One of the things we do on

Thomas L. Johnson — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:46:18 -0500

One of the things we do on this blog is look back, so as I was reading the news of 40 years ago, this little notice fueled my retrospective interest, particularly in a summer of $4.00 gas: "Fifty-one years of passenger train service to the Borderland area ended Sunday when the Northern Pacific Railway Company discontinued its passenger train and replaced it with bus service." When I chose to go to Chicago for college, I had transportation choices. In the intervening time, those choices have disappeared.
The first time I went to college, my father brought me and my 2 suitcases to the Rex where I boarded a bus to Minneapolis and then switched to the train to Chicago. [This was also an era when parents didn't necessarily drive their sons and daughters to school.] At Christmastime that first year, I took trains from Chicago right into International Falls, switching in Minneapolis. [Mark Wold and I were wearing ROTC uniforms that gave us a 50% discount; on the last stretch, there were classmates in real uniforms. Embarrassing. ]
Later, I discovered that I could bus from the Rex to downtown Chicago in exactly 12 hours, arriving in the Windy City at 4 am. Once, I flew from O'Hare on a Republic Airways flight that was meant to end up in the Falls but terminated in Duluth due to weather.
What I am trying to say is this: this little place is more remote in 2008 than it was in 1968. Back then, we were a destination; now we are a place that closes its airport in the winter and has closed everything else year-around. Except highways 53 and 71.
When I spend time in Austria in a fairly remote town 1/2 the size of IFalls, I have the choice of bus and train. They continue to exist because there are places in the world that regard transportation as part of the important infrastructure like education. I can imagine a notice in the not too distant future that the public school systems that have served this area for over a century are closing down, that education, like transportation, will be a private matter -- home-schooling for the masses. I believe that is what the Current Group envisions when they call us an ownership society. We own the cars; they own the oil. We pay 4 bucks; they make 11 billion. And we have no choice in the matter.

Reference 40years ago

Jerry Linsten — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:34:31 -0500

Reference 40years ago item:The immediate family of Mrs C. Vic Linsten (McComb) held a reunion. its first in 21 years, the weekend of July 16-17 at her lake cabin.
Jerry Linsten

Nice to see "Looking Back"

Jerry Linsten — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:43:34 -0500

Nice to see "Looking Back" back on the front page. Thanks.

Why, when I go to "Looking

Jerry Linsten — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:48:37 -0600

Why, when I go to "Looking Back", I have to sign in again? Jerry Linsten

Happy 60th anniversary

Jerry Linsten — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:46:00 -0600

Happy 60th anniversary Riverview subdivison.

Thanks to the Falls Public

Jerry Linsten — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 20:02:56 -0600