Share this pageReminiscences of June, a Traveling Grandmother
Chapter: 7 - June's Homes During Her Lifetime
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 29 May 2008 18:42
- Written by Stanton O. Berg
---
"CHAPTER 7"
---
"JUNE'S HOMES DURING HER LIFETIME"
---
June's childhood years were spent on various Wisconsin farms in the Wheeler, Ridgeland and Colfax areas. June's adult years were almost all in the state of Minnesota ranging from Chisholm and Duluth on the north to Fridley/Minneapolis in south central Minnesota.
---
June’s Childhood homes
June's parent's (Haldis and Henry Rolstad) made a home for their family in three different farm locations in Rural Dunn County, Wisconsin during June's childhood. All of June's homes were located on small dairy farms.
---
(June's father Henry with team of horses, holding June only 1 year old)
---
---
The above photo was taken in 1928. The building in the background is Henry Rolstad's old school building (Lost School) that he converted into a barn with a small addition made on the right and back sides of the former old school building.
All three of June's homes were located in a very beautiful portion of northwestern Wisconsin. The homes were all nestled among small hills, valleys, ravines and woodlands. One of the roads in this immediate area has a shading canopy of tree branches and leaves for almost a mile. The roads for the most part are winding and hilly.
This area of the state presents a picture of beauty to the eye and to the artist. However, to a farmer, this landscape would be a continuing challenge for the proper cultivatation and harvest of the necessary crops needed to operate a dairy farm. One needs to raise corn, grain and hay for the cattle in the winter months. In addition, adequate and nourishing grazing areas are needed for the cattle during the summer months in order to produce the milk that is the main product of a dairy farm.
While tractors were available to provide the power needed for cultivation and harvesting of crops, not many farmers could afford a tractor. This time period was during the heart of the "Great Depression." June's father, Henry used horse power as did most of his neighbors. It was a very difficult time for the nation's farmers. In the early 1930's farmers in the predominate dairy states engaged in "Milk Strikes" in a desperate attempt to secure a better price for their milk production. They were getting as little as 1 cent a quart for milk and from this amount they had to pay their costs of milk production. The below article outlines the history of this sad period in Wisconsin farming. One of the leaders of the "Milk Strike" was from Dunn County, Wisconsin. Henry who was not a violent man, was one of the "most farmers" who simply "hunkered down" and made the best of the situation. Henry was a very devout Lutheran. I have never heard him issue as much as a single simple swear word during his lifetime.
---
(Henry's old school ("Lost School") moved to their Farm - converted to barn)
---
---
(Henry with the children posing in front of an early 30's family car.)
---
---
In photo above, (L-R) June is holding brother Jerry, Lenore, Betty, Father Henry, Denis and Lyndell. Chickens in foreground. Cattle in pasture behind building. Ca. 1940-1941 - Nelson Farm)
The first Rolstad family farm home was on Rural Route, Wheeler, Wisconsin. This first home followed Haldis and Henry’s marriage on 14 June 1924 at Prairie Farm, Wisconsin. Haldis was only 19 years old at the time of their marriage. Henry was 32 years of age. This location is in Otter Creek Township. Rural Route, Wheeler was their home during the subsequent year’s ca. 1924-1936.
Rural Route, Wheeler was the Rolstad home at the time of the birth of their first born, Richard Herald on 20 November 1925. Richard died only 7 months later in June 1926.
Rural Route Wheeler was also the Rolstad home when June was born on Tuesday 8 November 1927. June was their 2nd born and the oldest of the surviving Children. This home was also the birthplace of June's three sisters. Betty in 1931, Lenore in 1933 and Lyndell in 1936.
The Rural Route Wheeler location is just south of old Highway 64. It is located Northeast of Wheeler and Southeast of Ridgeland. This is also the location of the Emerson Hill sometimes referred to by June in reminiscences of her childhood. The Emerson’s lived just off of the road near the top of the hill. The Emerson hill is the hill that June remembered that her Dad had to back their family car up the hill in order for the car to reach the top of the hill. (This first car was the family Model T Ford.) The road up the hill curves to the right as one nears the crest of the hill.
