The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911.
Rock County Village (continued from 01-28-20 edition of the Star Herald)
But Bruce refused to entirely forfeit its lease of life. There were few signs of activity during 1890, but none of a nature that assured a regeneration. J. N. Jacobson, upon moving to Hills, resigned as postmaster of Bruce, and was succeeded in May by F. T. Miller. Mr. Miller laid plans for the opening of a general store but did not put them into execution. A store was established, however, by Hans N. Kjergaard. Postmaster Miller served only a few months in that capacity and withdrew in favor of Mr. Kjergaard, who has ever since held the office. For six months, during 1890 Bruce came in to prominence as a wholesale center. Two liquor firms, Hickey & Mecknemar and the North Star Drug company, which were forced from South Dakota by prohibition laws, located for business at Bruce, the first town over the state line, but their career was run within a short period.
All later efforts to “boost” Bruce have ended in failure. During the spring of 1893, N. T. Burroughs, of Cherokee, Iowa, who was interested in the townsite, proposed to once more establish the place on a firm footing.13 But the hopes thus awakened never saw fulfillment. A year prior to this the two grain warehouses at Bruce became the property of Edmonds & Londergan, and were converted into elevators. Disaster visited Bruce on the morning of October 16, 1900, when fire destroyed the Illinois Central depot, which was later rebuilt on a smaller scale.
The town of Bruce is today virtually controlled by one man, Hans N. Kjergaard, who is postmaster, only merchant, proprietor of the two elevators, stock buyer and station agent. He was one of the few who refused to leave Bruce in the day of its crisis, and largely through his determination to stay, Bruce has maintained its place on the map.
13T. F. Shannon and T. E. Munger, officials of the Illinois Central railroad, and N. T. Burroughs, of Cherokee, were in town Tuesday on townsite business. Mr. Burroughs proposes to start Bruce up again and will make a first-class country town of it. Mr. Burroughs is a man of great wealth and he intends to offer every inducement he can to business enterprises which he can get started at this place, and there is no doubt that in a short time Bruce will be one of the best country towns in this section of the country. We will have three good general stores running within a month from now.”—Correspondence in Rock County Herald, April 21, 1893.
Kanaranzi
Numbered among the half dozen smaller villages of Rock county is Kanaranzi, named after the township within which it is located. Stated specifically, it is situated on the southeast quarter of section 3, seven miles from the county seat on the Watertown-Ellsworth branch of the Rock Island railroad. The business town consists of a store, elevators and shops that derive their support from the agricultural country adjoining.
The building of the Burlington railroad into Rock county in 1884 brought with it the possibility of new towns, and among the places to materialize was the station in Kanaranzi township. The grading of the proposed line was hardly commenced before there were negotiations between the railroad authorities and representatives of the farmers and landowners of Kanaranzi township in regard to locating a town, which it was expected would satisfy a long felt want for a more convenient market.14
But a whole year was allowed to pass before the agitators’ hopes were realized. In August, 1885, the townsite company connected with the railroad took action. A survey was made during that month by LeRoy Grant, from which a town plat of nine blocks was made. The dedication occurred Septmeber 28, 1885, and on October 14 the instrument was placed on record.15 The land on which the town was located was originally the property of Charles Thompson.
14“The people here have not yet given up all hopes of obtaining a depot in Kanaranzi township. The distance from Luverne to some good location will be about ten or eleven miles, and the country around here will support a good town, as it will get much of the trade that now goes to Adrian and Rock Rapids. We believe the railroad company is working for its own interest, and, allowing this to be a fact, we see no reason why we should feel in doubt.”—Correspondence in Rock County Herald, May, 16, 1884.
15One addition has been attached to the original townsite of Kanaranzi: Kanaranzi Village Outlots, by G. S. Snover, December 27, 1904.
The story of the village of Kanaranzi will continue in the Feb. 11 edition of the Star Herald.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.