One Last Chance for The Old Ball Game!

Baseball in Scott County is a tradition; nearly every town has or had a small town baseball team. Shakopee, Jordan, and New Prague all pride themselves on not only their teams, but the parks in which they play. Ross Bernstein is quoted as saying that “In small-town America, being on a team was like being royalty”. Some of the names of players like Joe Schleper and John Breimhorst became household names.

Baseball in the County goes back as early as 1898, and even earlier by some other accounts. By the turn of the century the weekly game’s score were reported in every newspaper, and fans flocked to the stands. City built massive parks and competed to have the best facilities. Baseball in the towns of the county remained a main stay until the 1960s, when attentions turned toward more professional teams. The growth of major teams, the money they could spend, and possibly the rise of highways began to see small town ball die out in many towns.

 Today, many towns still have teams, and they compete in statewide amateur leagues. The history of baseball in Scott County is as much a part of this county as anything. While the history cannot be covered in one blog post, a much more expansive history can be found in our current exhibit, Play Ball: Sports in Scott County. The museum will be closing December 1st, and so will this exhibit, so be sure to come in before it closes and learn more about the celebrity players, ball parks, and general stories of sports in Scott County.

Written by Dave Nichols, Curator

Prohibition Through the Years

Prohibition was not a popular edict in Scott County. With large German and Czech populations, Scott County resisted the closing of breweries and saloons- often used as community gathering spaces. We think of prohibition as a time of glitzy parties, slick gangsters, and glamorous speakeasies. In Scott County, residents were far more likely to share a clandestine bottle with friends, or stash a small still in the barn to supplement farm income. As prohibition grabbed headlines, life went on.

Below, find a selection of Scott County photographs from Scott County for each year that Prohibition was in effect, as well as selections from the papers that show how Prohibition impacted the county.

1920

American Range Workers, Shakopee, 1920. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Group in Belle Plaine, 1920. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Ice Skating on the Minnesota River near Shakopee, 1920. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Shakopee Tribune, July 9, 1920

Shakopee received an unheralded visit from federal prohibition enforcement officers Saturday evening and as a result MJ Doherty, local saloon men, appeared before HF Price, prohibition enforcement chief in Minneapolis on the charge of having moonshine liquor on his premises. Doherty said he bought the liquor and admitted to having colored the liquor and placed it in bottles. His case was taken under advisement.

Shakopee Argus, July 30, 1920

A raid of Ed Thiede’s saloon Wednesday morning about eleven o’clock was staged with a number of features that the proprietor claims were unnecessary and not in keeping with the usual conduct of federal officers… Mr. Thiede claims that the men, three in number, entered his saloon while he was engaged in counting money and that, without displaying their official badges or stating what their errand was, they ordered him to step out from behind the counter…one of the men advanced around the counter toward him and he backed away, upon which a second man jumped over the counter and struck him in the face …at the same time applying vile epithets to him… the men searched the saloon, basement and kitchen but found no liquor.

Jordan Independent, August 26 1920

A gasoline stove, a milk can, two barrels filled with soaking barley and other indications that certain forbidden drinks are being manufactured are not sufficient reason for anyone other then the owner to destroy property. William Kohler, a farmer, was soaking feed for hogs, he told the court. Leo Meyer thought he was violating the prohibition act. Mayer destroyed the ‘hog feed’ and the court fined him $20, the amount of damages asked by Kohler.

1921

Wedding in Belle Plaine, 1921. Photo from the SCHS collections. 

Amanda Messerbank of Jordan, 1921. Photo from the SCHS collections.

View of the Minnesota River near Shakopee, 1921. Photo from the SCHS collections. 

Shakopee Tribune, March 24 1921

Another raid by Federal Agents was made here last Saturday afternoon… The victim of the raid was Linus Vierling at whose place it was reported that quite of quantity of moonshine and home brew was found by federal agents and destroyed… The open violation of the laws of the United States in regard to liquor has passed the joke stage and it is time for the citizens of Shakopee and Scott County to awaken to this fact.

