Progress 2018 by Perham Focus

PIONEERS OF THE PRAIRIE | HOW PERHAM GOT ITS NAME | THE FIRST SHOPS AND INDUSTRIES | 7 LONGTIME PERHAM BUSINESSES

Progress 2018

Supplement to the Perham Focus

RAILROAD TIES How the Iron Horse birthed big business in early Perham

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 3

CONTENTS

26TH ANNUAL

GREAT AMERICAN THINK-OFF

WELCOME ��6

WHICH PLAYS A LARGER ROLE IN SHAPING ONE'S LIFE:

IRON HORSE POWER ��8 Perham’s first store ��10 The brewery that sold beer up and down the tracks ��12

SUCCESS OR FAILURE? The Cultural Center encourages everyone regardless of age or background to participate. Submit an essay explaining your position in 750 words or less by April 1, 2018 for a chance to win one of four $500 cash prizes and a trip to New York Mills for the live debate.

HOW PERHAM GOT ITS NAME . . . and other interesting facts related to the railroad ��22

Saturday, June 9, 2018, 7:00 pm New York Mills School Auditorium Essays can be submitted online at think-off.org, by email to info@think-off.org, by mail to THINK-OFF, Cultural Center, P.O. Box 246 New York Mills, MN 56567

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LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILES Arvig: 68 Years ��26 Karvonen’s: 92 Years ��32 Lakes Area Cooperative: 105 Years ��40 United Community Bank: 106 Years ��44 Schoeneberger Funeral Home: 137 Years ��48 Perham Health: 116 Years ��56 Winkels Carpet Center: 77 Years ��64 A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE PERHAM FOCUS, JANUARY 25, 2018

PERHAM FOCUS

222 2nd Ave. SE • Perham, MN 56573 p: 218.346.5900 • f: 218.346.5901 www.perhamfocus.com Publisher: Jason Miller jmiller@perhamfocus.com Magazine Editor: Marie Johnson mtjohnson@perhamfocus.com Contributors: Marie Johnson mtjohnson@dlnewspapers.com Michael Johnson mjohnson@perhamfocus.com Kim Brasel kbrasel@perhamfocus.com Kaysey Price kprice@dlnewspapers.com Meagan Pittelko mpittelko@dlnewspapers.com

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 Welcome

nowing Perham as the bustling little city it is today, it’s hard to imagine that, less than 150 years ago, it didn’t exist. Where today sits a quaint and vibrant community, full of life and industry, there once was just a vast open prairie, windy and desolate. Besides a few passing fur traders, loggers, Chippewa Indian tribes and two pioneering farm families, the whole area was remote, untamed and undeveloped. The coming of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1871 completely changed that. In fact, it’s fair to say that without the railroad, there would be no Perham. The NP line brought people here before the first train even passed through. Early entrepreneurs set up shops near the tracks the moment they were laid. Businesses, homes, farms, schools and churches were rapidly established. Goods started rolling in and out of Perham on a

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that are still operational today). Many of those owe their early success to the customers and goods that the railroad brought to town. And, like the railroad, these businesses have made their mark on Perham, helping to shape the city’s commercial and cultural landscape. The seven businesses profiled here have proven that they have staying power, usually through their willingness and ability to adapt to changing consumer climates and by evolving to meet shifting demands. Sometimes they’ve remained within the same family for generations, or have been operated out of the same building for decades. Other times, names, faces and locations have changed, but the spirit and basic product offerings of the company have stayed the same. Whatever the case, these businesses have become woven into the very fabric of Perham. They’re an integral part of Perham’s story — ‘main characters,’ if you will, in the city’s past, present and future. There are plenty more characters where these came from, but their stories will have to wait to be told another day; there isn’t enough space in these pages to feature every longtime business in town, though we would have loved to. As you read this, we hope you’ll enjoy looking back on Perham’s early days and learning more about some of its oldest businesses. We think you’ll see, as we did while putting this together, that Perham truly has deep, consequential, and undeniable “Railroad Ties.”

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regular basis, and more and more people kept coming. Year after year, decade after decade, the community kept growing. Without the railroad, none of that would have happened. The area may have eventually been developed even without rail service, but it wouldn’t have the same look and feel as it does today. It certainly wouldn’t have the same name — “Perham” comes from Joseph Perham, the man largely credited with bringing the NP line to life. Over the years, the railroad’s significance to Perham has been slowly and steadily forgotten by a large percentage of the populace. It’s been more than 35 years since passenger train service ended, and the spot in town where the depot used to stand is now marked by the small, aptly-named NP Park. The ‘iron horse’ is no longer celebrated in Perham, and in fact people complain about the noise and potential risks the trains carry through town. It’s safe to say Perham’s love affair with the NP line has faded. But we at the Perham Focus, the people behind this Progress magazine, hope to rekindle a little bit of those old fond feelings through the stories and photographs in this publication. Because we think the Perham-NP relationship is an affair to remember. Along with the early history of Perham and its ties to the railroad, we’re taking a look at some of the city’s longest-running businesses (of those

PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 7

Iron Horse Power

How train service birthed a bustling little city and forever changed the landscape of the Perham prairie MARIE JOHNSON For Progress

PAGE 8 | PROGRESS 2018

red and Peter Mohr were the first locals to find out the trains were coming. On a breezy spring day in 1871, the brothers were out doing field work around the family farm when Peter spotted something unusual: a group of several unknown men were huddled around a far corner of the farm, driving a stake into the ground to put up a sign. When the men left, the Mohrs went down to see what that sign said. It displayed a single word: “Perham.” They didn’t know it yet, but the Mohrs had just witnessed the beginning of a new era in history. As they would eventually learn, those men they saw were with the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and that word on the sign, “Perham,” was the new name given to the untamed prairie they called home. Up until then, this particular section of northeastern Otter Tail County had no official name. It was known (to the few people who actually knew of it) simply as “the big prairie north of Rush Lake” — an apt description. Rush Lake was fairly well known at the time, as a colony of Germans had settled there in 1866. The expanse of land north of the lake was wide open and desolate, with only the Mohrs and one other pioneering family living there. That all changed, and fast, with the introduction of the railroad.

Just a few months after that sign was driven into the ground near the Mohr farm, railroad crews started laying track across the prairie. By the fall of 1871, the Northern Pacific, or NP, line was complete through Perham. The first iron horse came chugging into the village on Sept. 30 of that year. Perham’s shipping point was just one stop along this ambitious new route, which cut across the northern U.S. from Lake Superior to Puget Sound. President Abraham Lincoln authorized the rail project through an Act of Congress on July 2, 1864. The route was designed to open the largely undeveloped Northwest to settlement and economic development. In Perham, as across most of the route, that grand plan rapidly came to fruition. Word of the railroad’s imminent arrival in Perham spread fast, and by the spring of 1872, the townsite began to come to life. Buildings went up, and commerce began. Logging was already an established industry in the area. There were two timber mills near Perham, and the nearby Otter Tail and Red Rivers were

used for log drives out of the Big and Little Pine Lakes area. The fur trade was also well established across the prairie. But the landscape was vast and remote, limiting economic efforts. When the railroad came, it brought the promise of real possibilities, and real profit: traders could use the rails to get their products into broader and more substantial markets, while entrepreneurs were eager to open shops in places where rail passengers guaranteed a larger customer base and freight could be easily moved.

