August 22, Winneshiek Normal Institute incorporated; S. Page, Principal.

September 27th and 28th, County Fair.

November 17th, Congregational Church, Decorah, dedicated, E. Adams pastor.

The Livengood-Telyea murder trial commenced near the close of this year and continued into 1862. Particulars elsewhere in this volume.

1862.

Fourth of July celebration in Decoral, Hon M. V. Burdick delivering the oration.

August 30th, saloon of Wm. Oleson, Decorah, burned, and George Gulbranson burned to death, and others badly injured. September 6th, Aaron Newell, an old resident, died.

In September the Norwegian High School opened in Decorah being the nucleus of the future college.

1863.

June 4th, work on the Norwegian Lutheran College commenced. The building to be 150x20 feet on the ground, and three stories high above the basement.

Population of county by assessors returns in 1863, 15,035. Population of Decorah, 2,165.

Fourth of July celebrated in Decorah; addresses by home talent. November 3d, Elisha Hurlbut, postmaster of Decorah, died. Joseph Hutchinson, assistant, continued in office until a successor was appointed.

1864.

February 9th, J. R. Slack was appointed postmaster of Decorah, and took possession February 28th. Geo. W. Adams was appointed his assistant.

June 20th, the $40,000 necessary, secured, and engineers commenced locating a railroad to Decorah.

A grist mill was built by D. Addicken, and commenced running that year.

June 30, corner-stone of the Norwegian College laid.

Oct. 3, Capt J. R. Moore, Decorah, died suddenly in his bed. Oct. 12, celebration of the arrival of the railroad at Castalia.

Oct. 22, the Catholics of Decorah occupied their new church. Dec. 22, Decorah gets a through mail from Chicago.

1865.

March 20, flood in Dry Run did considerable damage. High waters in the river carried away the West Decorah bridge, and also the Freeport bridge.

April 8, a rousing celebration in Decorah of the taking of Richmond, in which enthusiasm extravagantly boiled over in wild and peculiar freaks.

April 27, funeral services in Decorah, Castalia, and other places on the death of Lincoln.

June 15, railroad completed to near Calmar.

July 4, Fourth of July celebration at Decorah, Col. Henderson

orator.

July 20, railroad completed to Conover.

September, Methodist parsonage at Decorah completed.

Oct. 15, dedication of the Norwegian Lutheran College, one wing four stories high, with basement, being completed. Prominent Norwegians from all parts of the country were present.

1866.

The Decorah public school building was built this year.

April 1, Decorah post office removed to first floor of new brick building on Winnebago street, now occupied by Journal office April 5, greatest flood since 1859, carrying off numerous bridges and doing considerable damage in the county.

July 4, celebrated in Decorah, M. V. Burdick and R. Swearingen

orators.

Nov. 1, great fire in Decorah; loss from $30,000 to $40,000, burning out Dennis & Hulverson, P. S. Smout, Green & Morss, and others, also the office of the Winneshiek Register, established in 1866, Haislet Bros. proprietors.

Nov. 11, County Supervisors bought the present Poor Farm of C. E. Dicker.nan.

This year the railroad reached the site of Ridgeway, and gave it its first start.

1887.

The new Masonic Hall, Dororah, dedicated. It was pronounced the best in Iowa.

Jan. 30, Fremont House and barn buized.

February 12, meeting to organize a fire company in Decorah. May 17, Norwegian celebration. Addresses by B. O. Dahly, K. E. Burgh, O. M. Lucken, and John Steen.

May 27, Decorah graded school established.

Oct. 3 and 4, County Fair held at Decorah.

During this year the residences of E. E. Cooley, D. B. Ellsworth, Mrs. Hughes, and J. Hunter, and the Dickerman building, were erected or commenced.

The telegraph line to Decorah was completed this year.

Nov. 28, Rev. E. Adams preached his Thanksgiving sermon, entitled "The First things of Decorah."

Dec. 6, Col. T. W. Higginson lectured in Decorah.

Near the close of the year 1867, B. Annundson established a Norwegian printing office in Decorah, printing several publications for the college. A few years later he commenced the publication of the Decorah Posten, which is the only Norwegian paper in Iowa, and has a very large circulation.

1868.

Feb. 1, Decorah secures two mails a day.

This winter Decorah secures a course of lectures by Fred Douglas, Theodore Tilton, Henry Vincent and E. P. Whipple,

February 2, Norwegian M. E. Church on Washington Prairie dedicated.

Feb. 18, John T. Stoneman lectures in Decorah on Joe Smith, the Mormon prophet.

April, Decorah Democrat established, Bob Shurley, editor.
May 17, Norwegian celebration; oration by Prof. Larsen.
July 4, celebration at Decorah; Rev. Henderson, of Dubuque,

orator.

Oct. 7, 8 and 9, County Fair at Decorah.

In 1868, by the creation of the Circuit Court as previously described, the County Court ceased to exist. The County Judge became ex officio County Auditor, the new state of things taking effect June 1, 1869.

1869.

On New Year's day Charles Magoffin fell over the bluff overhanging the dugway, above the mill dam, Decorah. He was getting some cedar branches, and stepping on ice, slipped and fell down the bluff and was killed.

Jan. 12, Oddfellows occupied their new hall in the Dickerman building, Decorah.

