall on the State Academy for the Deaf campus, the Cassius Buck home and Chase State Bank, all of which have the iconic columns inspired by Greek design. CONTINUES ON PAGE 16 u u u
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An early engraving of St. Mary’s depicts what the school looked like soon after its founding. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
“Working for the Parks and Rec Department for 17 years, going in and out of (the Buckham Library), I had a lot of time to reflect on the beginnings of the city and just how beautiful it was,” said Jarvis, who is the fourth generation of the Jarvis family to grow up in Faribault. “It kind of pained me a great deal that people were forgetting about what makes the city so beautiful and special. From that point by the library you can see the Alexander Faribault House, you can see the viaduct and with just a little bit of imagination, easily see that was the center of everything happening.”
Murals The importance of art in the community still shows with the murals in Faribault’s downtown. There are murals of the viaduct and Alexander Faribault, as well as sports An early engraving depicts St. Mary’s School. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis)
DIG DEEPER Learn more about Faribault’s time as the Athens of the West at bit.ly/35vxgG8. Find out more about artist, author and historian Jeff Jarvis and his work at westcedarstudio.com.
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Seabury Divinity College is a precursor of Shattuck and later ShattuckSt. Mary’s School.
legend Bruce Smith, scenes of historic buildings, Fleckenstein’s Beer and the Olympia Cafe that was owned by a Greek family, street scenes from the 1950s, the Tilt-A-Whirl, and the annual Pet Parade. The Faribault Mural Society continues making public art an important aspect of the town and raises money for future murals through donations as well as the annual recycled art show at the Paradise Center for the Arts, which was built on the footprint of the 1885 Opera House. “Public art really makes a city beautiful,” Jarvis said. “It shows that people care and value art and beautifying the city.” Javis also points out statues within Faribault like the one of Alexander Faribault and Chief Taopi in Heritage Park along the Straight River, the Rice County Solider’s Monument in front of the Rice County Courthouse and the Prince of Peace statue located near the west end of the viaduct.
Music Embedded with art in the city is music. Faribault has hosted Concerts in the Park for 132 years now. Last summdr, it held 11 concerts, with most taking place at the Central Park Bandstand. The bandstand dates to 1921 and you’d be hard pressed to find many communities that hold weekly concerts.
Artists Jarvis highlights internationally known artists with Faribault ties in the brochure for the tour. Those artists include Grace McKinstry, who is known for her classical painting work, “The Horse Fair.” McKinstry studied at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School before going on to the Minneapolis and Chicago Institutes of Art. She later became known for her portrait work. Some of her work can be seen at the Rice County Historical Society.
ABOVE L to R: Grace McKinstry was the daughter of a pioneer Faribault newspaperman and studied at S-SM, the Mpls. and Chicago Institutes of Art, and in Paris with Raphael Collin. Grace became an internationally- known portrait painter and her art is held in public collections in the U.S. and abroad. Olof Hanson became one of the most well-known deaf architects after attending the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis) One of the three landscapes painted by Jean-Baptiste Faribault, father of Alexander Faribault, in 1853. (Photo courtesy of Susan Garwood)
Marvin Kaisersatt, a famous woodcarver from Faribault, works on a piece. He’s one of several famous artists that Jeff Jarvis highlights in his Athens of the West walking tour. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jarvis)
Cyrus Dallin became folk singer-songwriter and a well-known sculptor of poet Townes Van Zandt Native American chiefs, and screenwriter William colonial leaders, generals Blake Herron. and presidents. His best “When there’s a city known work is a Paul that’s struggling for its Revere statue in Bosidentity, sometimes, histon, but his works, “The tory serves as a really Peace Pipe” and “Indian good tool,” Jarvis said. Archer” as part of the “You go back and study Though he isn’t a graduate, Marlon Buckham art collection. history and then you Brando is one of the best known Audree Norton bestart seeing remnants alumni of Shattuck-St. Mary’s School. came a famous actress of that history still here. after attending the State Academy for the We have a lot to be proud of, so instead of Deaf in the late 1940s. Artist Cadwallader adding more fine art, I wanted to embellish Washburn and architect Olof Hanson also what we already have through illustrating attended the State Academy for the Deaf. examples of architecture, the public library Shattuck-St. Mary’s has a number of and its art collection and the arts that are notable alumni like actor Marlon Brando, supported by the city.” Native American author Vine Deloria Jr., Nick Gerhardt is a freelancer journalist based in Northfield.
Shattuck’s Shumway Hall was just two years old when this photo was taken in 1889. The school was founded in 1853. (Photo courtesy of Shattuck-St. Mary’s School)
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The Cassius Buck House on First Avenue SW is now home to Ruth’s House of Hope. The 4,400-square foot home began as home to Buck and his family in 1895.
