Sunday, March 25, 2012

Fun Facts - Denham

1. Denham, located in Birch Creek Township, was established in 1909. In 1908, the Soo Line Railroad had been built through the future town site. Farmer Frank Lind sold his land to the railroad, which platted the new village of Denham and sold lots to settlers.

2. The village was named after a Soo Line Railroad employee who had helped prepare the plat.

3. The Farmers' State Bank of Denham opened on July 12, 1910. Joseph Bocheck of Willow River served as president, Joseph Suk of Denham as vice president, and F.L. Olson of Walnut Grove as cashier. Several farmers, including Frank Lind, Nels L. Nelson, Jons Johnson, Nels Wenberg, John Mullen, and Mrs. Lars Paulson, bought stock in the bank, which started with a capital of $10,000. The bank didn't last very long; it failed in 1926.

4. A 1914 article in the Moose Lake Star Gazette described the growth of Denham. At that time, the village boasted a population of approximately 100 people. It was home to three general stores, a hotel, a blacksmith shop, a livery barn, a pool hall, the bank, a sawmill, a barber shop, a post office, a millinery shop, a restaurant, and a cream station.

5. George Cunningham opened another general store, the Cunningham Mercantile Co., in Denham in 1917. Emil Leaf was manager. Mr. Leaf eventually bought the business, which he later sold to F.E. and Sigrid Anderson, who renamed the business the F.E. Anderson General Merchandise store.

6. Area residents of Czech descent appreciated Denham's “Sokul Hall,” which focused on exercise and gymnastic activities.

7. A devastating fire in 1928 or 1929 destroyed several stores on Denham's Main Street.

8. A private telephone line ran through Birch Creek Township as early as 1907. The Farmer's Co-operative Telephone Company extended phone service to more residents in the 1930s.

9. Many Denham residents attended the Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church or the Swede Park Lutheran Church, both of which were near the village. These churches were organized in either 1891 or 1894.

10. Denham's school children attended District No. 19, which was established on July 9, 1889. Minnie Smith was the first teacher. After the village was constructed, the school moved from its location east of town to a building in Denham.

Sources: Pine County...and its Memories by Jim Cordes; Denham, Minnesota: Its Place in Area History by Patricia Almquist; Askov American newspaper, July 1, 1976

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