"I Remember"

Roy Larson stopped in at the Museum a few weeks ago and I felt like I was "The Visitor". Roy is nearly 95 years old and looks like he is 60. He wrote a book called "I Remember" in 1988 to tell his family story.

Roy's family came from Denmark in 1875. They settled in Barronette, Wisconsin and established a brickyard. During the winter the family also logged in Southern Sawyer County. Roy remembers the Dietz battle at Cameron Dam. His book gives us a glimpse into the life of the logging camps and pioneer life in northern Wisconsin. I have made a copy of Roy's book to go into the Museum...as soon as I am done reading it! I did not get to spend as much time I would have liked to with Roy and his brother Don Larson.

Do you listen to those stories that your grandparents tell? How about your mom and dad? Sometimes our busy lives don't let us pay attention to those daily details. Perhaps you don't even know where your family came from; did you ever wonder why gramma" is such a common name?

Since we opened our website at the Museum, we have gotten tons of mail like the following. "All my life I always wanted to know my history. Now I found it by using the internet. Grandma Vicky Sawyer who lived in Ohio never said anything about our history. She wanted it to die with her. I am in the middle of making a hope chest and would love any of you who can help me with what the crest looked like or what your version of the crest. Being a "Sawyer" means alot to me. I need closure in the matter. Thank-you, Michael David Sawyer of Charlotte NC."

Do you recognize the name Walter Treziok? Do you know Elmer Hansen? These men have families that are looking for their history. The Treziok family lived near the Reservation between 1920-1930. His daughter is looking for the farm where they lived. Elmer Hansen's daughter would just like to know if her father is around the Hayward area.

"Hi, I'm trying to find a family--last name Clements. They had a cabin in Hayward. Three children, Sandy, Sue & Doug. Fathers name was Warren I think. Sandy graduated from Mankato High School 1971. What is Hayward's newspaper name? Thankyou, Bonnie Malterer."

There are so many people searching for parents, children and other family members. Sometimes they are just trying to reach out and find a place that they shared with their families when they were kids. Many of the folks who visit at the Museum are there looking for connections to the past.

One of our Sawyer County Record readers wrote recently to ask if we are interested in his story about the day of the 1941 flood. The letter and photographs were forwarded to me and I am writing to Mr. Schultz to collect his story. It sure would handy if there were someone who could help out by answering some of these requests and providing an address and collection point. I certainly enjoy reading the many stories I collect but they need to be transcribed, accessioned into our collection and recorded in a database for reference. Many of the contacts do not get completed because I am just too busy.

BUS TOUR- Sept. 23, 2000

Sawyer County and Washburn County historical society members in Hayward, Springbrook and Stone Lake are joining together to present a fall color and historic bus tour. We are putting together some of the details now. Roe Bradley, Joyce Menzel, myself, and members of our Museums are developing a road trip from the Hayward Museum of Local History, to Stone Lake's Pioneer Museum and then to Springbrook's Church Museum.

The trip will include a tour guide of historic sites, a light lunch in Stone Lake and treats in Springbrook. We are using some of the Marple-Visitor fall color tours and hopefully will be able to put someone on the bus who can recount their own memories. Tickets will be available at the Museums and from Society members. It would be marvelous to find someone or a business to sponsor the bus and keep the cost of the tickets down.

Watch the column for more information. We will need help putting up posters and selling tickets, it would be great to find fifty people to fill up the bus! REMINDER, The Sawyer County Historical Society meets at 7pm. on Thursday, August 24th at the Museum on Hwy B in Hayward.