~ Goodhue Village ~

Situated almost in the very center of the county of the same name we find the village of Goodhue, a place of 500 souls, who in a sense regard themselves as farmers, in view of the fact that as you look out upon the country in any direction the eye beholds farms, beautiful farms, consisting of 160 up to 400 acres, studded with tine houses and large barns, a source of great comfort and convenience to the landlords who have selected agriculture as their occupation.

When the Duluth Red Wing & Southern railroad from Red Wing to Zumbrota was in course of construction during the year 1888 it was then that the village of Goodhue came into existence, at first consisting of the railroad camps which were here located during the building of several miles of the road up and down the line, the road being completed in the spring and early summer of 1889. When there was no longer any use for the railroad camps at this place and the tents and so forth had all been removed, there was still a mission for the little burg to perform, and from that time the place has always been regarded as an important trading point, keeping pace with the demands of a large and wealthy agricultural community, which borders on every side, until now there are fifteen stores of various kinds to say nothing of the numerous business houses, including tin 1 newspaper office of the "Goodhue Enterprise."

The country tributary to Goodhue on the north, south, east and west, some years before this village "was known, and before the farmers had taken up diversified farming to a great degree, wheat raising being their principal avocation, had much to do in the making of Goodhue County responsible for Red Wing's reputation of being the greatest inland wheat market in the world, which at first sounds boastful, however, is true, the city of Red Wing at that time receiving more wheat from farmers' wagons than any other place in the world. While very much of this wheat was necessarily brought from territory as far away as Owatonna, ox teams usually making the long '"caravans" that brought in the bread stuff which was shipped from this (then) small place to the eastern markets. Therefore it is not hard for the reader to place a value upon the section of country around us which then figured so prominently in making Red Wing's great grain market and which today borders on this village and whose farmers in the main market their grain at one of the three elevators here found and who buy their goods in the town which affords so good a market place. In addition to the elevators, the village for a number of years boasted of a fine, up-to-date 250-barrel flouring mill, which, according to the way of misfortune, however, about a year ago was burned to the ground.

It is almost necessary that a point of this kind have a mill, and today there is talk of one though not so large as the old one, being founded by the Farmers' Co-operating Company.

The business men of Goodhue generally have made good, and their reputation, from a financial point of view, is an enviable one although it is not possible for one in a place no larger than this to accumulate the money that can be done in cities, yet Here are many features surrounding this particular place that spell fascination to the person looking for a good place in which to locate, the death rate, in the first place, being the smallest of any place in the country, good schools, adequate fire protection, a supply of the most beautiful city water that was ever drawn into a glass, and those who believe that the religious sects have much to do with the advancement of any place here have the opportunity of attending the Methodist, Catholic, or English Lutheran church, while only a short way east of the village there are found German Lutheran churches and parochial schools.

Before passing, it seems only fitting to make some special mention of the First National Bank of Goodhue, which began business in a small way in 1900, as a private institution. Business increased so rapidly that a $12,000 brick block for its accommodation was soon erected, and the banking house was made over into a national bank and today its deposits are $190,000. Figures won't lie and figures of this kind cannot help but bespeak the prosperity of the citizens of Goodhue and farmers doing business here. The officers of the bank are: President, H. M. Scovell; vice-president, E. J. Maybauer; cashier. C. A. Arpke.

One of the best creameries in the state (we say "best in the state" because of its ability in most cases to pay such prices and do business in such a way as to make it apparent to the farmer that this is the place where he can sell the dairy product to the greatest advantage) is the Goodhue Creamery. Thus the consolidated butter factory of the city gets from this community only a smattering of business, while all who know the value of a home creamery rejoice daily at the business tactics here adopted, making it possible to point with pride to this enterprise.

Since the reputation of this section as a grain raising country has so long been established, it would hardly be fair to the stockmen to pass without saying that the horse buyers and cattlemen of the cities, when they want something choice, find Goodhue about the best place along the line to make their headquarters, where the owners of fine horses and fine cattleman he seen daily as they come in from the garden spot of Goodhue county.

"The Goodhue Enterprise," which is published on Thursday of each week, claims for its special aim in life the furnishing of a large grist of local and neighborhood news to its 700 subscribers, at the same time carrying to the average farmer of this part of the county, in the form of neatly displayed advertisements, the store news which the merchants of the village furnish, telling the buyers what they have for sale and urging them to come here whenever it is possible for them to do so. 'The Enterprise" was established in 1896. the first issue being gotten out on Christmas day of that year, by what was known as the Goodhue Printing Company; however. D. C. Pierce, who continues to publish the paper, became its sole owner, and although Goodhue is a place of less than a thousand people, this publication has ever enjoyed a lucrative patronage, built up a nice business and established a reputation for reliability and punctuality. In politics it is Republican.

