Resort heading to Harris

Facility to include golf course, miniature golf, two pools, campsites, health club, amphitheater and horse trails.

HARRIS – The collapse of the housing market means that development isn't happening in Harris or elsewhere around the state.
But not everything has ground to a halt.
Bruce Fagan intends to transform 350 acres into a resort.
At an estimated cost of $35 million, the resort will include an 18-hole executive golf course, Olympic-size indoor swimming pool, outdoor pool, hundreds of seasonal campsites and overnight campsites, retirement homes for snowbirds, a miniature golf course, a deli, health club, ice cream shop, arcade, and outdoor amphitheater and conference center (with the ability to hold four conferences simultaneously). There will be 5.2 miles of roads that the resort will maintain, 3.2 miles of horse trails and 40 acres of stables.
The project will be built on the old Mold farm off County Road 9 on the east side of town.
Mayor Rick Smission announced the news during the city council meeting on Monday, July 14, 2008. He believes the development will be a boon for the city for several reasons.
One, it will generate $1.5 million in water and sewer access charges.
It will be a very attractive destination resort in the small town of Harris, said Smisson.
It will significantly increase the city's commercial tax base, which will lessen the impact on homes. The water and sewer use of the resort will be large, once again taking pressure off current users to pay for the new water and wastewater treatment plants.
And the presence of a large business is bound to attract other businesses.
Smission is confident the resort will succeed. He noted that people no longer want to drive all the way to Brainerd. "But they will drive to Harris," he said.
DIVIDED WE FAIL
Smisson acknowledged that the city is facing tough times. It incurred debt just as the economy took a turn for the worse. The collapse of the housing market led to many vacant homes, and the city is now looking after various abandoned properties. The city has not seen the number of housing starts that it anticipated.
Costs of materials have doubled. Natural gas has gone up significantly, and is over the amount the city had budgeted for the year, as has electricity.
Additionally, the city had to pay out wages in the maintenance department going back years, and still does not have the issue completely settled.
What's more, the city expected that the state legislature would send more local government aid this year. Instead, "We got nothing," said Smisson.
The economy is not expected to bounce back as quickly as economists had predicted earlier this year. Part of that is due to people fraudulently buying homes and then renting them out but not paying the mortgage bills.
It's normal to have some growing pains when you build new infrastructure, said Smisson. But its not normal to have these current economic situations.
To rise above, the city will need to work together, he believes.
"Divided we fail," Smisson pointed out to fellow council members.
"The power rests with this body to decide if we will solve our problems with real solutions.
I hope we will set aside our personal preferences and work together."
He expects a conditional use permit for the resort to come before the planning commission soon.

Go PICNICKING

Pack the basket and the family, then head out to enjoy the sun.

Nothings says "summer" like a picnic.
Whether you stop by Arby's for takeout, or pack a gourmet meal in a wicker picnic basket complete with its own set of dishes and cheery red-and-white-checkered tablecloth, the food will taste better in the great outdoors.
Best of all, there's no cost aside from the food. And the view is always free.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME
Don't forget the watermelon and sunflower seeds when you head out to Redbird Field in Isanti.
As you're enjoying America's favorite pastime, why not pack a supper that builds off our national colors? It'll make for great eating, and colorful pictures.
Hometown ball games start at 7:30 p.m. on weeknights and at 7 p.m. on Sundays.
Redbird Field is located near the soccer complex.
Or, check out the Cambridge Athletic Complex just east of the fairgrounds. League games are played most nights, and there are often tournaments on weekends.

FOR MORE: hometeamsonline.com

LOOK AT THEM GO

Instead of baseball, consider checking out a new sport: BMX. Kids and adults race pedal bikes around a dirt track in Isanti every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the summer.
Bring a blanket and set up near the fence – just stay far enough away to avoid the dirt that shakes loose as the riders fly around corners and over moguls.

FOR MORE: www.rumriverbmx.com


HEAD TO THE PARK

There's a plethora of things to do before and after you eat when you visit the Cambridge City Park along the Rum River.
Kick your appetite up a notch by challenging another to a game of tennis. Watch the kids on the swings. Launch a canoe (bring your own or rent one from Outdoor Edge). Take a dip in the cool water. Or, merely lie in the grass and watch the clouds move by.
There are several shelters with picnic tables to choose from so you don't even have to bring your own chairs. Ah, don't you love it when things are easy?
If you're in Isanti, try Bluebird Park. In Braham, Hidden Park off Fourth Street Northeast is set up with grills.

FOR MORE: 763-552-3343, www.outdooredgemn.com

SEE A GLORIOUS VIEW

One of Isanti County's best kept secrets is the beauty of Springvale County Park.
If you don't pay attention to the signs, you'll miss it. There's only a small asphalt parking lot visible from Highway 95.
But it is what's inside this park that will pull you back again and again. The five miles of unpaved trails meander through prairie and forest. Turn a corner and be amazed by the perfect way the trees frame a view of the small lake along the west edge. Or, look up and see a hawk majestically circling the sky.
Lay your spread out in a meadow and enjoy the break from the rest of the world – without having to drive Up North to get it.

Directions: Off Highway 95 in Springvale Township, two miles east of Highway 47.

READY FOR A SWIM?
Isanti County's one public beach sits on its prettiest lake.
Spectacle Lake's beach is on a south end point. It's not large, but a dip in the clean water is sure to refresh you on a muggy day.
Bring a meal that is easy and light, with plenty of leftovers. You're not likely to leave for awhile.

