Dave Wood

For the past year I’ve been laboring over my hometown’s history writing historical pieces to celebrate the town’s sesquicentennial. It’s an onerous task because until recently, interest in the town’s history has taken the back burner. Fortunately, the town’s movers and shakers have recently begun the Whitehall Area Historical Foundation—a little too late for me to benefit from having access to the kind of archives the Pierce Country Historical Association has provided for this county’s citizens.

Last week I was reminded of how much easier my assignment might have been when my wife, who serves on the Pierce County Board, received a complimentary copy of the fall edition of the Pierce County Historical Association Newsletter, volume 38, number 3.

What a wonderful tribute to the volunteers who have labored to honor the county’s past. Our household had received the magazine since Ruth was elected to the county board several years ago; then our subscription stopped when she took a term off. Now I have something better to read than my own scribbling. Inside I discovered that the October Potluck would be held in Bay City with a feature presentation by member Tricia de Saint, whose family spent more than a century in Maiden Rock.

Bay City makes a big splash in Pat Mory’s well-researched story about the big bank robbery at the Bay City bank on Dec. 7, 1932, when bank clerk E. A. Reitan grabbed a pistol and wounded the “tough looking yegg.” The whole story was straight out of Bonnie and Clyde, including a gun moll named Goldie Tolufson of Amery. I was reminded of a memoir written by a former colleague named Earl Reitan who talked about  how much he liked Bay City after having to live in boring western Minnesota. Apparently his banker father didn’t agree, because Mory reports that the Reitan family moved back to Minnesota.

I also learned that member Audrey Severson acts as a busy curator of the association’s artifact collection documenting recent donations that fill more than a page of the newsletter, ranging from a Kerg’s Bar key chain donated by Marty to an Esdaile Box & Lumber screwdriver from Lewis and Brenda Powers.

River Falls gets into the act with Dan Geister’s story about the Carisch building on 224,226,228 Main St, built in 1907 as an implement building by Bert Symes (Kirby’s uncle). After housing a blacksmith shop, it morphed into auto dealerships for Ford, Buick, Oaklands and Cadillacs.

In late July, the Carisch block burst into flames and five fire departments were called in to battle the blaze, which could be seen for miles. Loss estimates ranged from $200,000 to $350,000. (Cadillacs, even then, didn’t come cheap).

If stories like this are your cup of tea, a year’s subscription costs $20 for a single, $30 for a couple, seniors and students get a $5 discount. Thirteen Association books are available ranging in price from $6 to $40. For a membership form write P.O. Box 148, Ellsworth, WI 64011. Email: info@piercecountyhistorical.org

Dave would like to hear from you. Call at 715-425-9554.