Looking Back at Federal Dam 1941

January 1941

The Eugene Ways of Federal celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Saturday Jan 11, at their home. The entertainment for the evening consisted of playing cards. At midnight an oyster stew supper was service with a big angel food cake as the centerpiece.

February 1941

Mrs. Andrew O’Neal was a visitor overnight in Federal Dam. (Boy River, Feb 14, 1941)

May 1941

Russell Lego was appointed chairman of the Unorganized District Board by the Cass County Commissioners at their regular meeting. Mr. Lego has been a resident of the Unorganized District at Federal Dam for the past 15 years. He formerly operated a successful general merchandise store at Federal Dam until he took the position as Secretary-Treasurer of the Consumer’s Delight Electrical Cooperative. (May 9, 1941)

About 60 persons attended the first annual meeting of the Consumer’s Delight Coop at Federal Dam. Speakers for the REA were R. J. Padgham and Ray Hughes. Directors are Fred Anderson, Boy River; H. J. Berger, Brevik; and L. E. Gaasvig, Whipholt. (May 9, 1941)

Mrs. Frank Devorak of Federal Dam gave a concert in the Boy River Village Hall on Saturday evening. The orchestra consisted of pupils from Bena, Federal Dam, and Boy River. (May 23, 1941)

The people of Boy River are glas to see the wires being stretched on the poles. We know it won’t be long now till we will be enjoying the electricity. (May 23, 1941)

Ira Boldt and family have left for the west as he expects to be employed there. (May 23, 1941)

Sept 19, 1941
Mrs. Margaret Gustin an daughter Genevieve spent last Sunday at the Frank Gustin home. They also called on Mrs. McKeig.
Mr. and Mrs. George Patton were business callers in Walker on Monday.
Lee Shoemaker and Mrs. DeVorak have been on the sick list.
Mrs. Bartlett is having an addition built onto her home.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Patton of Superior, Wis., have purchased the Carl Olson place.
Miss Booth of Tenstrike has accepted a position in the REA office here. She is taking Ruth Lemke’s place.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes are the proud parents of a baby boy born Sept 10, 1941
Mrs. Hattie Gray and son Eddie were here visiting friends a relatives a few days this week.
Mardell Swanberg visited her sister Mrs. Tanner, on Thursday.

Oct 2, 1941
Among the draftees who will leave for Fort Snelling will be Orin C. Henderson, Federal Dam; and Roy Camp, Boy River.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Aldrich moved from Boy Lake to a new abode near Remer.
Art Stanfield caught a 22 lb. muskie on Sunday in Wabedo Lake.
Mrs. Harold Hare of Salem Twp. called on her sister, Mrs. Walter Frank, this week.
The hot Lunch program will begin Oct 1. Tickets for 20 lunches will be sold for 40 cents and for 10 lunches at 20 cents. We have a considerable quantity of surplus commodities and several hundred quarts of canned goods from the school garden, and some supplies will be purchased locally.
Oct 9, 1941
$20,000 has been allowed the Consumer’s Delight Electric Corp., Inc. for extension of the line.
Virginia Backe and Virginia Lego spent the weekend at their respective homes. They are attending business college in Bemidji.
Mr. Wilkes and children drove to Waukon Sunday and brought Mrs. Wilkes and infant son back with them.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and children left Friday for Walker, N.D. Mrs. Thompson will remain in Wales while Mr. Thompson goes west to look for work.
Mrs. Tanner left Friday after school to spend the weekend at her home in Bovey.
Mrs. Garry Neururer has been assisting at the Lundgren restaurant during busy times.
Mr. and Mrs. Rawley and children attended church here yesterday and had dinner at Beaulieu’s.

Oct 17, 1941
Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Brodberg of Villard, Minn., wer weekend guests at the Emil Forsman home
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Kenauer of Drake, ND,visited with Mrs. Gary Neururer Friday.
A number of women turned out Friday and gave the Catholic church a thorough cleaning.
A bunch from here drove over to Bena Saturday night to chivari Ida Fleming and Walfred Stenstrom who had recently been married.
Bobby Stenstrom of Fort Snelling visited friends here oer the weekend.
Tom O’Brien is home from Panama.
Sam Lemke spent Sunday with his family.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Moore visited wth their son, Bob, in Superonr on Monday.
John Morrow of Sugar Point is in the government hospital at Cass Lake.
Mrs. Duncan and Shirley Jean and Mrs. Morud visited at Poore’s and Gustins last weekend.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Patton of Superior spent the weekend at the George Patton’s.
Mr. Ware returned Friday night from Pine River,
Lucille Gray assisted at the Ware home for a few days.
Ben Lego built an addition on his house.
Mr. and Mrs. Vensel Johnson and Gordon spent Sunday afternoon at the Forsman home.
School recessed Thursday so the teachers could attend the Institute meeting at Walker
Mr. and Mrs. Ware and family spent Sunday at Pine River with relatives.
Another large bear was shot out on the Island Sunday night. Mr. Wilkes, the game warden, took charge of it.

