FEBRUARY 22
20 years ago (2002)
First-time author Buzz McCollough, a Brainerd native who now lives in Seattle, has plumbed family lore and a collection of Civil War-era letters to write “Throught the Canebrake.” The novel, part fact and part fiction, tells the story of his great-great grandparents, Will and Laura Gibbon, as they move through the war with Gen. Grant's army.
30 years ago (1992)
Three one-hundredths of a second is about the length of a fingernail, according the Warrior swim coach Joe Vrudny. That was the distance that kept Lance Hoff from being a state champ in the 50 freestyle. The second place ties his finish from last year's state meet. In the 100 free, Hoff finished fourth in a school record 47.08 seconds.
40 years ago (1982)
(Photo) A huge crowd turned out to honor Ray Shortridge as he retired as a Golden Gloves boxing referee after 20 years of service. Brainerd coach Tom Herron and Golden Gloves director Les Sellnow presented Ray Shortridge with several gifts, and his wife, Doris, received a bouquet of roses from the boxing team.
60 years ago (1962)
The East Gull Lake school board announced that it has decided to begin consolidation proceedings with Brainerd's District 181. It has a one-room brick school house in the Squaw Point area where one teacher instructs 26 students in grades one through four. The 52 students in 5th through 12th grades are bused to Brainerd.
80 years ago (1942)
A retired carman at the NP Railroad shops, Peter Remmels, 72, was killed as he crossed north on 8th Street across Washington Street. He was struck by a car and is said to have died instantly. He was the first traffic fatality this year and the second in four years. The city earned safety plaques for 1938, 1939 and 1940.
100 years ago (1922)
“Clarence,” the senior class play of Brainerd High School under the direction of Miss Mary Tornstrom, scored a regular hit with the audience that crowded the New Park Theatre. Leo McCaffrey played the title role and Alice Regina Johnson was charming and pretty in the role of Violet.
28/50: People in the Northern Pacific Railroad depot waiting area, circa 1910. Source: 'Out of the Woods, A Pictorial History of The Brainerd Lakes Area', Published by The Brainerd Daily Dispatch. Copyright 1994.
29/50: Chicago Tavern on Gilbert Lake circa 1938-1943. Dancing and food. Al LaBarre was the owner. Source: 'Out of the Woods, A Pictorial History of The Brainerd Lakes Area' published by The Brainerd Daily Dispatch. Copyright 1994.
30/50: State Champion was this Brainerd amateur baseball team of 1894, which later saw two of those players advance to the major leagues. Pictured here are (front row) Frary, catcher; Phyle, rf-pit.; Howe, pit., rf; C. McCarthy, 1st; (middle row) Burgum, shortstop, W.P. Buckley, manager; Hill; 3rd; (back row) W. McCarthy, cf; Blandy, lf; Warner, 2nd. Source: 'Brainerd Minnesota 1871 - 1971'. Reproduced from the Centennial Edition of the Brainerd Daily Dispatch. Copyright 1971.
37/50: Brainerd Fire Department. Dispatch archives
38/50: W.E. Lively, the hustling Maxwell auto dealer, has sold a Maxwell to Joseph Johnson. Pictured is a Maxwell Mascotte Touring 1911 by Lars-Göran Lindgren Sweden - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1526033
39/50: This truck belonged to Silas Hall's Transfer Line just after World War I. It was used for hauling freight from the NP (Northern Pacific Railroad) depot to stores around town as well as for other kinds of moving. The picture was taken in front of the railroad freight office. Before the truck, Silas Hal used teams of horses and wagons which he kept at 415 Main (now Washington Street). Source: Brainerd Minnesota 1871 - 1971. Reproduced from the Centennial Edition of the Brainerd Daily Dispatch.
40/50: The 1916 Brainerd police force, pictured here, included the following men: The plain clothes men at either end were Jack Brandt (left) and Ted Nesheim; (front row, left to right) Charles Varner, chief, and Tom Templeton. (Rear, left to right) Erick Graff, Hans Saude and August Swanson. Source: Brainerd Minnesota 1871 - 1971. Reproduced from the Centennial Edition of the Brainerd Daily Dispatch.
41/50: This building at Seventh and Laurel, still a well-known landmark in Brainerd, was the home of the Citizen's State Bank, from 1909 to 1927, when the bank then moved to quarters across the street. This picture was taken in 1913. Source: Brainerd Minnesota 1871 - 1971. Reproduced from the Centennial Edition of the Brainerd Daily Dispatch.
42/50: The "fill" grounds skating rink, located near Franklin Junior High School, winter of 1938-39. Source: 'Out of the Woods, A Pictorial History of The Brainerd Lakes Area', Published by The Brainerd Daily Dispatch. Copyright 1994.
43/50: People in the Northern Pacific Railroad depot waiting area, circa 1910. Source: 'Out of the Woods, A Pictorial History of The Brainerd Lakes Area', Published by The Brainerd Daily Dispatch. Copyright 1994.
44/50: 60 years ago (1959) (Photo) Robert Dobson, 15, is interested in how long he can keep a kite aloft. He launched a kite at 3 p.m. yesterday near the court house and it's still flying despite a near disaster when a truck caught the kite string. The weatherman says it will remain windy today. Photo illustration, Metro Creative Graphics, Inc.
45/50: Brainerd Dispatch archives
46/50: The state hospital campus on Highway 18.
47/50: Santa takes a ride during a Christmas parade in downtown Brainerd.
48/50: Children crowd around Santa during downtown Brainerd Christmas festivities.
50/50: Brainerd Dispatch archives
