Aug 22 Sauk Centre to Bloomington, MN

Sauk Centre is famous for a few things, but the most notable is Sinclair Lewis. He was born in Sauk Centre in 1885 and is the first American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. He was born to a family doctor and he worked writing books from 1912 to his death in 1951. Many of his books were adapted into movies such as Main Street and Elmer Gantry.

By the way, State Troopers drive the black Shelby Mustang "Barricade" from the Transformers movie. It's slogan was "To Punish and Enslave". Thank goodness it's not really their motto.

This morning we met Lou and Lori Plant. They are cousins from the McDonough/Buckley side, heavy on the Buckley side. They live in the Daniel Buckley homestead and the house was classified as a Century House for being over 100 years old. Lou is the son of Agnes Buckley Plant, who was Daniel Buckley's daughter. Lou and Lori were kind enough to let us go through the house and take pictures. We will definitely be keeping in touch. They are warm and friendly people. They took us to the Palmer Hotel in Sauk Centre for lunch. The hotel is documented as haunted. Over the years hotel guests and staff have heard a little boy bouncing his ball and giggling at the top of the stairs. The other ghost is a hostess haunting the dining hall. The hotel still uses the original front desk and keys are in small cubbies. No electronic cards here.

A little about Lou's mother Agnes. She was a school teacher, superintendent of schools, owner of two beauty parlors, a poet, a journalist, and was instrumental in helping to set up the Sinclair Lewis museum.

Lou and Lori then drove us to the Calvary cemetery where most of the Buckley, Plant, and Johnson family are buried. We had to take a pass on the Oakland Cemetery where Michael and Rachael (Buckley) McDonough are buried. The cemetery has gone through tough times and the State no longer buries anyone there. There is a movement to get funding to clean the cemetery up. There was a huge storm that came through and knocked down several large trees and monuments. The clean up crew managed to not only clear up the trees but pick up markers and put them in the far corner of the cemetery with the debris. Apparently some markers were so old you can no longer read the inscription. Several people have gone out to this cemetery on my behalf but no luck finding Michael and Rachael. All the obituaries state that they are there.

Next we went to meet Marilyn at the Sauk Centre Historical Society. It is on the main street and in the basement of the library. Marilyn is not very tall and very bubbly. She had found and copied over 200 documents for me. A large part came from Lou Plant's attic. I'm sure there will be duplicates of what I have but these look to be far better copies.

We then drove to St. Cloud to the Stearns Historical Society and Museum to meet with John. First of all we were amazed at how large St.Cloud really is. We were expecting a small town and the usual for the historial society to be tucked away in the basement of a library, such as the Sauk Centre Historical Society. St Cloud is a city to be reckoned with but it must be 10,000 plus, and it's Best Buy tag sign is backwards. Kim was highly entertained about this and could hardly wait to let her coworkers know. Pictures may go on You Tube. John has asked that I contact Todd County as well with my information as this is were Michael McDonough spent part of his life and died there. The museum is huge and well laid out. This was another surprise to find a place so large housing so much of the history of Minnesota.

Now we were off to Bloomington to Mall of America!!!! and to meet the Brant Family. We passed a sign that said "We Do Cows.com". It was a veterinarian. We managed to make it to our hotel in Bloomington around 4:30 pm in the afternoon and contacted the Brant family. Ron Brant is the grandson of Elizabeth Buckley. So we now had the oldest Buckley's family through Daniel, a middle sister, Elizabeth for the Brant family, and the youngest sister, Rachael, for the McDonough family. We are all related as cousins. We met at the Mall of America for dinner. That is one large mall. Over 552 stores and a complete Playland in the very middle no to mention LegoLand. Apparently there is an aquarium on one of the floors too. We met Ron and two of his four sons. Dan Brant, who I have been corresponding with, and his older brother, Dave. Tom and Tim couldn't make it as well as their aunt, Ron's sister, who is 87. Dan had more documents for me from his side of the family. It's a good thing I brought folders of information for everyone I was to see on this trip.

A mention about the hotel room. We were quite knocked over when we opened the door and expected a regular room. It has a small front room and a King size bed. We have had moderate rooms a long the way, and this was a splurge, but I wasn't expecting this. And we are right across the street from the Mall of America!!!! Kim is excited.

Getting ready to go shopping and will update you at the end of the day.