Articles

Column: These Nobles County women were heroes

As Memorial Day approaches and the region prepares its annual salutes to fallen veterans, it can trace a path through at least 10 American wars.

Column: Here's a column that's a Dutch treat

WORTHINGTON — It is not a huge coincidence, but it is notable: The year the first Dutch homesteaders came to Nobles County — 1890 — is the last year the Dutch people had a king.

Column: Where are there were many twos, there are several ones

WORTHINGTON — A recent column recalled the department stores which once lined Worthington’s main street. Worthington had three. More often when a conversation centers on Worthington it is said, “Worthington had two.”

Column: Don't stand there like a statue. Take a drive to Lismore

WORTHINGTON — It was Maundy Thursday morning, or Good Friday morning. The talk was of sculpture, the crucified Christ. How many statues of the crucifixion have you seen? Where was the best Christ sculpture you have seen?

Column: Empty at first, Worthington became town of trees

WORTHINGTON — In the beginning there were no trees. Not many, anyway. A few burr oaks along some of the lakes. Plum trees along river banks. Again and again the explorers, the pioneers, described southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa as a treeless prairie.

Column: When Wright went wrong, a memorable whipping

WORTHINGTON — There was a bowling alley in Worthington in 1907. I can’t tell where it was located — 10th Street, or Second Avenue — but then as now bowling was a popular pastime.

Column: A celebrity visit and considerable controversy

WORTHINGTON — I wish the film “Lincoln” had been made when I was in high school. It would have been precious to have this image of Abraham Lincoln through all the passing years.

Column: Wary of snakes, gators and crocs? You're not alone

WORTHINGTON — It seems to me there are too many crocodiles and alligators and snakes on television and in the newspapers and magazines.

Take me out the ballgame! Lismore — and the region — has storied baseball past

LISMORE — Minnesota has always been baseball crazy. There was a Minnesota town named Nininger. Nininger doesn’t even exist any longer. In 1857, before Minnesota even was a state, Nininger had a baseball club.

• John Donaldson
• A look at the field

A gem hidden forever, but long remembered

WORTHINGTON — Nobles County is the only Minnesota county with no courthouse. For more than a century, there was a courthouse on the historic court square along 10th Street in downtown Worthington. The square was given to Worthington by the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad in 1872.

• Courthouse
• Under construction
• Classic cars

Columns

Columnist: A valentine to women who served our country

Ann Johnson was (I believed) a striking woman. Ann was tall. They use that word, “statuesque.” She was Scandinavian without challenge. Blonde hair. October sky-blue eyes. Rosy cheeks.

Trick or treat - Nobles County has fair share of ghost stories

WORTHINGTON — Ruth Hein has been ailing lately. Every Wednesday through many years Ruth wrote a column of local history for the Daily Globe.