Directions: Highway 95 west to CR 7; turn left. Turn left onto Cobalt and follow the signs.

Meadery beloved by Renn Fest goers

J. Bird Winery is located in rural Stanchfield. The meadery is open in the fall on Saturdays. Look for the signs that read "mead."

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., James E. Bird is a drywall contractor. The rest of the time, he's a mead maker with his father, James. Sr. and daughter, Jessie.
Their small farm winery in Stanchfield is the second oldest in the state. Those who have drank mead at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival have tasted their wares, which are sold each year at The Mead Booth. J. Bird Winery has been providing mead for the festival for 37 years.
"It doesn't really taste like wine," observed James, Jr. "It tastes more like a fruit drink. It goes down smooth."
LEGEND OF MEAD
"Mead is the oldest wine there is," noted James, Jr.
According to legend, the wine gained its name in the 17th century. A king had a daughter and no sons. When he died, she became the ruler. She was beloved by her people, and was good to them. When they went out and stole from other tribes, she divided the spoils with her people. One of the items they took was sweet honey, which they made wine out of.
The people began toasting her when they drank. "To Queen Mead!"
"And the wine took on the name, mead," said James, Jr.
ORIGINS OF J. BIRD WINERY
J. Bird Winery, driven by the elder James Bird's creativity, is always in search of a new flavor.
When he visited Egypt, he was inspired by the hybiscus-lemon tea so many were drinking. Thinking it would complement mead well, he began experimenting with batches.
Today, the Egyptian Mead is their most popular flavor.
The Bloody (a combination of mead and elderberries) is also well-liked, but the winery is limited in its production of that flavor as elderberries are difficult to find.
J. Bird Winery uses Minnesota grown produce in its wines, with the exception of items not grown in the stat, such as hybiscus which come from Oregon. The strawberries and raspberries come from the U Pick farm nearby.
Most of its honey comes from the Honey Bee Orchard in Buffalo. James, Jr. noted that honey is becoming harder to find. "We're losing two-thirds of our bees each year," he said. "The honey is there, but the bees disappear from the hive.
"It could become a big problem."
THE MEADMAKER
James R. Bird began by making apple champagne in his Crystal, Minn. basement. The mixture turned out so well it earned him two national first-place awards.
He then turned his hand to honey wine.
The mead is made the old German way. "We try not to filter the heck out of it," said James, Jr. "We add as few chemicals as we have to [in order] to preserve the flavor."
While many use salt for preservation, J. Bird Winery uses potassium.
Today, the wine ferments in 1,000 gallon tanks in a building in rural Stanchfield. After fermentation, the mead is re-flavored, explained James Bird, Jr.
To make four barrels of mead it takes 700 pounds of honey.
While some is bottled (on a bottling machine James, Sr. fashioned that does three at a time), most is kept in barrels for transport and sale at festivals.
In all, the meadery produces about 2,000 gallons a year.
J. Bird Winery sells most of its mead at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. But the family is also typically at the Wisconsin Renaissance Festival and the Old World Renn Fair in Twig, Minn. July is typically free, and James, Jr. would like to begin selling at local county fairs. However, he has been stymied in his efforts because the 3.2 license county fairs receive from the state specify that it is for malt beverages. Thus, even if he were to lower the alcohol content in the wine from 6.9% to 3.2%, he wouldn't be able to sell it at a county fair under the current law. He also hopes to begin offering the mead at local liquor stores and bars.
James, Sr. and James, Jr. spend most of their weekends in August and September at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. The booth is located near the jousting area. On the days when they sell over 50 gallons of mead in one day, James, Jr. will head back north to replenish supplies.
The mead is so popular the line forms down the dirt path and crosses behind the alley.
"Our line will be 60 feet long most of the day," noted James, Jr.
Following the festival, they open the meadery to visitors on Saturdays from October to December. Mead is for sale – at 20% for those who bring their own jugs. Often, friends from the Renaissance Festival come up to sell their wares and provide musical entertainment. Samples are free.
Look for the signs that say "mead".
To learn more, browse www.the-mead-booth.com or call 763-689-3920.

-30-

FLAVORS OF WINE
Classic Mead
Bloody Mead (with elderberry)
Egyptian Mead (with hybiscus and lemon)*
Honey Crisp Apple Wine
Applemint Wine
Rhubarb Mead **
Cherry Mead
Raspberry Mead
Strawberry Mead
Spiced Apple
Rasp'n Spice

* Most popular flavor
** Newest flavor

VISIT THE MEADERY
• OPEN Saturdays October, November and December, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• DISCOUNT: Get 20% off if you bring your own jug
• DIRECTIONS: Highway 65 north to Grandy (two miles north of Cambridge). Turn left at County Road 6. Proceed west to Polk Street (same road as the Grandy 9 Golf Course is located on). Turn left. Meadery is first drive on the left. Watch for signs in the fall.
• ENTERTAINMENT: 3 Celts and Company sets up a tent on the weekends and sells Celtic items. There is also often music.

JAMES, JR. RECOMMENDATION
• Blend one-half strawberry and one-half Classic Mead.

Where will the depot go?

It may be at the Cambridge mall, as proposed by the CBD.

