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Trade
River village in the Township of Anderson began with flour and feed mill
run by a man named Fandeen. The year is not definite. In the summer of
1886 C.E. Peterson of St. Paul bought the mill from Fandeen and in Oct.
of that year moved with his family to Trade River. He operated the mill
10 years on water power until the river was too low when he moved it up
on the hill by his residence. He then added a saw mill and planer using
steam power to run the mill. With the help of his sons and extra hired
men they sawed up to 500,000 feet of lumber a year. He operated the
mill until 1910 when he retired and his son-in-law Wm. Lindgren took over.
The Peterson Brothers ran P-B electric company as well, running lines to
serve Trade Lake, Cushing, Trade River and Atlas.
There
were two churches in the area, one a mile east of Trade River by Holmes
Lake where the Indians worshipped. George Holmes having charge. The Trade
River Free Church was built in 1890, when the people of the community felt
the need of a place of worship; they donated lumber and labor to build
a sanctuary which is still today. Several additions have been added, the
last one in 1964. (In 2000 a new church was built on top of the hill looking
over Trade River.)
Trade River Store
In 1891 a general merchandise
store was built by Chas Anderson at Trade River. He built an addition later.
He had his sister Helma for a clerk and later Ellen Ryss and Maymie his
daughter. Trade River had a post office in the store until Rural Free Delivery
came in. Mr. Anderson was Postmaster. When he retired his son Russell bought
the store. Later his son Virgil took over. John Graves bought the store
and ran it until he sold out in 1964. Another store was built on the hill
south of Trade River in 1898 by J.F. Johnson. Which continued for a few
years?
In 1902 a furniture factory
was built by Chas Thompson and Aug. Anderson. They manufactured beds, dressers,
writing desks bookcases and many other pieces of furniture. The distance
to the shipping point made it unprofitable.
In 1897 the farmers of Trade
River built a Co-op Creamery as there was no hand operated cream separators
for the farmers to buy. They brought the milk to the creamery and brought
the skim milk home to feed the calves and hogs. Butter was made and sold.
In 1904 Frank Norling the butter maker bought the creamery, by that time
farmers had their own separators. The creamery burned.
The first school was a log
building built one and a half miles northwest of Trade River , it continued
until 1907 when a new frame building was built, later moving it to
the corner of 87 and county Rd. Z.
In 1880 a blacksmith and
woodwork shop was built. Andrew Floodman and sons owned it, where they
made everything from boy’s ice skates, farm wagons, spinning wheels, and
coffins, anything the people needed. They also did repair work. They made
Charcoal from pine trees for blacksmitting.
In 1940 Lindgren Bros. built
a garage and filling station on the north side of Trade River.
(Freda Peterson lived in
Trade River from 1908-1982)
Photos associated
with Trade River
Trade
River
Trade
River July 4th Celebration
J
F Johnson home, 1910
Romlin,
Eric & his 'Harley'?
Trade
River Church at Christmas
Trade
River Furniture Factory & Mill Wheel
View
from the Holmes Lake Catholic Church
Trade
River School before 1907
Trade
River School after 1907
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