And annual Utschtallung, Heritage Village is that well-wrapped present
It is important for the future to remember the past.
To that end, history is meant to be chronicled and archived; reflected on and lessons from which to learn. Such preservation is a gift from the past to the future.
And, at Mountain Lake’s Heritage Village – especially on the second Saturday of September each year – can be found that wrapped present. Those preserved historical archives can be discovered – not just noted in the pages of a scrapbook, bound book or journal
Utschtallung (which means “a gathering” in Low German) – or Heritage Fair, in an Englishified version of the name – brings forward the days of the past that can be seen, heard, touched, smelled – and tasted.
Heritage Village – its buildings, collections and displays – give visitors a sentimental, albeit momentary, walk back in time – virtual, although not actual.
The 41st anniversary of the first Heritage Fair was held at Heritage Village this past Saturday, September 12. Throughout the Village’s 25 buildings and across its 40 acres – this area’s archival narrative was again revealed.
Below are photographs from this year’s Utschtallung.
IT IS A given that at some point during a Heritage Village visit, I will seek out this trunk in the antique furniture back room of Dick’s Shoe Hospital. I do so because it is a part of my own roots, my personal heritage. This trunk, labeled: “Nordamerika” and “Minnesota” and “Mountain Lake” – and is also engraved with the name, “Gerhard Neufeld” – my great-great grandfather. It was into this trunk that the entirety of the family’s belongings were packed in order to make the trip from the Ukraine, across the Atlantic Ocean, through Castle Garden and eventually to Mountain Lake. That family of 11 set sail from Bremen, Germany aboard the S. S. Strassburg in 1878. The group arrived in New York City on July 2, 1878. Fortunately the trunk has been protected and preserved by its owners over the course of the intervening generations, and is now a part of the Heritage Village collection.
UNDER THE DIRECTION of School District #80 “schoolmarm-for-a-day” Nordis Olson (who usually teachers grades three and four at Mountain Christian), a Spelling Bee for fourth-graders was held in the Schoolhouse. Winning the Bee was Khloe Saelee, with Aiden Saelee finishing second and Grace Sherman, third. Pictured above are, from left, Aiden Saelee, Grace Sherman, Khloe Saelee and other participating spellers Mareena Jepsen, Preston Xayachak and Lydia Rete. Behind is Mrs. Olson.
IN THE SPIRIT of the event, Lydia Cavanaugh, left and Sheryl Fast, right, came dressed in clothing of the pioneer era.
IT WAS A beautiful early fall day – for visiting on the front porch of the Jaeger General Store. Taking advantage of the seating in the sunshine are Rosalie Sawatzky, left and Dean Schied, right.
AS JAEGER GENERAL Store hostess Virginia Friesen looks on, back, uncle and nephew face-off in a hotly-contested game of Checkers. At left is Uncle Pat Haberman, while seated at right is Nephew Brandon Haberman.
IN THE APARTMENT above Jaeger General Store, a table in the living room area displays several aged photo albums, a Bible and World War I-era photographs of a young woman, front, and a young soldier in uniform, back.
EARLY PIONEER FARMERS to rural areas – including Mountain Lake – were ahead of the curve on wind power, harnessing the southwest Minnesota prairie breezes to provide power to to mill grain, pump water – or both. Standing guard as Heritage Village “monitor” is this Monitor brand windmill made in Evansville, Wisconsin. The Monitor name was a nod to the Civil War battleship. The manufacturer claimed the Monitor’s gearbox could not be punctured by hunters’ bullets.
NORM PETERSON OF Storden shares his carving skills during demonstrations during Utschtallung.
SPINNING SOME WOOL and angora is Betty Oeltjenbruns of rural Mountain Lake.
CONNIE PETERSON SHOWS how to do card weaving using a band loom. Connie, of Storden, is a member of Storden’s Stich in Time, a fiber arts group. Norm and Connie Peterson and Betty Oeltjenbruns presented their skills in the Red Buhler Barn at Heritage Village.
PLAYING HIS SPOONS to provide percussive accompaniment to the musicians up-and-down Memory Lane is Daryl Hrlicka. He is also teacher to many young – and new – spoon players during the event.
BEN BARTSCH AND the beautiful sunflower head he entered in the Sunflower Contest.
MOUNTAIN LAKE NATIVE – and noted children’s book author – Nancy Loewen – shared her latest title to a group gathered in the Gazebo.
ARLENE STOESZ, RIGHT, had her laptop fired up, logged in – and ready to assist folks with family genealogy. She was in the Welcome Center. One of her guests was Irene Holmes, left. Irene recognized an old photo of some fortunate fishermen and women that included her mother as a toddler – her uncles and grandmother. That photo is below – with the identification.
ACCORDING TO IRENE Holmes, the people with the fishing success for the day include, from left, Mrs. C. J. Brown, Art Kliewer (Irene’s uncle), C. J. Brown (a photographer in Mountain Lake in its early years), Viola Kliewer (Irene’s mother), Dave Kliewer (Irene’s uncle) and Marie (Toews) Kliewer (Irene’s grandmother – and the mother of Art, Dave and Viola).
UP THE WINDING stairs in the Mennonite Homestead – an example of pioneer building design, with home and barn connected all-in-one – is found a children’s bedroom and playroom.
