Sesquicentennial
Lots of changes in Caledonia, but much has stayed the same
Posted: 6/8/04
Editorís note: One of our goals for this Sesquicentennial Edition was to get a sense of what things were like in Caledoniaís past, and how things have changed. Thatís a big topic, and one that has filled numerous history books about the city.
So the focus of this story was to ask those questions to two long-time Caledonia citizens, Raghnild St. Mary and Orville Schroeder. We appreciate their cooperation.
David Heiller, News Editor
Raghnild St. Mary was quick to point out that she is not a Caledonia native ñ sheís only lived here for 69 years! But she is, in her words, ìold as the hills,î and, sticking with familiar phrases, her mind is as sharp as a tack.
She has a lot of good remembrances about Caledonia. ìItís changed an awful lot,î she said. A lot of those changes have to do with businesses in downtown Caledonia. She remembered Stenehjem Grocery story on the north side of Main Street, and Blexrudís Grocery Store where the Semcac building now stands.
There was a dry goods store, and Mechtelís tavern, and B.M. Fiebigís Home Meat Market. ìGood bologna for 10 cents a ring,î Raghnild recalled. ìMeat was always nice and fresh.î
There was a confectionery, and an ice cream parlor, and Reiersonís clothing where Hardware Hank now stands. And these arenít even all of the businesses that Raghnild mentioned.
The Hauser Hotel stood on the northwest corner of Kingston and Main. There was the hat shop operated by Anna Flynn out of her home. ìMy first hat I bought in town was in the spring of ë58 I think,î she said.
ìI miss Alberts Grocery Store,î Raghnild added. ìI like to walk and if I need a few things, I could walk there. IGA is a little bit far.î
Shopping locally was important to the St. Maryís. She and her husband, Harold, opened St. Maryís Auto Body in 1948, and they thought it only right that they patronize the businesses of Caledonia.
ìWe very seldom went out of town for anything,î she said.
But that has changed, she noted. ìA lot of people go to La Crosse.î
She added: ìIf you wanted a menís suit or dress shoes, you couldnít get them here [now].î
The county fair was always the biggest event of the year in Caledonia, and still is, Raghnild feels. All of her children were in 4-H.
St. Maryís School two blocks to the north of her house was an important part of her life too. All six of her kids went to school there. ìThey always came home to eat,î she said. ìThey practically lived at the school.î
She said her kids would fight over who would run errands for the nuns, because then they could come home with a holy card.
ï Doctors were important: I asked Raghnild if she could tell me some people who were important in Caledonia. She said it was hard to single anyone out. Then she mentioned what a good person Dr. G.V. Belote was. She said her son, Lyle, drank some lye once. She saw Dr. Belote on the street, and told him about it. He was retired, but he asked her to bring him to his office, and he treated him for several days. When she tried to pay him, he said, ìOh no, Iím retired.î
He once gave her a pair of overshoes so that her feet wouldnít get wet when she was working at the body shop. ìHe was so thoughtful and so concerned about the children,î she said.
That got Raghnild to thinking about another doctor, Dr. J.J. Ahlfs, who she credited with saving her life by stopping the bleeding when she was hemmoraging after the birth of her last baby, Brian.
Raghnild has seen a lot of growth in Caledonia. She said when they built their house at 404 East Madison, there were no other houses nearby. ìIt was all bare. There wasnít even a street in front of here when we built our house.î
She likes to see the growth that is taking place in Caledonia. ìIt would be nice if there was more business downtown,î she added.
ìThe population is growing continuously, but how about the businesses?î she asked. ìThat I donít know.î
If you really want to get Raghnild talking, ask about her Norwegian heritage. She is thoroughly Norwegian, and proud of it. She grew up Raghnild Gunbord Peterson in Highlandville, Iowa, which is north of Decorah.
Raghnild has seven children: Glenn, Caledonia; Yvonne Murphy, Pennyan, New York; Audrey Almo, Minneapolis; Lyle, La Crosse; Duane, Caledonia; Allan, Spring Grove; and Brian, Caledonia. She has 22 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Raghnild is in good health. ìI think keeping busy and active all the time helps,î she said. She likes gardening, sewing, and doing volunteer
work. She used to be involved in the Houston County Historical Society, but has cut back on that. Her husband, Harold, was very interested in the historical society.
She also enjoys old cars, and owns a 1912 Model T, a 1905 Maxwell, and a 1912 Ford ìpeddlers wagon.î
Orville Schroeder, a friendly old
auctioneer
Orville Schroeder had his finger on the pulse of Caledonia in a unique way during his heyday.
He grew up in Caledonia, then went to auction school at age 20. He went on to become a fixture at auction sales. He and his brother, Donald, presided over 6,500 auctions as the Schroeder Brothers. In 1989 Orville was inducted into the Minnesota Auctioneers Hall of Fame.
His wife, Belva, who owned Belvaís Cafe in downtown Caledonia, died in 1991.
I asked Orville how much things had changed in his 79 years. ìReally, not so much at all,î he said at first.
Then he reflected a bit and said that shopping patterns had changed. Saturday night in Caledonia used to be pretty lively, and now the streets are deserted, he said.
ìOne time we had 10-11 taverns, several grocery stores. Those things have changed.î
But he noted that automobile and implement dealers have stayed. A lot of communities have lost that, he said.
A healthy farm economy is key to business success, he said. He is also glad that the city has a good grocery store.
Orville thinks the city has grown well, and will continue to have slow, steady growth. He hopes the shift of businesses to locations on Highway 44 doesnít hurt downtown merchants.
Orville remembers when the land that now holds the Redwood Cafe, Land Oí Lakes, and Green Power was all farmland. There was also a hobo camp under a train trestle east of the John Schmitz bus garage.
ìIím very thankful for the schools and churches that they have here,î he said. He feels that these provide the foundation for a good family.
ìItís just a good rural community, better than most that Iím aware of,î Orville said of Caledonia.
He added: ìIíve lived here all my life, but the older I get, the more I appreciate the beauty of this country.î
Another change that Orville noted was the fast-escalating price of real estate. ìItís kind of unbelievable,î he said. ìPeople longing to get to the country.î
ï Recalls Centennial: Orville remembered the Caledonia Centennial celebration in 1954. He was on the city council at that time, appointed to the post after Bill Betz resigned so that he could work on the police department. Ray Ryan was the mayor. ìHe was firm but fair,î Orville said. Other council members were Henry Terry, Fritz Meitrodt, Les Weichert, and Henry Wiesland.
A full-time city clerk, Ralph Thimmesch, was hired during that administration.
During the 1954 centennial, there was a train ride that went to Spring Grove and even had a mock robbery.
That got Orville to thinking about the train rides people would take to Freeburg. ìThe kids from Caledonia used to ride the train to Little Miami and go swimming there,î he said. Those tracks were wiped out in a big flood in 1946, he said, and never rebuilt.
Orville added that George Bissen worked tirelessly to build the athletic complex where the old football field is located. He put in lights for it.
Orville has four children: Randy, Lakeville; Jean Proksch, Scottsdale, Arizona; Kathie Ward, Tampa, Florida; and LeAnn Sweeney, La Crescent. He has four grandchildren.
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