Clinton High School - Builder Yearbook (Clinton, MN)

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The Histor of Clinton The region tributary to Clinton was settled about the year 1879, when the nearest market town was Morris. The only mode of travel was by the ox team. Among the first settlers were Peter Vandemark, John Rothwell, F. H. Utley, Charles and J. C. Johnson, Henry McClurg, J. M. Finney, D. K. J. Clark, R. Hickson, F. W. Green, S. O. Steen, John Martinson, and many others. In 1880 the board received a peti- tion for the organization of Congres- sional township no. 123, range 46, under the township laws of the state and, being duly considered, the said petition was granted and the said town was established and boundaries were fixed as follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of section 1, township no. 123, range 46, and run- ning thence, west on township line to the northeast corner of section 6 in said town and range, thence south on township line to the southwest corner of section 31 of said town and range, thence exactly on township line to the southeast corner of sec- tion 36 of said town and range, thence north on township line to the place of beginning. The said town was named Almond and the first election was held at the house of M. Coot on Feb- ruary 14, 1880. The judges of the elec- tion were: S. D. Kemever, M. Coot, and Stephen McBride. In 1883 a loading platform was started about two miles south of where the town is now situated. This platform was called Rupert. In 1885, Clinton, first known as Batavia, was plotted out as a town. In that year, the Fargo-Southern Railway Company was built by Tyler of Fargo, a town- shio promoter, and one of the incor- porators of the Fargo-Southern Rail- way Company. Tyler bought a part of the school land lsection 163 on which the town is now located. Because of this new railway station the loading platform was moved up here. Erick- son's First and Second Additions were plotted and the town began to assume municipal proportions. The first store was started by Peter McCormick, who ran a general store. post office, and lumber yard. all in the same building. The building was afterwards used as an Advocate office and in 1908, was destroyed by the cyclone. This build- ing, located where the Legion building now stands, was built by J. M. Finney, and was the first business place in this village. J. C. Jasperson then built a general store in a building which stood where the Struck residence is now. Chris Sundquist built a hotel on the lot now owned by Mrs. J. H. Black. There was also, about that time, a lumber yard built and owned by J. H. Erickson. In 1887 the first school- house, a one-room affair, was built. Even though the town was not large, they had a local paper, the Clinton Argus, which was started in either 1888 or 1889. In the county comrnissioner's record for July 16, 1890, the following notes were found: A petition was presented by thirty-seven inhabitants of section 16, township 123, range 46, asking the board to appoint a time for holding an election to vote for or against in- corporating said territory into the village of Clinton, showing that said territory has a sufficient number of inhabitants. On motion the petition was granted and a motion ordered that an election of the electors of the above described territory be ordered to be held at the village of Clinton in Erickson's Hall, the nineteenth day of Aug., 1890, be- tween the hours of 10 o'clock a. m. and 5 o'clock p. m. on the said day for the purpose of voting upon the question of incorporating the above described territory. J. D. Ross, John Lindholm and H. W. Hewitt, residents of said territory, were hereby appoint- ed and designated inspectors of said election and shall preside thereatf' A copy of the petition for incorpor- ation with signers is found in a mis- cellaneous record in the Register of Deeds' Office. Twenty-six votes were cast at the election, 25 for and 1 against incorporation. The town was incorporated and the first village council consisted of Pres- ident. Frank Hawleyg Village clerk, J. C. Jaspersong Recorder, J. H. Erickson, Trustee, H. G. Englund. In the same year in persuant of the recent elec- tion. the four saloons were formally closed. Up to 1892 there were no churches. but in that year the Methodist Epis- copal Church was established. A number of buildings that were built before 1900 are still standing to- day. In 1896 Erickson's block was built where Krook's store is now located. Newman's pool hall, the building

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Class of 1938 DARHELI. lSEAT'Y-'l'uachor, Bird Island. FRED ISEATY-Clinton.. GORDON MEATY-Emllloyed in Mzulor Drug' Store. Graceville. IXIUICIEL lSlCRGSETH--limploycd, Orton- ville. NORMAN liO'l'KER-Student at Univvrsi- ty of Minnesota, Minnoapolis. HELEN CAIN--Teacher, Clinton. RUTH CAIXLSON-Mrs. Carl Gustafson, Ortonville. UPAL CHASE'-Mrs. .Iohn VP0llll0l'g'T'2lft, Watonga., Okla.. LUC'IL.LlC lJALSE'l'll -Clerical NV01'k, Fargo, NI. D. AMELIA FOI-IDE-Elnployed in Court House, Ortonville. CLAHENCIC GROSSIVTAN--Attending' Vot- erinary College, Mzlnhatten, Kan. MIABEL IIAIJATZETIG -Socrotary, flNV2l.t0l'I- na. IXIAIIYIN llOXTELI1-Plniployefl. Chokio. SIGFRED JOHNSON-Attending' College, St. Peter. FliANClS McAIiLIS'l'lCll -Farmvr, Clinton. CLARA NIIKKELSON -Clinton. PEARL OKIGSON-Mrs. Thomas Rothwell, Clinton, BI,-XIIILYN UliSUNfAttol14ling,' 'lit'1lCllt'l'AS College, Moorhead. JAMES l'ilAliEN-Farnwr, Gracovillv. ANDRENA 'llfjSS l'1Yl LIll0f'0fl in Court House, Ortonvillo. lil-IELA SANDETlSfClint0n. l,liONAlllJ SCH,-Xl,lil+lll--Farmer, Grzwe- ville. CECELIA SHEPEIXSK Y -Mrs. Uluurlo VVhG-eler, David City, Nell. ELLA S'l'ANTON-Oiliev Work, NVilliz1ms, Ariz. LEONARD ST.-XNTON-Hozul Bus Hoy, Grand Canyon, Ariz. 'FHEONE VVIl.I,lAMS--Ul'1'ico VVork, Mil- waukee, XVis. Class of 1939 IGVELYN UICIKGSTROlNi--lflmployod, Blu'- ton Hotel, Clinton. GORDON BIIANESS--Farrnvr, Gracevillo. DILUSILLA CIIOVVLEY--Clinton. GICNEVIEVE IIALSETH--Attending Noi'- mal Training, Ortonvillo. .IAM'lCS FUNK-Farmer, Clinton. LEWIS GTIOSSMAN-Farrnor, Chokio. l'lllMUS GHOSSMAN-Fzlrmer, Chokio. llUl3ERT GUSTAFSON - - Ernployefl in llzlrdware Store, Clinton. IIAIIRIS HAGEN--CCC Camp, Effie. IIAIITIY Hl'IlJlNf-Farmer, Clinton. HIAADYS llUSlCLIl'7--'Attending Teaclu-r'S College, Moorhead. YIULA LICXVIS -Attending 'l'ez1che1 s Col- lege, Moorhozul. INllCl'lliITT lVlAll'l'INSON---Clinton, liYl.A NELSON -lininloyx-rl, Gracevillv. MARION T'l'l'l'lKICK--Employed at Ring.:- nvss Drug Store, Clinton. DALE SHANNON-Einployefl at SWank's Gas Station, Clinton. JOYCE SMl'l'll--.-Xttenllingr Beauty School, Minneapolis. 'IHAIS SMl'l'll--Attenfling' Normal 'l'rz1in- ingg, Glenwood. NVAIHIEN S'l'l'1lCN-Enlistn-ll in CCC Cillllll. l'lC.-XTLL STIlil,UXVfClinton. DORIS SNVICNSON--Clinton, ELAINE TULIJEFSON--lilnployecl, Clin- ton. IIUDGER YllS'l'--Einploym-fl, Clinton, A G is-'-X -1 -M. ,. S x,b QE, i li, V yi X .Z 'S ,x!.,'-w- 5212. If