An engineer, fireman and section foreman are among the men pictured here in front of a work train in Perham, circa 1902. (above) A sketch of what Perham looked like in 1880, less than a decade after rail service began in the village. Since Perham was a shipping site, activity and commerce developed quickly. The Village of Perham was officially recognized by the state legislature on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 1881. (below)

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 Iron Horse Power Perham’s earliest entrepreneurs, Henry Kemper and Henry Drahmann, opened the town’s first store, a mercantile, on the north side of the tracks in June of 1872. The two young men had been operating the store in Rush Lake, but saw an opportunity for better business in a railroad town. The move served them well: they proved to be influential business and community leaders in Perham, owning not just the general store but also a grain elevator and flour mill. They did substantial business with the railroad, sending and receiving goods up and down the NP line. Kemper was Perham’s first postmaster, and later, in 1881, he became the town’s first mayor. He also started the first local bank. After the general store was erected, other businesses followed suit, starting with a blacksmith shop, butcher shop and hotel. By 1874, Perham had its first newspaper, and the following year, its first public school house. A meat market, grain mill, agricultural warehouses, saloons, a brickyard and more soon sprouted up in and around Perham, along with a continuous stream of new homes and farms. Henry Kemper was one of Perham’s first and most influential settlers. He, along with Henry Drahmann, opened the first general store in Perham, and also operated a grain elevator and the Toad River Flour Mill six miles from Perham. Kemper was also Perham’s first Postmaster. Photo from his book, “Perham in its Early Days.” (top) This building, located on the corner of First Avenue South next to Merchant’s Hotel, housed Drahmann’s Store. The brick structure replaced the original wooden building that held Perham’s first general store, operated by Henry Drahmann and Henry Kemper. (bottom) PAGE 10 | PROGRESS 2018

Perham’s first store In June 1872, Henry Kemper and Henry Drahmann erected the first wooden building in Perham, a general store, on the north side of the railroad tracks. Before this building, there were just two tents in Perham, one serving as a hotel and the other as a saloon. The wooden building itself wasn’t new: Kemper and Drahmann had been operating the store at a settlement in nearby Rush Lake since about 1869. After the railroad came through Perham, they moved the whole store over. They had it reconstructed within two days, and on the third day they filled the shelves with goods from their old store and reopened for business at their new location. It was the first mercantile business established in Perham. Since Kemper was also Perham’s first Postmaster, a boot and shoe box secured and fitted with pigeon holes was set up at the store, serving as the first post office. In 1881, the store was taken over by John B. Drahmann, who operated it until his death in 1907, at which time it was taken over by his sons, Leo and Vincent Drahmann. By then the old wooden building had been replaced by a large brick building located on the corner of First Avenue South. Leo and Vincent operated the store until October 1964, when they sold out the business after 97 years of continuous operation as a mercantile.

Vincent Drahmann (left) and his brother, Leo Drahmann (far-left), operated the family's general store from 1907 until its closure in 1964, after 97 years of continuous business.

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 Iron Horse Power The town exploded with growth. Over the next two to three decades or so, Perham became home to a brewery, clothing shop, millinery, billiard hall, barbershop, clock and watch repair shop, bakery and restaurant, livery and sale stable, barrel factory, furniture store, hardware store, and the list goes on. Businesses came and went, and then new ones came again. Doctors, druggists, lawyers and law enforcement officers came to town. Multiple churches were built, with St. Henry’s Catholic Church being the first (St. Henry’s was erected in 1875; its first parish school was built in 1883). Every business, and the community as a whole, had the railroad to thank for its success, and that success was evident in NP’s receipts. For one month in 1883, the NP Company reported an impressive $10,000 in business at the Perham station. The station was purportedly one of the busiest smaller stations along the line. By the late 1880s, Perham had gained a reputation as a fishing and resort town, as well as a popular hunting spot. Passenger trains came to town every Sunday through the tourist season, inevitably dropping off outdoors enthusiasts with every stop. The town

The brewery that sold beer up and down the tracks It was the little brewery that could. Peter Schroeder’s brewery was built in 1885 on the Otter Tail River just outside of Perham. It was constructed around a spring that had been tasted for excellent water, and that spring water was pumped into various vats by a steam pump. The ice that was needed to cool the beer was taken from the river during the winter months and stored in an ice house. Schroeder’s brewer, Andrew Fellerer, was a known expert at his craft, and it didn’t take long for the beer to catch on. In the brewery’s opening year, a writer for the Twin Cities-based magazine, “The Northwest on Wheels,” wrote the following: “Perham already has a few brick buildings, among them a hotel kept by a cordial German who has a keg of beer just under the desk where the guests write their names on the register, and invites them to wash the dust of travel from their throats. “This beer is a good, honest, amber-colored fluid, and is one of the products of the town in which the citizens take considerable pride. The Perham brewery,

was also known as an agricultural center. There were substantial dairy and livestock sales, and wheat, potatoes, corn and hay were the most popular crops. In 1889, one newspaper report called Perham “the liveliest town in the west,” describing the busy, bustling feel of the

community: “It is not an uncommon sight these days to count from 100 to 200 teams on the street daily, loaded with railroad ties, cord wood and lumber.” As the years went on, more businesses and services arrived in Perham, including real estate companies, a tailor, Kegs like this one were made at the Perham brewery and sold up and down the Northern Pacific line in the late 1800s. This barrel is now part of a display at the History Museum of East Otter Tail County. (top-left) A drawing of the brewery that once sat on the Otter Tail River near Perham. The brewery was rebuilt at least once over the years due to fire damage. (top-right)

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The first St. Henry’s Church was erected in 1875. To the left of the church stands the first parish school, erected in 1883. Many more churches would be erected in Perham in the years to come. (left)

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 Iron Horse Power

“It is not an uncommon sight these days to count from 100 to 200 teams on the street daily, loaded with railroad ties, cord wood and lumber.” From an 1889 newspaper report that described Perham as “the liveliest town in the west.”

a veterinarian and a dentist. School enrollment continued to grow, mirroring the town population as a whole, with a recorded 240 public school students at the start of the 1898 school year. It was around this time when several businesses that today’s Perhamites may still recognize or recall planted their long-term roots in the community. In 1891, for example, Henry Schmidt opened his blacksmith shop, a shop that would continue to operate under the Schmidt name for 68 years. And in 1888, the telephone exchange that would eventually morph into today’s Arvig began. St. James Hospital, which would later become Perham Memorial Hospital and then, after that, Perham Health, was built in 1903. In 1913, Bernard Schoeneberger acquired the property in town that would become his family’s long-running furniture and funeral home business, and in 1917 Otter Tail Power Company started providing electric service to Perham. The list could go on. As then-newspaper Publisher Mike Parta wrote in the opening of “125 Years and Still on Track,” a history of Perham

Livestock is boarded onto a train to go to market. Milk and other agricultural products were also shipped via train. Perham became known as an agricultural center only a handful of years after the city was established.

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 Iron Horse Power

Perham City Hall, nearing the end of construction in 1906. The building looked much the same then as it does today, despite a renovation in 1993. The second story balcony seen here was originally used by town leaders and other speakers to address the villagers. It was removed in July of 1932 for safety concerns. As the newspaper put it at the time, “it was no longer used for speakers but venturesome boys risked their necks scrambling around on it.”

published in 1997, “Imagine the intense plotting and gambles which took place as our forefathers rolled the dice on where the rail would be and what type of business could survive on the budding prairie. ... They soon learned what the fledgling community could and could not support … Only diligent specificity and the finest attention to detail prevented opportunity from becoming disaster. Their roots began to grow deep, their hands became calloused and their dreams became realities.” The community was not without its challenges. Perham had as many as 13 saloons at one time in those early days, and the village could be a wild place. Drinking, lewdness and fighting were common, and lynchings were not unheard of. Vandals repeatedly pulled out hitching posts downtown, and train PAGE 16 | PROGRESS 2018

“ Imagine the intense plotting and gambles which took place as our forefathers rolled the dice on where the rail would be and what type of business could survive on the budding prairie.” Mike Parta, publisher of the commemorative book, “125 Years and Still on Track”

robberies were known to happen. Crimes like theft and even murder were reported around Perham. Cold weather created epidemics of flu, and typhoid fever hit the area in 1892. Through the years, numerous fires took out grain elevators, building wings, entire buildings, and even an entire block. The “Bauck Block Fire”

of 1926 destroyed or damaged several buildings downtown, and in another fire a decade later, the Perham grade school was massively damaged. But Perham always rebuilt, always bounced back. By 1930, the population in town was 1,407. By 1950, it was 1,919. All the while, new businesses and amenities

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 Iron Horse Power modern methods of transportation were beginning to win out. In 1971, exactly 100 years after the Northern Pacific Railroad came to Perham, the last passenger train rolled out of town, marking the end of an era. The community was sad to see the service go, but had no fear for the future. The “big prairie north of Rush Lake” was

kept popping up, including a theatre (even a drive-in theatre, at one point), apartment complexes, an airport, car lots, automotive repair shops, a bussing company and more. The railroad continued to haul passengers and goods in and out of town, but by the mid-1900s, the signs of change were everywhere and more

no longer fully dependent on the rails to bring in people or stimulate economic growth. By then, it had grown into a strong, economically diverse community. Today, Perham is a progressive little city that continues to thrive. It has the railroad to thank for its beginnings, but its continued success is no longer tied to the tracks. ◆