Will a new train depot be located in the Cambridge mall?
The Cambridge Business Development Corporation (CBD) has proposed such.
The idea is rooted into a recommendation made by consultants hired by the St. Louis & Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority. TEMS, Inc. advised that the depot in Cambridge be located downtown to take advantage of foot traffic and the synergy of the area, pointed out CBD President Bob Guetschoff.
The TEMS report advocated against placing any of the five planned depots outside of city centers and away from transportation routes.
"We at CBD truly believe this is the best location for the depot. This will be the new front door for Cambridge," said Guetschoff. "This could bring Main Street back to life."
The mall location is logical, representatives of CBD believe, because it sits in the largest area between Main Street and the tracks. There is already a spacious parking lot, and the building sits adjacent to the tracks.
The plan is to add onto the building in the back to create a platform next to the train tracks and an enclosed waiting area. The front of the mall would be renovated and a large clock tower added. The inside could remain the same, with the exception of cutting in a hallway through to the back. Or, it could also be renovated to make way for shops that would cater to travelers.
The mall, called the Cambridge City Center, is currently owned by the city and leased to a variety of businesses. There are three retail shops inside and several offices. One, the National Guard, intends to move out when its new building is completed this fall.
The CBD also submitted a plan as to what the area to the north of the mall could look like if redeveloped. Planners envision additional parking, restaurants, offices and condominums. The need for a car could be extinguished by a resident who chose to live within walking distance of the depot and took the train to work.
This redevelopment is a future phase and would be dependent upon whether private businesses decided to build there and upon whether homeowners decided to sell their property.
While the train will benefit people commuting south from Cambridge to the Twin Cities, it will also pull workers into Cambridge from farther north.
"I foresee tremendous job opportunities in the near future," said Isanti County Coordinator Jerry Tvedt. "This is a change to the county that is going to have dramatic impact in terms of jobs for years to come."
He added, "It opens such doors for Isanti County. It opens such doors for economic development like we haven't seen yet."
"It could be a real win all the way around for Cambridge," said Guetschoff. "This is the single largest economic opportunity that has been put before Cambridge ever."
"We as a city see the potential for additional commercial and retail development," said Cambridge City Administrator Lynda Woulfe, "and the ability to show Cambridge as a great spot for tourism. There is a lot of potential for tourism in Cambridge that is untapped yet."
THE TRAIN: NEARLY A REALITY
The idea of reinstating the passenger train from Duluth to Minneapolis has been in the cooker for several years. However, it is only within the last year and one-half that it really began to pick up steam.
A group of county commissioners (including Isanti County Commissioner Larry Southerland) and city representatives from Duluth to Minneapolis began meeting once a month. Each entity chipped in money to help fund a feasibility study. An environmental impact study (EIS) is being done this summer.
"We've got a beautiful opportunity here," said Southerland. "All the ducks are in a row."
It is because of this advance work that the Northern Lights Express line is perfectly poised to receive federal funding. The House of Representatives Transportation Committee Chair is Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar, also a ranking member of the House. Oberstar strongly supports the project.
"At a time when gas is $4 a gallon, we need to give consumers as many options and alternatives as possible, " said Oberstar. "If we can take just 10 percent of the trips that are currently being made by automobile, and convert them to some other mode of transportation, we will save the equivalent of all the oil that we import from Saudi Arabia each year – 550 million barrels.
"I will do all I can to support this visionary project.”
TRAIN TRAVEL WILL BE FASTER THAN THAT BY CAR
The last passenger train ran from Minneaplis to Duluth in 1985. But back then, folks driving a car could reach Duluth faster than if they rode a train. Things will be different with the new train, dubbed the Northern Lights Express. Folks will be able to traverse the distance between the two cities in less than the time it would take to drive. This is key to the success of the line, observed Isanti County Commissioner Larry Southerland.
Also, passengers will not debark in Minneapolis at a station along Highway 280, far from anything, pointed out Guetschoff. Instead, they will be taken right into the heart of downtown Minneapolis to the new Twins stadium.
It will take about 15 minutes to reach the station along Foley Boulevard in Coon Rapids from Cambridge. It will be 35 minutes to Minneapolis, where the 110-mile-an-hour train will stop at the new Twins stadium. From there, passengers will be able to hop aboard a light rail line or bus to get to the office, the airport or the veterans' hospital.
For those seeking entertainment, the train will stop in Hinckley, a town that already swells to nearly 1 million because of the traffic brought in by the casino.
It is anticipated that those on the southern end of the line will take the train to get to work. This passenger train is different from the Northstar Commuter Rail being proposed that would need state funding.)
Seniors will be able to take the Heartland Express in Isanti and Chisago Counties to the train depot and travel down to the cities for entertainment and medical appointments – without having to worry about driving a car. It creates the opportunity for seniors to visit family members easier, as well, said Guetschoff.
"Gas prices are driving us all to change," he added.
There is also the potential that citizens will be able to travel all the way to Chicago much faster than it would take to drive, according to Southerland
The cost of riding the rail from Cambridge to Minneapolis is estimated at $15. However, those who ride frequently will be eligible for steep discounts, which may be as low as $7.
There will be cell phone repeaters on the train enabling passengers to use their cell phones during the entire ride. Wireless internet will also be available.
Passengers will be able to get work done, rather than merely waste time behind a windshield, observed Guetschoff.
Representatives from Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad are currently evaluating whether to add double tracks or even triple tracks along stretches of the route.
Safety has been considered, he pointed out. All crossings will have double gates that vehicles can't make it through.
CONGESTION ALONG HIGHWAY 95
The train will go from 0 to 60 miles per hour within three blocks. A crossing will be closed for 15 seconds and then reopen, which means the back-ups will be very short, quite unlike those caused by slow-moving freight trains, pointed out Guetschoff.
"It's going to be a fairly minimal deal," he added.
However, the task force that has been recently created will be charged with evaluating solutions to congestion caused by trains along Highway 95.
Although many have seen the train tracks as being a "lemon" for the city of Cambridge because of the congestion trains bring along Highway 95, Cambrige Mayor Marlys Palmer believes the passenger train will change that. "We'll make a wonderful pitcher of lemonade out of it," she said.
"I really do think this will be a wonderful thing for the city of Cambridge as a regional center, the whole county and even beyond that," said Cambridge Mayor Marlys Palmer. "I'm really excited about the good things it can bring.
"It will be a boon for the area."
CBD'S HISTORY OF HELPING GET THINGS DONE
Coming up with a depot concept isn't the first time the CBD has stepped in to help get something accomplished in Cambridge.
Thirty years ago, the organization built two pole buildings at Highway 95 and County Road 70. They were leased to the community college for five years, before the state set aside the money to purchase buildings. The purchase price? $1.
A few years ago, the CBD bought land for the future Cambridge Opportunity Industrial Park. They held onto the land, making sure it wasn't developed, until the city had the funds to buy it.
"We'll step in and create the synergy on the front end," noted Guetschoff.
"We have a very unique opportunity," said Commissioner Southerland, pointing out that the station locations are not yet set in stone.
"This is Cambridge's to lose," observed Guetschoff.
THE NEXT STEPS
The Cambridge City Council created a task force at its July 7, 2008 meeting. This group will evaluate potential locations for a depot, including the mall. City Administrator Lynda Woulfe expects the process to take about a year.
Members of the Passenger Rail Depot Task Force include: Susan Morris, George Larson, Bob Voss, Pat Johns, Nicki Klanderud, Jon Ward, Bob Guetschoff, Greg Carlson, Kim Erickson, Mark Anderson, Jackie Forner, Marlys Palmer, Dave Schornstein and Tesha M. Christensen.
The first meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 3 p.m. Subsequent meetings will likely be at the same time every second Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Legislature is considering a bill that would appropriate $850 million in grants for new high-speed rail projects. The line from Duluth to Minneapolis would be eligible for that money.
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (H.R. 6003) has already passed the House. It is six votes shy of passing in the Senate. The city anticipates learning whether the bill has been signed into law by mid-August at the latest as the Legislature typically recesses at the end of July.
“The Amtrak bill is on track,” said Oberstar. “It’s going to become law even if the president is not on board.”
The projected date for completion is 2012.

