The following is from "As I Remember Scott County," a collection of oral histories from Scott County's senior residents in the 1980s. George Farrell, of Prior Lake, shared some memories of growing up in Prior Lake and Scott County.
My family lived on a farm in Scott County in Spring Lake Township. I've lived here all my life.
In 1925 a tornado hit our farm, destroying the barn and only the house was not blown down. The neighbors helped to get the cattle out of the barn. I was pinned down under the debris and had three ribs broken. My brother, Jack, liften the timbers so I could crawl out. The whole thing lasted from three to five minutes. Shortly after we moved into Prior Lake.
I remember a new bank was built in 1908, located on the corner known now as Dakota and Main Street. In 1910 or there about, there was a large crew of men repairing the road bed in town. The men lived in box cars along the side. One night one of the workers was killed and robbed He had carried his money in a money belt. The two men who robbed and killed him were caught. That caused quite a bit of excitement in town.
On Easter morning in 1921, St. Michael’s Church burned down. Someone forgot to put out the candles and that caused the fire. We had two chemical fire trucks; they were pulled by four men. Each truck held 11 pails of water which were mixed with a chemical to extinguish the fire. They had to stop to reload. There was a large faucet on the end of the hose and someone had shut it off, so when It was reloaded there was no pressure. IN the excitement, one fireman cut off the nozzle, and that was it, no pressure to help put out the fire. Men began carrying things out of the church, but piled them against the side of the building so all burned. We started right away to rebuild a church, the same one that is now being used. The first plan was to have the church 50 feet long, then it was changed to 40 feet. The original cost of 50 feet was $50,000, by going to 40 feet it reduced the cost to $40,000. Six men put in 31 days of labor, hauling bricks and gravel. Their time and labor was all donated. Mr. Simpkins donated the ground. My dad was the first man buried at the new church, and the second to be buried in the Catholic Cemetery.
To end this on a more happy thought, I’d like to tell about an old fellow here who was fishing and the game warden came along and asked how the fishing was today? The old man said, “Fine, fine I caught my limit this morning and I’ve got it again this afternoon.” The warden said, “I’ll have to take you in. Do you know who I am?” The old man said, “No, who are you?” “I’m the game warden,” he said. “Well,” he replied, “Do you know who I am?” “No, who are you?” “Well,” he replied, “’I’m the biggest dang liar in Scott County.”