Belle Plaine Herald, Sept 1, 1921

 Prohibition enforcement officers have been busy in Scott County the past few days. Stills southeast of Shakopee were raided Saturday and the owners arrested . On Monday raids were carried out in Jordan and Shakpoee, retail dealers being arrested, two in each town.

Shakopee Tribune, Oct 13, 1921

Prohibition will lengthy lifespans by 4 years said a temperance speaker… It will seem that much longer anyway

1922

Shakopee High football team, 1922. Photo from the SCHS collections 

St Mark’s graduating class, 1922. Photo from the SCHS collections. 

Jordan Independent, March 9, 1922

In a very well attended meeting at the Jordan Commercial Club held at the City Hall last Thursday night the rejuvenated organization showed a very lively spirit and interest in public affairs… A resolution related to prohibition was introduced. It was a statement asserting that prohibition is a failure and calls upon Congress to enact such legislation ameliorating the terms, conditions and provisions of the Volstead act…the action was passed without any dissenting votes.

Jordan Independent, June 1, 1922

It is reliably reported that a prohibition enforcement squad raided Belle Plaine last Saturday and caught every soft drink dealer excepting one with illicit liquor.

1923

Produce House in Belle Plaine, 1923. Photo from the SCHS collections. 

Young man standing outside a home in Shakopee, 1923. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Shakopee Tribune, May 24 1923

“Bootleger Fooled when he Buys Tea for Liquor” says a headline. It’s a mean man that would swindle a poor bootlegger.

1924

Katherine Wolf Deutsch of Jordan. Photo of the SCHS collections. 

Store in Shakopee, 1924. Photo from the SCHS collections. 

Shakopee Argus, Nov 6, 1924

In the good old days it took years for a man to drink himself to death, but the modern man can catch up to him with a few swigs out of a bottle of moonshine

1925

DeMers Family, Shakopee, 1925. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Family driving in the Shakopee Fourth of July parade, 1925. Photo from the SCHS collections.

As Prohibition went on, Scott County newspaper headlines begin to take a darker turn. Gone are the quips about low-stakes arrests. Instead the focus turns to some of the real problems associated with moonshine. Health concerns and driving safety are at the forefront of the conversation. 

March 19 1925, Belle Plaine Herald

“ A judge fined a man $200 and ordered him to the work house for 6 months for driving an auto on the street when he was so drunk he could scarce remember his name… personally we never like to see anyone in trouble with the law, but this thing of driving an auto while intoxicated is becoming a problem too serious to overlook…the public streets and public roads of this county must be made safe”

1926

August Herman, August Zaun and Alfred Zaun in Belle Plaine, 1926. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Shakopee Argus Tribune August 19th, 1926

Driving an automobile on our congested roads is a man-sized job for anyone who has a clear brain, and the moon-fogged fellow at the steering wheel has no business in any car…the automobile is a mighty dangerous weapon in the hands of one of these fellows. An uninvited guest always sits beside the drunken driver: The Grim Reaper.

1927

Genevieve McHugh of Shakopee, 1927. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Shakopee Argus Tribune, June 16, 1927

As a rule the drunken driver only wants one side of the road. Unfortunately It is your side.

1930

Arthur Bohnsack and Evelyn August in Belle Plaine, 1930. Photo from the SCHS collections.

April 4, 1930, Jordan Independent

“Americanism versus Prohibition” was the general title given to a forum discussion at a mass meeting conducted in Mertz hall in Jordan Tuesday Night… Mr Richter explained that the purpose is to bring about a solution to the problems and perplexities that they charge to the Eighteenth Amendment.

