Happy Birthday Bob Leonard (’51): Dunseith, ND
From Glen Williams (’52): Missoula, MT.
Happy Birthday…to Bill Hosmer….and may you have many more…
You are a hero to many of us old timers
Glen Williams
Reply from Bill Hosmer (’48): Tucson, AZ.
Gary, This was one of those chapters of your contribution to the betterment
of all of us who grew up in and around Dunseith. The picture of your family
showing the cards and pictures on the wall, plus the never to be forgotten
uniform of the day, the bib overall. What a remarkable recollection of our
days in that special place we will never forget as long as we live.
I note, that at becoming 85, that certain things creep into the mind.
First, I was not supposed to live this long. Second, I’m glad I did because
some of the readers of this forum need to know that I knew your grandparents,
parents, and now you. So let me say that Gary has given us the gift of
simple ways to say something to each other. For that I propose a toast to Gary and
his beautiful wife who I had the pleasure of hugging on the street of Bottineau.
All of you have in one way been a part of my life through earlier generations of your
families, which makes me believe you are part of who I am. Growing up in Dunseith
in the 30s and 40s with the likes of Chuck Johnson and his brothers, Darrel Fassett,
playing basketball with Don Johnson, and being in love with his wife, Bernice, living
next door to the Sunderland girls, when Patsy and I at the age of about
5 decided we would be married and go to West Point and raise chickens, when
the Evans brothers and I ran around the Mill and Grandpa Gottbreht chased us
out of the flour room for making a mess. Hazel Olson worked for my Dad
at the Hosmer store for many years. There were the Cornell’s, five offspring
who all served during WW II. The only Five Star Flag in a window in town;
Floyd Nelson who had a barber shop next to the Althea theater, along with
Jess Wilson who had one close to the Drug store. The Shelves’ who
tolerated our reading funny books until we were told to either buy one or
go for a walk. Sy Kadrie had a pool hall, but 18 was the age of allowance.
One day I was back on a leave from West Point, playing pool there when
on the radio an announcement told of the break out of the Korean War. The
Hassens had a store on the south side. Neil and I were in the same class
at the old Dunseith School. Across the street, north of Hassens was the
telephone operator, Mrs. Deeter. She had two daughters, I was in love
with Carol, the youngest. One day after school I took her a bouquet of wild flowers
and handed them to her on the back porch. She grabbed them and kicked me
on my shin with her hard toed shoes and slammed the door shut. Wayne Molgard
was with me and laughed himself silly. His Dad was a railroad man on
our Galloping Goose which went out in the morning and back in the afternoon.
We are from a rural community and I brag about it to all my retired military
pals who would not understand the value system developed because of
the mutual respect the people in town and in the hills and on the prairie
had for one another. Nothing in my long life has been more important
than being a part of the society of those who began, survived, and left
Dunseith and those nearby who made it work. Thank you, Bill Hosmer
Reply from Ginger LaRocque Poitra (’65): Belcourt, ND
Vicki and Gary,
My son Todd would like to thank you for the kind words concerning his new position as VSO (Veterans Service Officer).
Ginger ( LaRocque ) Poitra class of 1965 , a classmate of Gary’s
From Ron Peltier (’70): Dunseith, ND
Hi Gary, just reading a comment from Cheryl Kester Gaugler, I don’t know if anyone ever answered her question, but I’m sure she was talking about Mineral Springs.
Re Cheryl Kester’s Spongy Ground.
From Dale Pritchard (’63): Leesville, LA.
I apparently missed this the first time around. Yes, in 1964 or 65 I came across this oddity of spongy earth about half-way between Rugby and Minot on the North side of the highway. it was on a gently sloping side hill and I was into it before I realized the ground was wet. It seemed to move like little waves when I walked on it. Like I didn’t know any better, I jumped up and down a couple times and the ripples in the sod went out about 10 feet. It was then that the thought “quick sand” came to mind. I very carefully got back on dry ground. My boss went to two or three farmers in that area the next day to see if they knew anything about it. The farmers said it was just a place where the water table came to the surface, somewhat like a natural spring. Years later, about 1975, I saw basically the same thing in my wife’s grandfather’s back yard in Mississippi. He had tapped into it and that’s where he got his house water from. I still don’t like ground that moves under me!
Dale Pritchard
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Blog (368) posted on February 12 , 2009
02/12/2009
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Request from Shelly Hagel (78):
Hi Gary,
Will you please add my dad (Ray Hagel) to your email list.
I am sure he will enjoy…………………
Thanks so much
Shelly
Reply to yesterday’s pictures from LaVerne (Carrole Fauske 66) Rude:
Hi Gary & Bernadette,I was just looking at the photos and info on the blog and must say I can’t remember ever seeing the group picture of us all. Sure brings back the memories of those many years ago. Carrole was looking over my shoulder and her comment was, “That Gary sure was a good looking kid”. That picture of the “old man” was one I can’t remeber either. Hope all is well with you guys and I do hope to see you this summer.
LaVerne
Reply from Linda Gardner (Bottineau):
It was so exciting running into Jackie at the Elks – I’ve been in the Washington area for almost 40 years (can’t believe it’s been that long) and it’s not very often that I run into someone from back home unexpectedly!
My dad and Trish’s mom were actually brother and sister so Trish is my cousin. I have not heard from her since she moved west to Phoenix I believe.
I got together with some friends (Laframboise family in Rugby) I went to country school with the in the Turtle Mountains last summer and we thought it would be fun idea to have a Turtle Mountain Country School Reunion. I originally contacted the Superintendent of schools (Bottineau and Rolette share the Superintendent) to see if I could get some names but have not heard back from him – It’s been over a year and half since I contacted him. Is there anyone interested in participating in that?
