DHA XLIX
(2/26/2004)

This week's Minga Taks go to the Danish Festival Days Committee (DFDC), which has given DHA a share of the profit on the sale of the medallions featuring the original DBS building in Viborg. These were sold during the 2004 Christmas season. DFDC and DHA both promote Viborg and the Danish heritage, and DHA is most appreciative of their help. The 2004 medallion is reported to feature the Viborg Railroad Depot.

Individual Minga Taks go to:

• Elaine L. Andersen
• Dora Mae Jensen, in memory of Lyle M. Jensen
• Dennis D. Reinholt, VM*
• David VerBeek
• Fast Auto Glass of Vermillion
• Kermit C. Trove, VM
• Mary Ann larsen
• Phyllis Jorgensen

*Voting Member

The period of this column being snowbound did have a degree of opportunity to increase the collection of Daneville area historical recollections. The eve of February 6, Dennis Sletten of the Center Point area called with a variation of the information that the Gross Hatchery building, now becoming DHA's museum, came from Center Point. (Jan. 29, 2004 Enterprise)

It is Mr. Sletten's recollection that a "Hull (exact name uncertain) Store" did come from Center Point to become a Gross Hatchery, but in Centerville, not in Viborg. As a boy, Mr. Sletten remembers the building being moved. This was at the time quite an event for a farm boy to witness. He also remembers being with his father to purchase chicks at the Gross Hatchery in Centerville, and that hatchery was the building from Center Point. Roughly, Mr. Sletten's information would put this sometime in the 1930's.

Research in the Centerville Centennial book, informed that: "The building for the new Gross Hatchery was moved to this location (SW corner at Dakota and Garfield) from Center Point in 1938, with Casper Voog as manager. In 1950 the Hatchery was sold to Lyman Owren." (Page 104-105)

Thanks to Fred Knudsen getting Dennis Sletten to remember, it now seems that Viborg's museum-to-be building apparently did not come from Center Point. And that Greater Daneville's own Center Point supplied a building, not to Viborg, but to Centerville.

History, though sometimes questionable and doubtful, can thereby vecome more interesting, and even exciting. Some one has said, "If it is not true, it is not history." Separating the facts from the mistakes helps drive our interest and involvement.

(Continued next week...)