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YEARS OF SERVICE

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 21

How Perham got its name . . . and other interesting facts related to the railroad

erham is named after an influential railroad man. Joseph Perham (sometimes referred to as Josiah Perham), of New York, dared to dream of a railroad line from Lake Superior to the Pacific coast, one that would blaze a new trail through the undeveloped wilderness of the northern United States. His idea was opposed by congress, and East Coast capitalists called him insane for even considering such a stupendous undertaking. Once a wealthy man, Perham lost his money and property in his attempts to complete his plan. But he kept charging ahead, and he did not fight in vain. Although Perham died before seeing his work completed, his dream was ultimately fulfilled. His name was chosen for the village of Perham in honor of his spirit, will and courage. The depot as it appeared in 1956. The fountain still stands today, in what is now Northern Pacific Park, on Perhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Main Street. The depot is long gone: after sitting vacant for years after passenger service ended, it was destroyed in a freight train derailment in October of 1992. (top of page) PAGE 22 | PROGRESS 2018

Rail passenger service came to an end in Perham on April 30, 1971, 100 years after the railroad came to town. By then, Perhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy no longer relied on this service to bring people to town, but it marked the end of an era nonetheless. (below)

Al Gray, at the Perham Depot in 1940. Gray was a wellliked depot agent from then until 1961. On March 5, 1959, Gray saved a 9-yearold boy’s life by pulling him off the tracks in the path of an oncoming freight train.

► The railroad was built through Perham in 1871. The first iron horse chugged through town on Sept. 30 of that year. ► The first rail shipment of merchandise that came into Perham was received by Henry Kemper and Henry Drahmann, who owned the town’s first general store as well as a grain elevator and flour mill.

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► The first carload of wheat ever shipped from any point on the Northern Pacific Railroad was shipped out of Perham, by Kemper and Drahmann in the fall of 1872. Perham soon developed into a wheat center. ► There have been three major train derailments in Perham over the years. On Oct. 1, 1992, there was a 31car derailment; on April 4, 1994, 23 cars left the track; and on Oct. 7, 2003, one car derailed. No major injuries were reported as a result of any of these derailments, and property damages were moderate to minimal. ► An estimated 60-plus trains travel through Perham every 24 hours, on average. ► Today, the BNSF Railway that travels through Perham is part of a national and Canadian network of 8,000 locomotives traveling across 32,500 route miles. Of those miles, 1,498 are in Minnesota. ► Freight rail continues to play a significant role in Minnesota’s economic success, responsible for $40 billion of the state’s Gross Domestic Product and adding more than $5,000 in annual income to the average Minnesota household (see the full 2016 study at mnrailroads.com).

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► In all, BNSF moves more than 2.1 million carloads of freight in Minnesota every year. Many items sold in local retail stores, restaurants and car dealerships are shipped via train. Lumber, asphalt, chemicals, metals and other industrial products are also transported by BNSF.

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YEARS OF SERVICE

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YEARS OF SERVICE

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YEARS OF SERVICE

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YEARS OF SERVICE

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COLDWELL BANKER PREFERRED PARTNERS 138 W. Main St., Perham 218-346-7672

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 25

Arvig 68 Years KIM BRASEL For Progress

PAGE 26 | PROGRESS 2018

Arvig’s main office is located just off Main Street in Perham, across the street from its operations center. (right) Crews work on the aerial lines during the early days of the Perham Telephone Company. (opposite)

he Arvig family has been in the telephone business since before the turn of the century, according to Allen Arvig, President and CEO of Arvig Enterprises, Inc., and has seen many changes in the industry over the years. And when Royale Arvig bought the Perham Telephone Company in 1949, he was looking to make improvements right from the beginning. “Dad was innovative,” Allen says. “He knew a good opportunity when he saw it and he was always looking for ways to improve. He immediately wanted to improve the phone system from the magneto and party lines to rotary dial.” Royale grew up in the telephone business as a young boy, with his parents owning a telephone company in Melrose, Minn. That company is now owned by Arvig Enterprises. Royale went to the University of Minnesota briefly, but because of the Great Depression he didn’t finish school.

“With the Depression, his family really couldn’t afford it. He said he lived on two hamburgers and a pot of beans a day when he was going to school,” Allen says. Royale wasn’t the oldest son in the family, and he had to look outside of his parents’ telephone company to find

Allen Arvig, President and CEO of Arvig Enterprises, Inc.

work. He became an electrician with an electric company in Wadena, working as a lineman. In the late ‘30s, he became an electrical contractor. He started an electrical construction business, wiring and building rural electrical lines in the areas that didn’t have it. In 1949, when the Perham Telephone Company was put up for sale, Royale bid on it, won it, and the family moved to Perham. At this time, an old college friend of Royale’s proved to be helpful. “He knew Hubert Humphrey from the University of Minnesota back in the ‘30s,” Allen says. “Hubert tried to talk my father into running for legislator for years, but Dad said he wouldn’t do it because of what it would put the family through.” “Hubert” may not have been able to talk Royale into running for office, but he did help his friend in 1952 when Royale applied for an REA loan. The Rural Electrification Act provided PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 27

 Arvig David Arvig

federal loans for the installation of electrical distribution systems to serve isolated rural areas of the United States. “It was very difficult to get the REA loan and Humphrey was a U.S. Senator at the time. He was a great help in getting the first REA loan and things just grew from there,” says Allen.

The Arvigs acquired New York Mills and Dent telephone companies in the mid-1950s. Other small town companies were acquired after that, and the name was changed to East Otter Tail Telephone Company. Now, Arvig Enterprises covers more than 9,000 square miles and serves cities from Duluth to Rochester, Minn. As innovative as it was to jump from party lines to rotary dial in the 1950s, today it’s all about fiber networks and high speed internet. Both Allen and his son, David, have worked their way up through the family business. They both had the same first job, janitor. “It was 1954 and I was a freshman in high school. I made 25 cents an hour,” Allen says with a grin. As the company has expanded from magneto and party lines to high speed service and fiber networks, so has the

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PAGE 28 | PROGRESS 2018

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Two employees pose with the company truck during the time it was named the East Otter Tail Telephone Company.

PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 29

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size of its original location, with its current headquarters in Perham constructed in 1998. Arvig has also grown from the city limits of Perham to being in more than 70 communities, employing between 700-800 people. In 1975 the company had about 26 employees, in the 1980s it had around 100, and by the mid-1990s the total was close to 500. David Arvig says the growth of the community has helped push the company to grow, with the progressive attitude of community leaders helping to keep Arvig progressive, as well. In the same respect, the company has had a positive influence on the community, providing some of the area’s first high tech jobs, and the first mainframe computers in town. Allen says Royale was always looking for ways to improve, and that mentality is still with the company today. “Our company is always on the ‘bleeding edge of technology,’ which means we like to be first,” he says. ◆



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PAGE 32 | PROGRESS 2018

The Karvonen's furniture store, as it appears today on Perham's Main Street. Marie Johnson / Progress

Karvonen’s 92 Years

MARIE JOHNSON For Progress

almer Karvonen saw his furniture store and funeral home business as a means to an end. The first generation Finnish immigrant didn’t have grand dreams of a mansion in the hills or a million dollars in the bank, he simply wanted to provide for his family and serve his community in whatever ways he could. “It was a basic desire to do well and be successful,” says his great-grandson, Aaron Karvonen. That was in 1926. Today, Yalmer’s legacy is still being carried on by his family, with his business still under Karvonen ownership four generations later. Aaron, the current owner, took over the store from his father, John, in 2015, who took it over from his father, Harold, in 1983. Harold took it over from his father, Yalmer, 30 years prior to that, in 1953. It was in 1981 that the furniture store moved to its Main Street location