BUCKEYE Home for banker’s family, troubled youth and now women in crisis Story By Suzy Rook
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Portions of this story were first published in the March 25, 2003 Faribault Daily News.
27-year-old Faribault facility for troubled youth closed April 11, 2003. Buckeye Manor at 124 SW First Ave., owned by Catholic Charities, shut down due to low enrollment in the facility’s short-term residential program for juvenile offenders, and because of financial difficulties at Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The home for troubled youth has been run by a number of agencies over its life span. In 1998, Catholic Charities took over
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the home. The facility is housed in the spacious Cassius Buck House, one of Faribault’s homes listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Buckeye Manor provides a transitional program for juvenile offenders or youth coming out of drug treatment. In the last six months, however, the home which has a license for up to 16 people, has been less than half full at times, even operating with as few as two residents, said Leslie Johnson, communications director for Catholic Charities. Like most charitable organizations, Catholic Charities is suffering the effects of a faltering economy and proposed cuts in the state health and human services budget, Johnson said.
By the end of 2003, the house, built in
1895 as a home for Faribault banker Cassius Buck and his family, became Ruth’s House of Hope. Ruth’s House boarders are female heads of household in crisis situations, whether it’s domestic abuse, addiction or poverty, and their children. The 24-hour support staff help residents address the issues that brought them to homelessness and connect them with resources to help them find safe and permanent housing. Director Ruth Hickey said the program starts as an emergency shelter for 45 days, then residents can move into a transitional shelter program for six months. Staff evaluates residents at 30, 60 and 90 days. According to Hickey, the average length of stay is three to four months, with six months as the maximum. The shelter continues to rely on local contributions and foundation grants, so
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Pastor Steve Detzer, left, gives Ruth’s House of Hope Executive Director Ruth Hickey a hand on August 2004 with cutting the ribbon on the shelter for women in crisis. (Daily News file photo)
Ruth’s House needs to raise $350,000 annually to keep it open. Every year, Hickey said community donations keep Ruth’s House running.
the Neo-Classical Revival style. The 4,400-square foot house is two stories with a gable roof, white clapboard siding and black trim. It is rectangular in plan with a five-bay symmetrical front (east) facade dominated by a two-story portico with full pediment extending from the center three bays. “The Cassius M. Buck House, constructed a year after Buck’s arrival in Faribault, reflects both the position of prominence achieved by its builder and the social and
The Cassius M. Buck House is significant both for its association with a locally prominent second generation leader of Faribault’s financial and political community and as a prominent residential example of the Neo-classical Revival style, according to the submission requesting placement on the National Register of Historic Places. Buck (1959-1914) established his banking career in Wright County, organizing progressively larger banks before settling in Faribault in 1894. Buck assumed an active role in the financial community and remained prominent until his The Cassius Buck House, built in 1895 for Buck, a Faribault banker, and his family, is now home to Ruth’s House of Hope. (Suzanne death in 1914. In 1894 Rook/Faribault Daily News) he organized the Security Bank and later became economic climate of turn-of-the-century president of the Citizens National Bank Faribault,” read the historic register submisand a member of its Board of Directors. sion. Politically active, he represented Rice The house was included on the Historic County in the State Senate for one term Register in April 1982. (1903-06). Reach Managing Editor Suzanne Rook at 507-333-3134. The 1895 building was designed in
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M UP
STEPPING
Near tragedy has led Brian Daniels to be a champion for others Story By Andrew Deziel 20
Winter 2019
ore than two decades ago, Brian Daniels came to Faribault as a father determined to help his son. A fortuitous series of circumstances have since enabled him to not only survive, but thrive, and become a community leader. Originally from Hennepin County, Daniels’s family moved to northern Minnesota when he was a child. They lived on a farm near Shevlin, a small town roughly halfway between Bemidji and Bagley. It was there that Daniels started working for part of his family’s Suzuki dealership. “My job was to take motorcycles out of a crate from Japan,” he said. They were maybe like 4.5-5 feet long and 3 feet wide, two motorcycles in there. My job was to take them out of the crate and put them together, gas and oil them up, and charge the batteries.” When he was 18, Daniels’s father asked him to take over the business. The move worked out well, as Daniels turned the business around with the help of high school friends who Daniels recruited to work as part-time staff. The weak economy and high interest rates of the early 1980s eventually forced Daniels to leave the business, although he was able to close the store with no outstanding debts. He worked at another dealership before getting a TOP: Brian Daniels and his wife Elizabeth at a small election night gathering at their Faribault home in 2018. (Daily News file photo)
LEFT: Rep. Brian Daniels at the state capitol. (Photo submitted) RIGHT: Rep. Brian Daniels, R-Faribault, and his sister, Rep. Marion O’Neill, R-Maple Lake, pose for a photo after Daniels’s first inauguration in 2015. Daniels and O’Neill became the first brother and sister to serve in the Minnesota legislature at the same time. (Photo provided)