1932

Kenneth Shaughnessy of Belle Plaine, 1932. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Belle Plaine Herald, Feb 11, 1932

From “Argued Prohibition 50 Years Ago”- a Republican Party article

…Ten years ago the German vote was stronger in Scott, although the situation is probably the same today. But now we hear little complaint about prohibition from the Germans; they seem to get along without brewery beer just as well as the other nationals. Of  course, a few may make a little home brew on the side, but so do the Irish, French, Yankees and the others. Perhaps if pioneer legislators knew what was in store for their successors they would have settled the liquor question once and for all. If they had banned the liquor traffic, most of us would probably have little knowledge or desire for intoxicants. We are working towards it, but with the present method of enforcement the day of real and total abstinence seems a long way in the future. 

Shakopee Argus Trib, November 3, 1932.

From an advertisement for the Democratic party

Repeal Prohibition: Bring back Beer and Light Wines. That is the Democratic ticket. It is a vote for a repeal of the 18th amendment, It is a vote for the modification of the Volstead Law

1933

 As you can see from the numbers to the left, Scott County voted solidly for the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. 

Belle Plaine Herald, April 13, 1933

The new beer industry got off to a flying start in Belle Plaine last Friday. A suppl was at hand early in the morning and all the licensed retailers had a supply that looked big enough to meet any demand… however by mid afternoon the supply was exhausted. So many wanted to renew acquaintance with brewery beer after the long 14 year drought that it looked as if folks would have to be put on the quota basis.

New Prague Times, June 11, 1933

New Prague’s Brewery will be remodeled. Today marks the first activities in the awakening and rejuvenation of an important New Prague industry that has been dormant for some years.

Shakopee Argus Tribune, July 20, 1933

Brewery details are near completion. Present plans provide for converting the old flour mill here into a modern brewery the capacity of which has not been disclosed… men in close contact with the undertaking have much enthusiasm and express confidence in its successful outcome.

Compiled by Rose James, SCHS Program Manager

Hats Off!

Written by Connie Trussel of Elko for “As I remember Scott County History”, 1908

Susan Hartz of Shakopee, 1908. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Many fond memories are associated with wearing hats, although a few of the memories are bitter. Most families in Scott County were hard working and frugal. A new hat for Easter was not a frivolity or extravagance but a necessity. Women often exhibited unique and clever ways to fabricate a “new” hat. One example is the mother who dyed her daughter’s last year’s hat with black stove polish, which produced a lovely, shiny finish. The daughter still remembers feeling quite elegant at church that Sunday. Fortunately it didn’t rain.

Another hat story that still get s a chuckle is the pre-Easter shopping trip by four local women to Fairbault to buy new Easter hats. Three of them quickly decided on new creations that suited their tastes and their pocket books. The fourth lady was quite undecided. She tried hat after hat form the shelf, always coming back to one that lay near the mirror.  Finally satisfied that it was the most becoming, she announced her decision. Only then did one of her companions speak up and tell her that it belonged to her, and was her old hat which she had taken off and laid down.

Shakopee women in hats. Seen in the back row from left to right are: H. E. (Lena) Strunk, Gertrude Weiland, Anna Dieken, and Anna Berens. Seen in the front row from left to right are: Hulda Weiland and Isabel Strunk. Photo from the SCHS collections.

I’m sure this incident happened many times, but it’s still with chagrin that it is remembered. After hours of trying hats to find just the right one, a lady walked proudly into church on Sunday morning. To her horror, she noticed that someone else had bought exactly the same hat! Needless to say, that hat was never worn again.

A cruel remark, possibly even made jokingly, prompted one lady to immediately go home and burn her new hat. She wasn’t going to take a chance on that ever happening again.

Lois H. Kahle of Belle Plaine, 1884. Photo from the SCHS collections

One of the funniest hat stories is about a man and his new hat. Years ago, before the advent of the feed and seed advertising caps, men wore hats too- morning, afternoon and evenings. One Saturday night, as was their custom, a young couple decided to spend the evening at the local bar. Above the bar was the dance hall. After a few

Meeting of the Shakopee Goodfellows, 1884. Photo from the SCHS Collections.

minutes in the dance hall, the man deserted his wife, to engage in conversation with his cronies at the bar. The young wife had come to dance, so when a good-looking young man approached the group of young ladies, inquiring which ones were married. She didn’t object when her friends all answered “I am but she isn’t”. The handsome stranger, while making conversation between dances, informed her that he was wearing a brand new and very expensive hat. They were dancing again, he still with his hat on, when the young lady’s husband returned. The husband, feeling a surge of jealousy, strolled over to the couple, grabbed the man’s hat, stamped on it a few times, and placed it back on the startled man’s head. Not sure what to do next, the couple kept on dancing. Where upon the angry husband again took the hat and promptly threw it in the stove. At that point, the stranger decided enough was enough. He hurried out of the dance hall and wasn’t seen in town again.