---
(Photo of the entire Rolstad family at the Nelson Farm Ca 1944)
---
---
The Photo above is the entire family at the Nelson Farm Ca. 1944. (L-R) Jerry, Father Henry, Lyndell, Mother Haldis, Denis, June. Lenore and Betty. The family dog is in the foreground on the left.
This is also the Rolstad farm in which Henry used his old school house building as a barn. His old school was not longer being used as a school and was just setting empty.. Henry could not afford to build the barn that he needed. Henry bought the old school building and moved it to his farm and renovated it into a barn. He also expanded it by added an small editon to the back end of the school building.
Henry’s old school had been called “The Lost School” because of the out of the way location of the school. It was replaced by another new building at a different location.
Because the new location was in “Plain View” it was named the “Plain View” school. June went to Plain View School during some of her school years. June recalled that her Dad took the bell tower (Belfry) off of the school building and made it into a playhouse for the girls.
The second Rolstad family home was located on County Road “M” just north of Colfax. This was a family home for the Rolstad's for only a few short years. Ca. 1937-1940. This location was almost due north of Colfax about 5-6 miles in Grant Township. It was while living her that June's brothers, Jerry (1937) and Denis (1938) were born. This home and this time period was also a sad time for the Rolstad family. The twin girls born here on March 3rd, 1940 survived only a short time. Joyce Elaline died 1 day later on 4 March 1940. Elaine Joyce died 4 moths later on 5 July 1940. What was to be a joyful event, turned into a tragedy.
The third Rolstad family home during June’s childhood was just north and west of their first home. This home was also located directly south of Ridgeland about 3-4 miles. The location of this home was a ¼ miles west of and in sight of highway 25. This location is in Wilson Township
---
(Nelson Farm south of Ridgeland - June age 19, standing on front lawn)
---
---
This farm home was also referred to as the “Nelson” farm, named after the former owner. This location was the Rolstad home for the year’s ca. 1941-1948. This time period spanned the World War II years.
June left home shortly after graduating from Colfax High School in 1946 to work in Eau Claire.
June’s Dad and Mom subsequently moved to a small farm North of Poskin, Wisconsin ca. 1949.
Haldis and Henry moved yet again in the early 1950’s to a small farm on the south side of U.S. Highway 8 just east of Cameron.
It was here on the little farm east of Cameron that Henry died from a second heart attack on 7 October 1969.
---
June's Adult lifetime homes
---
After June finished high school in 1946 and left home, she lived for a time in Eau Claire while working there. She worked both for and at the Gillette Tire and the Presto Cooker factories. Later she worked at the Doughboy Industries in New Richmond. June did not have the means and her parents could not afford to send June to college. Only a few high school children during that time period had the economic means to go on to a college or university.
---
(June with children at 1010 East 2nd Street in Duluth)
---
---
The photo above shows June at 1010 East 2nd Street in Duluth, Minnesota in Late 1953 or early 1954. (L-R) Dan, Susan, June and David.
David (1947) and Daniel (1949) were born.in Rice Lake at the Rice Lake Hospital.
In 1952, June and Stan moved to the State of Minnesota where June and Stan lived for the rest of their life. On first coming to Minnesota In the fall of 1952, June Stan and family lived in Chisholm, MN on the iron range. While in Chisholm, the family lived in a small new apartment over a commercial garage (Merco Nosan's Garage 10-1/2 East 2nd Street.). It was here that David, the oldest of the children, first started Kindergarten in the Chisholm school system.
David's first winter coat for school was a long gray coat created by June on her sewing machine. June was an accomplished artist with her sewing machine. She created matching suits for Dan and David in their early years. She also created beautiful dresses for Susan and Julie in later years. Sewing was both a joy to June as well as an economic help to the family.
While the Iron Range country was beautiful, it seemed to both June and Stan that one could never be out of sight of a towering iron ore dump on the horizon. Stan who was then working for State Farm Insurance Companies requested a transfer and that request was honored and Stan was transferred with the family to Duluth, Minnesota.