job at an area rental store. Daniels was also a busy family man, raising four children with his wife, Liz. In his spare time, he coached youth hockey, taught Sunday School and won a seat on the local school board. An exceptionally active person, he loved weightlifting, downhill skiing, tennis and motocross. Yet tragedy would strike when the Danielses’ son Jeremiah was just 10 months old. Jeremiah came down with what his parents at first believed to be a simple case of the flu. Then it took a turn for the worse. “It got to the point where if we picked him up he’d just scream,” Daniels said. “We thought he was just tired so we let him sleep for a day, sleep all day and all night, then the second day we picked him up and it was the same thing.” Soon, Daniels and his wife realized something was wrong, and they took Jeremiah to the local clinic. In a stroke of luck, a retired physician from the Twin Cities was in the clinic that day and examined the child. The doctor soon came to believe that Jeremiah had a case of spinal meningitis, an infection of the fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Testing confirmed the diagnosis, and although Jeremiah survived, by the time he was 3 he’d lost his hearing. Daniels and his wife enrolled Jeremiah in the Bagley school district, where he was given an interpreter. As he grew older, Jeremiah began to struggle with his academic work and social life due to his disability. Daniels said that he realized his son wasn’t doing as well as he’d hoped when he brought Jeremiah to a summer football camp. Even though he had put racing stripes on his son’s helmet, Daniels still lost track of him quickly. “I look in all the groups and can’t find him,” he said. “Then I looked behind me and he was one step back, by himself talking to no one, because he’s deaf and none of the kids could sign.” By this time, the family had heard about the Minnesota State
Academy for the Deaf in Faribault. As Jeremiah’s grades sunk and he became ever more isolated and alone, the family decided they needed to enroll him at the Academy. In eighth grade, Jeremiah packed his bags and headed south to the Academy. He did well, making new friends and actively participating in sports. It was more difficult for his parents, who only saw him twice the whole year. The next summer, Daniels got a call back asking if he’d like to manage the rental store in Northfield. After talking about it with his wife, Daniels decided to move to Faribault. By coincidence, his oldest daughter had just enrolled at Mankato State University. As he entered high school, Jeremiah found his groove and thrived at the MSAD. He increased his GPA dramatically and turned into a star athlete, getting voted the best defensive player in the nation on the gridiron. After graduating from the MSAD, Jeremiah Daniels enrolled in a welding program. He achieved his certificate and has worked as a welder since 2001.
A difficult diagnosis With Daniels’s new job at the Northfield rental store came an affordable, quality health insurance plan. Even though he felt healthy, Daniels decided to go in for a regular checkup, which he hadn’t been able to afford previously. At first, Daniels’s check up seemed to be going well, but then the doctor performed a regular reflex test. When the he tested Daniels’s reflexes in his right leg, he quickly detected something was amiss. Daniels tried to explain to his doctor that the odd movement was most likely the result of an injury he’d suffered from a weed whacker — or, perhaps, related to his motocross days. The doctor was unconvinced and recommended Daniels see a neurologist. The neurologist ordered an MRI, which detected a lemon-sized CONTINUES ON PAGE 22 u u u
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finally calling him. “I called him and said ‘Jim, I can’t cash this check, I know you’re going through a lot,’” Daniels recalled. “He said ‘Brian, if you don’t cash it you’re possibly withholding a blessing from God.’” Daniels and his family are still deeply grateful for the steadfast support they received from those around them during that most difficult of times. Thanks to that support, the family was able to stay afloat and ultimately emerge from the struggle strengthened in a commitment to help others. Daniels’s treatment was successful and thanks to the generous support from a caring circle of friends, and he was eventually able to return to his old job at the rental company. He increased his hours and before Rep. Brian Daniels, center, introduces himself during a candidate forum in October 2018. Daniels easily long he was working 40 hours a defeated Faribault School Board member Yvette Mathaler, right, to secure a third term in St. Paul. Also week - although that’s less than pictured is forum moderator Kymn Anderson. (Daily News file photo) he’d often worked before.. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 The job was strenuous, however, so he took a new job as a mechanic with Northern Tool and tumor in Daniels’s head. Emergency brain surgery was ordered for Equipment. In 2002, he transferred to a position leading the comthe next day. Daniels was shocked, not knowing anyone who had pany’s the Warranty Department, which enabled him to work at a ever been through brain surgery. desk. “I sat down at the computer and wrote four letters to each of my kids just in case,” he said. “If it didn’t work out, I knew I wouldn’t be coming back.” After surgery, Daniels was a wheelchair. Though he quickly regained much of his ability to move, he was looking at six weeks of radiation and a year and a half of chemotherapy. Even with all that, doctors were skeptical that his life could be extended by more than five to 10 years. As he struggled to recover from treatment, Daniels was unable to work for several months. He received an outpouring of community support, especially from members of both the church he’d just joined in Faribault and the church he’d left in Bemidji, who were eager to lend a helping hand. One of Daniels’s church friends had suffered a perilous injury: a fall 40 feet from a power line left him paralyzed from the waist down. He was forced to make a career change, leaving his family in difficult times. Even in the midst of extreme stress, the Rep. Brian Daniels listens to Rice County Social Services Director Mark Shaw discuss the friend sent Daniels a check. Daniels struggled with impact of errors made by the state Department of Human Services on the county during a November meeting with county commissioners. (Daily News file photo) what to do about the friend’s generosity before
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SIGNAGE In hopes of helping the Academies for the Blind and Deaf to help more struggling students, Daniels worked to pass a bill that will place informational road signs on I-35 identifying how to access the academies. Daniels said that until the time his son reached fifth grade, he’d never heard of the Deaf School in Faribault. That’s even though he and his family often drove by Faribault on the Interstate.