Fight against homelessness gets organized

Region develops a plan to eradicate homelessness in 10 years.

ISANTI COUNTY – If they can, they're going to try to end rural homelessness in 10 years.
That's a big goal, but Mary Everett of Lakes and Pines has a plan for how to do it – at least in the central Minnesota area.
The multi-faceted approach was developed as part of a statewide effort.
The goal is to not only prevent homelessness, but to improve services and to build the capacity of people to avoid homelessness again, said Everett.
Serving as part of the central continuum of care are those with Lutheran Social Services, Rural Development, Catholic Charities, Wilder Foundation Research, Central Minnesota Council on Aging, and the Salvation Army. There are also representatives from homeless shelters, county human services agencies, chemical dependency programs, ex-offender programs, and mental health providers.
The group began by examining the needs and issues of the rural homeless.
Factoring into rural homelessness are the basics of income and employment. But there are other issues, such as mental health, domestic violence, chemical dependency, foreclosure, and medical care, that play a role.
Who the homeless are
There are distinct differences between people who are homeless in an urban area and those in the rural area, said Everett.
The rural homeless tend to be less educated, but more likely to be employed.
They are less likely to receive government assistance and more likely to receive cash from friends.
Rural homeless experience shorter episodes of homelessness, and are two to four times more likely to live with family or friends.
They are less likely to have health insurance or access to medical care.
According to a 2006 Wilder Foundation Study, 63% of the rural homeless are white, compared to 32% in the metro area. Thirty-four percent have children, and 35% are women who are fleeing abuse.
Military veterans are affected, and make up 28% of the rural homeless.
Seventy-six percent earned no more than a high school education.
And 61% have a chronic health condition.
A higher percentage of people living in central Minnesota are living below the poverty level. The worst are in Morrison and Cass Counties where the amount is 10%. Isanti County is at 5.7% compared to the state average of 6.5%.
However, Isanti County's unemployment rates are higher than the state's at 5% compared to 4.3%.
A big problem is that the cost of housing can be out of reach for many people.
The fair market rent in Isanti County is $858. The annual income needed to afford that rent is $34,320. A person making minimum wage would need to work 107 hours a week to afford that.
Rising home costs have contributed to the homeless problem.
Between 1990 and 2000, home prices rose 48% while incomes went up only 19%.
Because of that, 22% of homeowners were paying more than 30% of their household incomes on housing, and 6% paying more than half of their income on housing.
The foreclosure crisis is likely to increase the problem. The number of foreclosures from 2005 to 2006 increased 48%, according to the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund. The number is expected to rise.
Adding to the problem is that if a person has lost his/her home in foreclosure, his credit is affected. An individual with bad credit is not eligible for Section 8 housing.
Everett pointed out that, like Lutheran Social Services, Lakes and Pines offers free foreclosure prevention counseling.
To view the entire homelessness prevention plan, go to www.cmhp.net

RURAL HOMELESSNESS
389 homeless in Central Minnesota on Jan. 21, 2007
69 chronically ill
131 severely ill
85 substance abusers
77 veterans
5 HIV/AIDS positive
54 victims of domestic violence
16 unaccompanied youth

75-YEAR-OLD MURDER MYSTERY

The murder of Alvira Johnson and her seven children in Harris is yet unsolved. Husband Albin Johnson has never been found.

