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MEMORIES OF THE FOX FARM
Shirley Anderson Wanchena
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.
I have included a brochure on Pacem in Terris, a hermitage
retreat center we opened twenty years ago. We are
located twenty miles north of Anoka. I would welcome a
visit from anyone who might like a tour and/or a cup of
coffee.
Thank you, thank you for all your
interests and fruitful labor!
God Bless you, everyone,
Shirley Wanchena October 10, 2007
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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.