<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A pleasant journey through Middle America's past
Review: In "Images of America - Sauk Rapids and Benton County", Ronald Christopher Zurek has brought a collection of vintage photos and text into a cohesive history of the early years of that region of Minnesota. I have to admit that before reading this books I had no idea that sauerkraut was made in big wooden vats, but the photos from the Foley Pickle Factory certainly enlightened me. This book is a wonderful look into the past of a Midwestern small community. From the early Ojibwe and Sioux settlements to the daily life of the European settlers it fascinates us with high quality black and white photos.The history of the railroads, the "Sauk Rapids Cyclone of 1886", the vintage family photos and all the other elements of this book should be a compass to the current residents of the Benton County proclaiming their heritage. The next time I pass through that region I shall have to spend time looking for the landmarks that still exist, and pondering the ones that have passed. This book is "a keeper" and will be a welcome addition to my history collection.
Rating:
Summary: Sauk Rapids, county history come alive
Review: What's the best way to get people interested in history? Pictures, of course. Ronald Christopher Zurek pieces together almost 200 vintage photographs into a regional history in "Sauk Rapids and Benton County." Going back as far as the 1850s, the book explores the industries, businesses and the people that have contributed to the area's growth. James J. Hill's influence on the railroads and the tiny saloon that was to become Coborn's Superstore are just some of the highlights. Group portraits dominate the book, capturing the lifestyles of granite workers, young men leaving for World War II and operators connecting telephone conversations at the turn of the century. And we can't forget the Prohibition era federal officers reveling in their moonshine bust. The Ojibwe American Indians who originally lived in the Benton County area serve as a brief introduction to the rest of the book. One chapter focuses on Sauk Rapids' fatal 1886 cyclone, with photos of the destruction.
Rating:
Summary: Sauk Rapids, county history come alive
Review: What's the best way to get people interested in history? Pictures, of course. Ronald Christopher Zurek pieces together almost 200 vintage photographs into a regional history in "Sauk Rapids and Benton County." Going back as far as the 1850s, the book explores the industries, businesses and the people that have contributed to the area's growth. James J. Hill's influence on the railroads and the tiny saloon that was to become Coborn's Superstore are just some of the highlights. Group portraits dominate the book, capturing the lifestyles of granite workers, young men leaving for World War II and operators connecting telephone conversations at the turn of the century. And we can't forget the Prohibition era federal officers reveling in their moonshine bust. The Ojibwe American Indians who originally lived in the Benton County area serve as a brief introduction to the rest of the book. One chapter focuses on Sauk Rapids' fatal 1886 cyclone, with photos of the destruction.
<< 1 >>
| 
