Hide Article Text (OCR)
Garden TalkBY JOE GABRIELSONOld Wagon Trails ContinuedWe stood on one of the few virgin prairies left: in Iowa and looked into the valley and beyond, Vern (Hendrickson) and Virgil pointed to the route taken by the old stage line trail. We could only make guesses as to how old it was. Perhaps it flourished after the 1857 Spirit Lake Massacre and before the railroads came. There was no one to tell us. Then, it circled the hills and avoided the sloughs and struck out to the northwest.Olaf Thoreson and his father's family settled in the area in those early days, To Vern, he pointed out a big red rock and a lone tree that were familiar landmarks. Later, Vern buried the big rock but it had a habit of coming to the top again.Olaf told Vern many stories about the pioneer days.They came to a land that was raw and wild, not knowing if it was good or bad. Most had few worldly possessions and money was scarce. With the barest of necessities, they settled on the prairie trusting that God who fed the sparrows and clothed the lillies of the field, would feed and take care of them also. They had faith that this was a good land to settle and they began to build.They sank their roots deep on the Iowa prairie. Without precious trees, they had to build their houses of sod or else haul logs from nearby lakes or rivers. For fuel against the harsh Iowa winters, they twisted prairie grass and threw it into the firs-if they could not get wood.As for precious water, there were no drilling rigs to go hundreds of feet into the earth as now. But they were blessed with springs in the hillsides or took water from convenient brooks or creeks for themselves and their livestock.Most pioneers moved onto the pra irie in the spring. They broke the tough sod, planted needful crops and hoped for a good harvest. Some lived on supplies they brought with them like cured meats, beans andflour - if they had them. The land provided wild strawberries, wild onions, artichokes and other greens. Prairie chickens drummed on the prairie and wild ducks swam in the sloughs by the multitudes. Rabbits were to be had in'winter but few deer.As the settlers prospered, they needed lumber, hardware and other supplies. Every bit had to be hauled in by Wagons. As the heavily loaded wagons rolled on the prairie, they cut deep ruts into Mother Earth. When the ruts got too deep, they made other trails.Olaf had many good and bad experiences. He was addicted to demon alcohol. One day, he and his .friend celebrated a business trip by tipping the-bottle heavily. It was winter and bitterly cold.The friend dropped Olaf off at his house and he saw Olaf stagger to the doorway. On his way home, the friend kept thinking of the fiery liquor and wished for another good swig. Temptation was too great. He turned the horses about and went back to Olaf1 s.It was lucky he did so, for he found Olaf sprawled across the doorstep and freezing to death. He pulled him inside.Olaf revived and a strange thing happened. Whether he had a vision or recalled that his father had perished on the prairie after a drinking spree-no one knows-but he never touched the bottle again. He became free.In time of old age, Olaf became vague of memory.Yet he never forgot the good old days when the prairie was new, the air was free and the good earth yielded its increase. He could tell story after story clearly and brilliantly. He died in the 1950’s.The pioneers are gone and most of their stories. But the Earth remains forever.You are not born for fame if you do not know the value of time. Vauvenargues
Newspaper Details
Graettinger Times
Graettinger, Iowa, US
Thu, Aug 18, 1977
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Don B.
USA 20 Jul 2023
Other Publications Near Graettinger, Iowa
Graettinger Times
