Stearns County Spotlight: Bill Scherer’s Hill Billy Hills, St. Joseph, Minnesota Wintertime fun can be hard to beat, especially when Mother Nature cooperates with an ample supply of snow. In 1984, Bill Scherer decided to fulfill a childhood dream by opening a tubing hill operation at the farm where he grew up four miles south of St. Joseph. “As a kid, I knew these weren’t hills for dairies and the hills were too short for skiing. But they were perfect for tubing”, Scherer said in a 2001 St. Cloud Times article. Scherer’s business philosophy was pretty straightforward. He believed in having a good time and hoped those who visited his tubing hills did the same. “We got something for everyone here”, he explained in another Times story. Bill started out with just two runs but over the years added another three on his forty acre property. Each had a distinctive name. Angel Slope and Snake Trail were for beginners while more advanced tubers braved Devil’s Dive, Wild Willy, and The Buzz. A tow rope brought tubers back up the hill to each run. Over the years, the Scherer family adapted to new trends such as snowboarding while contending with various winter patterns. Weather conditions carried the most impact on a successful season—no snow meant no tubing. Most years they opened in late November but one dry year the slopes were not ready until early January. In a good year, Hill Billy Hills had over 10,000 tubers, each sliding down the slippery slopes with their family and friends. By 2006, Bill and his wife Marjorie decided to call it quits. He was 75 then, and vowed to close the place at that age. “It was time,” he said, “Now my wife and I are going to do some traveling, probably out west.” Their retirement, though, did not melt the memories of those visited the operation. Simply put, Hill Billy Hills was a good gig. Here is a newspaper ad from the Cold Spring Record, 1986.

Sli-Ski-Ska Festival, later called the Winter Carnival, gave central Minnesotans a chance to celebrate winter in the 1930s, 40s, and early 50s. Activities for participants included tobogganing and skiing at Calvary hill, ice skating and hockey on Lake George, a parade in St. Cloud, and a dance at the Breen Hotel. The St. Cloud Jaycees added whimsy to the event by writing the legend of Sli-Ski-Ska, a fictitious Native American ruler. The St. Cloud Jaycees planned, promoted, and executed the ice carnival which brought Minnesotans from the surrounding area together for winter fun. In 1938 it was estimated that the event was attended by 2,200 winter weather enthusiasts. Great Northern Railway offered a round trip from Minneapolis-St. Paul to St. Cloud to transport attendees. The festivities were watched over by a Sli-Ski-Ska made of ice and snow on the shore of the Lake George. In 1938 the newspaper stated these facts about the snow sculpture: it weighed 50 tons, was comprised of over 12,000 cubic feet of ice and snow, measured 40 feet from shoulders to the top of the head with a feather headdress adding another 20 feet to the height, and took 1,236 hours to create. The structure was created by the National Youth Administration under sponsorship of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. The photo shows the Sli-Ski-Ska snow sculpture in 1937.

Start warming up for the Stearns History Museum's Know-It-All Trivia Challenge by answering this question. The correct answer will be posted on Monday, January 15th.

Family History Conference: Trace Your Roots, April 21, 2018 at the Stearns History Museum; 235 33rd Ave. S.; St. Cloud, MN 56301 Registration—8 am, Welcome—8:30 am, Morning sessions—8:45 am-12:00 pm; Lunch—12:15 pm -12:40 pm; Afternoon sessions—12:45 pm – 4:00 pm. Sponsored by: St. Cloud Area Genealogists and the Stearns History Museum Mark your calendars for the Family History Conference: Trace your Roots on April 21, 2018! Plan your day to hear feature speaker Paula Stuart-Warren, CG®, FMGS, FUGA present four sessions. They are: World War I Era US Alien Registrations; Your Anytime Library: Success in the Virtual Stacks; The WPA Era: Free Records Boon from the Government; A Baker’s Dozen: Easy Ways to Begin Writing Your Family History Break-out sessions bring together a variety of local experts on various topics. They include: Finding Family through DNA Testing—Gretchen Leisen What do I do with all this Stuff? and Finding Your Irish Ancestry—Brendon Duffy Your Stories are Your Life—Jim Barkley Tapping into Stearns History Museum’s Genealogical Online Resources and Going Old School: Genealogy Tools that don’t need much Electricity—Steve Penick and Jessie Storlien Here is a link for details on how to register, cost, lunch options, and planning your conference day. http://www.stearns-museum.org/genealogy-workshop It’s time to Trace Your Roots. Join us!

Stearns County Spotlight: Tony Nierenhausen’s Bar; Richmond, Minnesota Gordie Howe, former NHL great, played some thirty-one years of professional hockey. He commented about his lengthy career stating, “You’ve got to love what you’re doing. If you love it, you can overcome any handicap or the soreness or all the aches and pains, and continue to play for a long, long time.” Richmond’s Tony Nierenhausen perhaps could have made a similar statement. For sixty-five years, Tony stood behind his bar on Main Street, passing a few drinks to the locals while drumming up conversations with those he served. His run as a community figure was almost mind-boggling. On June 16, 1894 he reported for work as a young, twenty year old bartender. By 1909, he bought a place of his own. He then operated his bar and tended to the community needs for the next fifty-five years. He claimed to miss only one day of work during his entire career, that being in 1897. His establishment certainly felt the ebbs and flow of outside influences. Asked about how Prohibition effected business, Tony cleverly stated in a newspaper article, “It was known then as a soft drink parlor, he says with a laugh.” Nierenhausen married in 1899 to Tracy Kost, a Roscoe native, and the couple had four children. Life presented some challenges for the family. Tracy died suddenly in 1930 from gallstones, leaving a large void in their lives. Tony however still found time to become involved in community. He served thirteen years on the Richmond Village Council and also volunteered for the fire department. He also remained an active member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church throughout his entire life. On June 1, 1964, Tony called it quits when he sold the establishment. He claimed to be the “oldest bar owner in central Minnesota”, as his ad in the Richmond Reported clearly stated. In an article around that time, Nierenhausen stated, “If I had it to do all over again, I’m sure that I would go in the same business but I would do a few things differently. For one thing, I wouldn’t stay up so late. I’ve always liked this business because I like people.” It’s these relationships, and Nierenhausen’s character, that endured him into the fabric of the community. Here is a Tony’s Bar ad from the Richmond Reporter, 1956. The two photos include Sts. Peter and Pau Catholic Church and Richmond’s Main Street, ca 1950.