The most brutal murders to occur in Chisago County remain unsolved after 75 years.
Early on Tuesday morning, April 11, 1933, twenty-nine-year-old Alvira Johnson perished in a house fire along with her seven children. She was pregnant with her eighth baby at the time.
Carrying the blame for their deaths is the father, Albin Johnson of Harris. He has never been found.
Today, the circumstances surrounding the fire are as much a mystery as they were in 1933.

TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CASE
Nan Hult of North Branch has been trying to unravel the clues surrounding the death of Alvira and her eight children for three years.
A 40-plus year resident of the area, she had never heard of the tragedy until one evening while dining with fellow North Branch resident and old-timer Clayton Anderson, who was among the fire site investigators. She was amazed that such a thing had happened and further amazed that it isn't talked about.
The case had continued to hold its secrets.
Hult has been unable to get a copy of either the coroner's report or the sheriff's report, despite repeated trips to both the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul and the Chisago County Courthouse. The files are missing, and both agencies say the other location must house them. She can't see a copy of the federal indictment against Albin because it is still technically an open case.
She wonders if it is a cover-up and who is being protected.
Albin's family? His father, Emil, was a respected man who built the Lutheran church in Harris with his brother. His brother-in-law, H.A. Galpin, was a well-known businessman in St. Paul.
The investigators? Did they botch the investigation as Galpin accused them of doing?
"I come to a dead end everywhere," said Hult.
"The whole thing gets stranger the farther we go," said fellow researcher Dick Lindgren of Spring Lake.

HE'S NOT IN THE RUINS
The bodies of eight were positively identified by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12 according to the Braham Journal.
Alvira had slept with four-month-old James in one room, and five children were in another. Harold, the oldest, slept in the kitchen. The basement of the house extended only under the kitchen and it was in this excavation that the body of the seventh child was found. Searchers initially expected to find Albin's body there, as well, but a thorough search with a rake on Wednesday revealed nothing.
"I went through every bit of the ruins myself, and I am as certain as I can be that [Albin] Johnson's body is not there," Deputy Coroner A. O. Stark of Harris is reported to have said.
There was the belief that if Albin had snapped, killed his family and lit the home on fire, that he may have killed himself in remorse and would be found nearby, noted Hult.
Over the course of the next few days, the small lake and woods near the home were searched for Albin's body by over 50 people.
The search team swelled to over 300 a week later who combed the St. Croix River area for a six-mile stretch between Sunrise and Rush City, but they found no trace of Albin. The river was dragged in a search for his body.
He had last been seen late in the day at both Harris and Rush City. However, he had never paid the rent of $25 for the new place in Rush City with money his brother-in-law Matt Scherer had loaned him despite the fact that his family was supposed to move there the next day.
In the St. Paul Dispatch the day after the fire, Coroner L.N. Westberg of Center City stated, "We have no evidence to indicate that the fire might have been planned. True, Johnson is still missing, but so far as we can learn, he was rational and fully intended to move."
The day before the blaze Albin had told his brother-in-law Fred Peterson that he was practically set to move, Fred told authorities.
Authorities believe the fire started at about 3 a.m.
Chief Hanson found four neighbors present when he arrived, and he immediately instituted a search of the outbuildings and surrounding fields for occupants of the home, but they were unable to find any trace of them.
As the fire burned down, one of the bodies could be seen in the burning embers, according to the Rush City Post.
Troubling authorities were the tire tracks made in the freshly fallen snow that led away from the farmhouse. Neighbors remembered hearing an automobile drive off in the middle of the night shortly before the fire was discovered.
"The terrible tragedy which has taken eight lives and leaves the fate of the missing father a mystery, has left the community horror stricken at the terrible fate of this mother and the seven children," stated the North Branch paper on Thursday, April 13, 1933.
The funeral for the 29-year-old mother and her seven children was held on Saturday at the Rush City Lutheran Church that Alvira had grown up attending. The remains of all eight fit in one flower-decked casket.
Over 350 people attended the service.
On April 15, the St. Paul Dispatch reported that Chisago County Attorney S. Bernard Wennerberg had launched an intensive investigation to determine whether the eight were slain before they perished in the fire.

THEORIES ABOUT WHY ALBIN MIGHT HAVE KILLED HIS FAMILY
Some thought Albin hopped the midnight train that ran through Rush City and headed towards Canada where he had worked as a logger before. Others thought someone else might have lit the blaze after he had left. Bulletins went out, and the search included Canadian mounted police. One person in Canada reported seeing Albin, but authorities couldn't catch up with him. At one point a month later, they thought they picked him up in North Dakota – but it turned out to be the wrong guy.
Rumors were plentiful. Some said the victims were beheaded and all the heads piled up in the basement. Others thought they had all been shot, and pointed to the two pistols and rifle found in the ruins as evidence. Albin's dog was rumored to have layed on one spot in a field for several days before he disappeared, and some thought that spot must have been where Albin's body was buried.
Some remember the Johnson brothers (Ted, Albin, Henry and Hjalmer), as being rough, tough and mean men who were feared by others. They were all handsome.Cliff Bedell, who currently resides on the old Johnson farm, theorizes that perhaps it was not Albin who was the perpetrator but his brothers. "He may have argued with his brothers, and they may have committed this violence and buried Albin somewhere," said Bedell.
Albin's brothers Henry and Ted were thought to be uninterested in the search, instead smoothing over an area of one field.
A gas can was discovered that was believed to have been used to start the blaze; it was taken as evidence by Chisago County.
Authorities could never figure out how the fire started, although it was presumed it began in the kitchen where the only stove was located. Nor could they figure out how all eight remained in their sleeping positions. Surely, if Albin had killed one or two with a gunshot or strangulation it would have woken others, particularly in the room that housed five.
Dr. C.A. Erdman of the University of Minnesota speculated that they had been either beaten to death or poisoned.
An indictment was made on Oct. 20, 1933 charging Albin with first degree murder.

