Big Danish Settlement

From a Pine County newspaper, January 19, 1906:

The Townsite of Partridge Selected as Homes for a Large Number of Thrifty Danes

With the passing of time Pine county land is receiving much favor from parties who are in search of money-making real estate. Nearly all of Pine county soil is rich enough for the abundant growth of anything adapted to this climate. On this account a company, known as the Dansk Folkesanfund, has purchased the entire townsite of Partridge, and has taken the agency to sell an optional 15,000 acres of land belonging to the Farmers' Land & Cattle Co.

The company is preparing to colonize the tract of land just purchased with a settlement of Danes, who will build houses and till the soil and do good for themselves and the county. The erection of a church and a church school is contemplated and a town may be started at an advantageous point in the settlement. The farms and roads will be improved with the advent of time, and the Danes, who will cast their lot in Pine county, will undoubtedly prosper, for they are a thrifty and industrious class, as is proven by other thriving settlements throughout the state.

To illustrate the desirability of Pine county land we quote the following from the Sandstone Courier which contains a good account of the deal represented in this article.

“Some time ago they decided that they had enough settlers at Tyler, and that they would secure more land for another settlement in this state. They selected a committee of three, composed of K.H. Duus and L.C. Pedersen, of Tyler and A.H. Jurgenson, of Menomonee, Mich., to thoroughly search the state for the most desirable location. They went to Wadena, Bemidji, Solway and Cromwell and carefully examined the counties of Beltrami, Hubbard, Itasca, Aitkin, St. Louis, Carlton and Pine. After careful consideration, they decided that Pine county is the best suited for their purpose and that the most desirable land could be secured here at reasonable figures. They also gave as a reason that it is the best location in the state for marketing their produce as it is midway between four of the largest cities of the Northwest.”