The first owners of Karvonen’s, Yalmer and Ina Karvonen. Submitted Photo

in Perham, into the building that had formerly housed the Schoeneberger Furniture Store and Funeral Home. And that’s where Karvonen’s still stands today. The look of the building, the products Karvonen’s carries, and even the business name itself, have been tweaked and updated over the years, but the core values and business practices set by Yalmer more than 90 years ago have remained largely the same. Aaron likes to tell the story of how his great-grandfather would go to the local cafe across from the store every day and buy a half-cup of coffee. A half-cup only cost a nickel, you see, while a full cup was a dime; but there were free refills, so Yalmer, always keen to save a few pennies, would simply buy the half-cup and then get refills. That thrift, Aaron says, helped Yalmer get his business up and going, and turn it into a success. It also helped that he cared about his community, his customers,

and the quality of the products he was selling. Those things never stopped being important to the Karvonens over the years, and customer satisfaction and value are still top priorities for the furniture store. As the fourth generation owner of what is now a well established business, Aaron says his focus is not just on maintaining his family’s success, but growing it further. His vision for the store is “a little more global, in terms of our community,” he says. He believes the commercial landscape is changing, both in and outside of Perham, and he wants his business to be ready for that. “I’m always pushing an agenda of moving forward and serving the next generation,” he says. He’s also been seeking out expansion opportunities. A couple of years ago, he purchased the old Station House restaurant, a prominent building in downtown Perham, and turned it into an interior design center. And at the time PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 33

 Karvonen’s of this writing in early January, he was in the process of purchasing the old Thrifty White building for what he would only say will be “retail purposes.” He doesn’t like to see empty storefronts in town. “I’m doing as much as I can, as fast as I can,” he says. “I want Perham to be strong. I want Perham to be an epicenter of growth. Perham is an absolutely great community. We have great people, we have great tourist attractions, and the more we build on that foundation, the better.” Aaron and the furniture store have deep roots in Perham now, but the community where Yalmer first set up shop all those years ago, New York Mills, is still in the picture. The funeral home portion of Karvonen’s never left New York Mills, or the family; it’s owned and operated today by Greg Karvonen. The original furniture store there was donated to the city in 1992, and is now the Cultural Center. ◆

(left) Harold and Nancy Karvonen, the second generation owners of the family business. Submitted Photo (center) Aaron and his father, John, the third and fourth generation owners of Karvonen’s furniture store. Perham Focus File Photo (right) An old newspaper ad from May 1946 shows that Yalmer Karvonen had an apprentice at one point, and the duo ran a second furniture store and funeral home in Sebeka, Minn. Submitted Image

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PERHAM/OTTERTAIL AREA • 218-346-6550 PAGE 34 | PROGRESS 2018

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 35

 Karvonen’s

Aaron Karvonen, inside his store. Submitted Photo

Owner Profile

Aaron Karvonen purchased Karvonen’s furniture store in May of 2015, becoming a fourth generation owner of the longtime family business. A graduate of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Aaron was just one week into school when he knew what he wanted to do with his career: come back home to Perham and take over Karvonen’s. With the support of his father, John, who owned the store before him, he did just that. At 26 years old, Aaron says he plans “to be here for the long-term.” He’s made his home in Perham, and wants to be a part of the community’s success, now and in the future. Aaron’s main goal for the business is to see it continue to grow. “I look for growth every single day,” he says. “And growth means not only do I and the company do well, but our cohorts do well, too — that’s our employees, our customers and our community. Everyone needs to be successful for us to do well.”

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YEARS OF SERVICE

BOEDY APPLIANCE

FOSTER’S MARINE SERVICE LLC

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YEARS OF SERVICE

ALL SEASONS HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING LLC 38 years in the heating business

216 West Main Street Ottertail, MN 56571 218-367-3300 www.allseasonsottertail.com

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Energy recovery is much more than just burning garbage. Learn more about waste-to-energy recovery. Tours and presentations are available for small and large groups. We encourage schools to set up tours-give us a call or stop by to set up a tour.

Steve’s Sanitation 346.4834

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Transfer Station Hwy. 10 385.3660

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JANUSZEWSKI ELECTRIC

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Where does it go?

Scrap metal Tires Brush Boat wrap/Ag. Plastic Electronics Propane tanks Used oil Demolition Furniture Compost Vehicle batteries Appliances

YEARS OF SERVICE

001674676r1

Metal cans with lid Newspaper Aluminum cans Magazines Glass jars Newspaper inserts Plastic containers Catalogs #1-#7 Phone books Corrugated cardboard Junk mail Paperboard Envelopes Clean pizza boxes Paper bags Paper towel holders Books Toilet paper holders Coffee containers NO BAGS Clean aluminum foil Clean pie plates LOOSE ONLY Office paper CARTS 3 FT. FROM ALL OBJECTS

Mirrors Ceramics Food Plastic hangers Plastic dinnerware Plastic bags Rigid plastics Tissues/napkins Styrofoam™ Hoses Diapers Kitty litter Sharps in sealed container

YEARS OF SERVICE

NORTHWOODS ELECTRICAL & CONTROL SYSTEMS

Fluorescent bulbs Paint Rechargeable batteries Lithium batteries Aerosols Household pesticides Cleaning products Automotive products

218-346-4404 201 6th Ave. NE Perham, MN

Household Hazardous Waste 218.736.2161

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PAGE 38 | PROGRESS 2018

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AQUA LAWN, INC. • Lawn Sprinklers • Start Ups • Sales and Service • Professional Design and Installation • Complete Line of Inventory • Commercial and Residential - Lic. #TS01383 Free Estimates 218-346-3890 Serving the Entire Lakes Area Since 1992

YEARS OF SERVICE

PELOQUIN LAW OFFICE, PA

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YEARS OF SERVICE

GUARDIAN CROP INSURANCE

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JEFFERSON HEARING AID CENTER

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SUPER 8 MOTEL & RV CAMPGROUND 106 Jake Street SE Perham 218-346-7888

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BEN HOLZER UNLIMITED Independent Water Systems Water Treatment Systems, Reverse Osmosis, Bottled Water, Softener Salt Perham 218-346-6445 www.BenHolzerUnlimited.com

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 39

Lakes Area Cooperative 105 Years KAYSEY PRICE For Progress

An old Perham Creamery truck, decked out for a parade. Year unknown. PAGE 40 | PROGRESS 2018

The original Perham Creamery, in the late 1920s or early ‘30s.

he Lakes Area Cooperative story started out simple: back in 1912, a handful of farmers — hard-working, salt-of-the-earth people — were looking to get a better price for their milk, so they each threw in about $25 and bought a private creamery in Perham. “They ran that as a creamery, made butter mainly and later did sell some fluid milk, too,” says the co-op’s general manager, Dale Tellinghuisen. Since the humble beginnings of a few farmers, the business has grown greatly, now with more than 400 voting co-op members and 150 employees. With over $20 million in assets, and $80 million in sales this year, they aren’t doing too badly. Their keys to success? Staying true to their vision of helping farmers with their profitability while still having the flexibility and courage to change. The first big change came in the early 1970s, when butter prices “weren’t that great” and the business needed to do something to continue turning a profit, Tellinghuisen says. They decided to start shipping milk, a business they’re still in today. No longer just a creamery, the co-op got into various other farming products in the ’70s, like the feed business, the meat locker business, chemicals and fertilizers, as well as bulk delivery of petroleum.

The company continued to prosper, expanding and merging with other companies until a hitch in the 1990s. “The ’90s, the dairy buyout happened. Farms were consolidating,” recalls Tellinghuisen. “The dairy business got difficult, and the board of directors decided to diversify the company.” The directors decided to expand into the propane business, merging with the Battle Lake Farmers Union, and then purchased a propane plant in Perham from Cenex. From there, a logical next step was to expand into the gas station business, at which point the co-op bought out the Perham Oasis.

“ We’re looking at expansion and continuing to grow.”

Dale Tellinghisen, general manager

The propane and gas station business proved to be a profitable one, allowing the company to since expand their propane business into Hackensack, Akeley, Park Rapids, Menahga and Battle Lake, and open gas stations in 10 other locations selling both gasoline and diesel fuel. More recently, the co-op has expanded into the transport business, hauling fuel and

PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 41

 Lakes Area Cooperative propane from their own terminals, becoming more and more self-reliant as far as their business is concerned, while still remaining a combination of many different cooperatives. “We’re nothing like when we started out, and that’s probably typical of most 100-year-old businesses,” says Tellinghuisen. “We’re governed by a nine-man board of directors, and through the years, I think they have had some pretty good foresight to look out and not be afraid to change.” That foresight has allowed them to serve communities over a 100-mile radius in Perham, Richville, Battle Lake, Henning, Vergas, Detroit Lakes, New York Mills, Park Rapids, Akeley, Menahga, Sebeka, Ottertail and many others in north central Minnesota. They even have a motel, laundromat and auto shop. Another recent addition for the co-op is a convenience store located in Clarissa, Minn., and that probably won’t be the last. “We’re looking at expansion and continuing to grow,” Tellinghuisen says. ◆

Manager Profile Dale Tellinghuisen, Lakes Area Cooperative’s general manager, oversees the entire operation. Hired by the board of directors some 20 years ago, Tellinghuisen says he’s always had a passion for agriculture and cooperatives. “I have been involved with cooperatives my whole entire career (33 years),” he says. “My dad was on a board at a cooperative, and I just kind of always had the interest in it.” Tellinghuisen grew up on a farm in northwest Iowa. He also worked at his local co-op and then went to college for ag business, which is how he got to where he is now. Tellinghuisen didn’t grow up Dale Tellinghuisen in the Perham area, but he vacationed here as a kid. He remembered the area fondly so, when the general manager position opened up at Lakes Area Co-op, he told his wife it would be a great place to live. And the rest is history.