It was in the spring of 1953, June, Stan and her family moved to the "air conditioned" city of Duluth, MN. June thought Duluth was one of the most beautiful places she had lived in. However, on foggy days, the constant mournful sounds of the harbor foghorns did little to lift ones spirits. While in Duluth, June also learned that she could not always navigate some of the steep hilly city streets following a new winter snowfall. June and the family lived in Duluth until early in 1957.
---
(June standing at the rear or lakeside of 1010 East 2nd Street. Ca. 2000)
---
---
June and Stan first lived near St. Luke's hospital in a downstairs duplex style apartment at 1010 East 2d Street. The home was at ground level in the front but because of the steeply sloping hillside, the rear of the home or the lakeside frontage was at a second story level. This was a parking area adjoining an alley.
It was at the nearby St. Luke's hospital that Susan was born. (2 September 1953) June had only a half a block to go to the hospital. June's gynecologist was a warm hearted Finnish doctor. (Dr. Leppo.) The heart shaped vaccination mark that he gave Susan evidenced the doctor's love for children. It was also during this time that June's family acquired their first black and white TV set. (Motorola) The 17-inch screen was thought to be very large at the time.
It was while living on 2d Street that June encountered a dark side to the otherwise beauty and serenity of Duluth. It was June's first encounter with a "window peeper". June had gone to bed early one evening and was reading in bed alone. The bedroom was located at the rear of the home. A small balcony type deck or porch and stairs were located just outside the bedroom windows. While reading, June heard someone outside the bedroom window. She tried to calmly and quietly inform Stan of what was taking place. Stan quickly slipped out a nearby door that exited onto the balcony and stairs. The "Peeper" had apparently heard June and was already beating a fast retreat to a car that he had left in the alley with the motor running. Fortunately, that was the last such experience for June and the family.
---
(June - Stan's first new home - 4316 Oneida Street, Duluth. June, 1954)
---
---
In June 1954, the family moved to the "Lakeside" area of Duluth and into a newly constructed small single level home (no garage) at 4316 Oneida Street.
June and Stan had considerable difficulty in coming up with the required down payment necessary to purchase the home. Those were the days in which banks were very strict on making their loans. (The influence of the Great Depression Days was still very much a part of the economic environment.) Even though Stan had a Government GI Guarenteed loan because of his military service during the Korean War, the Bank still required a 20% down payment.
The home financing was finally accomplished by utilizing a small family savings account and two other personal loans.
June and Stan's next door neighbors and friends at 1010 East 2nd Street, Charlotte and Ben London offered them a loan which they gratefully accepted.
The second loan came from Stan's old friend, George Ott in Rice Lake, WI. George Ott operated a Radio and TV repair shop in Rice Lake. Stan had stayed at the Ott home during Stan's senior year at the Rice Lake High School. Stan's parents had moved from the farm near Rice Lake to start and operate a small Gorcery Store and Gas Station near Arland, Wisconsin. Stan had wanted to complete his final year at the Rice Lake High School and graduate from that school. The George Ott family agreed to allow Stan to live in their home and complete his final year at Rice Lake. Stan and the Ott's became life long friends as a result of that year in their home. George Ott, in later years, became another victim of Alzheimer's and died in a nursing home as a result of that disease.
Stan and June were very touched and pleased as both loans were unsolicited and unexpected. June and Stan had assumed that they just could not afford a new home at that time - the loan offers when received, came as a total surprise.
In addition, the new home was not Homesteaded for tax purposes because of the purchase date. This resulted in their first years taxes being much inflated.
For the next 2 years, the Berg family was in effect making 3 monthly house payments until the two smaller loans were paid off. The family gross income at that time was a moderate $4,775.00 per year. June was a good manager and that tax year and the subsequent loan periods quickly passed. This first new home gave the family the equity base needed for all subsequent new home purchases.
It was while the family resided in Lakeside, that Dan became old enough to start school at the Lakeside Elementary School.