Young people walk through downtown Shakopee, 1900. Photo from the SCHS collections.

Bandits and Bank Robbers

In October of 1929 the stock market crashed in the United States. This financial disaster led to a worldwide recession, and the United States entered The Great Depression. This was a difficult time for most Americans, and while some had little choice but to grit their teeth and bare it, others took to a life of crime to get by. In Scott County, the months following the stock market crash saw a rash of bank robberies and heists throughout the county.

In November of 1929, the First State Bank of Savage was the first to be hit by a crew of robbers from St. Paul. The thieves were eventually caught and tried, but not before making off with over $1200 in cash and bonds ($18,000 in today’s dollars). Shortly thereafter, the First National of Bank of Shakopee was robbed, though this time by a different group of thieves. Here they made it away with $5997 (or 89,811 today). This second crew wasn’t content with their massive haul though, and on December 9th 1929, they struck again at the First National Bank of Shakopee.

The increase in violence and robberies (both bank and in private homes), had put the people and police on high alert. An early tip informed the police that the thieves were on their way, and so the police set up a look out. When he didn’t come out after the appointed time, they knew the heist was in progress. This second crew was gunned down by police and locals, though all of the robbers survived. They had taken $1500 from Shakopee’s vaults (some $22,400 nowadays). All three robbers went to try and were sentenced to prison.

Scott County has an interesting history during the 1920s, from bank robbery, to speakeasies, to rum running. In the decades that followed, Shakopee in particular would gain the nickname of Little Chicago due to its gambling parlors. IF you want to know more about the bank robberies, check out our exhibit case at the Scott County Courthouse. One of our recent interns, Ben Malacko, did a whole small exhibit on the matter. We also have Prohibition coming soon to our main gallery. If you have any prohibition stories from the county, or would be interested in placing any Prohibition era items on loan as part of the exhibit, please give us a call or email Dave Nichols.

Written by Dave Nichols, Curator of Collections

Research Conducted by Ben Malacko, Exhibits Intern

Tales of a Mail Carrier in the Early 1900s

Written by Joan Muehlbauer and Corrine Meierbachtol, from “As I Remember Scott County”

Tom O’Connor delivering mail in Belle Plaine, 1905. Photo from the SCHS Collections.

Our dad, John McDevitt, started his mail carrier job in 1903. He had three horses. In the summer, he had a two wheel buggy. When the water was high in the spring, he would have to leave his horses at the last patron’s house- he would also have to spend the night there. When I was a little girl, I remember how unhappy this made me when he couldn’t come home. He would call up and talk to me, and it would be ok. If the current in the river was not too swift, the mail could be brought over in a boat to him. In the winter, he would travel in a cutter drawn by one horse. A large stone as placed in the oven of the cookstove overnight and in the morning the stone was wrapped in burlap and kept near his feet. He wore a heavy sheep-lined coat. A nice warm horse hair blanket covered him. All was fine unless she had to go over high snow drifts, which many times tipped over the sleigh.  He had to be at the post office at eight thirty in the morning to sort the mail. Then he came home and had a hot bowl of soup. The only lunch he took was thermos of hot coffee, and he left for his route at 10 o’clock. The route was 30 miles long, and in good weather he was home around three. In winter he was later. 

The first car he bought in 1925. It was a Model T Ford. When we were old enough, we were taken with him on the route to keep him company. He was a mail carrier form 1903 to 1932. He died September 27th, 1936.