Nowthen

You may remember the other day I posted about my favorite sign. If not here is the link to read about it. http://joytobelieve.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-favorite-sign.html

Well today I am talking about the stop sign above. This is the only thing separating me from civilization. Humanity at its finest. The hustle and bustle of Elk River!

On my side of this sign you see homes, farms, ranches with horses and cattle, prairie, woods and dirt roads. It is serene. My neighborhood doesn't necessarily fit into this serene picture. It is just a regular old suburban neighborhood. But it serves its purpose...it is my home. Just past my neighborhood is where all this beauty lies.

About five miles past my neighborhood is a small town called Nowthen. At its origination it was called Burns Township officially established in 1869. However the first birth in this town was recorded in 1857. The first marriage was also recorded in 1857. Not sure which came first? hmmm shotgun weeding? Anyways the population as of the 2000 census was 3,357.

The interesting thing about Nowthen was how it got its name. The official story on the city website is this.

Jim Hare (first postmaster) was credited in naming the Nowthen Post Office. History says that Hare wrote to Washington requesting a Post Office in Burns Township. The Post Office Department indicated that they could not approve the Burns Post Office because there was already Burnstown Township Post Office in Southern Minnesota. The department asked Hare for suggestions for a new name. Jim Hare sent a letter to the department with several suggested names. At the end of his letter he stated "nowthen" and signed it. Not knowing that Hare often started and ended his sentences with "nowthen", the department thought it was a pretty good name and named Burns Township's Post Office the Nowthen Post Office.

Even after the Nowthen Post Office closed in July 31, 1894 the residents still referred to the area around the Post Office as Nowthen.

In 2007 Nowthen was incorporated into a city! It is a darling little community. I love going to Nowthen.

So that is one side of the stop sign. And God help me but on the other side of the stop sign is Walmart. This stop sign is the only thing that stands between me and Walmart. Only one stop sign....no street lights....just one measly stop sign.

Stop...no really Stop

Joytobe