Pine County Promotional Booklet – Part 1

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting selections from the 1926 promotional booklet entitled Pine County: Where Folks are Home Owners. Compiled and distributed by the Pine County Farm Bureau, this little booklet offers profiles of Pine County towns, ads for area businesses, and pictures of Pine County life, all in an effort to attract new settlers and encourage the county's growth and development.

Forward 

In preparing this bulletin, giving the facts of Pine county so that people visiting our exhibit at the State Fair will easily know where this wonderful and progressive county is located, statements made in regard to the various communities have been carefully censored so that no misstatements concerning the conditions have been made. We are frank to say that the conditions in our county have not been over-rated, that we have many pieces of land that are very suitable for farming, still in its virgin state. 

We extend a hand of welcome and will be glad to give you further information in regard to the conditions of any community or the county as a whole if you will take the time to write to us. 

Yours very truly, W.F. Hammargren, County Agent 


PINE COUNTY 

Pine county is located midway between St. Paul and Duluth. Only two and one-half hours drive to either Duluth or St. Paul on one of the best state highways in Minnesota, namely, Highway No. 1. This highway in Pine county is paved from north to south boundary except for a few open gaps which will be completed in the fall of 1926. This, together with Trunk Highway No. 23, which comes in from the west, and with a system of state aid highways gives every farmer in Pine county a good road leading into markets and to the two trunk highways. 

We have in Pine county 3,326 farms out of which 6 are operated by managers. 331 are operated by tenants and 2,989 are operated by the owners themselves. This alone should prove to the home seeker that Pine county is an ideal place to locate for anyone seeking a farm of his own. The value of our farms is more than $20,000,000. The amount of land in these farms is over 335,000 acres of which most is under cultivation. 

Our principal crops are corn, oats, barley, potatoes and rutabagas, of which potatoes lead as far as a cash crop is concerned. Our soil here is ideal for potatoes and yields of over 300 bushels of marketable potatoes per acre in 1925 were reported. Alfalfa grows abundantly in this county. Illustration No. 1 shows the second crop of alfalfa on the Otto Wiedemann farm, east of Pine City. Illustration No. 2 shows the cutting of alfalfa on the August Wickstrom farm on the 17th day of June, 1925. The growing of this important crop gives the farmers in this county an abundance of roughage of good quality. We have alfalfa growing in every township and a dairy farmer looking for a good dairy farm can come to Pine county assured that he can raise this important legume. Yields of three tons in two cuttings to an acre is nothing uncommon. 

 Second Crop of Alfalfa on Otto Wiedemann Farm Near Pine City

 Cutting of Alfalfa on August Wickstrom Farm Near Pine City

We have a most important industry, namely, the dairying. The farmers of this county received more than $2,000,000 for the dairy products alone for the year 1925. To help the farmers get the most out of the dairy products we have fourteen farmers' co-operative creameries which pay the highest market price for butterfat. Our co-operative creameries are located at the following points: Denham, Finlayson, Sandstone, Hinckley, Beroun, Brook Park, Pine City, Rock Creek, Greely, Cloverdale, Markville, Askov, Bruno, and Duquette. By writing to any one of these creameries you will receive first hand information in regard to the conditions tributary to their creamery. 

We have in Pine county four cow testing associations working in cooperation with the co-operative creameries to raise the standard of the dairy cow. 

Good Summer Playgrounds 

Not only have we fine farms and good soil conditions but we also have some of the finest summer resorts and lake properties that are as yet not taken up. For tourists Pine county offers fine opportunities to spend a vacation at our lakes and fine beaches. 

Pine county has a mixture of people – progressive, religious and hard working pioneers that will extend to any home seeker a hand of welcome. This holds true not only with the farmers but with the business people in all the towns. You will receive a courteous, friendly welcome whether you expect to locate here or are driving through this county. We extend to you a welcome stop in to visit in the towns as you pass through this county, producing the finest crops and the best people in the state of Minnesota.

 Good Fishing and Boating

Pine County Prize Winning Exhibit at State Fair in 1922

Prepared by M.E. Poferl, Pine City