Wanamingo is fortunate to have citizens who have lived here most or all of their lives. And those people really care about the town, its population, and its history. Being a history lover myself, I find it fascinating to ask questions and listen to the answers from my neighbors and friends in their 80’s and 90’s. As some of you know, I began writing short accounts of some of the “ghost towns” in this area, and have been uncovering not just the town’s histories, but also the names and vocations of many of our predecessors, mostly from Norway.
Now we are blessed to have our own town history book that is so much more than just a history book. A year or so ago I wrote an article about the Wanamingo Community Foundation, at which time the foundation’s board was increased to 12 members, a foundation website established, and an identifying logo created. Few realize how much the community has benefited from the relationship it has had with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) since 1991. SMIF invests in the economic growth of south central and southeastern Minnesota, serving a 20-county region which includes 175 communities and one Native nation. SMIF’s key interests include entrepreneurship, early childhood development and community vitality. SMIF invests in grantmaking, lending, training and more. As our fiscal host, SMIF invests the money our community obtains through fundraising, increasing our rate of return. The money stays with our community, helping with past projects like the Walking Trail Bridge, Veterans Memorial, Memorial Field improvements and much more, so the dollars for these embellishments do not come out of our taxes.
Many of you know Gary Bakko, referred to by those who know him best as the “Town Historian”, who is also one of the foundation’s board members, and who came up with an idea for a history book fundraiser. In 2001, following his retirement after 50 years with the Security State Bank, he began to write historical articles for the town’s new monthly paper, Wanamingo Messenger. However, his researching and writing of historical articles did not begin with the Messenger, for previously he had also written historical articles for the Goodhue County Historical Societies quarterly newsletters and two for the TODAY magazine.
Today his book idea has become a reality. Bridging 17 Decades of History: Wanamingo Area's Past to Present 1854-2024 is now available to the public!
Today the Wanamingo Community Foundation is delighted to announce the generous donation of 300 copies of the new book, chronicling Wanamingo’s rich history. A gift that will be used to encourage further community support for the foundation’s initiatives. Individuals contributing $100 or more to the Wanamingo Community Foundation will receive a copy of the 450-page book as a token of appreciation.
Locally, a copy may be obtained at the Security State Bank of Wanamingo, or at the Wanamingo City Office. For those living a distance away, just mail a check payable to:
Wanamingo Community Foundation
P.O. Box 224W
Wanamingo, MN 55983
A lot of time and effort has gone into this project, and I am sure it will be a treasure passed down from generation to generation. Get your copy now, and see what conspired in the past to bring us to where we are today!
