The village of Bowlus was platted in 1907, with the impetus for its creation being the Soo Line Railroad. Today the town is poised for expansion due to the conversion of the rail line into a recreation trail.
Since its inception, Bowlus has been an industrious town, sporting a brick-making factory, opera house, hotel, maple syrup production facility, potato warehouse, sawmill, and grain elevator, along with the usual features of a full-service town, a post office, saloon, hardware and grocery stores, school and church.
To celebrate the history of Bowlus, the Morrison County Historical Society is hosting Bowlus Pride on Sunday, September 19, 2010, at the Bowlus Community Center. Town residents Louis Titel and Jordie Stay are assisting with preparations. Titel is one of the authors of the book “Bowlus: A Pictorial History – One Hundred Years” and will display some of the many historic items he has collected through his research. Stay is owner of Jordie’s Trail Side Café and, along with providing town history, will be catering the meal for Bowlus Pride.
The event starts at noon with a half-hour social period. Lunch will be served at 12:30 with the program, a presentation on the history of Bowlus, to follow. Cost for Bowlus Pride, which includes the meal and program, is $15 per person. Reservations are requested by September 14. Call the Morrison County Historical Society at 320-632-4007 to make reservations.
Following Bowlus Pride, the celebration continues with the annual Cash Raffle event sponsored by the Bowlus First Response & Firemen’s Relief Association, which runs from 2:30 to 6:30 at the American Legion in Bowlus. The raffle drawing will be at 4:00. A free light meal and the music of The Gene Ostendorf Band are features of the Cash Raffle event. Tickets for the raffle can be purchased through Jordie Stay, who can be reached at 320-584-8193.