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 43

United Community Bank 106 Years

MICHAEL JOHNSON For Progress

PAGE 44 | PROGRESS 2018

United Community Bank, now headquartered here in downtown Perham, has been serving the community for 106 years.

Michael Johnson / Progress

Perham State Bank employees in 1949 included, left to right: Bernice Jahn, William Hemmelgarn, Elmer Eickschen, Mrs. Ray Siebels, William E. Lee (Charlie Cavanagh’s grandfather) and Donald Christie. (left)

nited Community Bank, with branches in Perham, Dent and Frazee, has been serving the banking needs of the region for 106 years — no small feat considering the ups and downs that inevitably strike along the way. According to Charlie Cavanagh, bank president, UCB has flourished largely because of community success. “The prosperity of our community has been reciprocal for our success,” Cavanagh says. “Also instrumental in our growth have been our staff, past and present — they uphold our good reputation in the community and provide personal service to customers, which being a family-owned bank lends itself to.” UCB was originally chartered in 1911 and has been in continuous operation since. It started in Bertha, Minn., as Farmer’s Security Bank of Bertha. When the only two banks in Perham failed in the 1930s, the town was without a banking facility for approximately two years. In 1934,

“ The prosperity of our community has been reciprocal for our success.” Charlie Cavanagh, UCB President

Farmer’s Security Bank was authorized to move its charter to Perham as Perham State Bank. The bank’s name was changed to United Community Bank in 1995 to

BY THE NUMBERS Number of Branches: 4 Years in Business: 106 Total Assets: $275 million Number of Employees: 69 (56 full-time, 13 part-time) Number of Accounts: Over 17,000 Online Users: Over 60 percent of customers use online services Online Transfers: About $12 million is transferred each month via online and mobile banking.

more accurately reflect its mission to serve the financial needs of an expanding area, as at that time it also acquired the Frazee branch of the First Integrity Bank of Staples. UCB’s footprint expanded again in 2007 with an in-store location inside the Central Market grocery store in Perham and, in 2012, with the merger with Farmer’s State Bank of Dent. In 2013, UCB moved its headquarters to its current location on Main Street in Perham. Into the future, UCB plans to continue to focus on banking technology, both the enhanced services that it can provide as well as the challenges it can create. “In 2018, we are making big changes to our digital banking services,” Cavanagh says. “We will be launching a new digital banking platform that will

PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 45

 United Community Bank have better functionality for customers who prefer to do their business online.” “Data security is a top concern for us due to the nature of our business,” he adds. “Our IT department works diligently at maintaining strong safeguards and continuing to learn and improve daily.” With over 60 percent of the bank’s customers now using online banking, it can seem the personal side of banking is slipping away. But UCB stresses that the personal side of community banking is still at the heart of its success, as it always has been. “We owe our success to a variety of factors,” Cavanagh says. “We have been fortunate to have good relationships with individual customers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and long-time business owners; and, as they say, word spreads.” ◆

Charlie Cavanagh

President profile Charlie Cavanagh has served as United Community Bank president since 1996. Banking is in Cavanagh’s blood, as his family has a long history in the business. The history of United Community Bank can be traced back through his mother’s family, the Lee family, which first chartered the bank in 1911 as Farmers State Bank of Bertha. “The bank was then moved to Perham as Perham State Bank in 1934, and my great-grandfather Harry Lee was president at that time,” Cavanagh explains. “The Depression years were difficult times for

all, and the Lee family was able to provide banking services throughout those years. My grandfather, William E. Lee, became president in 1971, and my father, John (Jack) Cavanagh, president in 1978. I have been president since 1996, and my brother Bob serves as vice president.” Cavanagh says he finds the dealings with different people and their businesses and farming operations an interesting and rewarding way of life. He lives in Perham and enjoys the area’s recreational opportunities and great people.

Charlie, Jack and Bob Cavanagh, left to right, in the lobby of United Community Bank in Perham in 2013. Perham Focus File Photo

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 47

The main entrance to the new Schoeneberger Funeral Home and Cremation Service. The business gets its name from Martin Schoeneberger, who started the funeral home in 1881, shortly after the railroad came to Perham. Photo from schoenebergerfuneralhome.com

PAGE 48 | PROGRESS 2018

Schoeneberger Funeral Home 137 Years

Schoeneberger Furniture Store and Funeral Home, in its former location on Main Street, circa 1941.

MICHAEL JOHNSON For Progress

choeneberger Funeral Home was established in 1881 as an addition to the furniture store that was started by Martin Schoeneberger Sr. in 1878, adjacent to his residence. Martin was one of Perham’s earliest settlers, and a skilled carpenter. It wasn’t unusual for small-town furniture businesses in those early days to also function as funeral homes, making and selling caskets in addition to tables, chairs and other furniture. In 1904, Martin was succeeded by his son, Bernard Schoeneberger, who expanded the business and bought the original downtown Schoeneberger building in 1913. During Bernard’s era, the funeral business progressed from a horse-drawn hearse to the modern funeral car. It was in 1916 the first motorized hearse was purchased.

As rural funeral homes became equipped with these kinds of vehicles, they often began to provide ambulance services for their communities, transporting the injured and sick to the nearest hospital. As an article in a 1967 edition of the Perham newspaper notes, “Originally the funeral director was the only individual possessing a vehicle with a wheel base long enough to be used as an emergency ambulance.” This was done as a public service, usually at a financial loss. Due to that, coupled with an increase in accidents, Schoeneberger Funeral Home discontinued its ambulance service in 1967. In 1934, Bernard’s sons, Martin and Al, took the reins of the business. Bernard died in 1941, the same year the funeral

chapel adjoining the original building was completed. Martin and Al operated the business as a partnership from 1940 until the ill health of Al forced him to retire in 1966. Al died in 1968. After selling the furniture store in 1972, Martin built a modern, up-todate funeral home on Third Avenue Southwest in Perham. Because of failing health, he sold the funeral home to Tom Vertin, of Breckenridge. Steve Sheets took over as manager of Schoeneberger Funeral Home in 1978, and in 1981 became part-owner. A major addition and renovation occurred in 1993, making the building more modern and accessible, with off-street parking. In October, 2007, Hans Larson joined the staff as a licensed funeral director, and he continues to help lead the day-today operations of the business today. PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 49

 Schoeneberger Funeral Home

The reception area of Schoeneberger Funeral Home (above) has a capacity of 100 guests and includes a kitchen area for catering meals. The chapel area of Schoeneberger Funeral Home (right) includes TVs for special dedications, ample seating and an organ and sound booth. Michael Johnson / Progress

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In 2016, construction began on a new facility for the community. The property was acquired for the sole purpose of better serving the funeral service needs of area families into the future. The new building was completed in 2017 and opened its doors as Schoeneberger Funeral and Cremation Service on June 11, 2017. The funeral home provides services at the time of death, and assists with arrangements prior to a death. It also provides bereavement services. “We are here to serve the families,” Sheets says. Six staff members currently work at Schoeneberger Funeral Home, carrying on the values and traditions started by Martin Schoeneberger in 1881. ◆

PAGE 50 | PROGRESS 2018

Growing together.