DRESSING UP IN era costumes is fun – and these boys and girls participated in “Parade on the Prairie,” led by Miss Mountain Lake Second Runner-Up Melissa Lohrenz, at right; Danica Dick, at left and Lizzy van Beilen, center. Children taking part included Elyza Buller, Jessah Janzen, Shyla Ahlers, Alean Ahlers, Kyra Ahlers, Evangeline Hrdlicka, MacInnis Hrdlicka, Andrew Hrdlicka, Khloe Saelee, Grace Sherman, Fiona Bayer, Lydia Cavanaugh, Lydia Rete, Kate Janzen, Miriam Rete, Thavian Xayachak, Preston Xayachak, Aiden Saelee, Jerdane Vongkaenchan and Caden Swoboday. The activity is organized by Brenda Adrian.
JACK HRDLICKA GIVES authenticity to the history of Heritage Village with his period garb – from his head-to-his-feet – as a young boy of a bygone era.
JACK HRDLICKA AS a photographer would have captured his pose in an earlier age – with sepia tones.
FORMER “TELEPHONE GUY” Larry Jefferson, left, was host in the Minnesota Telephone Museum. Visiting the building was Harlan Thompson of St. James, right. The pair were discussing the “walkie-talkie” radios on display below the antique telephones. They were of great interest to Thompson because he served in the Signal Corps of the United States Army during the Korean War.
BRODY KLEVEN STROLLS on the path from the Caboose and Depot to Memory Lane – while he savors some homemade ice cream.
A LOOK AT the “action center” of the Depot during its heyday – where the depot agent and telegrapher were stationed.
ANOTHER LOOK AT that same scene, this time in sepia – a photo in brownish color – how photos were printed earlier photography history.
THIS GREAT NORTHERN Railway calendar hung up on the Depot office is special to me. Hmmm – looks like I was born on a Saturday.
LOOKING OUT THROUGH the Depot’s window I spy the homemade ice cream stand (made right on location) a busy place. Dishing up bowls of the taste treat are Jareya Harder, left and Noi Harder, right.
AN ADDED DISPLAY to Ben Dick’s Shoe Repair Shop are this hat forms once used by Ross Tailors and Hatters to create custom-made head-toppers.
PEERING INTO THE “hospital” – through the original doors that welcomed people to Bethel Hospital. The hospital was razed, but it once stood where Sanford Health-Mountain Lake Clinic, below, and some of the Parkwood Place apartments above, are now located. On hand to help people find their birth days in the birth records is Dianne Swanson, facing the camera.
IN THE PRAIRIE Interpretative Center can be found replicas of the tools made and used by the Fox Lake Indians when they lived on the “mountain” for one winter season. Archaeologist Joe Hudak and his team from the University of Minnesota discovered the items and additional info on a dig in the mid-1970s. Above is a sketch of the dwelling and the people who lived in the area for a time in 100 B. C. – as it was believed to appear following the research.
A LOOK OUT the rear window of the Residence/Granary at a threshing machine, once used to separate out the flax or oat or wheat grain. Many early settlers in the area built a combination home – and granary in which they stored the grain taken from their fields – until they could afford to construct a separate home.
ANOTHER LOOK AT the threshing machine – this photograph as it would have appeared during the time period when its use was in high demand.
THE CONNECTED-TO-the granary residence area of the combo-use structure.
MIRANDA STOESZ FRIES up and serves portzilke (New Year’s cookies) that are deep-fried, chock-full of raisins – and with powdered sugar sprinkled on top.
IT’S RULL COKA (cruller) time and Dolores Krause has rolled out and now is cutting the cruller-shapes, with some set to be added to the hot oil to be deep-fat fried.
DOING THE FRYING honors – turning the crullers (deep-fried pastry) brown and crispy is Rachel Janzen.
ENJOYING THE FRUITS of their labors is Annette Dick, who topped here pair of crullers with mulberry/rhubarb jam.
ABOVE, ELSIE FRIESEN lathers the cream gravy of my verenike (cottage cheese pockets).
NEXT STATION UP is the carving of the ham – the perfect partner to the verenike (with homemade hot mustard added – see bottle at right – for extra spunk). Helping with this process is a family affair. From left, Dean Christians, Alison (Feil) Christians, their daughter Amanda Christians and Alison’s mom and Amanda’s grandma, Marilyn Feil.
TIM KLASSEN IS down to his last bite of verenike for this year’s Utschtallung.
LADLING UP BOWLS of borscht (vegetable soup that is heavy on cabbage) is Geneva Stoesz, right. At back, Lynette Ewert, left and Cleo Friesen, right, plot plans to fill quart jars of the ethnic delicacy – some already waiting on the table at back left – to be sold to eager patrons.
ANOTHER CULTURE ADDED to the story of Mountain Lake – and another ethnic treat. In the early 1990s, the Lao community began calling the city their home, and now egg rolls are part of the menu at the Heritage Fair. Mony Vetsouvanh dishes up a couple for a hungry customer.
MY SECOND COUSIN – Jean (Neufeld) Van Gerpen made the annual trek from her current home in the Twin Cities metro area to her “home stomping grounds” in order to savor some ethnic foods – and claim some zweibach (two-story buns) to take back with her.