The village of Goodhue was incorporated at a special election held April 26, 1897: President, P. D. Kelly; councilmen, O. Parker, F. Holtz. C. L. Parkin; recorder, C. E. Rucker. The fire department was organized in 1898. Fire protection at present is furnished by water system from tank on a high elevation in the southwestern part of town, known as Cranson Heights. This tank was put up in 1903, capacity 80,000 gallons. The former protection was furnished by chemical system. Goodhue is noted for its supply of excellent pure water. Prom a deep city well, the same being furnished nearly every house in town by means of faucets. The village marshal is William A. O'Reilly. The present village officers are: President, H. M. Scovell; councilmen, D. C. Bell, Joe H. Majerus and Louis N. Schinnert; recorder, A. E. Adler.

Mini City Directory
The leading business men

The Modern Samaritans, organized February 21, 1901, with the following officers: G. F., O. F. Nelson; scribe, C. E. Rucker; treasurer, Fred Eppen. The present officers are the same.

The Red Men, organized April 3, 1901. The officers were: S., O. H. Rehder; sr. sac., D. J. McHugh; jr. sag., A. D. Medhurst; prophet, James Chalmers; chief of records, Thomas Heaney; keeper of wampum. Thomas Lally. The present officers are : S., Francis Barry; sr. sag., C. J. A. Hanson; jr. sag., John Richter; prophet, D. C. Bell; chief of records, Thomas Lally; keeper of wampum, John McNamara.

The Modern Woodmen of America, organized March, 1895. The officers were: Council, John McHugh; advisor, Elmer Catlin; banker, O. Parker; clerk, William Richtman. Charter members: John McHugh, Elmer Catlin, O. Parker, William Richtman, James Chalmers, Thomas Maley, Eugene Crowell. P. D. Kelly, Joseph Heaney. F. E. Davis, Dr. S. E. Howard. The present officers are: Council, D. M. Franklin; advisor, C. S. Hodsdon; banker, H. M. Scovell; clerk. C. E. Rucker.

The Royal Neighbors, organized June 15, 1900. The officers were: Oracle, Mrs. John McHugh; vice oracle, Mary E. McHugh; recorder, Mrs. O. E. Kyllo; receiver, Mrs. Helen Kelly; chancellor, Mrs. John O. Davis; marshal, Mary Hoist; inner sentinel, Mrs. John O'Connell; outer sentinel, Mrs. Ella Ahern; managers. Ida Hoist. Hose Edwards and Tillie Casey.

The Ancient Order of United Workmen, organized in 1905, with the following officers: P. M. W., John Richter; M. W., C. H. Render; foreman, R. C. Kellogg; overseer, M. H. Gregoire; recorder, D. C. Pierce; financier, T. W. Lally; receiver, Hein Prigge; guide, C. Raasch. The present officers are: P. M. W., C. Raasch; M. W., M. H. Gregoire; foreman, A. D. Haas; overseer, C. F. Raasch; recorder. C. S. Hodsdon; financier, T. M. Lally; receiver, Claus H. Hoist; guide, John Richter.

The Brotherhood of American Yeomen, organized June 4, 1908, with the following charter members: Joe Heaney, Robert Heaney, F. L. Kempf, A. C. Kempf, W. H. H. Kempf, William Hope, A. M. Peterson, F. P. Ahern. Emma Dahlstrom, C. W. Sherwin, A. P. Johnson. M. J. Seovell, Hattie M. Prahl, F. T. 'Gorman, Mary Heaney, Ella J. Heaney, Nellie D. Kempf, William H. Kempf, Elmer Kempf, Minnie C. Hope, Annie M. Peterson. Rose Ahern. O. F. Nelson, A. E. Osgood, John Richter, Mary J. Tetcher, J. O. O'Reilly. The officers were: Foreman, O. F. Nelson; master of ceremonies, A. E. Osgood; master of accounts, Mary Heaney; correspondent, William Hope; chaplain, Mrs. H. M. Seovell; overseer, A. P. Johnson. The present officers are: Foreman, O. F. Nelson; master of ceremonies, F. L. Kempf; master of accounts, Mary Heaney; correspondent, William Hope; chaplain. Nellie D. Kempf; overseer, Elmer Kempf.

For the above article on the village of Goodhue the editors of this work are indebted to Dwight C. Pierce, of the Goodhue 'Enterprise." The history of the churches is found elsewhere.

  Goodhue County |Minnesota AHGP 

Source: History of Goodhue County Minnesota, Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, H. C. Cooper Jr, & Company, Chicago, 1909.