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 51

 Schoeneberger Funeral Home

Today’s owners Steve Sheets, co-owner In addition to being a licensed funeral director, Steve Sheets is a certified funeral service practitioner, a designation that recognizes funeral professionals who complete designated academic and professional program requirements. Sheets graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor of science degree in mortuary science. He has been a Perham resident since 1979, and a co-owner of Schoeneberger Funeral Home since 1981. Sheets says that when he became the funeral home’s manager in 1978, he knew the business needed someone invested in the community. He went to work serving the community, and has kept that up ever since. He is a member of the local Lions, Chamber and Rotary, and volunteers with his wife to keep the Perham Giving Tree going strong. He says working at a funeral home is a calling, one he is happy to be a part of. Tom Vertin, primary owner Tom Vertin is a third generation funeral director whose grandfather, Joseph Vertin, Sr., founded Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home in Breckenridge, Minn., in 1967. Tom joined his father in operating the funeral home in Breckenridge. Since that time, Vertin Company has acquired several funeral homes, and is now one of the largest privately-held, family-owned funeral home companies in the Midwest.

“ We are here to serve the families.”

Steve Sheets, co-owner

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 53

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 55

Perham Health 116 Years

MEAGAN PITTELKO For Progress

PAGE 56 | PROGRESS 2018

rom the addition of new providers to the rise of entire buildings, Perham Health CEO Chuck Hofius has seen his fair share of changes during his time there. Hofius moved to Perham Health from Essentia Health Detroit LakesSt. Mary’s about 20 years ago. He says some of the largest areas of growth since then have been in the outpatient and senior care departments. “We have the full continuum of senior care services now, from home care and adult day care to assisted living and other senior living services,” he says. “Plus, we’ve expanded our outpatient services — like therapy and surgery — rather than treating people in beds in the hospital itself. “We used to have one outpatient therapist on staff, and now we have 10, so we’re trying to focus on treating people outpatiently rather than not.” The changes are necessary, though, to ensure that Perham Health can continue to serve the community.

Perham Health is used to change. It’s seen a lot of it over its long history. Perham Health started out as St. James Hospital. It was established in 1902 by the Franciscan Sisters out of Little Falls, who tended to patients and also farmed the surrounding grounds to grow food for themselves and the hospital. The tall yellow brick building cost $12,000 to build, and there was a significant amount of donated labor by pioneering community members who thought it was about time the growing town of Perham got its own healthcare facility. The nuns tended to 189 patients that first year of operation, and that number just got bigger every year. An addition was put onto St. James in 1926, doubling its size, but still, by 1958, the facility was too small to meet Perham’s growing needs, and the Sisters built Perham Memorial Hospital. The former St. James was converted into a nursing home, until Perham

(above) At the time of its construction, Perham Health was the biggest project in Perham history, with a $38 million price tag. The 120,000-square-foot facility opened its doors in January 2012. Perham Focus File Photo (opposite) St. James Hospital, shortly after being built, in 1902.

Memorial Home was added onto two wings of the hospital in 1969 and 1977. After that, the usefulness of the St. James building diminished, and attempts to convert it for other uses failed. It was torn down in 1994. Financially, the hospital has seen its share of ups and downs over the years, including some hard times in the 1980s, but partnerships with St. Luke’s and MeritCare (now Sanford Health) helped turn things around. By 2001, Perham PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 57

 Perham Health Health, as it was called by then, was reporting all-time-high revenues. In 2009, ground was broken on the current $38 million state-of-theart Perham Health facility, which officially opened in January 2012. It was the biggest project Perham had ever seen. Constructed with sustainable, environmentally-friendly materials, it features an aesthetically pleasing patientcentered design. The new building, Hofius says, was an important part of the changing landscape of Perham Health, but that’s no longer the focus. “Now, we are starting to think about population health,” he explains. “That is, we want the community to be well and we want to focus on keeping people in their homes longer.” From a program that assists new moms with the delivery process to a comprehensive senior wellness package, Perham Health is utilizing new grants to create programs that will help the community achieve a higher level of wellness. “We’re trying to keep people out of our services by keeping them well and in their homes,” Hofius says. “Our focus for the last 20 years has really been on treating sick or injured people, while our

PAGE 58 | PROGRESS 2018

Perham’s accidental doctor One man and a simple railroad delay changed the fate of healthcare here forever Perham has Dr. Frank Brabec to thank for its first hospital. One of the community’s earliest recorded medical providers, Brabec may be the most influential figure in Perham’s history of health care — even though most people have probably never heard of him. Brabec ended up in Perham by accident, probably sometime around the mid to late 1870s, when the train he was riding was delayed in town. Dr. Frank J. Brabec He decided to tour the area to fill time, liked what he saw and wound up staying. He opened his first practice over an old drug store, but quickly outgrew it. He persuaded his landlord at the time, a Mrs. Price, to open a hospital over an old tavern, but outgrew that, as well. So then he persuaded her to build a small hospital — Perham’s first. That two-story red brick structure still stands today, on 2nd Street SW. Evidently, Brabec was a persuasive man. As his practice continued to grow, he appealed to the Franciscan Sisters to establish a larger hospital in Perham. They agreed, and St. James Hospital was erected in 1902. The rest, as they say, is history. Information from materials provided by the helpful volunteers at the History Museum of East Otter Tail County

focus now is providing higher quality care at a lower cost.” Perham Health is overseen by the Perham Hospital District, a government entity with a 14-member board of trustees. ◆

(left) Workers prepare food in the kitchen on the second floor of St. James in 1952. (right) Sister Stanislaus consults with patient Bernadette Cummings in Patient Room 7 at St. James Hospital in 1952.

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· Great Shopping · Affordable Prices · Clothing · Household · Home Decor · Donations Wanted · We Recycle

805 West Main Perham OPEN YEAR ROUND

Donation Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30 - 2:00 or call for appointment All proceeds directly beneﬁt our programs. 802 JENNY AVE • PERHAM • 346-2131

Repair

218-346-7678

Perham Pioneer Village 3/4 mile N of Main on Co. Hwy 8 OPEN SEASONALLY

218-346-7678

History Museum of EOT

• Auto • Light Truck • Diesel All Makes and Models Rated #1 Repair Shop in the Perham Area!

218-346-3346 630 W. Main, Perham • hometownrepair@hotmail.com

230 1st Ave. N. Perham OPEN YEAR ROUND

218-346-7676

Weddings • Parties • Events Corporate Meetings

4 GREAT VENUES

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218-346-7678

www.historyartsculture.com

shirley@itowmuseum.org

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 59

 Perham Health

(right) The St. James Hospital grounds in the 1920s. The facility was self-sufficient in its early days, as the nuns farmed the surrounding fields to grow food for themselves and their patients. (far-right) An aerial view of Perham Memorial Hospital and Home, in 1990. The facility, located on the southwest side of town, served as Perham’s health and long-term care center from its opening in the late 1950s until the new Perham Health opened its doors in January 2012. Today, it houses some specialty services of Perham Living (the long-term care arm of Perham Health) as well as the local Boys and Girls Club.

Future Orchestration Tuning your

...requires some

Professional and objective financial advice, conducted on your terms, creates the critical connection to help you grow, preserve, protect and transfer the assets you have accumulated. That’s why we’re in business. In fact, that is our business. Jon Staebler is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Securities offered through Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., Member SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor. Insurance offered through Lincoln affiliates and other fine companies. CRN-1396001-011916

Staebler Financial Group

Jon R. Staebler, CLU, LUTCF 001530386r1

staebler f inancialgroupltd.com

PAGE 60 | PROGRESS 2018

610 3rd Ave. SE - Perham, MN 56573 ph. 218-346-2211 - fax: 218-346-2221 Jon.Staebler@LFG.com

Gary Honer Saw and Tool SMALL ENGINE REPAIR 34684 State Hwy 108 Dent, MN 56528

218-758-2182

Do you need a part or warranty work for a machine or engine?