March 15, paper mill company at Freeport organized.

May 12, work commenced in earnest on the Decorah branch of 'the railroad.

May 9, depot and six grain warehouses at Ossian burned.
June 7, A.K. Bailey appointed postmaster at Decorah.

June 13, Kramer's store burned, and depot and Lambert's store at Castalia robbed.

July 4, celebrated at Ossian and Hesper.

July 12, Calmar is incorporated as a village of the second class Aug. 24, David Self was killed by his wagon tipping over into river, on the dugway, Decorah. He was thrown under the wagon; his wife and children escaped.

Sept 15, first regular train ran into Decorah. It was a day of celebration and rejoicing.

Sept 22, 23 and 24, County Fair at Decorah.

Oct. 28, Edgar Harden, son of H. J. Harden, was fatally stabbed at Burr Oak by Jasper Jewell, who became irritated by the badinage of a party of threshers, with whom he was working.

Dec. 2, Beauseant Commandery of Knights Templar fully organized and officers installed at Decorah with a grand parade, display, etc.

The Decorah Ventilator was established this year.

This year the railroad reached Fort Atkinson, and the building of the new town commenced.

1870.

In 1870 the old Supervisor system of one from each township gave place to the present system, except that at first there were but three Supervisors; but this was changed, in 1872, to five, the present number.

In February S. S. Haislett bought E. C. Huntington's interest in the State Press newspaper, recently established at Decorah.

In March woman's suffrage lectures were delivered in Decorah by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Mrs. H. C. Reed.

A 4th of July accident occurs at Spillville by the premature explosion of an anvil, by which four men were badly hurt.

August 17, the publication of the Winneshiek Representative was commenced at Calmar by Bent Wood.

Steyer's Hall, Decorah, was completed this year.

1871.

Decorah had a lecture course for the winter of 1870 and 1871, among the lecturers being Lilian Edgerton and W. H. Milburn. February 2, a fire in Decorah destroys Goddard & Henry's store, the Howell and Heivly building occupied by P. S. Smout and Mrs. G. W. Adams' millinery store.

February 24, by legislative enactment Decorah was incorporated a city of the second class. It first election was held March 6, 1871. The first mayor was Charles F. Allen. The other officers are given in a sketch of Decorah.

May 17, Norwegian celebration at Decorah. County Fair in Decorah in September.

The number of County Supervisors was increased from three to five, as at present.

June 23, the Winneshiek Representative at Calmar suspended publication.

Decorah celebrated the 4th of July; Mahlon Willet, orator.

Sept. 6th, a homicide occurred in the evening in Frankville township. Wm. McClintock was scolding his nephew about some piece of mischief when a man, named Seeley, rode up and said: "Take one of your size." And in a quarrel that followed Seeley knocked McClintick down with a club. McClintock died three hours afterward. Seeley was held to bail in the sum of $1,000, and afterwards sent to the penitentiary.

The County Fair was held at Decorah in September.

The Decorah Democrat was discontinued, and the material taken to McGregor for a paper there.

1872.

Jan. 17, old settlers of the county organize.

March 27, Ole Bull comes to Decorah, gives two concerts and a mattinee, and is given a grand public reception by the people. July 4, Fort Atkinson celebrates, with W. H. Bennett as orator. Deborah celebrates, with Rev. Casabeer as orator and Mrs. H. Bottsford as reader.

County Fair at Decorah, Sept. 17, 18, 19 and 20.

1873.

The great storm and snow blockade commenced Jan. 7th, continuing about a week. It was in this storm that Conductor Bob Jamieson organized a rescue party and went from Calmar carrying provisions to passengers in a blockaded train a little. south of Ridgeway. They made their way through the blinding storm by starting from one telegraph pole to another; the one who found the pole first shouting to the others. It was nearly two weeks before the blockade was finally lifted.

Jan. 20, the new school house at Fort Atkinson was burned. Feb. 28, Andrew Johnson of Pleasant township, starting to go home from Decorah, drunk, froze to death on his way.

March 12, W. N. Burdick, of Cresco, purchased half the interest in the Decorah Ventillator.

May 17, Norwegian celebration at Decorah. Addresses by Rev. Larsen and L. Reque.

June 7, Ole Bull again visited Decorah and gave a concert.
Sept. 18, the district fair was held at Hesper.

County fair was held at Decorah, Sept. 23, 24 and 26.

1874.

March 31, death of C. H. Henry, of the firm of Goddard & Henry, Decorah.

April 5, death of F. E. Ruth, of the firm of Ruth Bros., Decorah.

May 24th, about this date the business part of Ridgway burned. Twenty-five buildings were destroyed and $50,000 worth of property.

Fourth of July celebrated in Decorah. Rev. H. B. Woodworth, pastor of Congregational Church, orator.

July 31, new bridge over Iowa river at Decorah finished.

Aug. 11, Decorah Independent started by Ed. Wood and S. S. Haislet.

Aug. 13, corner stone of the M. E. Church laid.

Sept. 11 and 12 State Line fair at Hesper.

Sept. 15, 16, 17, county fair at Decorah.

Oct. 3, H. H. Buck, of Decorah, committed suicide.

Nov. 3, A. A. Aiken's Trot Run woolen factory burned.

Greer & Hunter's mill was completed this month.