Wright County
Wright county is not one of the largest counties in the state, but one of the best. It is a region noted for the fertility of its soil, its beautiful lakes and streams, its rolling prairies, interspersed with natural groves of timber, and its excellent climate. Like counties of the Park region, Wright has a varied landscape, rolling prairies alternating with forests of hard and soft woods, and pretty lakes and streams of running water. Wright county is pretty well settled, but nevertheless there is room for more people. There are still homes to be made for hundreds of families, with no fear of overcrowding or overtaxing the productiveness of the soil. Cheap lands with some is the first and only thought. As land is the foundation of the home, this is important, but let it be remembered that prices is usually regulated by distance and location. The cheaper the land the greater the distance from civilization and its comforts, and the longer the wait and the greater the cost for improvements. Sometimes the wait is so great that the homemaker becomes weary and the family disheartened.
Mothers and little ones are not invited here to enter a wilderness. A greater combination of advantages cannot be found than good soil, pure water, trees, rural mail delivery, schools, churches and markets all at hand. Coming to Wright county no longer means hardship and adventure. It means the improvement of an opportunity. There are two railroads in the county. The Great Northern, the principal railroad in the Western country, crosses the county from east to west in the northern and southern parts of the county, while the Soo line crosses through the central part of the county – thus giving the best of markets to the farmers and cheap freight. This county is acknowledged to be one of the best stock and dairy sections of the state. There is more stock shipped from this county than any county in the state, and a fine farming country producing all kinds of crops.
Soil.
The soil is adapted to raising potatoes, corn, oats, rye, wheat and an abundance of hay. The soil is a rich black loam, and in some sections a clay subsoil.
Timber.
The county is plentifully timbered with hard and soft wood and watered by lakes and streams. The schools of the county rank with the highest of the state, making it one of the finest counties for settlers who desire these privileges. Any one wishing further information would do well to correspond with C. E. White, of Monticello, who will give the fullest information needed. But, remember, this is the county to come to, and now is the time to buy farm land.
Annandale.
The beautiful town of Annandale is situated on the Soo railroad, about fifty-one miles from St. Paul and five miles northwest of Buffalo, the county seat of Wright county. The town has a population of 600 people, and contains three elevators, flour mills of seventy-five barrel capacity, telephone exchange, four suburban lines and long distance; high school, six teachers; four churches, all the secret orders; two banks, one hotel, two lumber yards, city hall, containing fire department, opera house, court room, library and offices of the improvement club and library association, 700 volumes of books, Annandale cornet band of twenty members, which is a credit to the town and county.
M. P. Satterlee, the leader of the band, is publisher of the Annandale Advocate, one of the leading weekly papers in Wright county. The town has all the business places needed in a town of this size, and they are of the very best. The brick business blocks and miles of cement walks would be a credit to a town of 25,000 people. Annandaleis in the center of the famous fishing grounds of the West. Seventeen lakes, teeming with fish, surround the town, and is a Mecca for sportsmen, for all kinds of fish and game are found in abundance. Pleasant lake, at the foot of one of the main streets, is teeming with black bass, and you can get up in the morning and catch enough black bass in a half hour to feed ten people for breakfast. There are no lakes in the state that are supplied with more prolific bass fishing grounds than the lakes around Annandale. Annandaleis becoming to be widely known as a very fine summer resort. At present there are pretty cottages located around the different lakes and several more are to be erected this year. Aside from the natural beauties of the town of Annandale and tributary territory, the enterprises of its citizens has been such that in the way of permanent improvements it is, size considered, unexcelled. Its schools are of the best in the state. Annandalepark cover two and a half blocks, and is just four blocks from the depot. This park has been fitted up with buildings so as to offer every inducement for picnics, conventions, encampments for all societies, and is getting to be well known in the Twin Cities. The park is on the famous beach of Pleasant lake, and easy access to the best of fishing grounds.
The soil of the county in this article covers all there is to be said of the different sections and towns. The soil may vary in some parts, but it is a subsoil richly impregnated with the elements that are needed to produce grains and grasses of all kinds.
Following are a few of the business firms:
Thayer’s hotel is the leading $2 per day house on the Soo railroad between St. Paul and Minot. The proprietor, A. A. Thayer, has been in the hotel business for twenty years, and knows what the traveling public want, and is always ready to serve them. Mrs. Thayer has charge of the dining room and kitchen, and this insures you a good meal.
E. H. Oletzky runs one of the leading saloons of the town, and has a very find trade, and has been in business twenty-three years.
The State Bank of Annandale is one of the leading banks of the county. This bank was established in 1893 and does a general banking and insurance business. W. D. McDonald, the cashier, is a rustler for the town.
The W. S. Ives Lumber company is the leading lumber company of the town. Mr. Ives was postmaster of Annandale for four years.
J. J. Rennie has been in business for sixteen years, and runs one of the leading and up-to-date dry goods and clothing stores of the town, also a fine line of groceries.
John H. Buri is proprietor of one of the leading hardware stores of Annandale, and handles a full line of farm implements, fishing tackle and sporting goods, and is the village recorder.
C. E. Peterson has run one of the fine saloons for three years, and has a fine trade.
J. E. Walters is proprietor of the main livery and feed stable, and gives special attention to fishermen and hunters. Write him and he will meet you at the train.
Dunton & Rackliff are one of the leading hardware firms of the town, sporting goods, paints, oil, farm implements and a tin shop in connection.
L. R. Williams is proprietor of a leading drug store, manager and stockholder in the telephone exchange, and owner of a fine eighty-acre farm.
J. G. Hayter runs and owns the Citizens’ bank, one of the leading banks. This bank was established in 1891 with a capital of $10,000 and does a fine business.
Fred Thompson is proprietor of the City meat market, and always has a full line of fresh and salt meats on hand. Has been in business three years.
H. L. Guptil, dealer in confectionery, fruits, cigars, tobacco and soft drinks, also very fine ice cream parlors always open for business.
William Riep runs one of the leading meat markets of the town, and has been six years in business. Mr. Riep has just returned from a three-months’ trip to the old country. (The Saint Paul Daily Globe, Monday Morning, May 23, 1904, Volume XXVII, Number 144, Page 10)