WE CARRY PARTS FOR: Briggs-Stratton Kohler Honda LCT Engines MTD Troy-Bilt Poulan Honeywell Murray

Tanaka Dolmar McCulloch Pow-R-Kraft Worx Champion Campbell-Husfeld Brute Oregon

Mo-Jack Walbro Zama NGK Opti Power-Pro Atlas Glove Kershaw Core Power

Small Engine Repair • Complete Sharpening Service We Work on All Models • A Complete Line of Belts Mower Blades • Chain Saw Chain • Air Filters Spark Plugs • Carburetor Repair Kits • Starters 001525232r1

PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 61

YEARS OF SERVICE

RICHTER’S MENS WEAR

PERHAM MOTOR VEHICLE

Big & Tall Tuxedo Rental

Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5 PM Saturday 9 AM- 12 PM DROPBOX ON-SITE

137 W. Main Perham

750 West Main Perham (218) 346-7330

218-346-5575 001678305r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

DAN’S SHOE & CANVAS REPAIR

YEARS OF SERVICE

HISTORY, ARTS & CULTURAL ASSOCIATION

Beginning with the EOT Historical Society, HACA now includes In Their Own Words Veterans Museum, History Museum EOT and Pioneer Village

512 East Main Perham 218-346-2609

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www.historyartsculture.com 001668209r1

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WE HAVE RAISED OVER $370,000 TO SUPPORT LOCAL PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES Alzheimer’s Association · Living with Alzheimer’s Minn-Kota Chapter American Red Cross · Emergency Services Boy Scouts of America Boys & Girls Club of the Perham Area Catholic Charities · Foster Grandparent Program Children’s Services Association Frazee Neighbor to Neighbor Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons Kinship of the Perham & Fergus Falls Area LB Homes Foundation - Camp Emily Lutheran Social Services · Caregiver Support and Respite PrograM

Prescription for Reading Buddy Book Bins Get Connected Volunteer Program Friends of Friends Fighting Hunger 2-1-1 The Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library Early Childhood Dental Network Emergent Volunteers in Times of Disaster STAMP out Hunger Project Community Connect - Mobile Food Drops

New York Mills Senior Center North Country Food Bank Mahube OTWA · Father’s Resource Program Mahube OTWA · Family Development Housing Perham Area Special Olympics Someplace Safe · Outreach & Intervention · Otter Tail Sexual Assault · Parenting Time Center · Regional Trafﬁcked and Sexually Exploited Youth Program Day of Caring Events Otter Tail County Early Childhood Initiative Stuff the Bus

To give, contact United Way at 218-736-5147 or visit uwotw.org

YEARS OF SERVICE

KLN FAMILY BRANDS Tuffy’s • Kenny’s Perham

YEARS OF SERVICE

MARLO MOTORS Marlo & Paul Sonnenberg

www.klnfamilybrands.com

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PAGE 62 | PROGRESS 2018

1/4 mile south of Hwy 10 on Hwy 78 Perham 218-346-5888 visit us @ www.marlomotors.com 001667915r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

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YEARS OF SERVICE

LYNN THOMPSON INSURANCE

BRETZ HARDWARE CO.

Life, Health, Group, Medicare, Long Term Care, Disability

Perham’s oldest complete hardware

32025 Finch Circle Dent

Perham 218-346-4760

218-758-3333 001679100r1

001679539r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH

YEARS OF SERVICE

PRODUCTIVE ALTERNATIVES

Come as you are to worship at Calvary 8:30 am Traditional Service 10:45 am Contemporary Service 619 3rd Ave. SW, Perham, MN 346-4780 www.calvaryperham.com

Yesterday’s Dreams Today’s Realities

YEARS OF SERVICE

EAST OTTER TAIL SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

802 Jenney Ave SW Perham

801 Jenny Avenue, Suite 2 Perham

218-346-2131 www.paiff.org

218-346-2050 www.eotswcd.org 001679488r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

HAMMERS CONSTRUCTION Design/Build Commercial Building Contractor 44434 Harvest Avenue Perham 218-346-2195

www.hci-mn.com 001677565r1

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001677500r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

ESSER PLUMBING AND HEATING

GENE’S SPORT SHOP

542 West Main Street Perham

Stop in and see us for your ﬁshing needs. Check out our 2018 line of bows!

877-882-4822 www.EsserPlumbingandHeating.com 001670221r1

150 East Main Street Perham

YEARS OF SERVICE

PINE SHELTER VETERINARY HOSPITAL Kelvin Rudolph, D.V.M. 670 3rd Avenue S.E. Perham

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YEARS OF SERVICE

ARVIG Internet, Television, Phone, Security, Computer Repair 888-992-7844 arvig.com

218-346-2120

218-346-3355

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 63

Winkels Carpet Center 7 7 Years KIM BRASEL For Progress

(left) The Winkels at their carpet store in 1988. Submitted Photo (top) Winkels Carpet started with Matt Winkels in 1974 and was bought by Rich in 1988. Kim Brasel / Progress PAGE 64 | PROGRESS 2018

he sign may say “Winkels Carpet Center,” and carpet is how the business started, but stroll through the doors of Rich and Patty Winkels’ store and you’ll find a wide array of flooring options. “I would say the most popular flooring right now is vinyl plank,” Rich Winkels says. “Ceramic tile is popular for walkin showers. Over time, carpet has taken a back seat to other types of flooring.” Winkels feels it might be due to allergies or respiratory problems and people might just want flooring that is easier to clean. The store has a variety of options, from real hardwood floors to engineered wood floors, laminate flooring, sheet vinyl and ceramic tile. And for those who do still like carpet, there is plenty of that, with the option

of going green, Winkels explains. When Rich’s father, Matt, started the business he never imagined that someday carpet could be made from plastic bottles and corn. Mohawk has a carpet where 37 percent of the yarn is made from corn. “It’s been out 12 years, and is durable, soft and easy to clean,” Winkels says. Flooring, like other things in life, is subject to trends. Carpet isn’t as popular as it once was and not in the same rooms. Carpet in kitchens and bathrooms used to be the thing to do. “We’ve seen quite a few things change over the years,” Winkels says. “In the early ‘70s, we put down quite a bit of carpet in kitchens and bathrooms. It was popular back then. Then it was linoleum. Now it’s wood-looking products or real wood flooring.”

But it was carpet that started it all for the Winkels family. Rich’s dad laid carpet for Schoeneberger’s furniture store back in the 1940s. He went to World War II, and went back to work for them after he returned from the war. He also delivered furniture, and helped with funerals. “The furniture store was where Karvonen’s is at now. He worked for them starting when he was 17 years old and was there for over 30 years,” says Winkels of his father. He says his dad quit about 1971 and went on his own installing carpet. He worked for a little while for Perco, managing the carpet side of that for a few years. Then he bought the inventory and opened his own store around 1975. Winkels and his siblings all helped out with the family business during the PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 65

 Winkels Carpet Center summers and after school, but he was the one who ended up buying it from his dad. “I guess I worked my way into it. I ended up liking it and sticking with it,” he says. Winkels also attended tech school for auto body work. He likes working on cars and still does that on the side as a hobby. He started installing carpet in about 1970 after school helping his dad. His dad did the sales and he was the installer up until about 1988, when he bought the business. All his installers are contracted and some have been with Winkels for 20 years or more. “We have a great working relationship and I think that’s been a big part of our success is the quality of our installation and workmanship. We get a lot of repeat customers because of that,” he says. Winkels says another important member of the team is Diane Schmitz,

DISCOVER A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES Update your home with new floor coverings from Winkels Carpet Center.

Rich and Patty Winkels have owned Winkels Carpet since 1988, when Rich bought the business from his father. Kim Brasel / Progress

who has been with the store since 1992. “She’s our chief sales expert and helps with decorating and colors. She does a great job with bookwork and billing, and she also does binding on carpet for area rugs. It’s very popular with all the hardwood floors people are installing in homes now,” Winkels says. Schmitz can make custom area rugs of any size, shape or color a person wants using a remnant left over from a job, for example.

Choose from • Berbers • Plushes • Saxonies • Textures • Hardwood • Vinyls • And More

all in today’s richest decorator colors.

