CONGRATULATIONS
LA CRESCENT’S MAN OF THE YEAR 2025
DON THESING, President of the La Crescent Area
Historical Society
Rain or Shine, Don’s the Man!!
We are a featured stop on the
TROLLEY TOURS: OCTOBER 5, 12, 19 & 26
VETERANS DAY 2025 … a time of reflection
November 1944 A group of community leaders, including Mrs. Georgia Fay and Ed Hurley, organized the La Crescent Community Club to stay in touch with the many young men and women from the area who were in the armed services in World War II. The Club gathered local news items and addresses for about 80 servicemen and women. To create 80 copies, several members typed the same newsletter (on a manual typewriter and using several sheets of carbon paper [Explain “carbon paper” to your grandchildren!]. D. C. Webster paid for the mailing, and eventually a few businesses offered the use of their “modern” copy and ditto machines.
The newsletters were upbeat, reporting on hunting seasons, the bowling leagues, home purchases, marriages/births, and business news, and always with a bit of humor and sincere concern for the welfare of those brave men and women.
In 1994 Julie Zuehlke led a group of volunteers to re-type the newsletters into a readable format; following that, a special display of them was held at Gittens-Leidel Post 595 American Legion. Afterward, all the material was donated to the La Crescent Area Historical Society, where it was archived. Further, relevant material was scanned into two downloadable documents (the newsletters; and the letters from service men and women) and posted on the historical society’s website as WWII LETTERS HOME.
Veterans Day 2025 “Letters Home” will be displayed in the Community Building: it’s an event with the La Crescent Public Library.
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…
You Asked: How did La Crescent become famous for apples?
To learn more about our annual festival, click on this link to the Applefest USA website.
THE LA CRESCENT HISTORY CENTER
& APPLE MUSEUM
OPEN SATURDAYS 1 – 4 pm
Stroll through the displays in the house
Visit the Apple Museum in the big red shed
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THANKS TO A GRANT FROM THE ARLIN FALCK FOUNDATION,
WE ENCLOSED THE PORCH ON THE BACK OF THE HOUSE,
A MUCH-NEEDED UPDATE THAT GAVE US MORE DISPLAY SPACE !!
We’re collaborating with the La Crescent Public Library !!
Watch for dates in November – Letters Home will be on display
June 16, 1832
Nathan Boone and his survey crew
reach the area that is now La Crescent
This is a transcription from Boone’s original field notes.
The field notes are in the National Archives.
T
Click on 1832 LAND SURVEY at the top of this page to learn more
THANKS TO
LA CRESCENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
4TH GRADE CLASSES AND THEIR TEACHERS
FOR VISITING in 2022
What a surprise! Quinn Jore, 4th grader,
saw her great grandmother’s photograph on a display shelf.
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IN MEMORY OF
Gordon M. Fay 1924-2022
La Crescent native
Past Recipient of the Historical Society’s Heritage Award
His heart never left La Crescent
MARKING A SIGNIFICANT EVENT IN HISTORY
Nathan Boone’s land survey
of the Neutral Ground in 1832
HISTORICAL MARKERS
Along the Wagon Wheel Trail, south Shore Acres Road (above)
and along Skunk Hollow Road
LEARN MORE: Click on 1832 LAND SURVEY (top of this page)
Gratitude to Our Boone Project Partners
City of La Crescent
La Crescent Public Library
La Crescent Township
FUNDING
The project was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
PROJECT ADVISORS
Don Borcherding, a licensed professional surveyor with 45 years’ experience in land surveying, survey research, and survey history
Gwen Westerman, a scholar of Dakota history and language and a professor in English at Minnesota State University, Mankato
ASK US ABOUT GROUP TOURS