I plan to be in the Bottineau area this summer for the Q-Centennial and hope to get some plans in motion for such a reunion in the summer of 2010.
My mother was a Wenstad so a lot of my cousins on that side of the family went to country school in the Turtle Mountains and then to school in Dunseith. Our farm bordered the Rolette County Line but the farm itself was in Bottineau County even though our address was Dunseith.
As I was reading the messages, I was especially interested in the one about Butte St. Paul. We used to have most of our Country School picnics there and it used to be a “hot” spot for gatherings – I actually climbed up the Butte summer before last. I had been up in the “hills” as we referred to them, visiting Jack & Minnie Flynn. On the way back to Towner, we stopped at the Butte. It was a wonderful view from the top!
The other “hot” spot where we used to spend a lot of family/friends time was Long Lake – fishing, picnicing and playing horseshoe. Bud Hagan used to run the place there (he was my mother’s cousin) and it was always a good time.
Margaret Metcalfe Leonard’s (65) reply to photo posted yesterday:
Hi Gary,The instructor is Morris Azure. He had a TV business in Rolette at one
time and I know his family very well. He worked at the Jewel Plant in Rolla for many years. His daughter Julie Pfeifer lives in Rolette. Margaret Mel Kuhn’s (70): reply to photo posted yesterday:
Howdy,
The unknown instructor looks like either Morris Azure or Al Azure. Al worked for Baker Elec. for years. Morris at the Jewel Plant.
Mel Kuhn
Morris Azure
 From Marge Longie Langan-Wilcox (56):
Gary, marge langan-wilcox t
From Susan Fassett Martin (65):
Deerheart Lodge was owned by Henry Kotschevar, who was a brother to Lillie Kotschevar. Lillie lived just south and west of Dunseith on the little farm which we as kids liked to call “the smiling house” . Lillie was connected to the Watkins clan, as Sue (Watkins) Bell lived with her for many years as a companion and housekeeper. Carol Carbonneau may have more information. The following is from an article written in the Minot Daily News from an interview with Lillie when she was 90 years old. She was a sweet lady and was at most of our family functions over my growing up years. I wish that I had interviewed more of the older family members back then and gleaned more information. Here is the excerpt: “……Lillie’s brother Henry Kotschevar will be remembered by many as the operator of Deer Heart Lodge, a tourist attraction four miles west and two miles north of Dunseith for 25 years. Henry, a graduate of the University of North Dakota, and his wife moved on a quarter section of brush land and pasture about 1935 and developed the area into a fairyland park and home. They showed their home with its furniture carved from native timber and their park to the public until his health failed about 1960………..Their place was sold to Frank, Julian and Joseph Peltier and they in turn have sold the place to Kenneth Hill………Kotschevar had made all the furniture in the house, including a dining room table from plywood and a bed. He carved lamps, lamp stands, vases and picture frames from poplar. Selling these items and other souveniers, along with a 15-cent admission to tour the lodge during the summer months provided the Kotschevars with their only income. They reared four boys and a girl…….. On a Sunday the lodge sometimes had more that 100 visitors. Mrs Kotschevar, who took up taxidermy, mounted deer, birds, chipmunks and frogs for display on the grounds, some in glass showcases. In one area stuffed frogs she labeled, ” Dunseith poker players” were playing cards around a table. On a pedestal enclosed in two feet of glass mounted squirrels gathered for a wedding included one dressed as a priest and a couple in appropriate garb. Kotschevar dug a circular brook which flowed under a stone bridge. Fed by a flowing well, the small brook provided a setting for a large number of flower beds and stone walks. He made one stone flower bed in the shape of a star with an upper portion in the shape of a pentagon. Using stone from the area, Kotschevar built a gateway to the yard and a wall around the trees. Kotschevar and his wife also had a vegetable garden and a garden where they raised apples, plums and strawberries. On the west end of the lodge they provided a picnic shelter for the public. Tours would start and end at their house. ” Can you picture the place?? What a shame that so many of the landmarks around Dunseith have not been preserved. If any one has any pictures of Deer Heart Lodge, please post them or I would like to have copies. Contact me. If anyone would like the entire article I could copy and send. Hugs and Prayers, Susan
Reply from Clark Crum (54):
Gary, The “quaking bog” was at mineral Springs (you could drink the water coming out of the springs. I always thought you were on a big bowl of jello, it was very different. There was a site where we found artifacts on the way up to the springs. Dick Morgan, Glen Williams and Don Hosmer led the way for Gary Morgan, Jerry Williams, Barry Shelver and I on many a trips to the Springs and the site. Clark Crum
Reply from Susan Fassett Martin (65):
Paulette LaCroix asked about the “quaking bog”. That probably was at Mineral Springs just north of town a couple of miles. We used to make a trek up there every summer and bounce on the bog. Crystal has pictures in dad’s old slides of us hiking up there. Maybe she will post them. I remember in High School about 6 or 7 of us got left up there after a school trip by Mr Grossman and had to hike back to town. I know it was me, Phyllis McKay and 3 or 4 others. Anyone remember that from the class of ’65?? I think Kenny Nerpel was in the bunch?? Susan
Reply from Bob Hosmer (56):
In reply to Cheryl, I remember something of what you describe being near Mineral Springs. It was a most interesting phenomenon. I was raised and round–maybe fifty feet or so across and, as you said, spongy. Someone else may have a better grip that memory than I do.
Bob Bob Hosmer, WA Chaplain
Message/Pictures from Crystal Fassett Andersen (70):
Frozen Finger Festival posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe
Hi Gary,
I sent this awhile ago, but I’m resending it, as the “BIG EVENT” is this weekend! It should be lots of fun. I hope the weather co-operates. Last year, it was so cold it wasn’t fit for anyone to out and about.
Neola
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