Rep. Brian Daniels with his son, Jeremiah, at a Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf’s homecoming football game. (Photo submitted)
Advocating for the academies Daniels was thrust into the political spotlight in 2014, when he defeated then-Rep. Patti Fritz, a five term incumbent, by a narrow margin. In 2016, he comfortably won re-election in the conservativeleaning district. Even though he voted regularly and identified as a conservative, Daniels said he’d never considered himself a very political person. In 2012, his sister Marion O’Neill was elected to a House seat just west of the Twin Cities metro area. With Republicans struggling to find a strong candidate to run against Fritz, O’Neill called her Daniels and asked him if he knew anyone. He thought of his neighbors, co-workers and fellow church members, but ultimately couldn’t identify anyone. That’s when O’Neill suggested to Daniels that he run for the seat which includes Faribault, Medford and Owatonna. Although he was hesitant to get into the race, he eventually took the plunge and picked up the seat, one of 10 gained by Republicans that year throughout greater Minnesota. Daniels said that although he never expected to serve in the Legislature, he’s come to thoroughly ap-
preciate the job. Nearly every week, he says he finds another issue that he can help a constituent with. At the Capitol, he’s worked particularly hard to help children who are struggling like his son Jeremiah once was. He fought to expand opportunities for autistic children, writing bills that have helped them to take college courses, learn key life skills and become independent. Daniels has also championed the cause of the state’s Deaf and Blind academies. Funded by the state, the academies often struggle to get funding. In the Legislature, Daniels has worked to ensure funding for maintenance and to make the buildings more accessible. More than 20 years after receiving treatment for a cancerous brain tumor, the tumor doctors said would likely kill him, still hasn’t begun to grow again. Daniels said he’s incredibly grateful for the chance he’s been given to live life to the fullest every day. “What God has done is amazing,” Daniels said. “I’m 13 years past when they said I would be gone, and I’m still here.”
“My hope is that putting those signs up, there will be people who pass by that and go, ‘I didn’t know there was a deaf school in Faribault,’” he said. “Maybe they have a grandson or a granddaughter or a niece or nephew who are struggling and feel like they’re all alone.” Daniels added that it’s important to make sure that school officials are also aware of the Blind and Deaf Academies. He’s hopeful that these initiatives will help to boost attendance at the Academies, which has flagged in recent years.
Reach Reporter Andrew Deziel at 507-333-3129 or follow him on Twitter @FDNandrew. © Copyright APG Media of Southern Minnesota. All rights reserved. Winter 2020
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Nature’s way Naturalist brings wealth of possibilities to Cannon River STEM School
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f it’s 1 p.m. at Cannon River STEM School, there’s only one thing the school’s naturalist, Stephanie Rathsack, could possibly be doing — composting. It’s a daily responsibility for Rathsack, but for the two lucky third-graders scheduled to help that day, it’s a rare opportunity. Third-graders Hayleigh Churchill and William Silver helped Rathsack compost
Story By Misty Schwab on a Tuesday afternoon in November. Both students agreed composting is fun, but apart from that, they understand its purpose. Churchill said her school composts “so people can make stuff out of the stuff we don’t use.” Added Silver: “It’s to keep the earth healthy.” First, Rathsack and the two third-graders weigh the compost bins in the cafeteria. The bins are full of compostables like ba-
nana peels, apple cores, bread and broccoli from the day’s lunch. Typically, she said two bins weigh a combined 90 pounds. According to Rathsack, the school keeps 8,000 pounds of “garbage” out of the landfill a year by composting. Rathsack leads Churchill and Silver from the cafeteria to the school’s compost bin, where they take turns helping her dump the materials into the tub of leaves. The green compost bags, made from plants, also go into the compost bin. She explains
TOP: Cannon River STEM School naturalist Stephanie Rathsack and third-graders William Silver and Hayleigh Churchill use shovels to smash up the compost materials in the bin. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News)
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to the students the brown leaves contain a lot of carbon while green materials have more nitrogen. Together, Rathsack and the third-graders use shovels to chop up the large chunks of food so it composts better. The three then cover the materials with more leaves from a neighboring bin. Every step of the way, Rathsack quizzes Churchill and Silver on what they remember from previous lessons about composting. Each third-grader gets four to five turns to help compost during the school year, so after a while the process becomes familiar. And since the composting became available on the campus three years ago, students in the upper grades have the same experience under their belts. “I hope they can take that [experience] with them, bring it home and to other schools,” said Rathsack.