310 Main Street Bluffton, MN 218-385-2608 Fr. Aaron Kuhn

ShawMark carpets ®

HOURS: Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm

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145 Second Ave., SE, Perham Richard Winkels 218-346-2924

PAGE 66 | PROGRESS 2018

“It’s very simple, but gives people a nice option,” Schmitz says. “Most people blend the edge with the carpet color, but you can make it any color you want.” Winkels says Perham has been a great area to live and work in, and they’ve had great business over the years. “We have loyal customers who shop local and we appreciate it. We try to keep up on the newer stuff to have that on hand,” Winkels says. “The community has been very good to us.” ◆

Mass times: Sunday: 10:30 am Wednesday: 8:00 am Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 am - 3:30 pm email: sjc428@arvig.net 001363870r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

LAKELAND MENTAL HEALTH CENTER

HEMMELGARN BUILDERS INC. License #BC003628

www.lmhc.org (218) 736-6987

202 Fox Run Perham

NOW OPEN! BOARDING FACILITY

YEARS OF SERVICE

801 Market St. Perham

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24-Hour Banking 1-800-908-BANK bremer.com

YEARS OF SERVICE

UNITED WAY OF OTTER TAIL AND WADENA COUNTIES

BREMER

GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

218-346-1300

218-346-2377 001675980r1

120 E Washington Ave., Fergus Falls (218) 736-5147

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665 SW 3rd St. Suite 107, Perham (218) 770-9406

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Many sizes of cages and runs to fit almost Indoor playroom any size dog or dog family Cat condos are in their own quiet room Large fenced in outdoor area Equipped to board birds, rabbits, and Each dog or dog family will be let out at pocket pets least 3 times a day

Please call 218-367-PETS to book your pet’s next stay 44033 Hawes Beach Road, Ottertail

Compassionate and Personalized Vet Services for your dogs, cats, parrots, pocket pets, rabbits, lizards, and other exotic pets.

Walk in appointments•Digital X-rays Yearly Health Examination and Checkups Heartworm or Tick Disease Diagnostic Testing In-house Lab Work•Blood Work•Urinalysis Vaccinations•Anal Gland Expressing Ear Cleaning and Treatment Declawing•Nail Trimming Routine and Specialty Surgeries Gas Anesthetic Used for Surgeries

905 Jenny Ave Perham, MN 56573 Tel: 218-346-7387 allcreaturesperham.com

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New patients receive FREE pet tag Military and Senior Citizen Discounts

YEARS OF SERVICE

WINKELS CARPET CENTER Richard Winkels, Owner 145 2nd Avenue S.E. Perham

YEARS OF SERVICE

CENTRAL MINNESOTA CREDIT UNION Centered on you. 108 Judd Street Perham, MN

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YEARS OF SERVICE

KARVONEN’S

Hours: 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 7 Days A Week

A Family Tradition in Home Furnishings 151 W Main Perham

218-346-2210 001679431r1

MAIN STREET EXPRESS

205 East Main Perham

888.330.8482 mycmcu.org

218-346-2924

001676527r1

218.346.2040 karvonens.com

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PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 67

YEARS OF SERVICE

KARVONEN FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICES

YEARS OF SERVICE

VAUGHN’S AUTO AND MARINE CO.

PERHAM AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Used Cars & Trucks Lund Boats Mercury Motors

Librarian: Susan Heusser-Ladwig

Family owned and operated for three generations Greg & Suzi Karvonen

218-385-2855

www.karvonenandsonfuneralhome.com

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SACRED HEART CHURCH

218-758-2700 218-758-3861 Fax sacredheart@arvig.net

218-346-4892 001676854r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

36963 State Highway 108 Dent

225 2nd Avenue NE Perham

New York Mills

New York Mills 218-385-2345 • 218-346-8536

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You don’t have to leave Perham to get

COMPETITIVE

PRICES and

GREAT SERVICE Everything you need from the In-Home Repair Experts!

Sales and Service.

APPLIANCE

YEARS OF SERVICE

SCHMITZ MOTOR COMPANY, INC. Serving the area since 1920 900 West Main Street Perham 218-346-3900 www.schmitzmotor.com 001679535r1

PAGE 68 | PROGRESS 2018

200 WEST MAIN, PERHAM • 218-346-2936

102

YEARS OF SERVICE

FARMERS & MERCHANTS STATE BANK AND INSURANCE AGENCY 11 North Walker New York Mills

106

YEARS OF SERVICE

UNITED COMMUNITY BANK

COMMUNITY MINDED JUST LIKE YOU 301 West Main St., Perham 218-346-5700

218-385-2300 www.FMBankNYM.com

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www.ucbankmn.com 001679452r1

108

YEARS OF SERVICE

HOLY CROSS CHURCH – Since 1910 – Butler

218-385-2201 001675976r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN SCHOOL Founded in 1910 Turning today’s learners into tomorrow’s leaders 500 6th Avenue SW Perham 218-346-2300

109

YEARS OF SERVICE

OTTER TAIL POWER COMPANY 1-800-257-4044

110

YEARS OF SERVICE

BONGARDS’ CREAMERIES

PERHAM HEALTH

Farmer-owned since 1908!

1000 Coney Street W, Perham 218-347-4500

110 3rd Avenue NE Perham

www.otpco.com

www.perhamhealth.org

218-346-4680 001677705r1

116

YEARS OF SERVICE

001678838r1

108

001679531r1

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YOUR HOMETOWN CONTRACTOR GET YOUR FREE CONSU LT TODAY!

START TO FINISH: FROM IDEA, TO PLAN, TO FINAL SOLUTION

Trust our 25 years of experience to handle your project according to your needs and preferences. Our superior workmanship helps you to complete your project. You can depend on us to keep your costs down.

• NEW CONSTRUCTION • REMODELING • ROOFING • DAMAGE RESTORATION • SIDING • WINDOWS • SNOW REMOVAL

32337 Ironwood Dr., Richville, MN 56576, USA 218-232-0472 • jaysonbs@live.com www.jbsbuildersllc.com

Licensed & Insured #BC637708 001676743r1

116

YEARS OF SERVICE

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH Fr. Aaron Kuhn Mass: Sunday 10:30 am Wednesday 8:00 am 310 Main Street • Bluffton, MN 218-385-2608 sjc428@arvig.net 001675832r1

127

YEARS OF SERVICE

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday School: 9 a.m. 49658 County Highway 53, Perham, MN 56573 346-4302 www.stjohnsperham.org 001678489r1

133

YEARS OF SERVICE

135

YEARS OF SERVICE

PERHAM-DENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ST. HENRY’S AREA SCHOOL

progressive curriculum + proven results = student success

253 2nd St. S.W. Perham

Perham 218-346-4501 www.perham.k12.mn.us

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218-346-6190 001678512r1

PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 69

136

137

YEARS OF SERVICE

PERHAM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

YEARS OF SERVICE

CITY OF PERHAM City Ofﬁces: 125 2nd Ave N.E. Perham

Pastor, Rev. Greg Leslie Worship: 10:30 a.m 223 4th Avenue S.E Perham

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001675842r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

SCHOENEBERGER FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICE

141

YEARS OF SERVICE

APOSTOLIC LUTHERAN CHURCH

Steve Sheets, Local Owner and Director

218-346-4455 www.cityofperham.com

218-346-7420

137

Since 1877 Nicholas Kandoll, Pastor

Hans Larson, Funeral Director 100 Jake Street, Perham

New York Mills

(218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com

218-385-2166

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Amy Cory

Ben Geyer

Jackie Rehm

Jay Olson

Jenna Anderson

Scott Miller

Joleen Miller

Kayla Hendrickson

Lois Moe

Mitch Krog

Nate Seip

Trent Anderson

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Always At Your Service

Your Hometown Drugstore Battle Lake 218-864-5261 Henning 218-583-2773 Ottertail 218-367-2196 Bertha 218-924-2124 Menahga 218-564-4655 Park Rapids 218-237-5848 Frazee 218-334-3070 New York Mills 218-385-3360 Wadena 218-632-5440

143

YEARS OF SERVICE

ST. HENRY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

143

YEARS OF SERVICE

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

500 6th Avenue SW Perham

218-346-4240

PAGE 70 | PROGRESS 2018

Playing a vital role in building and sustaining the nation’s economy.

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152

YEARS OF SERVICE

ST. LAWRENCE CATHOLIC CHURCH RUSH LAKE 2.5 miles on Hwy 14, East of Hwy. 78 218-346-7729

800-795-2673 www.bnsf.com

218-346-7725 001678843r1

YEARS OF SERVICE

BNSF RAILWAY

The church has served the area since 1875.

234 2nd Ave. SW Perham

150+

The Oldest Catholic Church in Ottertail County. 001679487r1

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CONCRETE FLOOR COATINGS We’ve got it covered!

4X Stronger Than Epoxy • Non-Slip Surface One Day Installs ADD USABLE LIVING SPACE!

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Great for Garage, Basement, Patio, Porch, Utility Room, Mud Room, Shop, Stairs, Driveway, Sidewalk

New York Mills, MN • 507-923-3311 • www.kandmcoatings.com PROGRESS 2018 | PAGE 71

The Karvonen Group

A family Tradition

karvonengroup.com 001670534r1