MEMBERS PRESENT – We also would like to inform you that we had 21 Rotarian present. So please bring a guest at any time we have plenty of room We want to see everyone at the YMCA!
VISITING ROTARIANS INCLUDED - Guy Olson from the Morning Club and Teresa Joppa from the Moorhead Club.
STUDENT GUESTS: They had conflicts with a music competition today in Moorhead so will be back for the next two Wednesdays. Our own Pepe Ramos was with us!
ROTARY MINUTE: Our own Bob Russell was not with us and we could not talk anyone else into taking his place so we went without a Rotary Minute at this meeting.
PROGRAM: Our program today was presented by Mr. Chris Schuelke from the OTC Historical Society. We are looking at the 150th Anniversary of Otter Tail County. This would be from 1868 to 2018 and there is a special exhibit that will be opening on Friday, February 9, 2018 and running through December 21st of this year. Please make every effort to stop down and see this new exhibit. This exhibit is one of the ways we will be celebrating our 150th Anniversary through 2018.
We have much to be proud of . First of all, we're bit! While Minnesota may be known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," ten percent of them are in Otter Tail County. We have a unique mix of prairie and woodland, and even our hills are considered inspiring. 150 years seems like a long time, but it is really just a blip in world history, as evidenced by the discovery of the Minnesota Women dating back maybe 8,000 years.
Here our the historical details shared by Mr. Schuelke: 2018 is an auspicious milestone for Otter Tail County. In 1868, the Minnesota Legislature declared Otter Tail an organized county. Governor Marshall appointed Chancey Whiting and Marcus Shaw its first county commissioners.
On Sept. 12th in 1868 there was the first meeting of the Otter Tail County Commissioners in Clitherall and current plans are for the Count Commissioners to meet in Clitherall on Sept. 13, 2018, again. Would be very special because they don’t move these commissioner meetings very often.
It was pointed out that there are many reasons that brought people to this area and many of these reason are still present today. Great water and waterways, fantastic farm and grasslands, and an abundance of natural resources of all kinds. Way back in 1810, Robert Dixon recognized that this would be a great area to establish a trading post and in 1858 the federal government set up the framework for making this a county. And with the Homestead Act of 1862, cheap and abundant land was available for anybody that wanted to work for it. A couple of religious groups came first to the area, but they were followed by many others and of course many immigrants.
There will be plenty of activity this year surrounding this anniversary. Many county tours are planned and there will also be Play Space presentations coming this summer, offering original productions in honor of this anniversary. So pay attention to all of the announcements that will be forthcoming and get out and enjoy the festivities!
Great Program – Great Information – Great Chance to Get Involved in Your Community. Thanks Chris.
Yours in Rotary, Dean Monke
