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£213/Star News/Saturday,August 19,2O17•Visit us on the web at www.erstarnews.coyn
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<br /> Lance Lindberg led a tour that delved early 1900x,:Lindberg said.The Houlton building
<br /> into the history of downtown Elk River at the northwest corner of Jackson and Main,new
<br /> home to Edward Jones,was built in 1903.Elle Riv- ,
<br /> by Joni Astrup - or Meats,724 Main St"also was built about 1903,
<br /> Associate editor Lmdberg said. 4 r�
<br /> Lonce Lindberg The water tower on Jackson Avenue was built in..
<br /> .Pont his ear- 1920 and improved fire protection -
<br /> ly year on the �/ yt The group in n headed.west along Man Street
<br /> West("cast,be L e to the Handke Stadium at 1133 4th Street Along
<br /> foe moving to Elk Riverthe way,they passed cement posts with iron rings
<br /> with
<br /> b yEi t in them.Lindberg said he often wondered about
<br /> . carme e family in 1962 ,y/
<br /> "1 to Elk Rrvor { �� them as a kid.Turns out they areold hitching
<br /> and I nevem wanted tos/ posts where people Lied up their horses.Several
<br /> leave,"he said Aug.10, /l�J f/ are still visible along Main Street,including two
<br /> as he led a-wallnng tour' in front of the Hitchin'Post Condominium.
<br /> of the historic highlights The group paused at Handke Stadium.The site
<br /> of downtown Elk River. was a pond before being converted to a stadium in
<br /> Over the years he do- the the 1920s Lindberg said there was apparently'a
<br /> veloped a deep interest lance Lindberg near-drowning in the pond and it was considered
<br /> in the area's history,and „ dangerous:'. "y
<br /> now serves on the Elk River Heritage Preamva- in the 1930s,a youth-corps type government pro-
<br /> tion Commission gram built the stonework at the stadium.
<br /> O last,works tom,Lindberg led people through High school football games were played in the.
<br /> downtown.talc River,west to the Handke Staai- stadium until the 1950s,he said.
<br /> um,past a couple of historic churches,then on to The stadium also has been u kid magnet for all
<br /> Bailey Point Nature Preserve before eliding backof its years.
<br /> in the heart of downtown: For people who grew up.in Elk River,for decades.
<br /> Lindberg said the original settlement in what is the stadium was the central part of.being a kid,
<br /> now Elk River was known as Orono.It was platted :Lindberg said. - room by ton Anal,
<br /> 1.11855 west of the.Orono dam.Lumber nulling Continuing on to the Union Congregational Thelloid ilh ildingatJalhnaodMaldidnte1901
<br /> was the commerce that initially drove the Bevel- Church,United Church of Christ at 1118 Fourth
<br /> opment of the little village,followed by other mills .Street,Lindberg said many of the early Elk River
<br /> settlers were New Englanders,and Union Church
<br /> each as flour: :
<br /> Within a decade,Elk River was platted approxi- was the church that they formed.The church was
<br /> mately a mile from Orono. established in the 1870x.
<br /> ElkRiver's downtown was originally on the north Down the street at 1326.Fourth Street is another
<br /> side of the railroad tracks and consisted of 18 to 'historic church-Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
<br /> 20 buildings buildings, said.Fires,however,were The congregation dates to 1859 and the church
<br /> maybebuilding es 1891
<br /> g P :The oldest building in Elk River,however,is a
<br /> "Downtown burned down two,or three times house,Lindber said.That is located just west of
<br /> over downtown Lindberg said ofthe original Elk River the Orono Dam overlooking Lake Orono.
<br /> That led to She establishment ofa new downtown The gtAvenue,whir] a
<br /> roup he Bailey
<br /> Point,
<br /> heast
<br /> in its present location along the Mississippi Rivero
<br /> and south o£the railroad tracks. all its own.The area was once home to the Sher-
<br /> 'rho oldest downtown building is the Sunshine burns County Fairgrounds,a golf course and the ed rrtfs✓ytr y/ !�G/ 5t 1 ftf� f
<br /> Depot,which was originally a drugstore,Lindberg 'high school football field,Lindberg said the Bailey
<br /> spint area also was the site of two battles between
<br /> TdIe block of puddings on thewest side ofJackson, the Dakota and the Ojibwa in 1772 and 1776
<br /> In 2012,it came under cit ownership and today
<br /> as th en Main locket and Highway 10,is known y e Y � ;E
<br /> as the Bock,Block Those structures date to the it is known as Bodey Point Nature Preserve,
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