An unmet need While employed as a naturalist through River Bend Nature Center a couple years ago, Rathsack noticed Faribault lacked composting options. At the time, she lived in the metro area where compost curbside pickup had become more common. She visited local waste management plants and conducted research, hoping to find a solution. Partnering with Cannon River Stem School, Rathsack realized some of the teachers at the school also wanted to see composting available on the school’s campus. Third-grade teachers even helped their students write proposals to present to the Faribault City Council and also delivered presentations before the School Board and the former CRSS executive director, Nalani McCutcheon. Rathsack said McCutcheon, the founder of CRSS, played a huge role in getting the campus compost rolling three years ago. Later, it was McCutcheon who met with current CRSS Executive Director Cheryl Wendt and the former curriculum special-
Stephanie Rathsack, left, works with a Cannon River STEM School student to tap maple trees and collect syrup in April 2019. (Daily News file photo)
ist to decide how a full-time naturalist position would operate at the school. “We used to partner with River Bend Nature Center and shared a naturalist,” said Wendt. “We realized if we had our own full-time naturalist, we could really do more projects and offer more classes.” The CRSS compost started before Wendt assumed the executive director’s job, but she’s witnessed Rathsack improve the process by teaching children why composting is important, how it’s done, and what repercussions occur without composting. Wendt said the full-time naturalist position in general allows for the school to fully implement projects and lessons teachers can’t otherwise squeeze into their busy schedules. Rathsack’s position, she said, gives the CRSS campus more opportunities to help the environment as well as the students. “She’s just a real go-getter,” said Wendt. “I would hope anyone else we would have hired would have had that same passion.”
interactions with Cannon River students, but now the school campus is more central to her work. “This is really different because I have the same kids to teach, which you don’t usually get as a naturalist,” said Rathsack. “I get to see what they learn from year to year. They’re going to change the world!” Much of Rathsack’s work involves composting with third-graders, but apart from that daily responsibility, she introduces different topics in nature and environmental sciences to each grade at CRSS. She doesn’t consider herself a “classroom teacher,” and she likes teaching more than one grade all year long, so the informal and often out-
A natural fit Growing up in Spring Lake Park, Rathsack remembers hiding snake skins in her sock drawer. At 10, she preferred volunteering at the Springbrook Nature Center to watching cartoons on Saturday mornings. It should come as no surprise that Rathsack decided to major in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She initially saw herself in the pre-veterinary field until she realized she wanted to keep doing what she’d always done at the nature center. As she became more aware of the field’s diverse career options, she took the path of becoming a naturalist. Before becoming the first full-time naturalist at CRSS, the River Bend Nature Center brought her to Faribault. Her naturalist position at River Bend involved
ABOVE: Cannon River STEM School naturalist Stephanie Rathsack helps third-grader William Silver dump the compost materials from the school cafeteria into the school’s compost bin. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News) BELOW: Cannon River STEM School Naturalist Stephanie Rathsack, right, helps third-graders William Silver and Hayleigh Churchill weigh the compost bins from the school cafeteria. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News) CONTINUES ON PAGE 26 u u u
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ABOVE: Once a week, Cannon River STEM School naturalist Stephanie Rathsack leads a group of four fourth-graders to the river to retrieve a water sample. Pictured from left: Rathsack, Peyton Martins, Lyric Sunde, Adeline Piper and Evan Rinehart. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News) RIGHT: Back at the STEM School, naturalist Stephanie Rathsack fills a a long tube with the water sample for a turbidity test. Pictured left from Rathsack, fourth-graders William Silver and Adeline Piper stand in line to see how long it takes to see an icon through the water. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25
door setting is ideal for Rathsack’s agenda. As for her students, Rathsack said, “I know I’m jealous. We never went outside for school, except for recess.” Going along with her composting lesson, Rathsack helps students sort their uneaten food into the proper bins in the lunchroom. This helps students as young as kindergarten understand the difference between compost materials and trash. Each grade level looks forward to learning something new from Rathsack as students emerge from one grade to the next. She helps kindergartners fill the bird feeders and first-graders tag butterflies to track the migration of monarchs. She supervises second-graders as they check every recycling bin in the school and thirdgraders tap trees on the school campus to collect maple syrup for a pancake party.
