Holdingford History

We Have Moved

2007-04-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

another map

2005-03-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

I was diging in some file cabinets in the city hall back room and came across a map of the village drawn in 1916 by the railroad, showing the village, busineses etc. It had been given to the village by the Winkler family in 1994 their roots go back to the beganing of the village. It was folded up in a folder with no title. I also came across a copy of the articles of incorporation,copy of the court house copy not actual original. In a folder called 'old old cor'.

old maps

2005-03-04T15:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to the county courthouse to look for the originial articles of incorporation for the village. They had a copy. The original is out here some where. The village was incorporated in 1896. While talking to the lady she looked to see if there was a plat map. She came up with the original plat map registered by Randolph Holding in 1874. It looks like his idea was to start a village on the west side of the river called 'Holdings Ford" . He had plated out streets and alleys but I do not believe anything was ever built there. It has been a farmers field . The east side of the river was always called Holding as well as the township.

Interesting reading

2005-03-01T05:21:00.000-08:00

The book "The Ford in The River" by Vincent A. Yzermans published 1985. Is required reading when one wants to read about the history of Holdingford. The hard part is finding a copy. It was published in congunction with St. Mary's centennial and St. Hedwig's diamond jubilee. Many local families have several copies but aquiring one is a challenge.

Lee's help

2005-02-28T06:32:00.000-08:00

I should have started out with this but I have to thank Lee, for pushing me off the fence and getting started. He is very good at what he does ! A great son and husband and a super father to his kids. Check this out toprankmarketing

Lake Wobegon Connection

2005-02-28T06:20:00.000-08:00

One has to recognise both Garrison Keillor's wonderful writing of Lake Wobegon and the article in National geograghic about Lake Wobegon

first birth

2005-02-27T19:13:00.000-08:00

E Ray Watson's birth, march 7th 1897 was the first recorded birth in the Village of Holding. His parents were Peter W. Watson 37 from Kentucky and Mary Ellen Watson 27 from Minnesota.

getting started

2005-02-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, I was elected to the Holdingford City Council. I began wondering about who past mayors and councilmen were. I knew some of them. I thought it would be cool to make a list of all of them. I was informed that the city had a fire about 1965 and that there were no previous records.
Last fall, starting with the 1966 records I found myself soon not just interested in the Mayor's and Councilmen but the clerk's, firechiefs, policemen etc. I started writing a short synopis of the minutes of each meeting. It got to be interesting. Like reading a book. What was going to happen next month. What item was, suddenly not a issue and never heard of again. Something else would seem to appear to be a major issue. I finished the handwritten outlines just before Christmas. I had been debating as to getting a new computer. My wife wanted us to get a digital camera for family. Of course I found out every thing had moved to usb. Although my mac 8500 bought in 1994 was still working, cobwebs and all. I was on my second monitor and third keyboard. but it still works.
About Christmas I decided it was time to upgrade to a new computer. I bought a 17"mac powerbook, which lead to a new printer, scanner, bose speakers all the requirements.
Then I discovered at the City Hall digging around in a back room a couple of boxes that contained the original 1897 documents of the beganing of the village. As well as the minutes, Now I was really hooked. I set up a camera stand so I could take photos of the pages with minimal touching of the pages. So far I have taken 2850 photos.