PHOTOS: Exploring Carroll County History

Jun 13, 2022
Jun 13, 2022 Updated Jun 13, 2022
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Open House 1

Visiting the Carroll County Historical Society's annual open house on Sunday, June 5, Matthew Brinkman of Carroll and his children participated in a scavenger hunt in the museum, housed in a former Carnegie Library at the northwest corner of Court Street and Highway 30 in Carroll. The open house also welcomed visitors to the trappers' cabin and schoolhouse, both in Graham Park, and the farmstead museum at Swan Lake State Park. Brinkman visited the open house with daughters Presleigh, 10, (left) and Adelyn, 11 (right) and son Sawyer, 13 (not pictured). Carroll County Historical Society President Barbara Hackfort said turnout for the open house was similar to previous years, which she considers encouraging since there were no special activites at the sites because of continuing COVID concern. "It is always wonderful to talk to the visitors and observe which displays attract their attention," Hackfort commented. "And thanks to generous donors, we have such a variety of new items on display every year." Summer hours at the museum are 1 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday until mid-August. The museum is also open by appointment; phone 792-1512.

Larry Devine

Open House 2

Carroll County Historical Society Vice President Gayle Dean, who performs at Coool the Clown, helped host open house in the former Maple River 5 schoolhouse in Graham Park. Coool knows these visitors, great-nephews Zeke (8) and Ari (5) Fleshner, and their mom Scarlett Fleshner of Carroll. Coool also made balloon creations for visitors.

Larry Devine

Open House 3

The Carroll County Historical Society open house on Sunday, June 5, displayed both a 1953 Oliver 77 Row Crop tractor (front) and a 1915 Heider Model C (back). Gary Brincks (left) provided the Oliver for the open house. Gary's grandfather Ben Brincks bought the tractor new when he was farming the area where the farmstead museum is now located on the east side of Swan Lake State Park. Gary farms south of Swan Lake and uses the tractor for small jobs.

Larry Devine

Open House 4

While at a Nelson family reunion at Swan Lake State Park, Teresa (Nelson) Offutt of Durango, Colorado, and her nephew Mark Wilson of Dayton, Ohio, son of Bob and Bonnie (Nelson) Wilson, visited the Carroll County Historical Society open house at the farmstead museum on the east side of the park. Nelson and Wilson had special interest in this horse-drawn carriage that was rejuvenated in the mid-1960s by Nelson Upholstery, 618 W. 10th St. in Carroll. Teresa, a 1974 Kuemper Catholic High School graduate, is the youngest of seven children of the late Knute and Frances Nelson. Knute emigrated to Ellis Island, New York, from Denmark in 1920 when he was 17 years old. He started the upholstery business in 1937. Knute passed away in 1970, then son Larry took over the business and operated it until closing this spring, when he retired. The carriage formerly belonged to the Marcus Tan Creti family in Carroll, and Knute Nelson reupholstered and repainted it in the mid-1960s The Tan Creti family donated the carriage to the Historical Society.

Larry Devine

Open House 5

Carroll County Historical Society open house visitors view displays in the military section downstairs in the museum at the northwest corner of Court Street and Highway 30. The building housed Carroll's Carnegie Library from 1905 to 1975.

Larry Devine

Open House 6

Carroll County Historical Society opened the door to visitors at the former Maple River 5 schoolhouse in Graham Park. The school, was located about 4 miles west of Carroll and was open from 1871 until 1947. It was moved into Graham Park in 1965.