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After acquiring the proper suits and equipment, she’ll give eighth-graders a lesson in beekeeping. Rathsack said she also likes to keep an open schedule so she’s available to go on hikes with students and inspect any frogs, bugs or other animals they might find on the campus. Outside the regular school schedule, Rathsack started a STEM School camp last summer, which she plans to continue next year. This was an additional chance for students to catch worms and bugs and set up a trail camera for observing raccoons. Madi Cooper, fourth-grade teacher at CRSS, called Rathsack “an invaluable resource” at the school. “My students love Ms. Stephanie, and whenever they find something cool outside, we have to radio for Ms. Stephanie or send her a picture so she can tell us more about it,” said Cooper. “She’s like the human
version of Google for anything natural or outside. She has an incredible wealth of knowledge, and my students love learning from her.”
What’s in the water? The big project Rathsack supervises for fourth-graders is water testing at the Straight River, a CRSS project that predates her position. Each week Thursday, Rathsack walks a group of four students from CRSS to the 14th Street NE bridge. Students grab ahold of a long rope with a bucket tied at the end, and with Rathsack’s help, lower it into the flowing river below them. After acquiring enough water, they reel up the bucket and transfer the water to a large jar. While out of the classroom, Rathsack also encourages students to make hydrologist observations of the river’s color and
OUTSIDE THE BOX At CRSS, instructors choose new elective classes to teach for sixweek periods without grading students on their work. This gives students additional opportunities to learn new skills and get outside their regular classroom environment. For one of her electives last year, Stephanie Rathsack taught students how to monitor a bluebird nest. She currently teaches a writing class for sixth-graders, and next semester, she plans to offer a winter survival course.
height. She asks them which elements of nature might contribute to the water’s green or gray hues - algae and the sky. She also quizzes them on how to tell if the river is low or high, and they know the answer based on whether or not the roots of the nearby trees are above or below the water’s surface. Rathsack shows students how to test the water outdoors when it’s warm outside. In the colder months students complete their observations back at school. They test the water for nitrogen and phosphates by first adding chemicals to the water turn it different colors. After dipping test tubes into the water samples, they compare the colors to those on pH indicator strips to determine the number of parts per million (ppm) of nitrates and phosphates in the water. Rathsack helps students fill out a sheet so they can report their findings to the Minnesota
Department of Health. “They love it because the water changes colors and they get to wear goggles,” said Rathsack. For the final water test, Rathsack fills a long, transparent tube with the water to test its turbidity, or cloudiness. Each student peers into the tube one at a time to see if a circular symbol on the bottom is visible. As Rathsack uses a string to pull that image higher, the student at the tube tells her if the symbol has become clear. On a Thursday afternoon in November, fourth-grader Adeline Piper was among the four stu-
dents who helped Rathsack with water-testing. She said the most interesting part was “probably how clean [the water] is.” “I kind of expected it to be dirty,” said Piper. “I liked putting the chemicals in [to test the water].” Fourth-graders have other opportunities to learn from Rathsack throughout the year. Fourth-grade teacher Sheila Sawyer said her students classify rocks and minerals using dichotomy charts with Rathsack and also learn which types of Minnesota species to plant and maintain and which seeds to harvest and prepare for next year. “Stephanie is an important part of our school,” said Sawyer. “Her knowledge and experience is extremely valuable for the experience for our students.” Reporter Misty Schwab can be reached at 507-333-3135.
