Caledonia Argus

Young author embarks on personal journey, discovers Spring Grove

Posted: 6/18/02

by Jane Palen
Managing editor

Chad Muller may not be one of Spring Groveís native sons, but he could claim to be one of its adopted sons. Muller is the author of ìSpring Grove: Minnesotaís First Norwegian Settlementî published earlier this year by Arcadia Publishing Chicago. Considering that Muller had not even heard of Spring Grove until about three years ago, the book represents not only a personal accomplishment for the young author, but also a personal journey that provided a link to his heritage that he had been missing.

Muller, who now lives in Vadnais Heights, grew up in North St. Paul and was told little about his heritage on his fatherís side. His grandfather died when he was young, and all he knew was that his grandfather previously lived in Hettinger, North Dakota.

Muller said he didnít give his ancestral background much thought until the father of a girl he was dating asked him about his heritage.

ìI was kind of embarrassed I couldnít go back further,î recalled Muller.

After that, he made a few trips to the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, and began researching his family history. The more he learned, the more interested he became. He was eventually inspired to visit Spring Grove, and while in town picked up a copy of ìSoil, Timber and a Spring,î a book on the history of Spring Grove written 10 years ago. He became acquainted with Georgia Rosendahl, a local genealogist and wealth of information on Spring Grove. He found that his own family history was interwoven with the history of the town itself, and Spring Grove began to occupy an important place in his life.

Visiting Spring Grove became a welcome respite from life in the metropolitan area where Muller works in the financial printing division of the Merrill Corporation.

ìI can feel it when I come down here, Iím more relaxed and calm,î observed Muller.

The idea for a book on the history of Spring Grove came about as Muller was on a trip in the south. He was impressed by a publication by Arcadia Publishing on Natchez, Mississippi, and on his return home sent a query letter to the company pitching an idea for a book on Spring Grove. The company didnít have many books on locations in the midwest, and although Spring Grove is a much smaller town than the company typically does, Muller promoted the aspect of the town being the first Norwegian Settlement in the state. The company liked the idea, and the project was born.

Muller has a background in English and creative writing, and is a graduate of Winona State University. He wrote a novel that was ìpretty embarrassingî right after college. He looked at the Spring Grove project as a way to hone his writing skills while learning the discipline and research skills a large project demands.

Muller spent many weekends in Spring Grove researching his book with the help of Georgia Rosendahl and others in Spring Grove. He learned that his great-great-grandfather, Ingvald Muller, was Spring Groveís first doctor and dentist. It is his photograph featured on the cover of Mullerís book. He placed an ad in the paper describing the project, which produced many offers of help.

The book is a wealth of information and especially of photographs of Spring Groveís early families and residents. The reader gets a sense of the many aspects of life in Spring Grove during its early days: the hard work, the celebrations, the development of the business community, the building of churches and schools, the farming practices, and the assimilation of immigrants into their new country.

One of the most satisfying aspects of writing the book, said Muller, was that people seemed so grateful that he was doing it. He has grown fond of the city and its resident, both past and present. He has several ideas for new pieces, including one on cartoonist Peter J. Rosendahl and a book of historical fiction.

During the weekend of the Ola and Per dedication, Muller signed about 150 of his books at a Books and Breakfast event. If you missed him there, he will be signing books this sesquicentennial weekend at the Ballard House on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Mullerís book is available at the Ballard House, at the Hometown Store, on Amazon.com and at Barnes and Nobles. He will be signing books and leading a book discussion at Barnes and Noble in Roseville on June 27.

Top of Page