THE HOME IS ABLAZE
The blaze was first noticed in the Ragner Krantz home about one-half mile from the Johnson's farmhouse at about 3:30 a.m.
His five-year-old son woke up to see orange light flickering like waves on his walls. Padding downstairs he found his mother who had also been awakened, according to Hult. A current resident of Hawaii he remembers it as though it happened yesterday.
Ragner was the first person to summon the Harris and Rush City Fire Departments. After making the call, Krantz hastened over to the farm house.
"After giving the alarm, I drove over to the Johnson place as fast I could get there, but the house by that time was almost totally destroyed. Only one corner remained standing and after a short while that crumpled too."

SHE SCREAMED AND SCREAMED AND SCREAMED 
Alvira's niece, Jeanette E. Johnson, will never forget when the telephone rang in the early hours of the morning on April 11 and they learned of the fire.
Her mother, Freda, who was very close in age to Alvira, screamed and screamed and screamed.
Alvira's parents were living with Freda's family at the time. The tragedy was very hard on them, recalled Jeanette.
Alvira's family members hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to help them find answers. Christine gathered together all the money she had - which wasn't much – to pay for the detectives.
A reward of $50 was offered for information leading to Albin's whereabouts.
Many theories were offered as to why Albin might have killed his family and then left town. He had been experiencing hard times, and his own father had evicted him 10 days earlier from the farmhouse where they were staying. He struggled to make a living as a farmer; his brother-in-law had been unsuccessful at getting Albin a job where he worked at the Rush City flour mill.
"Was a proud man who did not have the means to support his family tempted to take drastic measures?" asked author and distant relative Brian Johnson in an article published in the April 9, 1992 Post Review.

ALBIN'S FAMILY DOESN'T BELIEVE IT 
Albin's family steadfastly refused to believe that he had done such a terrible deed, and professed that he had died in the fire.
Meanwhile others, such as Krantz and Scherer, purchased guns to protect themselves in case Albin were to return.
"We were all afraid," said neighbor Mae Oscarson.
It was this fear of Albin exacting revenge that kept people from talking about the deaths of Alvira and her seven children, believes Hult. She also thinks it is why today few in Chisago County have heard about the tragedy.
Three years after the tragedy occurred, Albin's brother-in-law Harry .A. Galpin wrote a scathing letter blaming authorities for a botched investigation. This letter was notarized in the state of Nebraska.
He charged that the Chisago County Attorney S. Bernard Wennerberg, Sheriff James A. Smith and Deputy Coroner Albert O. Stark committed 31 errors in their handling of the case.
"These charges ranged from perjury to destruction of evidence to incompetence and negligence, and to railroading a murder indictment against a man known to be dead, to cover up the ghastly blunder of the Deputy Coroner who had cast Johnson's remains outside the foundation where they were trampled under foot by spectators," wrote Galpin.
Galpin insisted that relatives had found bones in a distant part of the ruins that belonged to Johnson.
He called for a burial certificate to be issued so that his family could inter those bones.
About county officials, Galpin complained, "At no time did they show the slightest inclination to guard Johnson's relatives against the possibility of placing false charge against him."

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THE FAMILY
Albin Johnson, age 43
Mrs. Alvira (Lundeen) Johnson, age 29
Harold, age 10
Clifford, age 9
Kenneth, age 7
Dorothy, age 5
Bernice, age 4
Lester, age 2
James, age 4 month
Unborn child

Meet Albin
Albin Johnson was described as a strong man with large hands. A typical farmer and woodsman. He typically wore blue overalls over a dark suit and a woodsman's cap. He rose to a height of six feet, three inches and weighed 240 pounds at age 43.
While some knew Johnson as a hard worker, others considered him a mean man. Neighbor Mae Oscarson recalled him as a morose, introverted character who "never said a word."
Jeanette said her uncle would literally steal candy from babies. "When he went to town, the storekeepers who knew the famly was poor would send candy home with him for the kids. He would eat the candy himself and throw the bag away before he got home," said Jeanette.
Alvira's family was against their marriage.

Meet Alvira
The youngest of four girls, Alvira was a pretty child with blond hair, blue eyes and dimples. She had a happy and carefree childhood on the Lundeen family farm in Rush City.
She was remembered as a gentle character whose love and care for her children and home spoke of the untiring and courageous disposition which were her chief characteristics, as stated in the Rush City Post story about her funeral.
As a child, Jeanette played with Harold, who was just two years her junior. She recalled pulling him in a wagon. "Often mother would scold me for eating too much when we were visiting them, as they were poor and didn't have much, but everything tasted so good.
"Also I couldn't understand why Santa didn't leave them anything at Christmas, especially when their need was so great.
"How difficult it must have been for Alvira, caring for her seven children, so close in age, as well as taking care of her many household duties," mused Jeanette.