“We have a lot of autonomy and can do our standards differently,” said Rathsack. “Teachers have a lot of freedom in how they want to approach their subjects.” TOP: To retrieve a water sample, STEM School naturalist Stephanie Rathsack and four fourthgraders lower a bucket into the Cannon River each Thursday and reel it back up. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News) MIDDLE: Cannon River fourhgraders Lyric Sunde, left, and Peyton Martins compare the colors of their water samples to the pH indicator strips. This determines the parts per million (ppm) of phosphates and nitrates in the water. (Misty Schwab/Faribault Daily News) BOTTOM: Cannon River STEM School fourth-graders do water testing at school when it’s cold outside and wear safety goggles and Latex gloves during the process. Pictured, Adeline Piper, front, and Peyton Martins dip their test tubes into the water sample. (Misty Schwab/ Faribault Daily News) Winter 2020
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Season of change From green to white, there was a rainbow o Photos By Dale Brown, Suzanne Rook & Michelle Vlasak 28
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w of color this fall
PREVIOUS PAGE: Stray weeds hinder the focus of the blue sky and the adjoining tree line. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) TOP: The sun flutters amidst the barricade of trees along the River Bend Nature Center pathway. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) ABOVE: Trees with stark red leaves and thick branches line the lawn leading up to the District One Hospital. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) CONTINUES ON PAGE 30 u u u
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A long shutter speed makes water gushing over the falls appear to come off in sheets and the motion of the water below seems as if it’s a whirlpool of chocolate and caramel. (Photo courtesy of Dale Brown) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
LEFT: Fine fall foliage frames the tower of Johnston Hall. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) MIDDLE: Branches come together to meet in the middle at River Bend Nature Center. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) RIGHT: Sun shines through a leaf in the woods unveiling its veins as shadows fall upon it. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
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ABOVE LEFT: Light gray rocks sit along the bank of the Cannon River. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) ABOVE RIGHT: The bridge along Lyndale Avenue frames the Cannon River. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
The sun shines through the top of the tree at South Alexander Park. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
CONTINUES ON PAGE 32 u u u
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Slight changes in grade create mini waterfalls just below a bridge in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. (Photo courtesy of Dale Brown)
The water in the Cannon River Reservoir waves along past the boat landing. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
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TOP: With the changing leaves behind it, water flows swiftly over the falls at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. (Photo courtesy of Dale Brown) ABOVE LEFT: A plethora of fall colors line the area around the Cannon River. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) ABOVE RIGHT: The tree trunk divides the array of yellow and green leaves down the middle of the branches. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) CONTINUES ON PAGE 34 u u u
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TOP: Evergreen trees have leaves shaped like needles that remain on the trees throughout the whole year. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) ABOVE: The snow along the shoreline creates a unique contrast of textures in comparison to the waves of the water. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News) LEFT: The Floating Bridge at the Nature Center captures one leaf in its many cracks. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
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The 2019 Winterfest fireworks shone brightly over the buildings on the east side of Central Avenue near Fourth Street NW. (Suzanne Rook/Faribault Daily News) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33
Low December clouds appear to hang over the setting sun, making a colorful backdrop for this rural Rice County farm. (Suzanne Rook/Faribault Daily News)
The dark, burnt, orange color of the leaves starkly contrast against the white background of the tree covered with snow. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
Looking up towards the top of the tree provides an interesting array of green tones. (Michelle Vlasak/Faribault Daily News)
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Pull up a c 36
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After 63 years, family-owned furniture store continues to thrive
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Story & Photos By Renata Erickson
aul Erickson, owner of Erickson Furniture in Faribault, remembers overhearing his father, Roger Erickson, once explain why furniture from the past seems to last longer. “I’ve sold furniture in the 50s, 60s, and 70s — there was poorly made furniture back then, too,” Paul recalls Roger saying, “nobody remembers stuff that ended up in the dump 30 years ago. Everything that was made well is what is still around.” With 90% of upholstery — anything with fabric including chairs, sofas, and recliners — created in the United States and hundreds of fabric options, Erickson Furniture strives to sell quality furniture even as the number of family-owned furniture stores dwindles. “The number of furniture stores in Minnesota is down 60-70%, but the stores that are still here are a lot bigger,” Paul said. “People travel to Medford and the cities. It’s not hard to compete with bigger stores on price or service, but it is harder to get people in the door. It’s easier to compete
with someone next door to you than someone that is 50 miles away.” While the square footage of a store may be larger to accommodate more in-store selections — 16,000 compared to 80,000 to 150,000 square feet — Paul believes buying products locally is a better experience for customers than shopping at major furniture stores. “Locally, you know the people,” Paul said. “You know the salespeople. If there’s a problem, you can talk to a salesperson, you can talk to me. I believe it’s easier to make a decision over a few days rather than being up in the cities and thinking ‘it’s on sale and we’re here, let’s just do it.’” What is built with a sturdy foundation is what is remembered from the past. Much like a sturdy frame and quality fabric can seat a family around the dining table for years, the Erickson Furniture lineage of selling furniture dates back to 1915.
The foundation of Erickson Furniture Oscar Erickson was 28 years old in 1921, when he bought the furniture store CONTINUES ON PAGE 38 u u u
INSET: The Ericksons Furniture staff are back, from left, Jim Nelson (accountant), Adam Erickson (delivery and warehouse), Mike Young (sales and interior designer) and James Matlock (delivery and warehouse). Front, Paul Erickson (owner), Jerry Cruikshank (service), Pam Gramse, (sales and interior designer) and Janine Wagner (sales and interior designer). Ericksons Furniture’s motto — The Heart of the Home — was inspired the initials of current owner Paul Erickson’s grandfather and his two brothers.
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Paul Erickson bought Erickson Furniture from his father Roger in 1992. Roger opened his first store in Faribault in 1956.