It was also during June's years in Duluth that she learned to shoot a semi-automatic .22 Ruger pistol. Stan had June practice shooting cans at a local gravel pit, it became obvious that June he could more than hold her own. June was a very fast learner.
It was also during this time period that June also learned to cut hair. June cut the children's hair during their grade and high school years. When the butch/crew cut was popular, June obtained an attachment for her electric clipper to permit her to make such cuts with ease. She was Stan's barber uring his crew cut days. June was accomplished enough as an amateur barber that she was soon requested to cut the hair of a number of the neighborhood children.
Weekend entertainment for the family frequently consisted of picnics in Lester River Park or trips along the North Shore to Gooseberry Falls.
---
(June and Children at Lester River Park, Duluth - 1954-1955)
---
---
In the spring of 1957, June Stan and the family moved to Fridley, MN where they made their home at 6361 Washington Street. This was a new home that had just been constructed. It was in a newly developed area among the Fridley sand dunes. Every time there were heavy winds, the sand had to be swept off of the lawn. This nuisance was finally eliminated when the area construction was eventually completed. In the late afternoons, pheasants could frequently be seen feeding in the nearby open field. It was the family's first home with an attached garage.
Julie was born 3 September 1958 at Swedish hospital in Minneapolis. Susan and Julie first started school at Hayes Elementary while living in this neighborhood.
During these years June, Stan and the rest of the family would go Agate hunting in the local area gravel pits. It was in 1961 that David (then age 13) made his gigantic agate find. David came running, holding the agate aloft and shouting, "Jackpot". The agate was later awarded "The Best Find of 1961" by the Minnesota Mineral Club.
"The Fridley Tornadoes"
It was June and Stan's home on Washington Street that was heavily damaged in the historic Tornadoes of 1965...these were the worst tornadoes to strike the State of Minnesota since 1919, and none of any significance has taken place since the 1965 Tornadoes.
A local newspaper described the tornadoes, as: "The Northern Suburbs Worst Nightmare"...Six (6) Tornadoes went through the northern suburbs, with two crossing in Fridley itself.
The Berg Family was huddled in the South West Corner of the Basement (As Suggested) when the first tornado struck. The sound was like a roaring train. A puff of dust was seen coming down the clothes chute telling all that the upstairs had the windows blown out and was being severely battered...when the tornado first struck there was a flash of red from the outside as the corner electric pole transformer blew out. The homes attached garage was detached by about 6-12 inches. The two tornadoes struck about one hour apart. Our homes roof had the south end torn away.
Approximately 2500 homes in Fridley were damaged or destroyed, 13 persons were killed and 683 were injured.
The Weather Bureau classified the Tornado as one of the worst in it's intensity. It was an F-4 Tornado with winds from 207-260 MPH.
Vice President Hubert Humphrey toured the area after the storms and declared the storm damage was the worst he had ever seen!
See Chapter 13 in this Biography for a detailed story with photos of June and the Fridley Tornadoes of 1965.
---
(June's - Stan's Home - 6361 Washington Street NE, Fridley August 1957)
---
---
6025 Gardena Lane
June's and Stan's final home was their home at 6025 Gardena lane, Fridley, Minnesota. June and Stan and family moved to that home in July of 1966. This home was the first home that June was able to help select the site, participated in the design of the home and watched it being built. This home was by far her favorite home. She would frequently comment as she and Stan backed the car out of the garage and away from the house and as she looked back - "We have such a nice home!" June lived in this home for almost 40 years. June hosted the entire family for the holidays every year until the year 1999-2000 when Alzheimer's started impacting her life.
On March 16th, 2005, as Alzheimer's took over her life completely, June moved to an assisted living Alzheimer's facility. At that point, 6025 Gardena lane became simply a house to Stan. A home becomes a house when the heart of the home (June) is no longer there.
---
(6025 Gardena Lane - Summer 1967)
---
(6025 Gardena Lane - Winter 1967)
---
(Remodeled - Updated - Ca. 2000)
---