HISTORY OF THE FARMHOUSE
• Owned by Emil & Cecilia Johnson
• Albin, wife Alvira and seven children resided there until 1933
• Fire burns house to ground on April 11, 1933
• Albin's brother, Henry, and his wife Mary (first married to the elder brother Ted) move back and become joint tenants with Emil.
• After living first in the grainery, Henry and Mary build a home over the old housefire site in 1949.
• Mary sells the farm to Mike Willer and family in 1969
• Willer sells the farm to Cliff and Pat Bedell in June 1972

THEORIES
Nan Hult of North Branch believes it was Albin who killed his wife and children. She thinks that because he was unable to continue providing for his seven children with another one on the way that he snapped. "Apparently, it was overwhelming. He went there, killed them and started the fire," said Hult.

Researcher Dick Lindgren of Spring Lake is certain Albin either made good on his escape and was never heard from again; or he walked out into the woods and committed suicide. He leans towards the first theory, as Albin's body was never discovered despite there being an extensive search, which at one point included 300 people. "My guess is he hit the trail and was never heard from again," said Lindgren. "You could lose yourself in the millions of people out of work in the Depression. You could ride the rails. You could just disappear."

Cliff Bedell, who currently resides on the old Johnson farm, theorizes that perhaps it was not Albin who was the perpetrator but his brothers. "He may have argued with his brothers, and they may have committed this violence and buried Albin somewhere," said Bedell.

WHAT BECAME OF …
The Johnsons
Father Emil - Died in 1948. He was praised for being of strong body and sturdy character. Emil never accepted that his son killed his wife and children.
Mother Cecelia - Died unexpectedly at a young age in 1924 (before the tragedy).
Brother Ted - Moved for a time to Flint, Mich. where he went by Carl T. After his wife, Mary, ran off with his brother he moved up north and became a hermit. He married twice more. Ted died from a massive heart attack. He was found on his front lawn in Gaylord, Minn.
Sister Olga Galpin - Lived in the Twin Cities along with husband, Harry. The two pushed for an exoneration of Albin, and purportedly has discovered his bones in the far part of the basement.
Brother Henry - Married his brother's ex-wife Mary and stayed in the area. He later built a home on the foundation of the house that Alvira and her children perished in. While in his younger years, people said he was violent and liked to fight, in his later years he was known as a kind and gentle man who wanted no discourse with his neighbors. He died in 1967, and Mary passed away in 1988.
Sister Esther Lodge - Survived a stove explosion, but died of a heart ailment in 1930. She had married well-known boxer Walter Lodge, who was known as Farmer Lodge but born as Lodge Feaski. He died in 1941 from pneumonia which set in after he fell off a grain stack.
Brother Hjalmer - Buried with his parents in the family plot at the cemetery midway between North Branch and Harris off County Road 30
Sister Elsie Johnson Peterson - Lived out of state

The Lundeens
Mother Christine - Celebrated her 100th birthday at Green Acres on Dec. 24 and died one month later.
Father Fred - Died three years after his daughter Alvira in 1936. He had been ill for several years.
Sister Olga Zacherson - Moved to Minneapolis where she died in 1951. He husband, John, worked for the railroad for 52 years.
Sister Ellen Scherer - Remained in Rush City and was affectionately known as "Grandma Scherer" to all the children she babysat. Her son, Richard Vernon, died at age four in 1929 after being struck by an automobile. He was returning home from the mill where his father, Matt, worked. Her grandson, Charles W. Naslund, also died young of injuries sustained in an automobile crash.
Brother-in-law Matt Scherer - Died at age 81 in the barber chair, the same chair his father had died in.
Sister Freda Peterson - Was confirmed in 1916 at Rush City Lutheran Church, part of the last class in Swedish. The nearest in age to Alvira, the two were especially close.

TIDBITS
• Albin's father, Emil, built the Lutheran church of Harris.
• The remains of Alvira and her seven children fit in one coffin, which was interred in the Rush City First Lutheran Cemetery east of town.
• The family had been sleeping on makeshift beds as they planned to move the next day. All of their possessions were loaded on a cart outside the door, which also burned in the blaze.
• The Johnson children attended the now defunct Chippewa Hill School, along with their cousins (Freda's children).
• The tragedy gained the attention of the entire country and beyond. Stories were printed in newspapers as far away as Texas, California and Winnipeg, Canada.

Make a powerful first impression

Stageworks offers suggestions for making your home look its best whether it is for sale or for a graduation party

Make every room in your home a place you're proud of.
Consider restaging it.
Change the color on the wall, add a new window covering or even rearrange your furniture.
You might be amazed at how different the same room can look.
Deanna Haupert and Kimberly Colton of Stageworks redesign homes for a living, both for resale purposes and to make a home look its best before big events, like graduation parties.
"It's rewarding to change a room from something someone hates to a room they love being in," said Haupert.


