Wright Cromwell News

It’s been eight years ago today (I’m writing this on April 30) that my mother, Katharine Dahlman, died. We sure have missed her, especially around this time of year and close to Mother’s Day. There are still people who come up to me when we are talking about her and tell me they still have the purple glass stone we gave away at her funeral as a remembrance of her. Yes, I have mine, too, and keep it in my wallet at all times. Thanks to those folks who have given us her artwork, too, as they know how much it means to our family.

The Cromwell Area Historical Club is compiling information about the Trolley Inn. This will be the theme at this year’s Harvest Fest. We are looking for names of anyone who worked at the Trolley Inn and any cute stories. If you have anything that would be of interest, contact Alice Lake at 218-357-2721 or Yvonne Peterson at 218- 357-2212. The club is also looking for any memorabilia (ash trays, napkins, banana split dishes, soda glasses, menu, etc.). Contact Judy Koivisto at 218-644-3752. This stuff will be displayed inside the pavilion and we will also have a Trolley Inn float.

The Eagle Lake Cemetery will hold its annual meeting on Monday, May 7, at 7 p.m. at the Sno Gophers Club House, to handle all business. For any questions, call Bill Switzer or Ken Koivisto.

Clean-up day for the Forest Hills Cemetery of Cromwell has been scheduled for Saturday, May 12, beginning at 9 a.m. All friends and families are invited to participate.

The annual cemetery clean-up at the Wright Public Cemetery will be May 5 starting at 9 a.m. with a potluck to follow. The alternate day in case of bad weather is May 19.

After reading about the tornadoes in this column, Marion Kukkola Reed wrote: “I remember that water spout. I must have been 10 or 11 years old. We were living in “downtown” Cromwell, in the little house across from the Cromwell Liquor Store and the Coop garage. We happened to be in the yard and saw that spout start on Cromwell Lake and go up to Lehtis. We jumped in the car and drove up there to see if Aili, Alice and Gerald were OK. Einar was downtown at his bakery. That spout went between the two-story house and the garage and hit that barn dead on and died in the woods. Shingles all over. Fortunately, the family heard it and went into the basement. The house had no damage; their geese in the yard survived.”

Margaret Webster wrote: “A tornado that hit the Costello farm touched down near our current house. I remember because as a young girl I was helping my dad make the hay on the Wesa farm, just down Finn Road from where we lived at the time. We had raked it once. It was ready to collect (that was before bales). I remember going to survey damage, finding the hay full of nails and glass, [making it] useless. It took the Wesa house. I can narrow the year down to between 1948 or 1950. I was out in the garden about 20 years ago where we live now when I heard the freight train sound, it moved our shed on its footing, and I think was the beginning of the end of our barn. I still get very nervous when the sky turns that scary green color.”

Zula Matalamaki also sent me an email about a tornado, and she wrote: “Yes, I remember a couple of tornadoes in that time frame. Fred’s mother, Else Pelofske, was standing doing dishes at her kitchen window. They were living at the old Bess Wright place in Cromwell, where Sam Clark lives now. She saw the water spout come out of the lake....went up in the air quite a ways....then it went over to Lehtis and she could see it hit the barn. We had one go through our place from the south of Cromwell – Em and Pete had a trailer just the south side of dad’s house. A tree came down and held the trailer there. Some strange things happened. The wind went from Dad’s bedroom and on through the living room into the bathroom and did not hurt anything in between. But there was debris of leaves and sticks like a trail from window to window. Amy was in the kitchen at the time and was not touched. Fred was getting ready to build a garage at our trailer site where we were living and our doors and building stuff and windows, which were piled there, left us and still to this day are somewhere in Cromwell lake. Our boat ended up across the lake still upright with oars and motor still in it. It had been airborne. After we had moved we had a tornado come through our place at Prairie Lake where we lived for 20 years and that went west and north of Floodwood. That did some funny things, too, but I won’t go into that at this time. So, there have been a few tornados...but thank our good Lord not as violent as those south of us...But they all were scary!!”

Zona Turja called me this week and reported that she remembers the tornado that came through on June 22, 1986, because that was the day of her daughter Mary Lou’s wedding out on Eagle Lake. It started near Ailie Costello’s and traveled to Jobes and then to Eagle Lake where it ruined the wedding reception. It took all the decorations and even the wedding cake had to be thrown in the garbage. Over 100 guests huddled in the muddy, floorless garage or the basement and by the time it was over, there was no reception as there was no electricity and anyway the food was ruined. No refrigeration! What a way to have your wedding day ruined.

Cindy Schweich has moved back to her hometown area, in southern Minnesota. She wanted to let us know her new contact information. She’s also joined the Edina Realty office in Lakeville. She hopes we can stay in touch. I have her email and regular address if you are in need of it. I always hesitate giving out personal information even if I have permission to do so.

The senior Awards Banquet will be held Wednesday, May 9, starting with dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the program starting at 6:15 p.m. All seniors’ and parents’ meals will be covered by the student council, with all others charged $6 at the door. This is always a great meal and the awards program is also wonderful.

The Women of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Wright invite all area mothers and daughters to their Annual Mother-Daughter Tea and Luncheon on Saturday, May 12, at 1:30 p.m.

Please reserve Sunday, May 20, on your calendar for the Bethlehem Campers Fundraiser. It will be held right after church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with several venders and a free will lunch served.

Villa Vista and Cardinal Court are proud to present the Senior Health and Accessibility Expo for Western Carlton County on Tuesday, May 8, with a vendor presentation from 9 a.m. to noon, a picnic lunch from noon to 1 p.m. and a dance at 1:30 p.m. with Florian Chmielewski. Everyone is welcome to attend one or all of these events. Remember that the Cromwell Area Historical Club exhibits will also be open for viewing on the ground level of the Cardinal Court that day.

With school winding down, here are a few things to keep in mind. The Senior Awards Banquet is on Wednesday, May 9, Blessing of the Graduates at Bethany Lutheran on May 20 during the regular church service at 10 a.m., with graduation to be held on Friday, May 25, at 7 p.m. We congratulate our senior class and hope for the best for them all.

That’s all the news from Lake Havtagetupandgetgoin. Have a great week!

Tags: local columns