Janine Wagner, sales/interior designer at Erickson Furniture, aids James Schwab, center, and Paul Schwab, right, in their search for a recliner. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37
started by his uncle, Charles Peterson, in 1915. Oscar is Paul’s grandfather. “My grandpa purchased a store in Evansville,” Paul said. “He ended up becoming a mortician along with owning a furniture store.” Furniture store owners in the early 1900’s often operated funeral homes, too. While Oscar completed his mortician’s
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license, his brother, Loren Erickson, along with their father, ran the furniture store. Loren soon became a co-owner of the Erickson Furniture business in 1925 and the two brothers bought another store in Elbow Lake, Minnesota. In 1928, they again expanded to include a store in Frazee. With the third store, their third brother, Vernon Erickson, joined the business to make Erickson Furniture a true family endeavor. Paul’s grandma, Florence Erickson, also helped with the store on occasion when Oscar had a funeral, though Paul said she was more inclined toward music than sales, directing the church choir for years. “In the late 20s my grandpa and his brothers bought a couple of other smaller stores and they ran them for a while. That was kind of the start of the Great Depression,” Paul said. “They ended up buying a furniture store in Willmar, Minnesota and that ended up being their main store 1932 — not exactly a good time to start a store.” As the other furniture stores were sold, the remaining stock was hauled to Willmar.
“They were just trying to make a living and these other stores were not making it,” Paul said. “They bought them for the inventory.” Despite the Depression, Erickson Furniture became one of the leading furniture and appliance stores in Minnesota. During this time, the three Erickson brothers discovered their names — Loren Oscar, and Vernon Erickson — created the acronym LOVE. Heart-shaped tags with the words “Quality Furniture, the Heart of Your Home” soon followed and the trademark is still used at Erickson Furniture today. In 1933, a deal was struck between the three brothers. Oscar and Vernon took full ownership of the Willmar store and Loren ran the Elbow Lake store. While the furniture store in Elbow Lake was sold after Loren retired in 1963, the funeral home he built there still bears the Erickson name as Erickson-Smith Funeral Home and Cremation Service. “The Willmar store was pretty successful, but my dad knew there was not going to
WHO’S THE OWNER? 1915-1921: Charles Peterson 1921-1955: Oscar Erickson, nephew of Charles 1925-1963: Loren Erickson, brother of Oscar 1928-1984: Vernon Erickson, brother of Oscar and Loren 1951-1982: Donald Graville, nephew of Oscar and Vernon 1968-1992: Roger Erickson, son of Oscar 1992-present: Paul Erickson, son of Oscar
Pam Gramse and Janine Wagner, two of the sales and interior designers at Erickson Furniture, answer customer calls.
be a spot for him — Vernon was 17 years younger than my grandpa — so in 1956 he bought a store in Faribault,” Paul said. “He just knew he wasn’t going to end up in Willmar so every Sunday so he looked at the want ads for furniture stores for sale in the business opportunity section, which was very common back then. He looked at several other stores in other towns, but he obviously liked Faribault because he bought the store.” Roger’s first store in Faribault was located where Bernie’s Grill is now on Central Avenue. After four years he moved the store to where NAPA Auto Parts store is now located on First Avenue NW. “From there in 1968 he bought this building [located at 30 Fifth St. NW] from
Bob Bliss,” Paul said. “He was expanding; he did really well.” Paul began working for Erickson Furniture in 1973. “I’d come down and dust and vacuum — I hated it,” Paul said with a laugh. “My daughters came down and dusted, I think for two days, and after 15 minutes they said ‘how much longer?’ I think those were my exact words to my dad. ‘I’ve been doing it for 15 minutes, how much longer?’” Paul’s time in the store in his youth wasn’t always spent working though. “When I was a little kid, we’d come down here every once in awhile with dad’s friends from out of town and I’d play hideand-go-seek with their kids. There’s plenty of places to hide.”
After college, during which Paul delivered furniture for Roger, Paul bought Erickson Furniture. “I bought Dad out in 1992,” Paul said. “It was a little overwhelming. I sat next to him for 10 years knowing exactly what I was going to do, but it was my decision all of a sudden. I thought I was working as hard as I could, and I found out I had one more gear I hadn’t used. You have a little bit more drive when you’re writing the checks.” Paul’s got one word to describe what it was like to work alongside his father: “wonderful.” Reporter Renata Erickson is a freelance reporter based in Faribault.
The exterior of Erickson Furniture, its third Faribault location.
Winter 2020
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t l u a b i r a F MINNES
O TA
Experiencing American Stories
JANUARY
11 18
Winter Comedy Showcase at Paradise Center for the Arts Snow Crush Fat Tire Race at River Bend Nature Center
FEBRUARY
7 8
Dance Party Renunion - A Salute to Buddy Holly and Friends at the Paradise Center for the Arts Faribault Flannel Formal at 10,000 Drops/Corks and Pints
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