In response to our article in the Re-Echo, we received this fascinating letter from Shirley Wanchena, who shared memories of her time as the daughter of the caretaker of the Fox Farm. Here is her story:
Your September article about the Fox Farm fascinated me and triggered many, many memories. I lived on that fox farm for seven years and then moved with “it” to two other locations.
My name is Shirley Ann (Anderson) Wanchena. My father, Ludvig Anderson was a Swedish immigrant, coming to America, the ‘”New World”, when he was 20 years old. His first job was at the Cresote plant in St Louis Park and after a few years was hired as a caretaker at the fox farm. A caretakers house was provided with a $35.00/mo. wage. He was to be an “on-site” watchman, slaughter horses and grind up the meat with grains etc. to make the “fox-food”, clean up the barn and then help feed the fox. It was a very hard job but for an immigrant with few English language skills he always said he was grateful to have a job to put “food on the table and keep a roof over our heads.”
A few responses to some of the comments in your article;
The land was south of Wayzata Blvd, between Louisiana and Pennsylvania Ave. with the present 14th St. the southern border. The Caretakers house backed up to what was a “ravine” on the west side. The hill behind it and many more acres around it was owned and farmed by “Peanut John.” He grew melons and peanuts during the time we lived there. He eventually sold it and M.P. Johnson bought a good share of it and built a riding stable and then platted out the rest for housing. (My husband and I eventually purchased a lot on 14th St. just off of Texas Ave. We lived there for 28 years.) The caretakers house we lived in at that fox farm is still a residence.
About the WDGY station—-one of my best friends lived there, Beverly Lennon. Her father, Al Lennon (mother, Ann) was an on-site caretaker of the station. The radio tower was built while we lived there. My father helped lift the huge metal sections into place, (with some sort of crane) while we all watched. My mother was so afraid my father was going to be injured. Beverly went to Elliot school with my sister Arlene and me. As we moved around the WDGY station was also moved. We lost track of the Lennon family.
The three story building with a “tower” was a barn. The tower-like structure was built to “hang” the dead horses for butchering. My father was the one who had to shoot them, and then do the butchering. The horses were purchased from private owner/farmers. They were all needing to be “put down” due to old age, blindness, crippling diseases, growths on their legs or feet, etc. The owners were paid a small sum, and it seemed they were glad to have their problem solved. Usually there were only 2 or 3 horses at a time in the fenced yard (about 10 days to 2 weeks worth for the fox food). My memory is that they were treated very humanely. My sister and I would feed them old apples in the fall and talk to them—we would even give them names and pretend they were ours! Mr. Harvey was my father’s “Boss.” My memories of him are pretty neutral except for a pretty red-haired secretary that would come with him sometimes—and bring us candy.
In 1939 we moved to the “mink” ranch on Hopkins Cross Road about a mile south of Wayzata Blvd. I am not sure why, maybe disease control, but they usually separated by significant distances the fox and the mink. However, some of the fox were moved to the mink ranch and some were moved to a new Fox Ranch they (Mr. Harvey & Co.) established a mile east of Pequot Lakes on the Breezy Point Road. A mink ranch had also been established about three miles down the road. When explaining the moves, Mr. Harvey said the winters were getting too warm in the Mpls. area. The fox and mink were raised for single shoulder-furs, for trimmings and for for coats. The colder the weather, the fuller and more beautiful the pelts were—and the more money they were worth and sold for.
You may or may not want to know this particular fact but if anyone thought the fox were shot they were wrong. The fox and the mink were electrocuted—it was instantaneous with a hot wire in each end of the animal. They claimed it was painless, and left no damage to the pelt. The present “Fox Hills” on County Rd 73 is where the “mink ranch” was located when we moved there in 1939. We lived there for one year and then in 1940 we moved to the new Fox Ranch established in Pequot Lakes. We lived in a log house with no plumbing—we did have electricity! My father’s job remained about the same.
Pearl Harbor Day came December 7,1941 changing a lot of lives—and it changed ours! My father applied for a “rough construction” job in Alaska—building Army barracks. He was hired and paid a fortune compared to what he had ever earned. He left for Alaska where he worked for almost three years. Our Mother, my sister Arlene and our little brother moved back to St Louis Park and lived with relatives until my father came home. I graduated from SLP in 1945.
I have many more personal memories, but have tried to limit my writing to what your questions were—if I can be of any more help let me know.
Thank you, thank you for all your interests and fruitful labor!
God Bless you, everyone,
Shirley Wanchena October 10, 2007