Oct 24, 1941
Orrin Forbord was a caller at the home of Al Anderson.
The four lady teachers of Boy River took a walk north of town and paid Mrs. G. E. Nelson a call as Mrs. Nelson filled in the vacancy here.
Mr. Harry Scofield and family of Bena were Boy River callers one day last week.
Lyle Camp was a caller at his home here the past week end as he has been in a CCC camp near Itasca.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Anderson were pleasure seeks in Bemidji over Sunday afternoon
Mr. Ray Mix drove to Bena last week to pick up his daughter Marion, who is teaching there this term.
Mrs. Lee Shoemaker and Donna Mae, Mrs. Treichel and Ardis shopped in Bemidji Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Jones spent a couple of weeks visiting in Des Moines. Their daughter, Audrey stayed here with Nellie while they were away.
Donald Fairbanks is home on a furlough from a camp in Arkansas.
Art Worster is in St. Paul where he accepted a position on some defense work. Mr. and Mrs. Ware and children drove to St. Paul and took Mrs. Art Worster. The Worsters plan to make their home there.
Mrs. Vosberg and her two daughters drove to Lake Julia Saturday.
A few ladies pleasantly surprised Mrs. McKeig Wednesday, the occasion being her birthday. The evening was spent in playing Bridge.
Friends of Mrs. Les Bieber (Ruth Lemke) gathered at the home of Mrs. Mary Neururer Thursday afternoon and presented her with many lovely and useful gifts for her new home. Whist was played and a delicious lunch was served by the hostesses.
Mrs. McKeig and children shopped and attended the show in Bemidji.
The chimney on the school house is being repaired. Carl Freitag and Ben Treichel are doing the work.
PTA held their regular meeting on Friday night. Whist was played at five tables. Mrs. DeVorak got high prize. Mesdames Beaulieu, Brown, Bartlett and Bilben served a delicious lunch.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Lego, sons and Grandma Lego went to Minneapolis Friday to spend a few days hunting.
Leo Lundgren, Warren Bridge, Andy Giffen and Steve Barry went pheasant hunting Saturday.
Russell Fairbanks is home on leave from Fort Snelling
Mrs. Frank Lego’s sister from Superior is here visiting.
Donna Mae, Corrine and Katherine Shoemaker left Monday for Bradley, Wis., to see their grandparents.

Oct 31, 1941
Charlotte Grover came home from Bena where she was employed during the summer months at Fleming’s Resort. The Alex Sayers famiy wish to thank all their friends for the kindness shown them and to those who furnished the music at the funeral of their son and brother, Simon Sayers.
Bill Condon and Bud Backe went to the show Tuesday night.
The Birthday club met Friday at the home of Mrs. Culbertson. Whist was played at three tables. High score was held by Mrs. Russell Lego, who also earned the Keno prize. Mrs. McKeig was low. Lunch was served by Mesdames Miller, Bridge, Bartlett and Culbertson. The honored guests were Mesdames Jones, McKeig and Bilben. Mrs. Bilben was unable to attach.
There was a card party at the school house on Wednesday, Oct 5th.
Bert Kelso and Ralph Rice were here hunting.

Nov 7, 1941
Mrs. Fleming of Bena visited Mrs. Beaulieu Wednesday.
Mrs. Backe spent the weekend in Duluth.
Drumbeaters have moved into one of Henry Borden’s houses.
Mary’s Café is under new management. Mahitka’s moved into Bendwell’s house.
Condons have moved into their house on the hill after having sent the summer at the bot landing.
Mrs. McKeig and children drove to Thief River Falls Saturday to get Mr. McKeig and Mr. Rounds.
The Ware family spent Sunday at Pine River.
Holtons have moved into Bobby Stenstrom’s cabin.
Tom O’Brien spent Sunday with his family.
Miss Staimbrook’s room had a Halloween party Thursday night.

Nov 14, 1941
Vernon Putnam and Warren Bridge left Tuesday to join the Navy.
Laverne Nies visited friends Tuesday. He is home on leave from the Ary.
Charlotte Grover is working at Lundgren’s store.

Nov 21, 1941
Mrs. Herschel Stirwalt was taken ill Friday night and was rushed to the Grand Rapids hospital. She underwent an operation for appendicitis that night.
A few girls from town hiked out to Borcherts Saturday to help Florence celebrate her twelfth birthday. Games were played and a delicious lunch was served by Mrs. Borchert.
Mrs. Beaulieu, Mrs. Backe and McKeig visited at Sugar Point Tuesday.

Dec 12, 1941
Richard J. Padgham, son of Mr. and Mr. Ronald Padgham, enlisted for three years in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Padgham, letter winner in basketball and football, and captain of the 1940 Longville high school basketball team, is slated to do clerical work at Biloxi, Miss.

Dec 19, 1941
The schools at Boy River, Federal Dam, and Longville will have only one week of Christmas vacation this year. The move was made in order to allow two weeks vacation in the spring due to the seasonal break-up of roads.

Dec 26, 1941
Icy roads during the past week precipitated many situations both tragic and strange, but one of the luckiest happened to Norman Miller and the people accompanying him in his car last Friday. For not only once did his car skid and tip over on the slick Bena road, but three different times. Each time the car turned over and had to be righted. No one was seriously injured.