For a seller
A home that has been staged will typically sell for more, observed Haupert, an average of 6.32% more. "That's enough to cover the realtor's fee."
She added, "It's cheaper to have your home staged than it is to reduce the price of your home.
"If we can get them to have their home staged before they come down on the price, they can usually get what they were asking."
To make a powerful first impression, Haupert and Colton advise folks to consider their curb appeal. Are the shrubs trimmed? Is the lawn well-manicured? In some cases the existing landscaping may need to be improved, and more plants added.
Pay attention to the number of toys outside and then remove clutter like RVs and boats.
Stageworks also advises homeowners to give their homes a thorough cleaning, both inside and out.
The main task inside is to remove clutter.
"The way people live in their homes and the way a home needs to be prepared to sell are two very different things," pointed out Haupert.
"There is a difference being a home owner and a home seller," added Colton.
Potential buyers don't need to see your collections – or even your personal pictures.
Advising someone to take down their personal family pictures is the hardest part, admitted Haupert. But it's necessary so that the potential buyer can see themselves in your home, rather than you there.
In evaluating homes, Stageworks asks, "Is it warm? Is it inviting?"
Sometimes furniture simply needs to be rearranged. Other times it needs to be removed or replaced.
Wall color is a huge component. For homes that are being sold, Stageworks advises using neutral tones. They use many warm browns and light sage greens. Haupert has even used chocolate a time or two.
Stageworks also advises against leaving pet boxes out in the open. And be careful about which scented candles you use. Many people have allergies to scents and will walk right out of a home if they're allergic to an animal or a smell.
Instead, use aromas that evoke wonderful memories, such as baked cookies or roast beef with carrots and potatoes.
When Haupert was shopping for a house she arrived at one just after dinner. Those smells combined with the fresh coffee convinced her it was the home for her.
"People are very sensitive to scents," said Colton.

For a party
Staging a home when you're staying is different than when you're leaving.
Of course, the personal pictures and collections can stay, although they may need to be moved around.
Clutter is just as important an issue, however.
A common mistake is to put too much furniture in one room. If the room is small, consider smaller pieces.
People tend to put many items in a room. "Pretty soon they don't see they stuff anymore," observed Haupert.
Stageworks begins by "shopping" within a person's home to discover pieces that aren't being used best.
When they move pieces from one room to another, it evokes comments from owners who didn't even remember they owned this or that.
Another common mistake is to ignore how an entire home flows. A color in one room needs to be reflected in the room next to it. For example if you have green walls in the living room, you need to have green in the dining room, whether it's in the wall coverings or a floral arrangements.


'Wow' makes it worthwhile
Haupert's biggest challenge was redoing the loft of a log home prior to a graduation party. One room functioned as a craft room, play area, computer room and TV room.
"I had to make that room flow and have a designated area for each use and still have it look great," noted Haupert.
She did it by relying on furniture the woman already had, such as a screen she found in the garage that was made new with a fresh coat of paint. In the play area, she added a lot of shelves to store the toys. She moved the large pieces of furniture in the room and replaced them with smaller pieces from downstairs to make it less crowded. She added several rugs to differentiate the areas. And she bought one chaise lounge for the lounge area.
"Basically, I moved all the furniture around," said Haupert.
The homeowner loved it, and asked Haupert to go through her entire house and redo it.
"It's fun to see the homeowner come come and go, 'Wow! I never would have thought of doing that,'" noted Haupert.

Move your stuff around and it will look new
Every room should have functionality, pointed out Colton. "If you don't use it, it's wasted space," added Haupert.
People often get stuck in a rut, leaving their furniture in the same room and in the same place. A new set of eyes can see beyond the way it has always been done, and the result can be outstanding.
In one case, by simply moving furnishings around, Stageworks created a home that felt so much better the homeowner decided to stay rather than move.
"When you stage your house it's almost like you're living in a new home because it's new colors and new arrangements," remarked Haupert.
Her own husband appreciates that instead of going out shopping for something new, Haupert merely rearranges her own home.

Contact Stageworks
Stageworks has advised people on homes valued from $150,000 to $500,000.
An initial consultation ranges from $100 to $200 depending on the square footage of the home. If you choose to use Stageworks, the consult is included in the price.
Following the consultation, Stageworks will offer suggestions for change. Stageworks will perform a variety of tasks, from "shopping" within your house to buying new items (if desired), to repainting and organizing.
They focus on creating a "visual experience and emotional warmth using existing artwork and furnishings," said Haupert.
Learn more by calling 651-277-2772 or 651-324-8045 or email mkcolton2@aol.com

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TIPS

• Consider your curb appeal.
Make sure shrubs are trimmed and grass is mowed. Dust away cobwebs and dirt. Re-paint if needed. Remove clutter such as boats and RVs.

• Remove personal decorations.
Take down family pictures so that the potential buyers can picture themselves in your home.

• Eliminate clutter.
Take out extra furniture.

• Update.
Consider new window treatments or paint.

• Use warm tones on your walls.
A coat of fresh paint will spruce up your walls. Consider warm, brown tones or light sage greens. If you're selling your home, lean towards neutral tones. If you're staying, let your personality shine through.

• Have colors flow from one room to the next.
If you have green in one room, it needs to be in the room next to it. You can do this by adding green wall coverings or furnishings.

•Get rid of pet odors.
This is particularly important if you're trying to sell a home. Many people have allergies and won't stay in a house long enough to see if they like it if they start sneezing.

• Use scents most people love.
Aromas like fresh cookies, coffee and roast, potatoes and carrots are smells that spark good memories for most people. Stay away from strongly scented candles. "People are very sensitive to scents," said Kimberly.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Trying to cram too much into one room.
"Pretty soon you don't see your stuff because there's so much there," remarked Haupert.

• Using really bright paints.
Stay away from florescent blues, pinks and yellows. Bring in color with your accent pieces (throw pillows, wall art, couch).