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where Ralph's pool hall is now, was built in 1885. The Miller Elevator was started in 1895 when F. M. Beaty be- gan buying grain. Our cemetery northwest of town was staked out in 1895. The town continued growing, and in 1900 it was quite a prosperous com- munity. The wheat shipments exceed- ed 600,000 bushels while livestock of over 525,000 in value was shipped out. Clinton contained the following: a hospital, four elevators, a bank, a lo- cal newspa.per, three general stores, a drug store, two hardware stores, two furniture stores, a plow factory, two lumber yards, four churches, four sa- loons, two meat markets, two feed mills, two harness shops, two livery stables, two hotels, two restaurants, five dealers in farm machinery. two physicians, two photograph galleries and a barber shop. In addition, there were several secret societies and a system of Waterworks affording fine water and fire protection, numerous fine residences, substantial business blocks, and a population of about 600 people. 1900 was the memorable occa- sion when the first gas wagon came to Clinton. The 1302's and succeeding years brought many new businesses and new business men to Clinton, all of whom contributed to the prosperity of Clinton. Recreation was beginning to be provided for the people of Clin- ton in the form of bowling and roller skating. On September 25, 1902, there was a bowling contest between the bowlers of Clinton and Graceville and the Clinton bowlers won by a large margin. It seems that the younger genera- tion was inclined to mischief in the earlier days too. for one day it was discovered that the M. E. Church was turned into a barroom by some cul- prits. Of course. the law brought ac- tion against them and the wrong doers were punished. In the local paper for January 1, 1903, the following announcement ap- peared: The water main has sprung a leak and the tank has to be emptied. The inhabitants will come to the pump house at the sound of the fire- bell three times a day to get water. Clinton, at this time, proved to be a resourceful town because, though it was without modern conveniences, it could cope with difficult situations. About this time, the Clinton local paper, run by Barney and Hill, was sold to Wilford Burt. It then became the Clinton Advocate. In 1906 a large fire destroyed the Potter saloon and several other build- ings were badly damaged. Arrangements for the first county fair were made in 1907. The fair was a suc-cess and so Clinton is still the place where the annual county fair is held. . On the 27th of June, 1908, the vil- lage of Clinton was visited by a de- structive tornado whjch laid waste about one-half of the town. Seven people were killed, some fifty others were wounded and about S100,000 worth of property was destroyed. That part of the town on the west side of the tracks was hit worse than the east side. Thirty-three houses were destroyed and twenty-five practically ruined. The depot was wrecked, and the two elevators were blown across the tracks. As is common in every tor- nado, a great many freak things were seen. The strong wind drove straws through telephone poles and forks were driven through the walls of houses. About two years ago, a stove containing loaves of half-baked bread was uncovered in the slough west of town. The stove had been blown from a house during the storm and had been dropped there. These are some of the experiences that the people of the village will never forget. During the years from 1910 to 1920 many changes were made in our vil- lage to make it a better place to live in. In September, 1910 the village condemned plank sidewalks and order- ed cement walks to be made. It seems that there had been several casualties caused by the old plank sidewalks in which men had either broken or hurt their legs. About this time there were many clubs and organizations being organ- ized. The Reading Circle was becom- ing active and the Odd Fellows were building a new hall where they could take care of the interests of their or- ganization. This hall, built in 1911, is the same one in which movies were held so many years. When the build- ing burned in 1937, it was a great loss to the community and the surround- ing country. ln 1913 it was agreed upon by the voters of Clinton that a new school- house should be built because the old one was inadequate for the many pupils who were then attending school. One of the most important clubs in the village in 1913 was the Honk Club. Every man who sold his car became a member of this club. Hiram Hewitt and Wiley Ross were two of the most active members. One of the regular features held at the Odd Fellows building was the