This Day in History

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Compiled by Jean Lundquist

Heinrich hotel sale announced

Feb. 29, 1936

Built in 1905, the Heinrich Hotel was owned and operated by E.J. Himmelman, and then his estate after his death, for 31 years. When it was put up for sale, a Fairmont native living in Watertown, South Dakota, W.G.A. Burton purchased it. Soon it became known as the Burton Hotel. The hotel was closed while Burton completely remodeled, redecorated and refurbished the building. It was expected to open mid-March. No purchase price was reported.

Several runaways cause excitement on the street

Feb. 15, 1897

The City Hotel hostler was driving a bobsled with two children when a train came along and frightened the horse. After some distance, the bobsled turned bottoms up, imprisoning Joe Tessian and the young ones beneath it. Chief Yates was nearby and lifted the box, freeing all three. No one was injured, and the horse returned to the hotel a while later.

Willie Jacoby was driving a horse and cutter when the horse became frightened and kicked free of the cutter. It ran up the hill with the thills dangling behind his heels. Meanwhile, a horse believed to belong to Wendell Hodapp ran away later and “made it lively on the streets traversed.”

Mankato running on empty

Feb. 23, 1989

According to some, the drought of 1988 was the worst since the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. So in early 1989, the city of Mankato started planning for the coming summer, not knowing if another drought was upon them.

The Blue Earth River had all but dried up, meaning the water reserves took longer to fill, and the town was potentially in danger of wells going dry. That would leave the city relying on luck to keep water flowing to homes and businesses in the city. Council members didn’t like that idea, so they decided to build two more wells as back up for the four already serving the city. The main wells were near Sibley Park. The deep one, known as Number 5, and a large but shallow well, called the Ranney Well.

Performance begins Thursday

Feb. 14, 1979

The annual Orchesis performance at Mankato West High School promised to take the audience from home to Israel with stops in between in Hawaii, France, Rio and others. Called “At Home and Abroad,” the 40 dancers of Orchesis featured dances from hillbilly to jazz, disco, tap and many others. The 40 members of Orchesis danced as a large group and in duets. In a show running Thursday through Saturday, tickets were on sale for a dollar.

Snow sculpture at Minnesota State University vandalized

Feb. 15, 2011

Jesse Ellerbroek, MSU grad and sculptor, had left his sculpture intact and in progress in Minnesota State University’s campus mall.

The sculpture —- 12 feet high and 8 feet in diameter — “The Year of the Hare,” featuring two rabbits back to back, supporting a light bulb, had been vandalized.

Ellerbroek’s sculpture had been damaged between late Feb. 11 or early Feb. 12. The sculptor’s tools had been chained up but his long shovel was not.

The portion of the planet Earth and the muzzle of one of the rabbits were destroyed.

Student Activities Associate Director Gregory T. Wilkins brought the sculptor to campus. The IMPACT Team had paid for the sculpture.

Police were notified and a report was taken. Damages were estimated at $1,600