Presenter: Michele Braun-Heurung, a St. Cloud Area Genealogists board member and member of the Stearns History Museum. Learn how to build and update your family tree and share reports that you and your family will enjoy for years to come. View how Family Tree Maker 2017 software interfaces with Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. Discover new features such as color coding, photo darkroom, and FamilySync weather report. View top features such as links to historical records, charts and reports, media organization, and interactive maps. More information can be found at: http://stearns-museum.org/genealogy-org

In the 1950s Al Kirmeier operated a marina in Long Beach, California. While in California, Al became enamored with a bar and restaurant called The Persian, which was known for its generous drinks and delicious food. When Al opened a restaurant on New Year’s Eve 1961 in St. Cloud, his favorite hangout in Long Beach inspired him to name it The Persian. The restaurant site was on Kirmeier family land. Al and his brother, Roger, cleared 130 trees, dug a 40 foot deep well, and poured the cement foundation themselves. The supper club thrived on customer service and good food. When the club first opened Al would dress in a suit and his wife Pat in a gown, and they would greet customers by name. By 1982, The Persian supper club could seat over 1,000 people, averaged 150 weddings annually, used over 2 tons of charcoal a month, and hosted countless other parties and banquet events. What made Al so successful? He was said to have, “kept ahead of the times with far-sighted vision to create his own excitement with the added touch of warmth and personal attention to his customers.” After over 30 years of running The Persian, the Kirmeiers retired in 1995. In 1997 the restaurant was reopened as Gambini’s Fine Dining and Nightclub by Pete and Michelle Benincasa, and today the building is used by ProcessPro. The photo shows an advertisement for The Persian supper club from 1982.

Come and show everyone how much you know at the Stearns History Museum's Know-It-All History Trivia Challenge. We will provide hot chocolate and popcorn to keep your brain agile. And, of course, there will be prizes for the top teams. Sign up your team (2-6 people) by calling SHM at 320-352-8424.

Stearns County Spotlight: The De Yaeger Prohibition Pardon, December, 1929 “My husband, August De Yaeger, received his pardon and arrived home in time to be with us on Christmas. We all join in thanking you for the kind attention and interest that you took in our case. I know for sure it is something that will never happen again.” Words written by Anna De Yaeger, 27 December 1929 to Assistant United States District Attorney Robert Rensch Anna De Yaeger’s words were published in a St. Cloud Times article regarding the release of her husband from the local jail. August was in the midst of a seven month sentence at the Stearns County facility for bootlegging and violating Prohibition laws. Anna took matters into her own hands in pursuing August’s release, deciding to go straight to the top of the food chain. She wrote a letter to President Herbert Hoover on December 10 stating her case about why her husband should be released and the charges dropped. The couple had six children, three of which were sick at the time. Anna pleaded with him in her note, stating that August was needed as the family relied upon his income, to help with the sick children, and to be home by the Christmas holiday. Some ten days later, Attorney General William D. Mitchell responded to Anna’s request under President Hoover’s authority. The telegram related the news. Washington, D.C. 443 P. Dec. 24, 1929 Jailer Stearns County Jail St. Cloud, Minn. President has commuted sentence of August DeYaeger to expire at once and has remitted his fine warrant will be mailed to you twenty-sixth instant prisoner should be released immediately will confirm this telegram if desired answer. William D. Mitchell Attorney General So ended August De Yaeger’s jail time and his subsequent pardon for violating Prohibition laws. Within three years, Prohibition itself would be repealed, ending what President Hoover once called, “the great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far reaching in purpose.” Here is a photo of Federal Agents and confiscated stills during the Prohibition era, ca 1923.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Enjoy the holidays with family and friends. Have a cookie too!

Stearns County Spotlight: Peter (1818-1903) and Catherine Lommel (1836 -1923), Rockville, Minnesota Luxembourg, a small nation in the center of Europe, has played an instrumental role in Stearns County history. In time, dozens of Luxembourgers traveled to central Minnesota, starting new lives in places like St. Augusta, St. Nicholas, or Luxemburg. The country itself consists of rugged hills and mountains in the north, with the southern two-thirds consisting of valleys, a large plateau, and thick forests. Peter Lommel grew up in this environment, born in 1818, and left for America just shy of turning thirty. He spent time in Buffalo, New York, then briefly in Ohio, before heading in 1856 to Stearns County. Lommel was an early settler to the area. His skills were extensive; his career started as a tailor but in time expanded into other business ventures. He bought a farm near Luxemburg, Stearns County, then purchased a different one near Rockville. There, he added operating a general store, a tavern, and also became the postmaster to his already busy life. Meanwhile, Catherine was born in 1836, growing up in Germany before heading to America when she was twelve. Along with her parents, she spent some years in Wisconsin before her path crossed with Peter. Together, they had 7 children. Peter had an additional 16 from two previous marriages and the Lommel name became a familiar one throughout Stearns County. Here is a photo of the Lommel residence in Rockville, ca 1895

This Myron Hall photo of a winter storm was taken at 5th Avenue and St. Germain Street, St. Cloud (Minn), ca1948.